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How to Use Virtual Horizon (Virtual Level) on the Sony a7R IV

The virtual horizon (or virtual level) tool is one of the most useful overlays for composing your shots. Here's how it works on the Sony a7R IV.

Sony a7R IV Virtual Horizon Level header image

Categories: How To Guides, Mirrorless Cameras
Tags: Sony, Sony a7R IV Mirrorless Camera
Last updated about 3 months ago // Originally published about 1 year ago

Virtual horizons, or virtual levels, are one of my favorite overlays that a made possible by the live view screens and electronic viewfinders of modern cameras. They’re incredibly useful for landscape and architectural work, and the better ones can tell you not only whether the horizon is level, but also the pitch (ie. whether it’s tilted up or down). And they’re much easier and more accurate than the old-school approach of putting a bubble level in the camera’s hot shoe.

Where to Find the Virtual Level on the Sony a7R IV

There are two areas in the Sony a7R IV’s information displays where you can find the virtual horizon.

One is part of the everything-but-the-kitchen sink display screen. If you haven’t altered the default information displays, you can get to this by pressing the DISP button on the back of the camera. That’s the top of the dial on the back panel. Each time you press that, it cycles to the next display screen.

Sony a7R IV Virtual Horizon 6

The drawback of that screen is that you can’t see what you’re shooting. It’s also only available on the back screen, not through the viewfinder. But it can be particularly useful for tripod shooting, especially at night to show you all the settings you’re using.

For live composition framing, there’s another option that you can use. That’s a true overlay, in that you can see the live view as well. And it works on both the back screen and the viewfinder. So for most users, this is probably going to be the more useful option more often.

Sony a7R IV Virtual Horizon 9

Reading the Virtual Horizon

The virtual horizon is pretty intuitive. When the camera is level, the markers turn green. This, for example, is what it looks like when the camera is level and flat. Both sets of markers, in the center and on the sides, are green.

Sony a7R IV Virtual Horizon 7

This is with the camera level sideways (ie. not rolling) but pointed down. The side markers are green, but the vertical markers in the center at orange and towards the top of the gauge.

Sony a7R IV Virtual Horizon 8

This is pointed up.

Sony a7R IV Virtual Horizon 9

And this is the camera not tilted up or down but rolling to the right.

Sony a7R IV Virtual Horizon 10

If you switch the camera to portrait orientation (ie. vertical), the virtual horizon gauge will automatically adjust (there’s a glitch with the HDMI output where it doesn’t display properly, so I haven’t gotten a screenshot of it, but it adjusts correctly on the back screen and the electronic viewfinder.

Enabling the Overlays

These overlay screens are enabled by default, but it is possible they’ve been deactivated at some point. That’s because the a7R IV lets you choose which informational display screens are available.

You can find this option under:

Settings (the toolbox icon) > Page 7/11: Display/Auto Review1 > DISP Button

Sony a7R IV Information Display Customization 1

You can then choose whether you’re customizing the viewfinder overlays or the back screen (monitor) overlays. The options are similar, but you don’t have the “For viewfinder” option when viewfinder (that’s the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink display that blacks out the live view and therefore doesn’t make much sense for the viewfinder).

For the overlay with the live view, you want to make sure that the Level option is checked.

Sony a7R IV Information Display Customization 2

Sony a7R IV Information Display Customization 3

Use with the Grid Lines

The virtual horizon complements another screen overlay well: the gridlines.

The gridlines are static–that is, they don’t move–but they’re very useful for lining things up in the frame. You can enable them on the same page:

Settings (the toolbox icon) > Page 7/11: Display/Auto Review1 > Grid Line

Sony a7R IV Grid Lines 1

They’re turned off by default, but you can choose from markings dividing the frame into thirds, a square grid, or a square grid and diagonals; I usually use the last one.

Sony a7R IV Grid Lines 2

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Popular Lenses for the Sony a7R IV

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By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on December 9, 2020

Categories: How To Guides, Mirrorless Cameras
Tags: Sony, Sony a7R IV Mirrorless Camera

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News & Deals

With the holidays fast approaching, there’s some great deals on photography gear and services available. I’ve put together a roundup of Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020 Photography Deals. It’s a running list as new deals are announced, so be sure to check back.

Canon announces new EOS Rebel T8i DSLR. Canon has announced their new T8i DSLR. 24MP APS-C cropped CMOS sensor, 4K24 video, and updated image processing and detection systems. It’s available for preorder from B&H Photo.

New Firmware for the Ricoh GR III. Ricoh has release firmware v1.31 for the GR III. Release notes are: “Corrected — When shooting with the multiple exposure, in rare cases the live view may not display correctly. Improved stability for general performance.” You can download it here.

New Canon 1D X Mark III Pro DSLR Announced. Canon has announced their new flagship model of pro DSLR, the 1D X Mark III. They’re sticking with a 20.1MP CMOS sensor, but it’s a new and improved version and boasts an incredible native ISO range of ISO 100 to ISO 102400 and an extended range that goes up to a jaw-dropping ISO 819200. With revamped autofocus, a new image processor, and all sorts of other bells and whistles, it’s no wonder that Canon is billing it as “The Ultimate EOS.”

New Manfrotto Pro Rugged Memory Cards. Manfrotto, an Italian probably best known for their tripods and studio accessories, has launched a new Pro Rugged range of high-end SD, microSD, and CompactFlash cards. While they don’t have a huge selection of sizes and speeds, the cards are aiming for very fast cards that can put up with rugged demands. For instance, they claim that their V90 rated SD cards can withstand three times the force (20kg / 45 lbs) of a regular SD card. I’ve ordered some to run through my speed tests.

New Sony Alpha a7 firmware released. A firmware update for the Sony a7R IV now lets you control external Sony flashes from the camera’s own menu system. Up to 15 flashes in five groups can be controlled via the camera. It also applies to the a7R III and a7 III.

Comments

  1. dan mccoy says

    January 15, 2021 at 1:08 pm

    the level is on both my viewfinder and monitor …driving me crazy…have been to the disp screen and tried to turn off everything on the view finder and the monitor screens but just cant figure it out. I want to simple have nothing in the way of viewing my subjects. I know it must be an easy solution but… thanks for any help. some day sony will come to its senses and clean up their mess of controls.

    Reply
  2. robert macdonald says

    November 25, 2020 at 8:48 am

    I want to de-activate my virtual horizon from my screen cant find it in the instructions for my a9 sony camera. please can you help

    Reply
  3. Graham Walker says

    August 5, 2020 at 10:43 am

    Hi,
    I recently bought a Sony A7r Mk 3, I would like to know if possible, how I can activate, and de-activate the Virtual Horizon facility.
    Regards.

    Reply
  4. Haris Aziz says

    December 6, 2019 at 4:11 pm

    Hi, just got Sony Alpha 7ivr. Brand new from Amazon. Packaging it came in was flimsy.
    The virtual horizon display is tilted to the left side most of the time. Occasionally it is accurate. Reinitializing did not help.
    Appreciate your comments.

    Reply
    • David says

      December 6, 2019 at 4:40 pm

      That doesn’t seem right on either score. While the packaging isn’t as fancy as with some cameras, it’s also not what I’d call flimsy. For the permanently tilted horizon, it’s not an issue I’ve come across, and I’d recommend reaching out to Sony support directly.

      Reply

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