So… That Sigma fp L.

This will be a relatively brief one for me.

I am certain that it may very well be that this is a question of who this camera is for. This may be the bees knees for someone whose first and foremost concern is obtaining a high resolution little box as the base of a killer gimbal or video rig. In fact if that is the case stop reading now and head to your favorite virtual or physical retailer. Nothing below will matter. Enjoy. But if you plan on taking photos any amount of time then read on… And it still may be your cup of tea. Whatever floats your boat. Have at it.

Short version:

They know the A7RIV exists, right?

Anyhoo.

Longwinded version:

Pros first:

First things first. Phase detect AF! A first for a full frame L Mount alliance camera I think. Kudos.
A whole lot of MP.
There is a proper viewfinder option as opposed to the prior large and expensive non electronic $292 variant.
I see there is an add on hot shoe available.

Cons:

The A7RIV exists.
Lacking in lens selection. Especially affordable lenses.
The viewfinder adds $500 to an already substantial price.
That hot shoe is an add on module. Unlike the viewfinder it is included at least.
As far as I can tell the viewfinder and hot shoe plug in at the same mounting point so they likely cannot be used at the same time.
No articulating screen.
No mechanical shutter. Which leads to a low flash sync speed.
Shallow buffer for burst.
Poor battery life.
Firmware may address this, but Dustin Abbott indicated that AF does not keep up with the latest and greatest systems. And Eye AF in video… Focus pulls… Woof. Check out his video. Sony and Canon have spoiled me so this is not good.
No IBIS.
The A7RIV exists. For the combined priced of an fp L and accessory viewfinder the Sony suffers from none of the cons listed above.

As I mentioned in a post about the original Sigma fp I do not get it. It is not that this is a bad camera. More of an indication that there are some fantastic cameras on the market right now. Almost any camera on the market is a viable option nowadays. At the end of the day it is a capable device with quantifiable improvements over the original and I would not fault anyone for getting one.