Sony A7 IV (Alpha 7 IV) Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera (2021)
Product Gallery
Product Overview
Sony Alpha 7 IV (A7IV) is a full-frame mirrorless camera designed for mainstream consumers. It offers a range of feature upgrades over the A7III, which has been on the market for over three years, and adopts the new ergonomics improvements introduced with the latest Sony cameras.
The most notable upgrade concerns the new 33MP sensor: Sony is able to increase the resolution by over a third without sacrificing battery life, dynamic range, or burst rate. Having said that, one could argue that Sony has not made any effort to improve in these areas, either. In fact, the A7R IV, which came onto the market two years ago, may represent better value at this point (especially on the used / grey-import market).
Speaking of the A7R IV, the A7IV has the same, larger grip. In terms of button layout, it is similar to the newer A7S III. One should note that the A7IV has a lower-caliber EVF and a barely-enough LCD, which nonetheless has received more touch functions and a rotate-out form factor.
Lastly, Sony boasts 30% improvement in AF performance over the A7 III, though this may not be notable for many photographers.
Ratings
What we found**
Neofiliac score 76% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
- Fully articulated LCD
- Long battery life
- 5.5 stops of IBIS
- Good 10.0 fps burst rate
- Weather-sealed
- Supports CFExpress Type A card
- Supports both WiFi and Bluetooth
Cons
- Viewfinder with low 0.78x magnification
What external reviewers found***
External score 81% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
- Excellent image quality
- Good battery life
- Very good autofocus
Cons
- No Stacked CMOS sensor
- Skewing could be better
- Less dynamic range than previous model
- Fiddly autofocus
- No tripod or gimbal
- No 4k 120 at this price point
Price Comparison
Specifications
Connectivity
Ports
HDMI + Headphone + Microphone + Remote Control + USB 3.2 Gen 2
Wireless Connectivity
802.11ac (dual band) + Bluetooth
Construction
Form Factor
Mirrorless camera
Image Size
Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm)
Lens Mount
Sony E-mount
Material
Magnesium alloy
Microphone
Stereo
Sensor | Resolution
33 MP (7008 x 4672)
Sensor | Type
BSI-CMOS
Speakers
Mono
Dimensions
Size | Depth
80 mm / 3.15 in
Size | Height
96 mm / 3.78 in
Size | Width
131 mm / 5.16 in
Weight
659 g / 23.29 oz
Display
Display Diagonal
3 inch
Display Type
Fully articulated TFT LCD
Resolution
1,036,800 dots
Viewfinder | Coverage
100%
Viewfinder | Magnification
0.78x
Viewfinder | Resolution
3,686,400 dots
Viewfinder | Type
Electronic
Function
AE Bracketing
±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
Autofocus
759 focus points
Crop Factor
1.0
Exposure Compensation
±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Exposure Mode
Auto / Aperture Priority / Shutter Priority / Manual
Flash Sync Speed
1/250 s
GPS
No
Image Stabilization
5-axis (5.5 stops)
ISO Range
100 ~ 51200 (expands to 50 ~ 204800)
Processor
Bionz XR
Touch Screen
Yes
Video Codecs
MPEG-4, XAVC S, XAVC HS, XAVC S-I, H.264, H.265
Video Recording
Up to 4K 60fps 4:2:2 10bit 600Mbps, FHD 60fps 4:2:2 10bit 222Mbps
Weather Resistance
Yes
Performance
Battery Life
580 shots
Battery Life | Stills
520 shots (Viewfinder) / 580 shots (LCD)
Battery Life | Video
100 min (Viewfinder) / 110 min (LCD)
Dynamic Range
15 stops
Max Burst Rate
10.0 fps
Shutter Speed
1/8000 to 30 s
Storage
One CFexpress Type A/UHS-II SD, One UHS-II SD
Production
Availability
2021-12
Battery
NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery charger
Debut
2021-10-21
Model Name
ILCE-7M4
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Launch Comparison
Clear List
3rd-Party Review Videos
External Reviews
cameralabs[1]
Reviewer score 83%The A7 IV is the entry-level model in Sony’s full-frame lineup. It will more than satisfy the majority of photographers, videographers and hybrid shooters. The Mark IV boosts the resolution to 33 Megapixels without compromising noise levels. It enhances an already excellent autofocus system, improves the menus and controls, increases the viewfinder resolution and sports a more comfortable grip.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Improved autofocus system
- Improved viewfinder
- Improved ergonomics
Cons
- Skewing could be better
- No 4k 120 at this price point
dpreview[2]
Reviewer score 67%The a7 IV uses the same NP-FZ100 battery as the a7 III and other more recent Sony cameras. It can achieve a CIPA battery life rating of 580 shots per charge using the rear screen and 520 shots using the EVF. The a7C might not have the improved menus of the a 7 IV but it doesn't feel as unrefined and clunky as the Marks I and II do.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Very good autofocus
- Improved ergonomics and user interface
- Improved battery life
Cons
- No Stacked CMOS sensor
t3[3]
Reviewer score 84%The Sony A7 IV is one of the most comprehensive line-ups for photographers. The camera body makes use of recycled plastic - something that Sony calls ‘Sorplas’ (Sony Recycled Plastic?) You certainly wouldn’t know any difference from handling the camera – which is as well-engineered and solid as they come.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Wide field of view
- Fast f/1.8 aperture
- Good battery life
Cons
- Fiddly autofocus
techradar[4]
Reviewer score 81%The Sony A7 IV can shoot 4K/30p video in 10-bit 4:2:2. It has a 33MP sensor, up from the A7 III's 28MP. Sony's Active Stabilization mode incurs a crop of around 15%, creating a much narrower field of view. Battery life is, again, solid rather than spectacular.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Excellent image quality
- In-body image stabilization
- Good battery life
Cons
- No tripod or gimbal
wired[5]
Reviewer score 92%Sony's new autofocus system, first seen in the flagship A9, finally comes to the A7 line. The improvement here is difficult to overstate. Sony's subject tracking makes it easy to highlight your subject, and then the camera tracks it. If you're a shutter-mashing addict, you'll be happy.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Fast, accurate autofocus
- Excellent battery life
- Excellent image quality
Cons
- Less dynamic range than previous model
User Reviews
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References
- ^ Sony A7 IV review. [cameralabs]. https://www.cameralabs.com/sony-a7-iv-review/. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
- ^ Sony a7 IV initial review. [dpreview]. https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-a7-iv-initial-review. 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
- ^ Sony A7 IV review. [t3]. https://www.t3.com/reviews/sony-a7-iv-review. 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
- ^ Hands on: Sony A7 IV review. [techradar]. https://www.techradar.com/reviews/sony-a7-iv. 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ^ Review: Sony A7 IV. [wired]. https://www.wired.com/review/sony-a7-iv-full-frame-mirrorless-camera/. 2022-01-23. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
The MSRP provided on this page may not apply to all regions equally. For the current price, please refer to the Price Comparison section.
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Scores are not directly comparable across industries.
These key takeaways ("pros" and "cons") and summaries are identified from third-party reviews. They may differ from the original texts.
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