Sony · Camera History
Sony A7 Series
Sony's core full-frame mirrorless line — six generations from 2013 to today.
The Sony A7 line launched the full-frame mirrorless era in 2013 — the world's first compact full-frame camera. The A7 II added IBIS; the A7 III set the all-rounder template that every brand still chases; the A7 IV brought 33MP and 4K/60p; the A7 V added AI subject recognition and a dramatically improved autofocus system.
1
Generation 1
Sony A7
24MP
1080p/60p
117 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points
None
5fps
~340 shots (CIPA)
474g (with battery and card)
2
Generation 2
Sony A7 II
24MP
1080p 60fps
117-point phase-detect hybrid AF
5-axis IBIS, 4.5 stops
5fps
350 shots (CIPA)
Weather sealed
599g (body only)
What's new in this generation
- Weather sealing added
- IBIS added
- Video: 1080p 60fps
- Price: +£250 vs previous
3
Generation 3
Sony A7 III
24MP
4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion
Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF
5-axis IBIS, 5 stops
10fps with AF/AE tracking
~710 shots (CIPA)
Weather sealed
565g (body, battery, card)
What's new in this generation
- Burst rate: 10fps with AF/AE tracking
- Video: 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion
- Price: +£1,150 vs previous
4
Generation 4
Sony A7 IV
33MP
4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone
759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition
5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops
10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic
~580 shots (CIPA)
Weather sealed
659g body only
What's new in this generation
- Resolution: 33MP (+9MP)
- Video: 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone
- Price: +£600 vs previous
5
Current generation
Sony A7 V
33MP
4K 60fps 10-bit
759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition (human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle)
5-axis IBIS, 8.0 stops
10fps mechanical, 20fps electronic
760 shots (CIPA)
Weather sealed
514g (body only)
What's new in this generation
- Video: 4K 60fps 10-bit
- Price: +£500 vs previous
All generations at a glance
| Spec | A7 (2013) | A7 II (2014) | A7 III (2018) | A7 IV (2021) | A7 V (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £299 | £549 | £1699 | £2299 | £2799 |
| Resolution | 24MP | 24MP | 24MP | 33MP | 33MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 1080p 60fps | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone | 4K 60fps 10-bit |
| Stabilisation | None | 5-axis IBIS, 4.5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 8.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 5fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 10fps mechanical, 20fps electronic |
| Battery | ~340 shots (CIPA) | 350 shots (CIPA) | ~710 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) | 760 shots (CIPA) |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 474g (with battery and card) | 599g (body only) | 565g (body, battery, card) | 659g body only | 514g (body only) |