A7 IVvs A7C
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
Compact Travel & Content Creation — A7C (2020): The A7C proves full-frame doesn't have to be bulky. Excellent battery life, reliable Eye AF and a vari-angle screen in a pocketable body is a compelling combination for travel and content creators. The A7C II improved on it, but the original remains a strong value buy.
Who should buy what
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
A7C (2020)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame in the smallest possible body
- Content creators who need a flip screen and reliable Eye AF
- Photographers upgrading from APS-C who want to keep a compact kit
- Vloggers who need 4K and great battery life on the road
Quick take: The a7 iv has the highest resolution at 33mp; the a7c is the most affordable; only the a7 iv is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7 IV (2021) | A7C (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,299 | £1,299 |
| Sensor | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 33.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone | 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~580 shots (CIPA) | ~740 shots (CIPA) — outstanding for a Sony mirrorless |
| Weight | 659g body only | 509g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm | 124.0 × 71.1 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | None built-in — use rear screen or accessory EVF |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7 IV | A7C |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A7 IV
Camera family history