A7 IVvs Sony RX100 VII
Sony
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
Starting from £1099 new
Best for Travel & versatility
View Sony RX100 VII
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.
Travel & Versatility — Sony RX100 VII (2019): The most versatile compact camera ever made — 24-200mm zoom, 20fps burst, and 960fps slow-motion in a jacket pocket.
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
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
- Travel photographers who want the most capable 1-inch compact available
- Vloggers who need fast AF and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket body
- Photographers who want a high-quality compact backup to a mirrorless system
- Anyone who wants professional AF performance without carrying a large camera
Quick take: The a7 iv has the highest resolution at 33mp; the sony rx100 vii is the most affordable; only the a7 iv is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7 IV (2021) | Sony RX100 VII (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,299 | £1,099 |
| Sensor | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS (stacked) |
| Resolution | 33.0MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone | 4K/30p HLG, FHD/960fps super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition | 357-point phase-detect + 425 contrast, Eye AF, tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | 3-stop Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) |
| Battery Life | ~580 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 659g body only | 302g with battery and card |
| Dimensions | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | Pop-up EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7 IV | Sony RX100 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history