Upgrade Guide
Sony A7 III→Sony A7 IV
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A7 III. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A7 IV
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Resolution33MP vs 24MP (+9MP)
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Generation3 years newer (2021 vs 2018)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | A7 III | A7 IV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.6 | ||
| Street | +0.3 | ||
| Travel | +0.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.4 | ||
| Filmmaking | +0.8 | ||
| Documentary | +0.6 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.2 | ||
| Landscape | +0.5 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.3 | ||
| Casual | -0.1 | ||
| Food | +1.0 | ||
| Macro | +1.5 | ||
| Architecture | +0.7 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.1 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7 III | A7 IV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,699 | £2,299 | |
| Released | 2018 | 2021 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 33MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone | |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 10fps with AF/AE tracking | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | |
| Battery Life | ~710 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 565g (body only) | 659g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) | Slot 1 CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II, slot 2 SD UHS-II |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A7 III and A7 IV next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7 IV against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the A7 III
Related buying guides
Camera family history