Upgrade Guide

Sony A7 IV→Sony A1

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Sony

A7 IV

£2299

2021

→

Upgrade to

Sony

£5999 (+£3,700)

2021

✅

Worthwhile

Clear improvements over the A7 IV. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.

What's new in the A1

↑

Resolution

50MP vs 33MP (+17MP)
↑

Stabilisation

Improved — IBIS — up to 5.5 stops
↑

Burst rate

30fps electronic with full AF/AE vs 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A7 IV	A1
Price	£2,299	£5,999
Released	2021	2021
Sensor	33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS	50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS
Resolution	33MP	50MP	↑
Video	4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone	8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p
Autofocus	759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition	Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points
Stabilisation	5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops	IBIS — up to 5.5 stops
Burst Rate	10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic	30fps electronic with full AF/AE	↑
Battery Life	~580 shots (CIPA)	~430 shots (CIPA)	↓
Weight	659g body only	737g (with battery)	↓
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification	EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps
Screen	3.0" vari-angle touchscreen	3.0" fully tilting touchscreen
Mount	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)	Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II	Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II

Compare side-by-side

See A7 IV and A1 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

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Other upgrades from the A7 IV

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Camera family history