Upgrade Guide
Sony A7→Sony A7 IV
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A7. 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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StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Burst rate10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic vs 5fps
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Battery life~580 shots (CIPA) vs ~340 shots (CIPA)
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Generation8 years newer (2021 vs 2013)
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 | A7 IV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +1.6 | ||
| Street | +0.3 | ||
| Travel | +0.3 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +2.6 | ||
| Documentary | +1.8 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.7 | ||
| Landscape | +0.9 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.3 | ||
| Casual | +1.4 | ||
| Food | +1.9 | ||
| Macro | +2.3 | ||
| Architecture | +1.2 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.7 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Filmmaking | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A7 | A7 IV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £151 used | £1,799 | |
| Released | 2013 | 2021 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.3MP Full-Frame CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 33MP | ↑ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone | |
| Autofocus | 117 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~340 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 474g (with battery and card) | 659g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Slot 1 CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II, slot 2 SD UHS-II |
Compare side-by-side
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7 IV against your specific genres — not just specs.
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