Upgrade Guide

Sony A7R III→Sony A7 IV

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

You own

Sony

A7R III

£1799

2017

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A7 IV

£2299 (+£500)

2021

⚖️

Situational

One clear hardware improvement over the A7R III. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.

What's new in the A7 IV

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A7R III	A7 IV
Price	£1,799	£2,299
Released	2017	2021	↑
Sensor	42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS	33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS
Resolution	42MP	33MP	↓
Video	4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p	4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone
Autofocus	399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF	759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition
Stabilisation	5-axis IBIS — 5.5 stops	5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops
Burst Rate	10fps with AF/AE tracking	10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic
Battery Life	~650 shots (CIPA)	~580 shots (CIPA)	↓
Weight	650g body only	659g body only	↓
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification	EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification
Screen	3.0" touchscreen, tilting	3.0" vari-angle touchscreen
Mount	Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Dual SD slots (one UHS-II)	Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II

Compare side-by-side

See A7R III and A7 IV next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A7 IV against your specific genres — not just specs.

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