Upgrade Guide
Sony ZV-1F→Sony A7 IV
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the ZV-1F. 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 20MP (+13MP)
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Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
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StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Burst rate10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic vs 3.5fps (continuous AF)
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Battery life~580 shots (CIPA) vs 260 shots (CIPA, estimated)
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 | ZV-1F | A7 IV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +4.6 | ||
| Street | +0.2 | ||
| Travel | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | +4.3 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -0.2 | ||
| Filmmaking | +3.4 | ||
| Documentary | +2.4 | ||
| Landscape | +2.2 | ||
| Casual | -1.9 | ||
| Food | +1.4 | ||
| Macro | +3.1 | ||
| Architecture | +2.1 | ||
| Astrophotography | +3.6 | ||
| Fun & simple | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wildlife | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | ZV-1F | A7 IV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £549 | £2,299 | |
| Released | 2022 | 2021 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | |
| Resolution | 20MP | 33MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone | |
| Autofocus | Hybrid phase-detect AF with subject tracking (people, animals, birds) | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition | |
| Stabilisation | None (digital Active SteadyShot only) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 3.5fps (continuous AF) | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | ↑ |
| Battery Life | 260 shots (CIPA, estimated) | ~580 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 256g (with battery and card) | 659g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | None (screen only) | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | |
| Screen | Fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | |
| Mount | Fixed 20mm f/2 lens (wide-angle, vlogging-focused) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD (UHS-I) | Slot 1 CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II, slot 2 SD UHS-II |
Compare side-by-side
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