Sony A7 IV review

The Sony A7 IV supersedes the A7 III but it's not just another affordable all-rounder – it's a real powerhouse for both stills and video

Sony A7 IV
(Image: © Rod Lawton/Digital Camera World)

Digital Camera World Verdict

Don’t think of the A7 IV as Sony’s new ‘entry level’ full frame mirrorless camera. It’s both too powerful, too complex and, yes, too expensive for that. It’s more like a mini-A1 that’s terrifyingly good at everything but less than half the price. Stills photographers can revel in its 33MP resolution and incredible burst mode, while videographers get a camera that leaves the previous A7 III far behind.

Pros

  • +

    Unprecedented buffer capacity

  • +

    10-bit 4:2:2 video and 4K 60p

  • +

    Super-responsive AF

  • +

    Extensive external controls

Cons

  • -

    Priced for semi-pros, not beginners

  • -

    Needs a fast card(s)

  • -

    Cropped S&Q mode

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The Sony A7 IV signals a step up in ambition for Sony's ‘vanilla’ A7 model. Traditionally, the Sony A7 has been the range’s entry-level camera, with the ‘R’ models adding resolution and the ’S’ models adding speed/sensitivity. But there’s nothing ordinary about the Sony A7 IV, and while it does technically superseded the A7 III, it’s an altogether more advanced camera that, we think, targets a higher-level audience.

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Rod Lawton
Contributor

Rod is an independent photography journalist and editor, and a long-standing Digital Camera World contributor, having previously worked as DCW's Group Reviews editor. Before that he has been technique editor on N-Photo, Head of Testing for the photography division and Camera Channel editor on TechRadar, as well as contributing to many other publications. He has been writing about photography technique, photo editing and digital cameras since they first appeared, and before that began his career writing about film photography. He has used and reviewed practically every interchangeable lens camera launched in the past 20 years, from entry-level DSLRs to medium format cameras, together with lenses, tripods, gimbals, light meters, camera bags and more. Rod has his own camera gear blog at fotovolo.com but also writes about photo-editing applications and techniques at lifeafterphotoshop.com