Home / Compare / Sony a7 III vs a7 IV
Sony a7 III vs a7 IV: which to buy?
Three years and one generation apart. The a7 IV adds 33MP, a newer processor and Real-time Eye AF, 10-bit 4K/60 in Super 35, a fully articulating screen and a CFexpress slot.
Side-by-side specs
| Sony a7 III | Sony a7 IV | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 24.2MP full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS; 6000 × 4000 | 33MP full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS; 7008 × 4672 |
| Processor | BIONZ X with front-end LSI | BIONZ XR |
| Autofocus | 693 phase-detection points, 425 contrast-detection points; Eye AF; EV -3 to 20 | 759 phase-detection points; Real-time Eye AF and Real-time Tracking for humans, animals and birds |
| ISO | 100–51200 (50–204800 expanded, stills) | 100–51200 (50–204800 expanded, stills) |
| Stabilization | 5-axis in-body, 5.0 stops (CIPA) | 5-axis in-body, 5.5 stops (CIPA) |
| Burst | Up to 10 fps (Hi+) | Up to 10 fps (Hi+) |
| Fastest shutter | 1/8000 s | 1/8000 s |
| Video | 4K up to 30p; Full HD up to 120p; 8-bit; S-Log2, S-Log3, HLG | 4K up to 30p full width, oversampled from 7K; 4K/60 in Super 35; 10-bit 4:2:2; S-Cinetone, S-Log3 |
| Viewfinder | OLED, 2.36M dots, 0.78x | OLED, 3.69M dots, 0.78x |
| Screen | 3.0-type, 921,600-dot tilting touchscreen | 3.0-inch, 1.04M-dot fully articulating touchscreen |
| Card slots | SD (UHS-I/II) + SD/Memory Stick (UHS-I) | CFexpress Type A / SD (UHS-II) + SD (UHS-II) |
| Ports | USB-C (USB 3.1 Gen 1) and micro USB; micro HDMI; mic and headphone jacks | USB-C (10 Gbps, power delivery); full-size HDMI; mic and headphone jacks |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 4.1, NFC | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz; some regional versions are 2.4 GHz only), Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Battery (CIPA) | NP-FZ100; about 610 shots (viewfinder) / 710 (LCD) | NP-FZ100; 580 shots (LCD) |
| Weight | About 650 g with battery and card | About 658 g with battery and SD card |
| Weather resistance | Sony: designed to be dust- and moisture-resistant, "not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof" | Magnesium alloy, weather-sealed (DPReview) |
| Launch price | Feb 26, 2018; $2,000 body-only (US) | Oct 21, 2021; $2,500 body-only (US) |
Specs from Sony USA's ILCE-7M3 and ILCE-7M4 specifications pages, the a7 IV weight from Sony's ILCE-7M4 Help Guide specifications, and our a7 III and a7 IV guides; a7 III dust and moisture wording from Sony's operating instructions and store page; US launch prices from Sony. ✓ = advantage; blank = tie or not directly comparable.
Sample photos
Four photos taken with the Sony a7 III and three with the Sony a7 IV, shared on Wikimedia Commons under open licenses.
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Who should buy which
Buy the a7 III if…
- You shoot mostly stills and 24MP is enough for prints and cropping.
- Battery life matters: about 610 shots per charge through the viewfinder (CIPA).
Buy the a7 IV if…
- You shoot video: 10-bit 4:2:2, 4K/60 in Super 35 and a fully articulating screen.
- You want 33MP and Real-time Eye AF and tracking for people, animals and birds.
- You want a CFexpress Type A slot and a sharper 3.69M-dot viewfinder.
Watch-outs from our guides: the a7 III's video is 8-bit and its rear screen only tilts; the a7 IV's readout is slow enough to distort fast motion with the electronic shutter. Want the newest body? See the a7 V vs a7 IV comparison. Cross-shopping Canon? See a7 IV vs R6 Mark II.
Where to buy
Sony a7 III
Sony: Launched at $2,000 in 2018 (Sony's US launch price, February 26, 2018).
Check priceRead the full Sony a7 III guide
Sony a7 IV
Sony: Launched at $2,500 in 2021 (Sony Electronics release, October 21, 2021).
Check priceRead the full Sony a7 IV guide
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