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Sony A7R vs Canon 5D Mark IV

The Sony Alpha A7R and the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in October 2013 and August 2016. The A7R is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the 5D Mark IV is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 36.2 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 30.1 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Sony A7R
versus
Canon 5D Mark IV
Sony A7R   Canon 5D Mark IV
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Sony E mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
36.2 MP – Full Frame sensor 30.1 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200) ISO 100-32,000 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1230k dots 3.2" LCD – 1620k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen) Fixed touchscreen
4 shutter flaps per second 7 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
340 shots per battery charge900 shots per battery charge
127 x 94 x 48 mm, 465 g 151 x 116 x 76 mm, 890 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A7R and the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Sony A7R and the Canon 5D Mark IV are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Sony A7R vs Canon 5D Mark IV
Compare A7R versus 5D Mark IV top
Comparison A7R or 5D Mark IV rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 5D Mark IV is considerably larger (47 percent) than the Sony A7R. Moreover, the 5D Mark IV is substantially heavier (91 percent) than the A7R. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7R) and the Canon EF Lens Catalog (5D Mark IV). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Sony A7R, have moreover the advantage that they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance and can thus use many lenses from other systems via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the A7R gets 340 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the 5D Mark IV can take 900 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6N power pack. The power pack in the A7R can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A7R 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 465 g 340 Y Oct 2013 2,299ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV 151 mm 116 mm 76 mm 890 g 900 Y Aug 2016 3,499 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 6D Mark II 144 mm 111 mm 75 mm 765 g 1200 Y Jun 2017 1,999 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1530 g 1210 Y Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 5DS 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 5DS R 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 930 g 700 Y Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 5D Mark III 152 mm 116 mm 76 mm 950 g 950 Y Mar 2012 3,499ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D810 146 mm 123 mm 82 mm 980 g 1200 Y Jun 2014 3,299ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A7C II 124 mm 71 mm 63 mm 514 g 540 Y Aug 2023 2,199 amazon.com
10.
 
Sony A7 IV 131 mm 96 mm 80 mm 659 g 580 Y Oct 2021 2,499 amazon.com
11.
 
Sony A7R II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 625 g 290 Y Jun 2015 3,199ebay.com
12.
 
Sony RX1R II 113 mm 65 mm 72 mm 507 g 220 n Oct 2015 3,299ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7S 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 489 g 380 Y Apr 2014 2,499ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 474 g 340 Y Oct 2013 1,699ebay.com
16.
 
Sony RX1R 113 mm 65 mm 70 mm 482 g 270 n Jun 2013 2,799ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX1 113 mm 65 mm 70 mm 482 g 270 n Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The A7R was launched at a markedly lower price (by 34 percent) than the 5D Mark IV, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Sony A7R and Canon 5D Mark IV sensor measures

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Sony A7R offers a higher resolution of 36.2 megapixels, compared with 30.1 MP of the Canon 5D Mark IV. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 5.36μm for the 5D Mark IV). Moreover, it should be noted that the 5D Mark IV is much more recent (by 2 years and 10 months) than the A7R, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A7R has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7R implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7R for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inches or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inches or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inches or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 5D Mark IV are 33.6 x 22.4 inches or 85.3 x 56.9 cm for good quality, 26.9 x 17.9 inches or 68.3 x 45.5 cm for very good quality, and 22.4 x 14.9 inches or 56.9 x 37.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 5D Mark IV has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Sony Alpha A7R has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

A7R versus 5D Mark IV MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under review, the A7R has a notably higher overall DXO score than the 5D Mark IV (overall score 4 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.8 bits higher color depth, 0.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.1 stops of reduced low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony A7R Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60p25.614.1274695
2.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV Full Frame 30.1 6720 44804K/30p24.813.6299591
3.
 
Canon 6D Mark II Full Frame 26.0 6240 41601080/60p24.411.9286285
4.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II Full Frame 20.0 5472 36484K/60p24.113.5320788
5.
 
Canon 5DS Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.712.4238187
6.
 
Canon 5DS R Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.612.4230886
7.
 
Canon 5D Mark III Full Frame 22.1 5760 38401080/30p24.011.7229381
8.
 
Nikon D810 Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60p25.714.8285397
9.
 
Sony A7C II Full Frame 32.7 7008 46724K/60p25.414.7323796
10.
 
Sony A7 IV Full Frame 32.7 7008 46724K/60p25.414.7337997
11.
 
Sony A7R II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.013.9343498
12.
 
Sony RX1R II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53041080/60p25.813.9320497
13.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
14.
 
Sony A7S Full Frame 12.0 4240 28321080/60p23.913.2370287
15.
 
Sony A7 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.814.2224890
16.
 
Sony RX1R Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.013.6253791
17.
 
Sony RX1 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p25.114.3253493
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the 5D Mark IV provides a better video resolution than the A7R. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A7R has an electronic viewfinder (2400k dots), while the 5D Mark IV has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), as well as the same magnification (0.71x). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A7R and Canon 5D Mark IV in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Sony A7R2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 4.0/s n n
2.
 
Canon 5D Mark IVoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 7.0/s n n
3.
 
Canon 6D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.5/s n n
4.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 16.0/s n n
5.
 
Canon 5DSoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
6.
 
Canon 5DS Roptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
7.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIIoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s n n
8.
 
Nikon D810optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
9.
 
Sony A7C II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 10.0/s n Y
10.
 
Sony A7 IV3686 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
11.
 
Sony A7R II2400 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
12.
 
Sony RX1R II2360 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/4000s 5.0/s n n
13.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A7S2400 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
15.
 
Sony A72400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
16.
 
Sony RX1Roptional n3.0 / 1229 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
17.
 
Sony RX1optional n3.0 / 1229 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 5D Mark IV has a touchscreen, while the A7R has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Canon 5D Mark IV has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The A7R writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the 5D Mark IV uses Compact Flash or SDXC cards. The 5D Mark IV features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A7R only has one slot. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha A7R and Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Sony A7RYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
2.
 
Canon 5D Mark IVYmono / monoYYmini3.0YY-
3.
 
Canon 6D Mark IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
4.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
5.
 
Canon 5DSYmono / monoY-mini3.0---
6.
 
Canon 5DS RYmono / monoY-mini3.0---
7.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIIYmono / monoYYmini2.0---
8.
 
Nikon D810Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0Y--
9.
 
Sony A7C IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
10.
 
Sony A7 IVYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
11.
 
Sony A7R IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
12.
 
Sony RX1R IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
13.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
14.
 
Sony A7SYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony A7Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
16.
 
Sony RX1RYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
17.
 
Sony RX1Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
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Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5D Mark IV (unlike the A7R) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 5D Mark IV has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The 5D Mark IV is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the A7R has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the A7R was succeeded by the Sony A7R II. Further information on the features and operation of the A7R and 5D Mark IV can be found, respectively, in the Sony A7R Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 5D Mark IV Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A7R or the Canon 5D Mark IV – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Advantages of the Sony Alpha A7R:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (36.2 vs 30.1MP) with a 10% higher linear resolution.
  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • More compact: Is smaller (127x94mm vs 151x116mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 425g or 48 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (34 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in October 2013).

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Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1230k dots).
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (900 versus 340) out of a single battery charge.
  • Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More modern: Reflects 2 years and 10 months of technical progress since the A7R launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 5D Mark IV is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 11 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

A7R 11:16 5D Mark IV

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A7R and the Canon 5D Mark IV place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A7R or the 5D Mark IV. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A7R5/5+ +..82/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2013 2,299ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV4.5/5+ +4/587/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2016 3,499 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 6D Mark II4/5+4/580/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2017 1,999 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II....4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 5DS..+..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 5DS R5/5+..83/1005/54.5/5 Feb 2015 3,699ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 5D Mark III..+ +..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2012 3,499ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D8105/5..5/586/1005/54.5/5 Jun 2014 3,299ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A7C II4/5..4/587/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2023 2,199 amazon.com
10.
 
Sony A7 IV5/5+ +4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2021 2,499 amazon.com
11.
 
Sony A7R II5/5+ +5/590/1005/55/5 Jun 2015 3,199ebay.com
12.
 
Sony RX1R II5/5....82/100..4.5/5 Oct 2015 3,299ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7S4/5....86/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2014 2,499ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A75/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 1,699ebay.com
16.
 
Sony RX1R5/5......4/54.5/5 Jun 2013 2,799ebay.com
17.
 
Sony RX15/5....79/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,799ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications: Sony A7R vs Canon 5D Mark IV

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Sony A7R Canon 5D Mark IV
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date October 2013 August 2016
    Launch Price USD 2,299 USD 3,499
    Sensor Specs Sony A7R Canon 5D Mark IV
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 35.9 x 24.0 mm 36.0 x 24.0 mm
    Sensor Area 861.6 mm2 864 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.2 mm 43.3 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 36.2 Megapixels 30.1 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 7360 x 4912 pixels 6720 x 4480 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.88 μm 5.36 μm
    Pixel Density 4.20 MP/cm2 3.48 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 32,000 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 51,200 ISO 50 - 102,400 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ X DIGIC 6+
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 95 91
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 25.6 24.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 14.1 13.6
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 2746 2995
    Screen Specs Sony A7R Canon 5D Mark IV
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x 0.71x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2400k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 1230k dots 1620k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Fixed screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Sony A7R Canon 5D Mark IV
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 4 shutter flaps/s 7 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy250 000 actuations150 000 actuations
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards CF or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Sony A7R Canon 5D Mark IV
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in NFC built-in
    Geotagging no internal GPS GPS built-in
    Body Specs Sony A7R Canon 5D Mark IV
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Sony NP-FW50 Canon LP-E6N
    Battery Life (CIPA)340 shots per charge900 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging no USB charging
    Body Dimensions 127 x 94 x 48 mm
    (5.0 x 3.7 x 1.9 in)
    151 x 116 x 76 mm
    (5.9 x 4.6 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 465 g (16.4 oz) 890 g (31.4 oz)
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