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Sony A7S II vs Canon 1D Mark IV

The Sony Alpha 7S II and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV are two professional cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2015 and October 2009. The A7S II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the 1D Mark IV is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a full frame (A7S II) and an APS-H (1D Mark IV) sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 16 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Sony A7S II
versus
Canon 1D Mark IV
Sony A7S II   Canon 1D Mark IV
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Sony E mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
12 MP – Full Frame sensor 16 MP – APS-H sensor
4K/30p Video 1080/30p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 409,600) ISO 100-12,800 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1229k dots 3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second 10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
370 shots per battery charge1500 shots per battery charge
127 x 96 x 60 mm, 627 g 156 x 157 x 80 mm, 1230 g
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Check A7S II offers at
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Check 1D Mark IV offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha 7S II and the Canon EOS-1D 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 A7S II and the Canon 1D Mark IV are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Sony A7S II vs Canon 1D Mark IV
Compare A7S II versus 1D Mark IV top
Comparison A7S II or 1D 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 1D Mark IV is considerably larger (101 percent) than the Sony A7S II. Moreover, the 1D Mark IV is substantially heavier (96 percent) than the A7S II. 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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7S II) and the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1D Mark IV). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Sony A7S II, 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 A7S II gets 370 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the 1D Mark IV can take 1500 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E4 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1D Mark IV has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the A7S II, Sony provides the VG-C2EM vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay). The power pack in the A7S II 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. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A7S II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 627 g 370 Y Sep 2015 2,999ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark IV 156 mm 157 mm 80 mm 1230 g 1500 Y Oct 2009 4,999ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 1D Mark II 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1535 g 1200 Y Jan 2004 4,499ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 1D Mark III 156 mm 157 mm 80 mm 1155 g 2200 Y Feb 2007 4,499ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark II 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1215 g 1200 Y Sep 2004 7,999ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II 158 mm 168 mm 83 mm 1530 g 1210 Y Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 5D Mark II 152 mm 114 mm 75 mm 850 g 850 Y Sep 2008 3,499ebay.com
8.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A7 IV 131 mm 96 mm 80 mm 659 g 580 Y Oct 2021 2,499 amazon.com
10.
 
Sony A7R II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 625 g 290 Y Jun 2015 3,199ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A7R III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Oct 2017 3,199ebay.com
12.
 
Sony A7R IIIA 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Apr 2021 3,199 amazon.com
13.
 
Sony A7R IV 129 mm 96 mm 78 mm 665 g 670 Y Jul 2019 3,499ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7R IVA 129 mm 96 mm 78 mm 665 g 670 Y Apr 2021 3,499 amazon.com
15.
 
Sony A7S 127 mm 94 mm 48 mm 489 g 380 Y Apr 2014 2,499ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A7S III 127 mm 97 mm 81 mm 699 g 600 Y Jul 2020 3,499 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony A99 II 143 mm 104 mm 76 mm 849 g 490 Y Sep 2016 3,199ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A7S II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 40 percent) than the 1D Mark IV, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A7S II features a full frame sensor and the Canon 1D Mark IV an APS-H sensor. The sensor area in the 1D Mark IV is 39 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.3. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Sony A7S II and Canon 1D Mark IV sensor measures

Despite having a smaller sensor, the 1D Mark IV offers a higher resolution of 16 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the A7S II. 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 5.70μm versus 8.40μm for the A7S II). Moreover, it should be noted that the A7S II is much more recent (by 5 years and 10 months) than the 1D Mark IV, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 1D Mark IV implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 1D Mark IV for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.5 x 16.3 inches or 62.2 x 41.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.6 x 13.1 inches or 49.7 x 33.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.3 x 10.9 inches or 41.5 x 27.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A7S II are 21.2 x 14.2 inches or 53.8 x 36 cm for good quality, 17 x 11.3 inches or 43.1 x 28.8 cm for very good quality, and 14.1 x 9.4 inches or 35.9 x 24 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Sony Alpha 7S II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 50-409600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, 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.

A7S II versus 1D Mark IV MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under review, the A7S II provides substantially higher image quality than the 1D Mark IV, with an overall score that is 11 points higher. This advantage is based on 0.8 bits higher color depth, 1.3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.2 stops in additional 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
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony A7S II Full Frame 12.0 4240 28324K/30p23.613.3299385
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark IV APS-H 16.0 4896 32641080/30p22.812.0132074
3.
 
Canon 1D Mark II APS-H 8.2 3504 2336none22.311.1100366
4.
 
Canon 1D Mark III APS-H 10.1 3888 2592none22.711.7107871
5.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark II Full Frame 16.6 4992 3328none23.311.3148074
6.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II Full Frame 20.0 5472 36484K/60p24.113.5320788
7.
 
Canon 5D Mark II Full Frame 21.0 5616 37441080/30p23.711.9181579
8.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
9.
 
Sony A7 IV Full Frame 32.7 7008 46724K/60p25.414.7337997
10.
 
Sony A7R II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.013.9343498
11.
 
Sony A7R III Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
12.
 
Sony A7R IIIA Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
13.
 
Sony A7R IV Full Frame 60.2 9504 63364K/30p26.014.8334499
14.
 
Sony A7R IVA Full Frame 60.2 9504 63364K/30p26.014.8334499
15.
 
Sony A7S Full Frame 12.0 4240 28321080/60p23.913.2370287
16.
 
Sony A7S III Full Frame 12.0 4240 28324K/120p23.713.9252086
17.
 
Sony A99 II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p25.413.4231792

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A7S II provides a higher video resolution than the 1D Mark IV. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A7S II has an electronic viewfinder (2400k dots), while the 1D 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%), but the viewfinder of the A7S II has a higher magnification than the one of the 1D Mark IV (0.78x vs 0.58x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Sony A7S II and Canon 1D Mark IV along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
  empty 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 A7S II2400 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark IVoptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
3.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIoptical Y2.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s n n
4.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIIoptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
5.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark IIoptical Y2.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s n n
6.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 16.0/s n n
7.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 3.9/s n n
8.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
9.
 
Sony A7 IV3686 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
10.
 
Sony A7R II2400 n3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
11.
 
Sony A7R III3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
12.
 
Sony A7R IIIA3686 n3.0 / 2340 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
13.
 
Sony A7R IV5760 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A7R IVA5760 n3.0 / 2340 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A7S2400 n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
16.
 
Sony A7S III9440 n3.0 / 1440 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A99 II2400 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the A7S II and the 1D Mark IV is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A7S II reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the 1D Mark IV offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A7S II is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The A7S II writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the 1D Mark IV uses Compact Flash or SDHC cards. The 1D Mark IV features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A7S II only has one slot. The A7S II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 1D Mark IV cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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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 7S II and Canon EOS-1D 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
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Sony A7S IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark IVYstereo / -Y-mini2.0---
3.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIY- / ----1.1---
4.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIIY- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark IIY- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Canon 1D X Mark IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
7.
 
Canon 5D Mark IIYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
9.
 
Sony A7 IVYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
10.
 
Sony A7R IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
11.
 
Sony A7R IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
12.
 
Sony A7R IIIAYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
13.
 
Sony A7R IVYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
14.
 
Sony A7R IVAYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
15.
 
Sony A7SYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
16.
 
Sony A7S IIIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
17.
 
Sony A99 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY

It is notable that the A7S II has a headphone jack, which is not present on the 1D Mark IV This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D Mark IV (unlike the A7S II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the A7S II and the 1D Mark IV have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A7S II was replaced by the Sony A7S III, while the 1D Mark IV does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A7S II and 1D Mark IV can be found, respectively, in the Sony A7S II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 1D Mark IV Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A7S II and the Canon 1D Mark IV? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha 7S II:

  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (11 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
  • More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.3 EV of extra DR).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1.2 stops ISO advantage).
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.58x).
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 920k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (127x96mm vs 156x157mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 603g or 49 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (40 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 5 years and 10 months of technical progress since the 1D Mark IV launch.

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Advantages of the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (16 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 15%.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1500 versus 370) out of a single battery charge.
  • 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 heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2009).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7S II is the clear winner of the match-up (20 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

A7S II 20:09 1D Mark IV

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A7S II and the Canon 1D 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A7S II or the 1D Mark IV perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts 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
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A7S II5/5+....4.5/55/5 Sep 2015 2,999ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark IV5/5....89/100.... Oct 2009 4,999ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 1D Mark II......+ +.... Jan 2004 4,499ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 1D Mark III............ Feb 2007 4,499ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 1Ds Mark II......+ +.... Sep 2004 7,999ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 1D X Mark II....4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 5,999ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 5D Mark II4/591/100..79/1004/5.. Sep 2008 3,499ebay.com
8.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A7 IV5/5+ +4.5/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2021 2,499 amazon.com
10.
 
Sony A7R II5/5+ +5/590/1005/55/5 Jun 2015 3,199ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A7R III..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2017 3,199ebay.com
12.
 
Sony A7R IIIA..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2021 3,199 amazon.com
13.
 
Sony A7R IV5/5+4.5/591/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2019 3,499ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7R IVA5/5+4.5/591/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2021 3,499 amazon.com
15.
 
Sony A7S4/5....86/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2014 2,499ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A7S III4.5/5+ +5/591/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2020 3,499 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony A99 II....4.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 3,199ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu 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 A7S II vs Canon 1D 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 A7S II Canon 1D Mark IV
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Sony E mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date September 2015 October 2009
    Launch Price USD 2,999 USD 4,999
    Sensor Specs Sony A7S II Canon 1D Mark IV
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor APS-H Sensor
    Sensor Size 35.6 x 23.8 mm 27.9 x 18.6 mm
    Sensor Area 847.28 mm2 518.94 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 42.8 mm 33.5 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x 1.3x
    Sensor Resolution 12 Megapixels 16 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4240 x 2832 pixels 4896 x 3264 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 8.40 μm 5.70 μm
    Pixel Density 1.42 MP/cm2 3.08 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 102,400 ISO 100 - 12,800 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 409,600 ISO 50 - 102,400 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ X DIGIC IV
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 85 74
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.6 22.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 13.3 12.0
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 2993 1320
    Screen Specs Sony A7S II Canon 1D Mark IV
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 0.58x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2400k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1229k dots 920k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Sony A7S II Canon 1D Mark IV
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 10 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy200 000 actuations300 000 actuations
    Electronic ShutterYESno E-Shutter
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards CF or SDHC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I no
    Connectivity Specs Sony A7S II Canon 1D Mark IV
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port no Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in no Wifi
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in no NFC
    Body Specs Sony A7S II Canon 1D Mark IV
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Sony NP-FW50 Canon LP-E4
    Battery Life (CIPA)370 shots per charge1500 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging no USB charging
    Body Dimensions 127 x 96 x 60 mm
    (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.4 in)
    156 x 157 x 80 mm
    (6.1 x 6.2 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 627 g (22.1 oz) 1230 g (43.4 oz)
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