The Autofocus on Sony?s A7 IV Makes This Camera Shine

Yes, there are higher-resolution sensors, and you won't find some high-end video features, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a better all-around hybrid photo and video camera.This update adds a new 33-megapixel sensor, an insane, nearly unlimited buffer capacity—meaning you can pretty much keep shooting uncompressed RAW/JPG until the battery runs out—a much improved autofocus system with better eye tracking, and support for more video capture modes, including Hybrid Log Gamma for playback on HDR TVs.Physically, the A7 IV isn't much different from its predecessor, though the grip is considerably larger, giving the camera a chunkier feel. The new sensor is a step up from the A7 III (which had a 24-megapixel sensor), as well as what you'll find in rivals like the Canon R6, Nikon Z6II, and Panasonic S1.At the same time, the A7 IV is still very much the entry-level camera in Sony's lineup. It's worth noting that we'll likely see the A7 IV's sensor in the successor to the A7C, which I would expect later this year—you should wait for that if you want a smaller camera body.While the sensor is new, the A7 IV's processor comes from the video-centric Sony A7S III, where it was notable for its dynamic range. (Sony claims it's up to eight times faster.) I did not have an A7 III around to compare the two, but it never felt like the A7 IV bogged down.Along with the processor and sensor, Sony's new autofocus system—first seen in the flagship A9—finally comes to the A7 line. I primarily shoot RAW, but sometimes it's nice to have really good JPGs that require no post-processing, and the A7 IV does a better job here than most Sony cameras.The A7 IV uses the same battery as the A7 III.