The Sony a1 and the Sony a7R IV are both incredible cameras. Both are high end mirrorless cameras with amazing photo resolution. I’ve personally owned and shot with both cameras for a while now and you can get great footage out of either of them. In this article, we’re going to dive in to the strengths and weaknesses of both cameras and then discuss which camera may be the best option for you. You can check out both cameras here:
Sony a1: https://jerad.link/sonya1
Sony a7R IV: https://jerad.link/sonya7riv
Hybrid Performance
I would consider the a1 to be the first true high-end hybrid camera for professionals. A hybrid camera is one that is designed to excel at both photography and videography. Another great example of a hybrid camera is the Sony a7iii which was made to shoot great pictures, but also decent video as well. The a7R IV on the other hand is not a hybrid camera. It can shoot average video, but its main features are designed for photographers.
Similarities
Both cameras shoot very high resolution photos. They both have 5 axis image stabilization. Both have the same screen on the back. The ISO range is the same, and both cameras perform decently in low light situations. Both cameras shoot 10 frames/second with the mechanical shutter. The a1 is known for its speed and we’ll talk more about that in a moment. Lastly, in my experience, both cameras have equally consistent battery lives.
Main Differences
One of the key differences between these two cameras is the image resolution. The a1 shoots a 50.1 megapixel image, which is lower than the a7R IV’s image at 61 megapixels. 50.1 megapixels is still a very large image, but the a7R IV takes the cake when it comes to resolution. The a1 has more face detection auto focus points which gives it another edge up on the a7R IV.
Even with the a1 being slightly better, the a7R IV still has one of the best auto focus systems that I’ve ever used. As far as sensors and processors go, the a1 has the newest technology which makes it a much faster camera in general. Now another big distinction between the a1 and the a7R IV is that the a1 can shoot 30 frames/second with the electronic shutter. This is again, thanks to that faster sensor and processor. The a1 also destroys any rolling shutter, which is another added bonus.
Video
The a1 blows the a7R IV out of the water when it comes to video. It can capture 8k video up with up to 30p. It’s also capable of filming in 4k at 120p and in 10 bit as well, making it a truly impressive hybrid camera. To make it even more impressive, it can shoot in 4.3k in 16 bit using an external recorder. The a7R IV can shoot in 4k at 30p in 8 bit using an external recorder. The a1 also comes with S-cinetone, which is a shooting profile that is becoming wildly popular in Sony’s newer cameras.
EVF
When it comes to the view finder, the a1 is a beast. It comes with a 9.44 million-dot OLED viewfinder, which is the highest resolution in the industry right now. It is absolutely remarkable to look through the EVF with the a1. It may not seem like it matters, but having that resolution when you are taking a lot of photos can make a huge difference.
Flash Sync
Along with destroying rolling shutter, the a1 can also sync with a flash as fast as 1/400th of a second. On the a7R IV I typically avoided using a flash because of the limitations with syncing. With the a1 that’s no longer an issue.
Additional Pro Features
The a1 also comes with a few extra professional features that the a7R IV doesn’t have like: an ethernet port and a USB-C port.
Image Comparison
Add the end of the day, if you’re a photographer, the camera you prefer largely depends on a comparison of images from each camera. I took both cameras out for a shoot. Here are some of the images I took:
One thing I noticed as I shot with these cameras is just how fast the Sony a1 really is. When I shot with the a7R IV I noticed a little lag in things like the time it took to auto focus properly. It was still fast, but just a little delayed. The a1, on the other had, was practically instant. I was very impressed. I also found that, even though the a1 has a lower resolution than the a7R IV, it still seemed to be slightly sharper when I zoomed in on the images. I think that has a lot to do with the improved sensor processing.
Is the A1 Worth the Upgrade?
If you’re looking at image clarity, I’m not sure the high price of the a1 is quite worth the upgrade. The a7R IV still does an amazing job and it’s very difficult to tell the difference between the images from the two cameras. For shooting events however, I believe the a1 would be well worth it because it has a microscopically small blackout time. Typically, after you shoot a picture, the screen has to black out for a moment while the camera closes the shutter to clear the sensor of the last image. Because the processor is so fast on the a1 that blackout period is barely even noticeable. This is very important when you’re shooting things like events because it allows you to have an almost constant view of what’s going on so that you can shoot moments that are only happening for a split second. Both of these cameras will be plenty good enough for most shooting situations, which does make the high price of the a1 a bit of a hard sell.
Why Choose the A7R IV
Resolution is king on this camera. If you’re looking for a high-resolution camera, this is going to be your best option. The a7R IV is also a better option if you have no need for ultrafast continual shooting. Lastly, this camera is a great option if you’re not too concerned about having good video capabilities.
Why Choose the a1
If speed and performance is your top priority, the a1 is the camera for you. Another great reason to buy this camera is if you’re wanting great photo capabilities and also great video capabilities as well. This is a much more rounded hybrid shooting camera than the a7R IV. So, this might be the best camera for you if you do a bit of everything, video and photographer.
Final Thoughts
In the end, both of these cameras are absolute beasts. My opinion is that the a1 is a bit much for the majority of photographers out there. The a7R IV shoots at a higher resolution, and although it may be a bit slower, it is still an incredibly high performing camera overall. If you’ve got the money though, and are looking for a high end hybrid camera, the a1 might just be the perfect choice. If you’re interested in more videos about cameras, check out my 2 week review of the Sony a7 IV here:
