Sony a7R IVA

The Sony a7R IVA is a 2021 mirrorless camera with a 61 megapixel full-frame sensor and the Sony FE lens mount.

That resolution makes it a fit for landscape, studio and commercial photographers who want to crop hard or print big. In-body stabilisation keeps handheld shooting practical, and two card slots carry spare media on long assignments.

The body weighs 665 g and measures 129 x 96 x 78 mm, so it is substantial but manageable in a bag. Weather sealing adds some protection outdoors, though it is not a waterproof camera.

The 61-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor gives the a7R IVA resolution to spare for heavy cropping and large prints. An exceptional Optics score of 85 puts it in the top 4% of cameras in our database for Optics.

Framing goes through an electronic viewfinder with 5.76 million dots, detailed enough to judge focus and exposure before you press the shutter.

Autofocus offers 567 points, though the count alone says little about how fast or reliably the system focuses. The maximum burst rate of 10 fps handles deliberate sequences, though a maximum speed is not a promise of sustained shooting.

For handheld work in dim conditions, in-body stabilisation reduces camera shake so you can use slower shutter speeds or longer lenses. It counters your own movement rather than a moving subject. Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 32000, a ceiling that covers most scenes but leaves less room for very dark ones.

Video tops out at 4K resolution, which leaves room to reframe footage slightly in post. Separately, frame rates reach 120 fps, so slow-motion clips are available when a scene calls for them.

Recordings use MPEG-4, MOV or H.264, giving you a choice of file formats for your footage.

A built-in timelapse mode lets the camera create sequences on its own, which saves you from triggering hundreds of frames by hand. It is handy for cloud movement, construction progress or sunsets on a tripod.

The Video score of 91 is very good, supported by the high frame-rate ceiling, 4K resolution and the timelapse option. Those capabilities are notable on a body centred on high-resolution stills.

The 3-inch TFT screen carries 2.36 million dots, sharp enough to confirm focus during playback. Touch input speeds up menus and focus-point placement, and the screen flips to help with overhead or low-level angles.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are built in for wireless connectivity, and live view feeds the screen for framing when you are not at the viewfinder.

Weather sealing is present for outdoor shoots, though the camera is not waterproof. There is no built-in flash, but external flash units are supported, so you can add lighting when needed. GPS is absent, so geotagging relies on other methods.

A very good Features score of 85 reflects the detailed touch screen, weather sealing and Bluetooth support.

Two card slots take SD, SDHC and SDXC media with UHS-II support, so large stills files from long shoots have spare capacity in the second slot.

The NP-FZ100 battery is rated at 670 shots per charge, though the rating carries no stated test conditions and is not a promise of real-world endurance. Endurance is where this section loses the most ground, contributing to a Storage & Battery score of 79, which is good. Carrying a spare battery covers busy shooting days.

USB charging is supported, so the battery can be topped up through a USB connection between sessions, which is convenient for travel.