Two Sony cameras from different generations, yet both with the 61 megapixel sensor, are the a7R IV and the a7CR. Anyone who wants maximum detail is probably considering both of these cameras carefully! But which one should you get? It really depends on your priorities – I wouldn’t call either camera better than the other, necessarily, but they each have some clear strengths and weaknesses. Here’s what you need to know.
Note that the Sony a7R IV is basically identical to the variant Sony a7R IVa, with just a couple of very minor differences.
Sony a7R IV vs Sony a7CR Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Sony a7R IV | Sony a7CR |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | July 2019 | August 2023 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | BSI CMOS | BSI CMOS |
| Image Processor | BIONZ X | BIONZ XR |
| Resolution | 61.0 MP | 61.0 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 9504×6336 | 9504×6336 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.7 x 23.8 mm (Full Frame) | 35.7 x 23.8 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 3.8µ | 3.76µ |
| Low Pass Filter | No | No |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | Yes | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 32,000 | ISO 32,000 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 50-102,400 | ISO 50-102,400 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | Yes | Yes |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | No | Yes |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | No | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/8000 | 1/8000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 10 FPS | 8 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 10 FPS | 7 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | Compressed 12-bit raw at 10 FPS (uncompressed 14-bit raw is available at 6 FPS) | Compressed 12-bit raw at 8 FPS (uncompressed 14-bit raw is available at 7 FPS) |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 68 frames (10 FPS) | 36 frames (8 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF | Hybrid PDAF with deep learning subject recognition |
| Autofocus Points | 567 | 693 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -3 EV | -4 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/250 | 1/160 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | No | No |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 8 bits | 10 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 8 bits | 10 bits |
| Raw Video | No | No |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 30 FPS | 60 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 120 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | No | 1.24x crop at 4K 60p (4K 30p has no additional crop) |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:0, 4:2:2 (External) | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 780 min | 780 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 2 | 1 |
| Slot 1 Type | SD (UHS-II) | SD (UHS-II) |
| Slot 2 Type | SD (UHS-II) | N/A |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.0 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 1.44 million dots | 1.04 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Single Axis | Fully Articulating |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | 0.70x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 5.76 million dots | 2.36 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | No | No |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type C 3.1 | Type C 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery Type | NP-FZ100 | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 530 frames | 490 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 670 frames | 530 frames |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 665 g (1.47 lbs.) | 515 g (1.14 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 129 x 96 x 78 mm (5.1 x 3.8 x 3.1″) | 124 x 71 x 63 mm (4.9 x 2.8 x 2.5″) |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $3200 (Check Current Price) | $3000 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices | Sony a7R IV Used Prices | Sony a7CR Used Prices |
This is a doozy of a comparison, with both sides trading blows. So, I’ll start by clarifying what might be the most important thing to you: image quality is identical on the a7CR and a7R IV! If you’re choosing between these cameras because you’re a pixel peeper, the only slight advantage is that the a7CR has focus bracketing built-in, while you’ll need to bracket manually on the a7R IV if you intend to make a focus stack.
The differences come down to other things – most of them stemming from the fact that the a7CR is a smaller, lighter, and newer camera designed with maximum portability in mind. That’s great for some situations, but it also means that the a7CR loses a few nice features in its quest to be as light as possible. Most of all, it only has one memory card slot rather than two – not great if your memory card fails, to say the least. The viewfinder is also noticeably smaller.
On the bright side (at least for the a7CR), it’s easy to see that four years have passed between these two cameras. The Sony a7CR has a newer processor, better video features, and a fully articulating LCD monitor. All of these things are pretty standard on Sony’s newer cameras, but when the a7R IV came out in 2019, they weren’t.
The biggest of these changes is the processor. The a7CR’s BIONZ XR processor has ai-powered subject-recognition capability that work swonders when photographing fast-moving action, like wildlife photography. Even though the Sony a7CR wouldn’t be my first choice as a wildlife camera, its autofocus system is definitely better than the a7R IV for subject recognition. (Yes, the a7CR has a smaller buffer and slower frame rate than the a7R IV, but I think the newer AF system outweighs those concerns.)
Taking all this into account, which one would I recommend? I’d go with the Sony a7CR, except for the issue of memory card slots. It really depends on the type of photography you do, but for some photographers, a single card slot just won’t cut it and is essentially a dealbreaker. The Sony a7CR is otherwise a better value than the Sony a7R IV, and I’d argue that it’s the more advanced camera overall. Just make sure that you’re comfortable with a single memory card slot if you decide to go that route.
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