Sony a7 IV vs Sony a55

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7 IV and Sony a55. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Sony.

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a7 IV has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Sony a55 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)

Resolution

Sony a7 IV has a 33 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a55 has 16 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a7 IV has a 104 % larger resolution than Sony a55. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Sony a7 IV has a larger ISO-range than Sony a55. Sony a7 IV has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Sony a55 has 100 to 12800.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a7 IV
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a55

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a7 IV can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds and Sony a55 can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Sony a7 IV and Sony a55 can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a7 IV weighs 659 gr (equal to 1.45 lb) which is 32% heavier than Sony a55 and its 500 gr (or 1.1 lb).

Sony a7 IV vs Sony a55 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7 IV and Sony a55, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Name	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Manufacturer	Sony	Sony
Release Date and Price	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Release Year	2021	2010
Release Date	2021-10-21	2010-08-24
MSRP	2499 USD	749 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Camera Type	Mirrorless	SLT
Sensor	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Sensor Size	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)
Sensor Type	BSI-CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	7008 x 4672 pixels	4912 x 3264 pixels
Megapixels	33 MP	16 MP
Image Processor	BIONZ XR	Bionz
Image	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
ISO Range	100 - 51200	100 - 12800
White Balance Presets	7	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes (Sensor-Shift (5-axis))	Yes (Sensor-Shift)
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	5.5 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	759	15
Lens Mount	Sony E See Compatible Lenses	Sony A See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm	APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated	Fully articulated
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	1036800	921000
Touch screen	Yes	No
Screen type	TFT LCD	N/A
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.78x	1.1× (0.73× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	3686400	N/A
Photography features	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Frames per second	10 fps	10 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/8000 seconds	1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash	No	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	N/A	10 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	No
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Highlight Weighted Spot Average	Multi Center Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 H.264 H.265 XAVC-S XAVC-HS	MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD
Video resolution	1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160	1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone	Yes	Yes
Built-in Speakers	Yes	No
Storage	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Memory Card	Compact Flash Express SD/SDHC	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	Yes	No
Headphone Port	Yes	No
Wireless	Yes Built-in (802.11ac (dual band) + Bluetooth)	Yes Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control	Yes (wireless or smartphone)	Yes (Optional)
GPS	No	Yes Built-in
Body & Dimensions	Sony a7 IV	Sony a55
Enviromentally sealed	Yes	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	NP-FZ100 lithium-ion battery charger	Rechargeable NP-FW50 battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	580 shots	380 shots
Width	131 mm	124 mm
Height	96 mm	92 mm
Depth	80 mm	85 mm
Weight	659 gram	500 gram