Request a product

Canon EOS R5 vs Sony Alpha 7 IV

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

CanonEOS R5SonyAlpha 7 IV
Overview
ReleasedJuly 2020November 2021
Image and sensor
Camera typeMirrorlessMirrorless
Sensor formatFull frameFull frame
Sensor typeCMOSExmor R back-illuminated CMOS
Sensor dimensions36 × 24 mm35.9 × 23.9 mm
Effective resolution45 MP33 MP
Largest image8192 × 54647008 × 4672
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range100–51200100–51200
Sensor detailApproximately 45 million effective and 47.1 million total pixels; 36 × 24 mm full-frame CMOS sensor; conventional single-shot output 8192×5464Approximately 34.1 million total pixels; 3:2 full-frame sensor
Image formatsJPEG, HEIF, RAW/C-RAW and Dual Pixel RAW in CR3 format; later firmware adds approximately 400 MP JPEG high-resolution mode combining nine sensor-shift exposures of a static scene, not single-shot sensor resolutionJPEG, HEIF and 14-bit RAW; compressed, lossless compressed and uncompressed RAW options
ISO detailStandard still-photo ISO 100–51200, expandable to ISO 50–102400; standard manual movie ISO 100–25600 with restrictions by modeStandard still-image ISO 100–51200; expanded ISO 50–204800. Movie ISO 100–51200, expandable to 102400.
Image processorDIGIC XBIONZ XR
Lens and shooting
Lens mountCanon RFSony E-mount
StabilisationLens and sensor shiftSensor shift
Maximum continuous burst20 fps10 fps
Lens detailNative RF and adapted EF/EF-S lenses, excluding EF-M; EF-S lenses use approximately 1.6× crop and lower-resolution outputInterchangeable E-mount; body figures exclude lenses. ILCE-7M4K kit includes FE 28–70mm F3.5–5.6 OSS.
AutofocusDual Pixel CMOS AF II; up to 1053 automatic still-photo zones or 5940 selectable positions; people, dogs, cats and birds detection, with vehicle detection added by firmware; maker −6 EV claim with f/1.2 non-DS lens, centre point, One-Shot AF, ISO 100 at 23°CFast Hybrid AF with 759 phase-detection and 425 contrast-detection points in full-frame mode; Eye AF recognises humans, animals and birds in stills and movies
ShutterMechanical and first-curtain electronic modes, 30–1/8000 second plus Bulb; electronic shutter 0.5–1/8000 second; shutter can close on power-off to reduce dust exposureMechanical or electronic shutter; 1/8000 second to 30 seconds plus Bulb; full-frame flash sync 1/250 second
Burst detailUp to 20 fps electronic or 12 fps mechanical/first-curtain electronic with AF/AE tracking, subject to compatible lens, aperture, battery and shooting conditions; maker 12 fps RAW burst example is 66 frames on UHS-I, 87 on UHS-II or 180 on its 325 GB CFexpress test card, not the 20 fps bufferHi+ up to 10 fps, Hi 8 fps, Mid 6 fps and Lo 3 fps. Photography Blog and TechRadar report JPEG/compressed RAW are needed for 10 fps; uncompressed or lossless RAW slows to approximately 5–6 fps. Speed and buffer depend on shooting conditions and card.
Stabilisation detailFive-axis sensor-shift IS coordinates with compatible lens IS; maker up-to-8-stop CIPA claim with RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM at 105 mm; actual benefit varies with lens and techniqueFive-axis sensor shift; maker claims 5.5 stops under CIPA pitch/yaw conditions with Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA. Active movie stabilisation adds a crop.
FlashNo built-in flash; hotshoe and flash-sync socket; sync 1/200 second mechanical or 1/250 second first-curtain electronic–
Exposure controls384-zone image-sensor metering; Fv/P/Tv/Av/M and custom modes; rear control wheel, AF joystick and top status LCD–
Video
Highest video resolution8192 × 4320 at 29.97 fps3840 × 2160 at 60 fps
Video detailInternal full-width DCI 8K 8192×4320 up to 29.97 fps, including 12-bit RAW, or UHD 8K 7680×4320; normal 4K up to 59.94 fps and high-frame-rate 4K/Full HD up to 119.88 fps without sound. Canon Log 1/3 or HDR PQ 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording; 8K-oversampled 4K HQ up to 29.97 fps. CFexpress required for RAW and selected high-bandwidth modes. Guide normal clip limit 29 minutes 59 seconds, high-frame-rate limit 7 minutes 29 seconds; temperature and firmware settings affect available recording timeInternal 4K up to 60p, including 10-bit 4:2:2; 60p/50p uses APS-C/Super 35 rather than full-frame readout. Full-frame 4K 30p uses 7K oversampling. Full HD up to 120p; S-Log3, HLG and S-Cinetone. USB streaming tops out at 4K 15p or Full HD 60p, separately from internal recording.
AudioBuilt-in monaural microphone, 3.5 mm stereo microphone input and headphone output–
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderElectronicElectronic
Screen size3.15″3″
Screen dots2,100,0001,036,800
TouchscreenYesYes
Tilting screenYesYes
Display detailVari-angle touch TFT LCD with approximately 2.1 million dots; UK maker specifies 3.15 inches while technical supplement rounds to 3.2 inches; separate top status LCDSide-opening vari-angle touchscreen, approximately 176° opening and 270° rotation; dots are not image pixels
Viewfinder detail0.5-inch OLED EVF with approximately 5.76 million dots, 100% coverage and 0.76× magnification with 50 mm lens at infinity, −1 dioptre; up to 120 fps refresh0.5-type OLED; 3,686,400 dots; 100% coverage; approximately 0.78× magnification; 60 or 120 fps display
Connections and design
Wi-FiYesYes
BluetoothYesYes
Battery life (maker's claim)320 photographs580 photographs
Body weight650 g573 g
Release detailCanon Camera Museum records July 2020 marketing; Photography Blog reproduces maker launch wording of availability on 30 July, kept as a source qualification rather than an inferred actual first-shipment daySony Hong Kong states 25 November 2021 availability; the UK announcement gives December 2021. Announced on 21 October 2021. This is ILCE-7M4, not the Alpha 7R IV or Alpha 7S III.
Recording mediaOne CFexpress Type B slot and one SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II slotSlot 1 accepts CFexpress Type A or UHS-I/II SD cards; slot 2 accepts UHS-I/II SD cards
PortsUSB-C SuperSpeed USB 3.1 Gen 2, micro HDMI Type D, 3.5 mm microphone/headphone sockets, N3 remote-release and flash-sync sockets (Photography Blog); maker guide confirms micro HDMIFull-size HDMI Type A; USB-C 10Gbps with Power Delivery; Multi/Micro USB; 3.5 mm microphone and headphone sockets; Multi Interface Shoe with digital audio
Wireless connectionsWi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac at 2.4/5 GHz, regional 5 GHz restrictions; Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 in original maker technical supplement, overriding older review spec tables saying 4.2; optional WFT-R10 adds Ethernet and enhanced wireless transferDual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, subject to regional 5 GHz restrictions; Bluetooth 4.1
Battery life detailLP-E6NH; approximately 320 EVF/490 screen shots at 23°C in power-saving mode, or 220 EVF/320 screen in smooth mode; LP-E6N/LP-E6 compatibility has operational restrictionsNP-FZ100. Current Sony Japan specifications give approximately 580 photographs with the monitor or 520 with the viewfinder under CIPA conditions; Photography Blog's launch review instead reports a 610-shot claim. Main figure follows the current maker table.
ChargingCompatible PD-E1 supports in-camera USB charging and camera power; external charger and optional AC-E6N/DR-E6 power accessoriesIn-camera USB-C charging and USB Power Delivery
DimensionsApproximately 138.5 × 97.5 × 88 mm (width × height × depth)Approximately 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8 mm; 69.7 mm depth from grip to monitor
Weight detailApproximately 650 g body only without body cap, or 738 g with battery and CFexpress card; photographed kit lens excludedApproximately 573 g body only; current Sony specifications give 658 g with battery and memory card. Photography Blog incorrectly describes the loaded figure as excluding battery/card; it is not used as body weight.
MaterialsWeather-sealed magnesium-alloy chassis described by Amateur Photographer; no water-resistance rating inferred–

More comparisons