Sony
Sony Alpha A7 IV
$2499
Released 2021-12
Best Mirrorless Cameras · head-to-head
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Panasonic Lumix S5 II is cheaper at $1999. Every spec and price links to its source.
Sony
$2499
Released 2021-12
Panasonic
$1999Cheaper
Released 2023-03
They split the 2 specs we compare evenly. The Panasonic Lumix S5 II is the cheaper at $1999.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | | |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $2499 | $1999 |
| Brand | Sony | Panasonic |
| Released | 2021-12 | 2023-03 |
| Sensor format | Full-frame | Full-frame |
| Megapixels | 33 | 24.2 |
| Max video | 4K@60p | 6K@30p |
| Ibis | Yes | Yes |
| Mount | Sony E | L-mount |
| Continuous (fps) | 10 | 30 |
| Weight (g) | 658 | 740 |
| Release | 2021-12 | 2023-03 |
Sources — Sony Alpha A7 IV: imaging-resource.com (verified 2026-06-15). Panasonic Lumix S5 II: digitalcameraworld.com (verified 2026-06-15).
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Two whitelisted hands-on reviews (TechRadar, Engadget) survived verification and agree the A7 IV is the best all-round hybrid mirrorless of its era: class-leading autofocus, strong 33MP stills and oversampled 10-bit 4:2:2 4K video. Both flag pronounced rolling shutter with the electronic shutter, a cropped Super 35 4K/60p mode, a price increase over the A7 III, and merely-average 10fps burst. All quotes are verbatim in the source text and all measured values are supported. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Class-leading autofocus with reliable subject/eye tracking for stills and video; Powerful hybrid video: oversampled 4K with 10-bit 4:2:2 color; Strong high-ISO/low-light performance and accurate out-of-camera color.
Flagged: Pronounced rolling shutter with the electronic/silent shutter; 4K/60p only available with a cropped Super 35 (APS-C) mode; Price hike over the A7 III (~$500 per Engadget; ~20-30% per TechRadar).
No sourced tester review yet.