Comparing the Sony A7 IV and Sony A6700: A Deep Dive for Enthusiasts and Professionals

In today’s robust mirrorless market, Sony continues to hold a pivotal position with two strong cameras aimed at different but sometimes overlapping user groups: the full-frame Sony Alpha A7 IV and the APS-C Sony Alpha a6700. Both offer cutting-edge technology and refined ergonomics, but diving beyond specs reveals distinct philosophies and performance nuances that matter for your specific photography needs. Having spent weeks testing both rigorously, I’m eager to walk you through a detailed, no-nonsense comparison of these two workhorses.

Our goal here is clear: to arm photographers like you with practical insights drawn from hands-on experience and real-world shooting, balanced with technical analysis. Whether you’re a dedicated pro weighing investment, a hybrid shooter craving solid video and stills, or a passionate enthusiast hungry for versatility, reading on will help you decide which Sony mirrorless fits your creative ambitions best.

How They Feel in Hand and the Ergonomics Puzzle

Before we drill into sensors and autofocus, note the physical dimension differences. The Sony A7 IV is fashioned in a traditional SLR-style body, weighing in at 699g and sized 129x97x81 mm, offering that reassuring heft that pros often crave for stability.

Conversely, the Sony a6700 is a more compact rangefinder-style mirrorless, at 493g and 122x69x75 mm - a noticeable size and weight reduction.

In-hand, the A7 IV’s grip feels substantial and secure, inviting longer shooting sessions with less fatigue, especially when pairing with heavier pro lenses. The a6700, by contrast, is easy to stash in a smaller bag - perfect if portability and discretion matter, for example in street or travel photography.

Top layouts differ as well:

The A7 IV incorporates a more complex control scheme befitting a professional tool, including an exposure compensation dial and customizable buttons primed for speed. The a6700, while streamlined, is intuitive and responsive, with everything logically placed for quick access but less extensive physical controls.

The fully articulated 3.0-inch touchscreen on both cameras feels crisp and responsive - an increasingly essential feature for vloggers and hybrid shooters - yet the A7 IV’s higher 1440k-dot resolution provides sharper image previews and easier focus checking.

Both cameras’ LCDs fully articulate for selfies, low-angle, or overhead shooting - a clear win for uninhibited creativity.

Sensor Technology: Full Frame vs APS-C - The Heart of the Matter

At the core, the Sony A7 IV hosts a 33-megapixel full-frame BSI CMOS sensor measuring 35.8 x 23.8 mm, a substantial 852 mm² imaging area. Meanwhile, the a6700 sports a 26MP APS-C sensor sized 23.5 x 15.6 mm, with an effective area of 367 mm².

What does this mean practically? The A7 IV’s sensor offers superior low-light capabilities, wider dynamic range, and better depth-of-field control for isolating subjects due to the larger physical sensor size. Its minimum ISO is a clean 100, boosted all the way to 204,800 ISO, catering excellently to night, astro, and indoor events. The a6700 maintains solid performance for an APS-C sensor - native ISO up to 32,000 with expansion to 102,400 - but it inevitably cannot rival full-frame's graceful noise handling or pure resolution for large prints and cropping latitude.

Both have anti-aliasing filters, which slightly sacrifice micro-detail for moiré reduction, but aside from that, the A7 IV’s sensor complexity and size are decidedly more pro-grade. For landscapes demanding sweeping detail or portraiture where nuanced skin tones dance across the frame, the A7 IV’s file quality generally wins hands down.

Autofocus and Burst Performance: Speed Meets Precision

Sony’s claim of 759 focus points extends across both cameras, courtesy of hybrid phase-detection and contrast AF systems with comprehensive eye- and animal-eye AF detection.

In practice, the difference is subtle but decisive:

• Sony A7 IV: The large sensor’s phase-detection coverage combined with sophisticated AI algorithms ensures swift and accurate tracking even in challenging light. It effortlessly locks onto moving subjects in sports and wildlife, maintaining focus during 10 fps continuous shooting bursts.

• Sony a6700: With 759 AF points as well, and an even slightly faster burst rate at 11 fps, it proves nimble in tracking dynamic subjects. However, APS-C sensor size slightly limits autofocus performance at telephoto ranges, where subject isolation becomes more challenging.

For sports and wildlife shooters needing absolute assurance, the A7 IV’s continuous autofocus tracking offers a slight edge in focus retention during rapid and erratic movements, particularly with long tele lenses.

Eye AF on both is a joy, reliably locking onto people and animals alike. Where the A7 IV edges ahead is in subtlety during shallow depth-of-field scenarios, such as portraits with wide apertures, nailing precise focus on eyelashes or whiskers.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing: Ready for Harsh Conditions?

Professionals depend on reliability. Both cameras feature dust and moisture resistance, but neither is fully waterproof or built for extreme shockproof or freezeproof conditions. The A7 IV boasts more extensive sealing and a slightly rugged body that better resists the elements.

If you often shoot landscapes in cold or damp environments, or get to remote locations that challenge gear durability, the A7 IV’s resilience justifies its heft and price premium.

Lens Ecosystem: E-Mount Evolution and Compatibility

Sony’s E-mount system is mature and vast:

• The A7 IV supports 172 E-mount lenses with full-frame coverage, encompassing Sony’s excellent G Master pro line alongside third-party options from Sigma, Tamron, and Zeiss. Full-frame lenses deliver the sharpest performance and the broadest aperture ranges.

• The a6700 enjoys access to 199 lenses, mostly APS-C designed, although it accepts full-frame lenses which crop their image circle automatically. This expands creative choices but at the cost of size and price.

Notably, the crop factor of 1.5x on the APS-C sensor alters effective focal lengths - the a6700’s 50mm lens behaves more like a 75mm equivalent, impacting composition for landscapes or wide-angle shooting.

For professionals invested in long telephoto wildlife or sports lenses, full-frame support on the A7 IV provides the best optical quality and flexibility.

Battery Life and Storage: Powering All-Day Shoots

Battery endurance is a quiet hero in practice.

• Sony A7 IV: Rated for 600 shots per battery charge with the NP-FZ100 battery. Dual slots accept SD and CFExpress Type A cards, favored by pros needing reliable, high-speed storage redundancy.

• Sony a6700: Slightly less endurance at 570 shots with its NP-FZ1000 battery and single SD card slot. While adequate for most shoots, the single slot and fewer battery reserves may cause worry during long outings without charging opportunities.

The A7 IV is clearly the more pro-focused choice for sustained use.

Video Capabilities: Who’s the Hybrid Champion?

Both cameras are stellar hybrid photo/video tools, but the A7 IV is a class leader with extensive codec and bitrate options.

• Sony A7 IV: Offers UHD 4K up to 60p with 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording including professional XAVC HS and XAVC S-I codecs at bitrates soaring to 600 Mbps. It supports variable frame rates like 120p slow motion at 4K, plus clean HDMI output and advanced profile settings.

• Sony a6700: Captures 4K up to 120p but maxes out at 280 Mbps with 10-bit color internally using XAVC HS codec. It supports AVCHD and MPEG-4, with a more modest codec suite suitable for serious vloggers and enthusiasts but less flexible for professional color grading workflows.

Both have in-body 5-axis stabilization, microphone and headphone jacks, and articulated touchscreens, but the A7 IV’s video flexibility, color depth, and external recording options clearly cater to demanding video professionals.

Genre-Specific Performance Insights: Beyond Specs

Let’s zoom in on specific photography disciplines.

• Portraits: The A7 IV’s full-frame sensor delivers superior skin tone rendition and creamy bokeh thanks to larger sensor size and wide-aperture lens compatibility. Eye AF is reliable on both but shines more on the A7 IV in shallow DOF scenarios.

• Landscapes: Dynamic range is king here. The 33MP sensor’s larger pixels yield better highlight retention and shadow detail. The a6700 is capable but best for enthusiasts seeking portability over ultimate detail.

• Wildlife: Burst speed favors the a6700 marginally at 11 fps vs. 10 fps for the A7 IV, but the larger sensor and better AF tracking on the A7 IV win for difficult light and subject isolation at distance.

• Sports: Both hold their own for action shooters. The A7 IV’s tougher build, dual slots, and high-quality lens options make it the choice for pros chasing fast sports requiring top reliability.

• Street Photography: The a6700’s compact size and stealthier profile make it an excellent street camera, paired with smaller prime lenses. The A7 IV is bulkier but offers better high ISO performance for night street shooting.

• Macro: Both offer similar focusing technologies, but the extra resolution and bit depth of the A7 IV benefit macro detail capture.

• Night and Astro: The A7 IV’s boosted maximum ISO 204,800 and superior noise control in shadow areas help astrophotographers extract detail from dark skies with longer exposures.

• Video: Clear call to the A7 IV for professional or hybrid shooters because of internal 10-bit 4:2:2, multiple codecs, HDMI output, and higher bitrates.

• Travel: The a6700 wins for those prioritizing travel-friendly size and weight while still demanding solid image quality.

• Professional Work: The A7 IV’s workflow-friendly features like dual slots, broad codec support, extended battery life, and pro build quality are decisive.

Real-World Image Quality and Sample Gallery

I took both cameras on several outings, from studio portraits to early morning hikes, pumping out raw and JPEG files to stress-test dynamic range, color accuracy, and noise.

The images below demonstrate side-by-side differences in color fidelity, detail retention, and focus performance.

Sony A7 IV front Sony A7 IV screen back Sony A6700 front Sony A6700 screen back

The A7 IV images exhibit cleaner shadows and more nuanced tonal gradations, while the a6700 files remain impressively crisp given their sensor size and price point.

Final Performance Ratings: A Numerical Summary

To crystallize this analysis, below is an objective scoring illustration based on industry-standard metrics and empirical testing.

The Sony A7 IV commands a higher overall score thanks to sensor size, video options, weather sealing, and pro features. The a6700 punches above its weight class with excellent autofocus and compact handling but understandably trails the A7 IV in absolute image quality and professional versatility.

Who Should Buy the Sony A7 IV?

If your photography career or passion demands full-frame image quality, robust video functionality, and reliable, weather-sealed build quality for diverse shooting scenarios, the A7 IV is a powerhouse. It excels in studio, landscape, sports, and high-end video workflows where image quality and system flexibility are paramount.

At $2,499, it’s an investment justified by superior features and longevity in demanding conditions.

And Who Benefits Most from the Sony a6700?

The a6700 is ideal for advanced amateurs and enthusiasts who want a nimble, well-rounded camera. Its lightweight design suits street, travel, and everyday photography, while still offering robust autofocus and advanced video capabilities at a significantly lower $1,399 price tag.

If you shoot mostly outdoor events, casual wildlife, or hybrid content creation without the need for full-frame rigs and heavy lenses, the a6700 delivers smart value.

Wrapping Up: Complementary Titans in Sony’s Lineup

While belonging to different categories, the Sony A7 IV and a6700 are sibling cameras reflecting Sony’s prowess in mirrorless innovation. The A7 IV is the fact- and feature-packed professional tool, whereas the a6700 champions portability and affordability, packing impressive punch in a smaller frame.

Choosing between them depends firmly on your creative priorities, shooting style, and budget.

As someone who’s slung both cameras over my shoulder repeatedly across shooting scenarios, I can assure you they each have earned their place among the best in their class - tellingly, they do not replace one another but coexist as options tailored to different journeys behind the lens.

Whether it’s the commanding presence and imaging excellence of the A7 IV, or the agile and efficient A6700, your next Sony camera will reflect not just specs but your instincts and ambitions as a photographer.

Happy shooting!