Welcome to my Sony a7 (ILCE-7) guides & resources page. Here you will find the latest firmware version for the a7, user guides, FAQs and product images.
| Latest Firmware | Manual | Accessories | Check Price & Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Version 3.20 | PDF / Online | Accessories | Amazon | B&H |
Sony A7 Forum & Facebook Group
If you are looking for further help and advice on the a7 or would simply like to share your photos, then please head over to our friendly full-frame Forum. If you prefer Facebook then I also run the Sony Alpha Shooters Group.
Sony a7 Overview
The Sony a7 was announced on October 16 2013 alongside the Sony a7R and together they were the first full-frame 35mm sensor cameras in the Alpha series.
Compared to the a7R the a7 is very similar especially the physical design, the main differences are the sensor and autofocus system.
The a7 features a 24 megapixel CMOS sensor behind a low-pass filter, while the a7R has a 36 megapixel CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter.
The a7 uses a Hybrid AF system with phase detection whereas the a7R uses contrast detection.
The a7 also features an electronic first curtain mode, which makes for a quieter shutter and reduces the potential for ‘shutter shock’, the a7R unfortunately does not include the electronic first curtain mode.
DPReview awarded this camera their Silver Award and concluded their in-depth review with the following:
The Alpha 7 has broken new ground in the full-frame market, in terms of both size and price. While it’s not perfect, the a7’s compact size, broad feature set and very good raw image quality arguably make up for issues like relatively poor battery life and slightly overprocessed JPEGs.
DPReview
If you enjoy shooting mainly landscapes and still images then the Sony a7 is still a perfectly good camera despite its age.
However, if you prefer to shoot portraits or any moving subjects then I’d recommend taking a look at the Sony a7III instead since it features a much faster autofocus system.
Sony a7 Key Specs
- 24.3MP Full-Frame Exmor CMOS Sensor
- Bionz X image processor
- ISO ISO 100-25600 and extended ISO 50-25600
- Hybrid AF system with 25 contrast-detect and 117 phase-detect points
- Sealed alloy and composite body
- Multi-Interface Shoe
- 3-inch tilting LCD with 1.23 million dots (640×480, RGBW)
- XGA (1024×768) electronic viewfinder
- Full HD video recording at 1080/60p and 24p; uncompressed HDMI output
- Wi-Fi with NFC capability and downloadable apps
- 474g / 16.72oz with battery and memory card
You can find the full Sony a7 details and specifications over on Sony’s product page.
Sony a7 FAQS
The Sony a7 was announced on October 16 2013 and released for first shipment in December 2013.
UHS-I SD cards (both SDHC and SDXC) are supported in the single memory card slot as well as Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick XC-HG Duo.
The Sony a7 uses the Sony NP-FW50 lithium ion rechargeable battery.
Yes. The Sony a7 is a full-frame 35-mm camera.
Sony claim that the a7 is dust and moisture resistant, they don’t claim that it is fully waterproof and you should therefore use a rain cover if using the camera in wet weather or very dusty environments.
The Sony a7 has a 24.3 megapixel sensor.
If you shoot the a7 in APS-C mode then the image is cropped to 10 megapixels 3936×2624 pixels with an aspect ratio of 3:2.
1.04 lb / 474 g (with battery and sd card).
The body only includes: AC adaptor, accessory shoe cap, body cap, eyepiece cup, micro USB cable, power cord, rechargeable battery NP-FW50, shoulder strap.
The maximum fps (frames per second) for the mechanical shutter of the a7 is 5 fps.
The Sony a7 does not have a silent / electronic shutter, only mechanical. The silent shutter was introduced with the Sony a7 III.
The maximum shutter speed is 1/8000 sec.
Yes. The a7 is a professional camera that sits in Sony’s Alpha Series of professional mirrorless cameras.
Sony a7 Product Images
