Sony A7R vs Panasonic GH4

Sony A7R advantages over Panasonic GH4

• Larger sensor
  35mm vs 4/3
  More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
• Bigger pixels
  ~ 4.88 vs 3.75 microns
  Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
• In-camera panoramas
  Yes vs No
  Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
• Better color depth

  Better color depth

  Color depth refers to the number of unique colors that a sensor can faithfully capture. Cameras with better color depth will demonstrate smoother transitions from one color to the next, and avoid "banding" in areas with subtle shading. (Blue skies are an example of where you might see color banding.)

  More color depth is generally better, but you'll struggle to notice a difference between two cameras with less than 1 bit of difference. Color depth above 22 bits is considered excellent.

  Want to learn more? Head over to our full glossary entry on color depth

  Color depth test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  A7R test data on DxO Mark GH4 test data on DxO Mark
  25.6 vs 23.2 bits
  Capture richer, more accurate colors
• Higher effective ISO

  Higher effective ISO

  Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

  Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

  You can learn more at our glossary entry.

  Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  A7R test data on DxO Mark GH4 test data on DxO Mark
  2,746 vs 791 iso
  Take photos in low light with less noise
• More dynamic range

  More dynamic range

  Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

  Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

  Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.

  A7R test data on DxO Mark GH4 test data on DxO Mark
  14.1 vs 12.8 evs
  Retain detail in highlight and shadows
• Thinner
  48 mm vs 83 mm
  Thinner
• More pixels
  36.4 vs 16.1 megapixels
  Higher resolution photos
• Lacks anti-aliasing filter
  No Filter vs Filter
  Enjoy sharper photos
• Higher extended ISO
  51200 vs 25600 ISO
  Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility