Is the Sony a7 IV About to Be Released and Will It Have a Flip Screen?

With the Sony a7 III having proven so popular since its launch in February 2018, its successor is eagerly anticipated. An announcement on the a7 IV might be coming very soon and there’s a huge amount of speculation as to what features Sony plans to include. Will it finally have the flippy screen that YouTubers have been begging for?

Sony’s aggressive release schedule has certainly shaken up the industry somewhat since it launched the a7 back in 2013. With its three flavors — a7, a7S, and a7R — it almost feels like Sony is releasing an updated version camera every couple of months, though the still-unreleased a7S III definitely seems as though the manufacturer has hit some problems in getting that particular model to market.

With the a7 II reaching shelves in November 2014 and the A7 III being released in February 2018, you’d be forgiven for thinking that there might be more of a gap before an a7 IV finally emerges, but rumors have emerged that Sony is planning an announcement during the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan which kicks off in just over a month’s time (February 27). Also, the last a7 came only a matter of months after the last a7R, and given that the a7R IV was launched in July 2019, the moment for an a7 IV might be upon us.

With incremental upgrades now being the new normal, Sony fans might not want to get too excited about what the a7 IV will bring. According to Sony Alpha Rumors, the sensor is expected to remain at 24 megapixels and the camera will feature the same EVF, autofocus system and form factor as the recently-released a7R IV. I wonder if there might be a small bump in the quality of the LCD screen given that the screen on the a7R IV is not particularly amazing. Sony also seems to have fallen behind in terms of touchscreen functionality, so this may be something that they seek to address. Would Sony have included a touchscreen in the a7R IV if it were about to include it in the a7 IV?

One big change might be the LCD screen which may finally flip out completely. For whatever reasons, Sony has been reluctant to implement a side hinge on any of its APS-C cameras, preferring to flip the screen down or up for those wishing to see themselves while filming. Is this about to change?

Sony Alpha Rumors is maintaining that this rumor is fairly unreliable at this stage, and the changes over the a7 III might yet be refinements rather than significant changes. Those refinements will certainly be welcome tweaks to the a7 III, but those hoping for an improved menu system may not wish to hold their breath.

What do you think Sony is about to announce? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.