Copyright livescience
Black Friday is only a month away and we've been keeping an eye out for early discounts. This Sony A7 IV camera deal is the lowest price we've seen since last year's event — and it's one of our favorite astrophotography cameras. It has excellent ISO performance and a hidden Bright Monitoring feature (which we praised in our full Sony A7 IV review), and it's now on sale for $1,998 at Amazon. Now's a great time to take advantage of this deal — not just for the lower price, but because some incredible celestial sights are coming up. Over the next few months, you can try out the camera with your favorite astro lens as two meteor showers peak near a new moon — the Leonids on November 17 and Geminids on December 13. You'll also have two stunning supermoons to capture: the full Beaver Moon on November 5 and the full Cold Moon on December 4. Our experts have also reviewed and rated the best telescopes, binoculars, star projectors, cameras, fitness trackers, running shoes, rowing machines and more. We've tested the A7 IV in both astro conditions and challenging indoor lighting to push its 33-megapixel sensor to the limit. Its high ISO performance is among the best we've seen, with noise only becoming noticeable at ISO 6,400 and above. The hidden Bright Monitoring feature is especially useful for composing astro shots. When activated, it brightens the display, making it easier to see subjects like the Milky Way on the LCD screen, cutting out the guesswork. While it doesn't have the burst speed to rank among the best cameras for wildlife photography, Sony's autofocus is the best in the business, so the A7 IV will happily lend itself to many other styles of photography if astrophotography isn't your main interest. Key features: Key features: 33MP resolution, 10FPS burst rate, ISO range 100 — 51,200 (expands to 50 - 204,800), 5.5 stops image stabilization, dual card slots (one CFexpress Type A/UHS-II SD, one UHS-II SD). Product launched: October 2021. Price history: We saw the Sony A7 IV for the same price back in April; otherwise, it has only been cheaper last Black Friday. Price comparison: Amazon: $1,998 | Walmart: $1,998 | BHPhoto: $1,998 Reviews consensus: One of the best cameras we've used for astrophotography that produces stunning 33MP images with excellent noise handling for clean, crisp shots. The autofocus is impressive, and it's a joy to use out in the field. Live Science: ★★★★½ | TechRadar: ★★★★½ | Toms Guide: ★★★★ | Digital Camera World: ★★★★½ Featured in guides: Best astrophotography cameras, Best cameras ✅ Buy it if: You've surpassed beginner level and are ready to take astrophotography seriously with a more powerful camera, while also wanting the freedom to experiment with other photographic styles. ❌ Don't buy it if: You primarily want to shoot fast action like sports or wildlife and need a fast burst rate. Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors and much more.
