Sony's alpha line has gone through several iterations with a rocky start. The cameras were overly designed and relied heavily on electronic components that tended to fail at the worst possible moment.
But that was in the beginning. Now the Sony alpha line offers some of the best cameras on the market, be it for video, photography, or a bit of both. With the announcement of the Sony A7R V, the Japanese camera manufacturer didn't just add more resolution, it gives it a brain. Let's find out more.
Sony A7R V Mirrorless Camera
- 61MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Sensor
- BIONZ XR & AI Processing Unit
- AI-Based Real-Time AF System
- 8K 24p, 4K 60p, FHD 120p Video
- 10-Bit 4:2:2
- 4K 16-Bit Raw Output
- S-Log3/S-Cinetone
- 10 fps Shooting w/ AF/AE Tracking
- 8-Stop 5-Axis Image Stabilization
Resolution Meets AI
The new Sony A7R V packs a full-frame BSI CMOS sensor with 61MP. This can pump out high-resolution photos that rival some medium-format cameras on the market. There's also a new AI processing unit that takes Sony's already industry-leading autofocus and brings it to a whole new level.
Now the A7R will track the entire body of your subject, recognizing the position of the head and eyes. This means you can track your subject in a crowded room, when they're small in the frame, or when they have on a helmet or have their back facing toward the camera.
61MP & High ResolutionCredit: SonyAnimal and bird tracking has also been improved with an expanded list of subjects.
This improvement also comes to car recognition, with planes and trains being added. All you need is Steve Martin and John Candy, and you have yourself a movie!
Best of all, Sony has now added insect tracking to its list of autofocus subjects.
First ever with Insect TrackingCredit: SonyHigh-Resolution Video
While the photos are going to look super sharp with the 61MP, Sony has also added some solid video options to the A7R V. This includes 8K 24p, 4K 60p (from 6.2K without binning), and FHD 120p in 10-Bit 4:2:2. Creatives will also get 4K 16-Bit RAW Output and S-Log3/S-Cinetone.
To keep this video steady, the internal 5-axis IBIS will offer 8 steps of stabilization.
Why This Camera?
Sony has had two leading cameras for some time. The A7S v the A7R. One provides speed for video and film work, while the other offers resolution for photography work. The inclusion of 8K and oversampled 6.2K video makes the A7S feel a bit redundant. But this really gets the gears turning about what the A7S V will look like when it eventually comes to market.
Until that does, we'll be taking a deep dive into the Sony A7R V to see not only what it's really capable of but what it's meant to be used for.
Do you have any thoughts on where this camera would fit into your workflow? Let us know in the comments!
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