Sony Announces the a7R V Mirrorless Camera; Hands on and First Look YouTube Video at B&H

Photography News: Sony's latest R-series camera, the a7R V, features AI-assisted focusing, a 4-axis multi-angle LCD, and 8K recording

Sony a7R V Mirrorless Camera Pre-Order starts at 10/27/22 – 10:00am EST

NEW YORK, Oct. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- B&H is excited to announce the Sony a7R V mirrorless camera. This high-resolution mirrorless standard adds the power and intelligence of an evolved image processor, a 4-axis multi-angle LCD monitor, 8K video recording, and a laundry list of internal and external improvements appealing to photo and video shooters alike. With integrated AI-assisted autofocusing capable of real-time subject recognition from humans to insects, eight stops of image stabilization, dual CFexpress slots, and a 9.44 mil dot EVF, there is no shortage of reasons to love this new camera. A devout fan of its predecessor, I tried out the a7R V in the studio and on location to see how it compared.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1731389-REG/sony_alpha_camera.html

• 61MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor
• BIONZ XR & AI Processing Unit
• AI-Based Real-Time Tracking AF System
• 8K 24p, 4K 60p, FHD 120p 10-Bit Video
• 4K 16-Bit Raw Output; S-Log3/S-Cinetone
• 9.44m-Dot EVF with 120 fps Refresh Rate
• 3.2" 4-Axis Multi-Angle Touchscreen LCD
• 10 fps Shooting with AF/AE Tracking
• 8-Stop 5-Axis Image Stabilization
• Dual CFexpress Type A/SD Card Slots

Headlining the new release is a BIONZ XR processor, endowed with what Sony calls Artificial Intelligence. While the camera didn't sprout legs and take photos for me, I did notice improved speed and accuracy locking onto human and bird eyes when using the 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II and 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lenses. For human subjects, the camera can focus on bodies, heads, and eyes using a "human pose estimation" algorithm. Per Sony, the new camera boasts a 60% improvement in Eye AF performance over the a7R IV. It rarely missed when I used it. Beyond people, there are dedicated modes for animal, bird, animal/bird, insect, car/train, and airplane subjects. When photographing a heron, its AF worked as smoothly as it did with my human model. 

The a7R V's real-time tracking leans on 693-point high density phase detection AF, which covers 79% of full-frame and 100% of APS-C capture. If, like me, you are afraid of AI taking better photos than you, full-time DMF lets you switch seamlessly from AF to manual focusing at any time. However, as much of a neurotic advocate of manual focusing as I am, I found myself kicking back and letting the AF do its thing nearly the entire time I spent with the a7R V. I have no regrets. Even when shooting in an all-black environment lit by strobes, it locked onto my model's eyes for nearly every single shot.

The Sony a7R5 keeps the 61MP sensor that made the a7R IV a pixel-peeper's dream. It has a native ISO range of 100-32,000—expandable to 102,400: the highest resolution at low sensitivity in a Sony camera to date. Fifteen stops of dynamic range work to secure smooth tonal gradations in nearly any lighting environment. Still life and product photographers will appreciate the addition of focus bracketing capabilities to accompany the hard-drive-devouring Pixel Shift Multi-Shooting mode from its previous model.

For action junkies, the Sony a7R V is capable of shooting 10 fps mechanical bursts of up to 583 compressed raw files, or more than 1,000 jpegs. When I tested this feature, the camera gracefully rattled off shots, content to fill a memory card without breaking a sweat. Speaking of raw files, you have more types to choose from with the a7R V: uncompressed raw, lossless compression raw, or compressed raw. Be kind to your storage media when working with such massive files. 

The body of the a7R V shares much in common with its predecessor with one major upgrade: a 4-axis, multi-angle 3.2" LCD screen with 2.095m-dot resolution and touch capabilities. I found myself using this feature far more than expected. Whether shooting down from a ladder or up from the ground, it is hard to deny the benefits that this articulation brings when trying to capture unconventional angles. For those recording video, it also provides the invaluable ability to watch oneself on camera in real time. By pushing away from the camera body, you are granted full access to the side ports when rotating the screen.

The menu system of the a7R IV has been updated to the format of Sony's more recent models.

An improved 9.44 m-dot QXGA EVF with 120 fps refresh rate provides sharp, bright, and seamless viewing during capture.

Up top, an S&Q (Slow and Quick) dial setting has been added for easily changing to this setting to capture time lapse or slow motion. Overall, the layout of the a7R V should feel familiar in the hands of Sony mirrorless veterans. S/L dials are customizable and the C1 button and Record buttons have been swapped. The two SDXC slots of the a7R IV are now complemented by a pair of CFexpress type A slots for when you need to maximize processing power, whether shooting bursts or recording video footage at high resolutions.

While the R-series has historically been thought of in still image terms, its latest iteration has significantly beefed up video capabilities. Most notably, it can record up to 8K at 24/25 fps with full AF and AE support. Full frame 4K recording provides a full sensor readout with no cropping up to 30 fps, while 4K/60 and 8K capture results in a 1.2x crop. The a7R V can capture 8K footage up to 10-bit 4:2:0, and 4K 10-bit 4:2:2. XAVC-HS is available for 8K and 4K recording in addition to HD. For subjects demanding a high frame rate, it can record up to 120 fps at 1080p.

Like noted above for still images, AI-assisted tracking keeps a wide range of subjects in focus when recording. In terms of color, the a7R V offers S-Log3, S-Cinetone, and HLG and HDR recording. Finally, updated 5-axis body optical image stabilization and improved camera-lens communication provide up to eight stops of stability for handheld capture with Sony's OSS lenses.

The a7R V brings the R-series' connectivity options into the future. First, it can act as a UVC webcam for content creators streaming in 4K up to 15p. For workflows that demand lightning-fast turnaround, FTP file transfer via 2x2 MIMO is capable of transferring 3.5x more data than the a9 II. Additionally, files can be transferred via wireless LAN, wired LAN (via adapter), or USB-C.

The a7R V builds on the strengths of its predecessor in nearly every aspect of its design. While its features and capabilities have been substantially expanded, it did not feel foreign in the hands of a photographer accustomed to the a7R IV.

Hans on Sony a7R V Mirrorless Camera – First Look
https://youtu.be/KRqYANSI_zw

Learn More about the Sony a7R V at B&H Explora
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/videos/photography/sony-a7rv-mirrorless-camera-announcement

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SOURCE B&H Photo