At a glance
£4,000
body only
● 61MP full-frame sensor
● 693-point AF with subject recognition
● ISO 100-32,000 (standard)
● Up to 10fps shooting
● 8K 24fps video
● 9.44m-dot, 0.9x EVF
● 3.2in, 2.1m-dot 4-way LCD
Since the original Alpha 7R appeared in 2013, Sony’s ‘R’ series models have established a resolution benchmark for full-frame mirrorless, making them popular with landscape and studio photographers for whom capturing the maximum detail is paramount. Despite being over three years old, the current A7R IV is still unsurpassed in this respect, thanks to its superb 61MP sensor. But the firm isn’t known for resting on its laurels, so now we have a new version. The Sony Alpha 7R V features the same sensor and core imaging specs, but almost everything else has been updated and improved.
The first major update is an enhanced subject detection autofocus system that’s capable of recognising a wider range of subjects, powered by a new AI processing unit. There’s also a considerably improved viewing experience, with the A7R V inheriting the huge and detailed electronic viewfinder previously used by the A7S III and A1. This is complemented by a new, much more versatile screen design, which combines an up/down tilting mechanism with a fully articulating side hinge. The in-body image stabilisation has been substantially up-rated, and the camera also inherits a host of design and interface upgrades from recent Alpha 7 models.
With these updates comes a hike in price to £4,000 body-only, fully £1,000 more than the A7R IV. This is also £1,400 more than Nikon’s 45.7MP Z 7II, but £300 less than the 45MP Canon EOS R5. So is the A7R V worth the money, and do the updates bring it back to the top of its class?
Features
If there was one camera-design theme of 2022, it was the widespread adoption of subject detection autofocus. On the A7R V, Sony has included its most sophisticated iteration yet, adding cars, trains, airplanes, and insects to the existing list of humans, animals, and birds. It also claims
