Lab – Sony Alpha 7R V (A7R V): surprising responsiveness and tracking!

The Sony Alpha 7R V (A7R V) is the flagship camera of the end of 2022. Without operating a revolution, it is a great evolution for the R range. While retaining the 24×36 61 Mpx sensor present on the Alpha 7R IV (A7R IV), it benefits from the ergonomic changes that Sony has made to its cases since the Alpha 7S III (A7S III).

The A7R V therefore evolves in terms of autofocus compared to its predecessor. It is equipped with the BionZ XR dual-core processor, which already equips recent Sony models such as the A7S III, the Alpha 1 (A1) or the Alpha 7 IV (A7 IV). AF coverage is also changing, and there are now 693 AF points, compared to 567 previously. We now cover 86% of the horizontal field, and more than 74%. On paper, the A7R V therefore does a little better in all areas than the A7R IV. In practice, what is it really? This is what we are going to see now.

A faster device than its predecessor

We released the body in our laboratories with the very good and rather recent FE 24-70 mm F2.8 GM II zoom. Unsurprisingly, the new device does better than the old one. During the day, the difference is slight, but at night the A7R V is significantly faster. Above all, he is much faster in the sequence of shots. While you had to wait almost a second (by rounding off widely) between two images with the A7R IV, you now have to wait less than half a second.

Finally a quick awakening in a Sony hybrid!

The most surprising, however, is on the start-up side. Since the beginning of the E-mount, Sony devices have been known for their turtle awakening. Even with a box like the Alpha 1, which has a formidable AF, it takes 1.15 seconds to light up. With its very defined sensor box and its hardware similar, we weren’t expecting much from the A7R V in this regard. And yet. The device, with its average start-up in 0.58 s, is the most lively hybrid in our comparison at the moment! Only a few SLRs do better, sacred performance. Sony corrects here one of the main balls that the firm dragged for years. This is a very pleasant surprise which bodes well for the firm’s likely future sports devices.

Decent gust, but watch out rolling-shutter

In bursts, hardly any surprise: we are in the nails of the technical sheet, with 10 fps in mechanical shutter (Hi+ and compressed raw, Sony obliges). The electronic shutter, with the same settings, tops out at around 7.5 fps; it’s surprising, but we can always be reassured by saying that given the very strong rolling-shutter in electronic shutter, rare will be the photographers to use the burst in this mode.

the rolling-shutter does not apply only in bursts, however. In electronic shutter in photo, as in video, on moving subjects (even sometimes light) it can easily appear. Take this snapshot of a protester, for example. Both the character and his surroundings were significantly distorted when shot with the electronic shutter.

Sony is getting into vehicle tracking

The A7R V also revolutionizes the science of Sony tracking. A pioneer in the field, the Japanese firm maintained itself at the highest level in terms of tracking the eyes and faces of humans and animals alike. It remains almost flawless. The point on the eyes is acquired almost immediately and almost rarely lost. Even when the subject turns their head, the A7R V maintains focus on where the eyes will be when the face reappears.

However, the competitors had pushed the logic further by offering – for some – a follow-up of the bodies of humans and animals (birds included) in addition to the rest. Also, we have seen the appearance of recognition and monitoring of the most diverse motorized vehicles. Airplane, train, motorcycle, car, etc.

A follow-up extended to the smallest creatures

And Sony was slow to offer it. This is now fixed, with the A7R V being able to track what is rolling or flying. In the context of an automobile, the device will first detect the machine, then focus more precisely on the grille, almost focusing on the emblem of the car. The Tokyo society even goes a little far with insect recognition and monitoring!

Thus, when a small animal made up of antennae and stings enters the field, the A7R V can recognize the animal and its head and operate a follow-up. Obviously you have to be close enough to the insect for the device to detect it. The beast must still be clearly identifiable for the magic to work. We couldn’t try the experiment on a stick insect resting on a branch. But it worked very well on bees or butterflies.

After our lab measurements, aside from the improvements to autofocus in general, we’re particularly impressed with how the A7R V starts. . If that doesn’t sound like much, it’s a mini-revolution for a Sony case. To learn more about the Alpha 7R V (A7R V), we invite you to consult the complete test of the latter.