The Sony A7R V has been tipped to land later this year, but how can the full-frame camera improve on its excellent predecessor?
Back in the innocent days of 2019, we handed the Sony A7R IV one of our coveted ‘product of the year’ awards. The impressive 61MP full-frame camera was in many ways a precursor to the Sony A1, as it managed to combine its high-resolution with relatively rapid 10fps burst shooting. This has made it one of the best cameras around for landscapes, weddings and portraits. So where exactly does Sony take its full-frame ‘Resolution’ series next? The rumors are pointing towards a Sony A7R V release later this year, but its upgrades are less easy to predict. Whereas video-led cameras have a clear upgrade path towards 8K resolution capture, better color depth and higher maximum frame rates, the best direction for the Sony A7R V isn’t quite as clear. Should it have a higher-resolution sensor? Perhaps not. It seems highly unlikely to have a larger sensor either, as Sony would have to make a completely new line for a medium format stills model. In this article we’ll look at some of the early Sony A7R V rumors that have appeared over the last year or so, before running through the features we think this new camera really needs, given that the Sony A1 and Sony A7 IV now lead its Alpha line. The ongoing chip shortage has made it trickier for every tech company, including the camera giants, to release their new products on time. This means that Sony Alpha Rumors has predicted that the Sony A7R V won’t be available until the second half of 2022 at the earliest. Whether or not Sony manages to keep to that plan isn’t yet clear. The manufacturer had to temporarily pause orders for its mid-range Sony ZV-E10 last year owing to the chip shortage, only months after it had launched. With the chip issues expected to last throughout 2022, it’s possible this could affect the Sony A7R V’s launch, or at least the level of stock available when it arrives. A launch in the second half of this year would leave a three-year gap between the Sony A7R V and A7R IV, unlike the two-year space between previous generations. As it’s early days, there have been no major leaks about the A7R V’s possible pricing. However, the latest indications are the Sony A7R V body will cost in the region of $3,500 / £3,800 / AU$6,800, similar to the cost of the current model. Early in 2021, there were rumors that the Sony A7R V could have a 102MP sensor called the Sony IMX555CQR. This sensor offers a resolution of 12288 x 8192 pixels and is capable of 12-bit 6K resolution video. It’s made for consumer cameras, too, making it a prime candidate for Sony’s next resolution monster. However, more recent reports have backtracked, and point to a more familiar 61MP sensor like the current-generation version. As tech reviewers, we’d love to see what Sony could do with its own ultra-high resolution sensor, but sticking with a tried-and-tested resolution makes sense. It’s hard to imagine such a hit to sensor pixel size wouldn’t have an effect on dynamic range, and that IMX555CQR sensor is not brand new either – it was announced in 2019. Some of the most appealing rumored Sony A7R V upgrades relate instead to the shooting experience. Its EVF (electronic viewfinder) is resolution is expected to go from 5.44-million dots to 9.
