Should I upgrade to the Sony a7R V from the a7R IV or IVA?
As the dust from the Sony Alpha 7R V review is settling, I have a decision to make. Do I keep my Sony Alpha 7R IV / IVA or upgrade to the 7R V.
Check out the Sony a7R V vs. a7R IV specification comparison along with the visual comparison of these cameras.
What are the differences between the Sony Alpha 7R V and the Alpha 7R IV? Here is a summary:
- New AI processing unit dedicated to AI-based image recognition
- BIONZ XR processor, a significant upgrade to the BIONZ X
- Next-generation AF Real-time Recognition and tracking AF in still and movie modes utilizing detailed information about human form and pose estimation to dramatically improve recognition accuracy beyond systems that only detect face and eye
- AI subject recognition subject types added, now including animals, vehicles, and insects (Human, Animal/Bird, Animal, Bird, Insect, Car/Train, and Airplane available)
- 8-stop image stabilization system — most effective ever offered in a Sony Alpha camera, a noticeable improvement from the a7R IV's IBIS
- AF Working Range expanded to EV -4 – 20 vs. EV -3 – 20
- 0.64" (1.6 cm), 9.44 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder vs. 0.5" (1.3 cm) with 5.76 million dots
- New 4-axis multi-angle LCD monitor that combines the utility of a conventional tilting monitor with side-opening vari-angle flexibility
- 3.15" (8.2cm), Touch Screen with 2,095,104 dots vs. 2.95" (7.5cm) non-Touch Screen with 1,440,000 dots (the IVA has 2,359,296 dots)
- 8K 25/24p video, 4K 60p, 4K video oversampled from 6.2K without binning vs. 4K 30p
- Breathing compensation
- Focus Bracketing
- Stacked mode dial and exposure compensation dial is customizable
- Movie start/stop button moved from back to top
- In-body Active mode image stabilization for smoother on-the-go recording (slight image crop in Active mode, Active mode not available when recording XAVC HS 8K or using a frame rate of 120 (100) fps)
- Improved heat dissipation for extended recording times
- Upgraded Pixel Shift Multi Shooting, taking advantage of the precision in-body image stabilization system
- Variable shutter function for stills and movies (higher than 100 Hz or 120 Hz)
- Lossless RAW image compression and selectable RAW image sizes for storage efficiency
- High-quality HEIF images with high compression efficiency
- Dual CFexpress Type A and SDXC compatible media slots
- New menu system with touch control and a wide range of customizable functions
- Support for UVC/UAC, allowing direct streaming of up to 4K (QFHD) with audio
- a7R V has shorter battery life — Viewfinder: 440 vs. 530, LCD: 530 vs. 670
- a7R V is slightly heavier: 25.6 vs. 23.5 oz (723 vs.665g)
The primary factor against this upgrade is that the 61.0MP full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor, Sony’s highest resolution in an Alpha camera, remains the same. While there were surely cost factors involved with the decision to stay with this imaging sensor, it is a high-performing one, and the latest technology available may not warrant an upgrade.
If the acquisition cost, selling a used camera and buying a new camera, was not a factor, this decision would be extremely simple. For many, the improved AF performance alone justifies the upgrade and numerous bullet points are solid upgrade reasons, but my decision is further complicated by having a Sony Alpha 1 for higher performance demands. Thus, I'm still contemplating this decision.
Order the Sony Alpha 7R V at B&H (save big on used models currently available) | Adorama | Amazon | WEX.
Rent the Sony Alpha 7R V from Lensrentals.
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