Sony A7R V Gallery: Our first real-world shots from Sony’s exciting new 61MP full-frame camera
posted Monday, December 5, 2022 at 5:30 PM EDT
Click here to view our Sony A7R V Gallery
Joining our existing lab test shots for the Sony A7R V, we've now published our first real-world gallery images for Sony's latest high-resolution Alpha mirrorless camera.
The Sony A7R V uses the same 61-megapixel sensor as the A7R IV, so we know the new camera will produce amazing image quality, especially at low ISO settings. We've also seen how impressive the new camera is with our lab test scene. However, the A7R V is much more than just megapixels. Among the camera's many exciting new features is a brand-new AI-driven autofocus system, complete with a dedicated AI processing unit. In real-world testing with the Sony 24-105mm F4 G and 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G lenses, the A7R V delivered high-quality results in most situations, including impressive AI-powered bird detection and autofocus when photographing birds in flight. The results were slightly less impressive when using AI subject detection in low-light, low-contrast situations, which I'll dig into further in my full Sony A7R V hands-on review. Overall though, the new AI AF shows a lot of promise and made capturing sharp images of fast-moving subjects a breeze.
The A7R V may use the same image sensor as its predecessor, although AI is also used to improve image quality, especially with automatic white balance. While you can easily adjust the white balance when editing raw files, it's always nice when the camera does a great job during capture. It reduces the time I need to edit images and is also important for .jpg files. The AWB is excellent with the A7R V, and noticeably improved compared to the A7R IV, which could occasionally take on a slightly cool color cast in some situations. Speaking of raw editing, that's when you'll get the absolute most from the A7R V's sensor concerning detail, color and dynamic range. I have yet to edit any raw files, as we wanted to publish the gallery as soon as possible. I'll have fully-processed raw files and a detailed discussion on raw image quality in my review.
Despite being a high-res sensor, the highest-res full-frame sensor, in fact, the A7R V is no slouch when it comes to high ISO performance. While I'm looking forward to doing manual noise reduction processing on raw files, the .jpg images straight from the camera look great, even as ISO 6400. At ISO 12,800, the default noise reduction is a bit heavy-handed, but the resulting files are clean.
The Sony A7R V is shaping up to be another fantastic camera in Sony's Alpha lineup. While it may not break new ground with its image sensor, it features many interesting improvements across the board, especially with its autofocus system. Besides, Sony doesn't necessarily need a new sensor, given that the A7R V's image quality is second-to-none in the full-frame camera market.