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The Sony a7R VI is a high res, high speed full-frame mirrorless camera, built around a 66.8MP Stacked CMOS sensor, able to shoot at up to 30 frames per second.
Key specifications
- 66.8MP Stacked CMOS sensor
- Up to 30fps shooting with e-shutter, 10fps mechanical
- Adjustable pre-capture and Speed Boost options for action shooting
- Up to 8K/30 video with 1.2x crop
- Up to 4K/120p video
- 9.44M dot HDR-capable viewfinder
- Improved stabilization rated 8.5EV correction at the center, 7.0 at the edges
- New, higher capacity 'SA' battery
- Wi-Fi 6E
The a7R VI will be available in June, and will retail for $4499, a $600 increase from the a7R V's launch price, which has since risen to $4199.
Index:
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What's new
New sensor
The heart of the a7R VI is a new, 66.8MP Stacked CMOS sensor. Unlike the sensors in Sony's previous high-end bodies, the second layer of the sensor isn't DRAM memory, to buffer the data coming off the sensor, instead it's described as a processing layer.
Noticeably, this means that the full sensor readout speed is slower than in the likes of the sports-focused a1 II; instead, it's able to combine the output of its two conversion gain modes, using both the low noise and high capacity modes to give wider dynamic range.
The net result is a sensor that's much faster than its predecessor (around 5.6x quicker than the a7R V, according to Sony) but with better dynamic range. This should significantly expand the range of photographic situations the a7R VI can lend itself to, without a negative impact on the areas where the a7R V already performed well.
The faster sensor allows the camera to shoot bursts at up to 30 frames per second, using its electronic shutter. This is a huge step forward from its predecessor, which took around 100ms (1/10th sec) to read its sensor in e-shutter mode.
New processor
The a7R VI is built around a "Bionz XR2" processor, similar to the one in the a7 V (though not necessarily identical). This brings features and AF capabilities, including the Auto subject recognition mode, introduced in cameras such as the a9 III, and the ability to recognize subjects from further away, without the need for a dedicated coprocessor for the AI-derived algorithms.
Action-ready functions
The faster shooting is backed up with all of Sony's latest support tools. For a start, the 30fps shooting is blackout-free, to let you follow the action. The camera also offers an adjustable pre-capture mode that starts buffering images when you half-press the shutter or hold down AF-On, then saves up to 1 second's worth of images from before you fully press the shutter. This can be tuned down to as little as 0.03 seconds (ie: a single pre-capture frame, in 30fps mode), so that you can compensate for your reaction times without filling your cards with preemptive nonsense.
The a7R VI is not, nor is it intended to be, a sports camera
However, despite all of this, the a7R VI is not, nor is it intended to be, a sports camera. Sony talks about the camera being well disposed toward wildlife shooting, but doesn't list sports as one of its target applications. Having used it in a sporting setting, we found a significant real-world difference between the a7R VI and the a1 II, despite the superficial similarities.
Why the a7R VI isn't a rival to the a1 II
New battery
Sony is including a dual charger with the a7R VI to help ease the pain of the new battery not being backwards-compatible with the old one.
The a7R VI becomes the first camera to use a new 'SA'-type battery. It's slightly larger than the existing Z-type batteries and delivers a higher voltage. It has a capacity of 20.9Wh, a 27% increase over the capacity of the batteries in previous high-end Sonys.
The new unit isn't much larger than the FP-Z100, with the locationing rails and contacts more tightly integrated into the body so that approximately 30% more cells can be incorporated into the case without increasing the overall size too much.
Expanded video capabilities
The faster sensor also allows for much improved video, even though that's not immediately obvious from looking at the specs. The 8K mode now stretches to 30p, but still comes with a 1.2x crop, much like its predecessor's. However, while the a7R V needed a 1.22x crop to achieve 4K/60, the a7R VI can do full-width 4K/120, provided you activate "Field of View Priority," which comes at the cost of noise reduction.
Improved white balance
Like the a7R V, the VI has visible light and IR sensors designed to help produce more accurate and consistent exposure and white balance. The company says it has upgraded the algorithms that handle both parameters to better interpret things like shaded subjects and light sources, to reduce exposure or WB errors.
Body and handling
New grip
The new, larger battery, which sits longitudinally down the grip, rather than the transverse arrangement of the previous design, means the camera's grip has been reworked. It's a subtle change, but the lip around the top of the handgrip is slightly more prominent and the recess on the mount side of the grip, where your fingertips rest, has been reshaped.
Sony stressed that it's not the same as the a1 II/a9 III design (the shutter button isn't at nearly so steep an angle, for a start), but it seems more comfortable than even the recent a7 V's shape.
Another a9 III feature that's absent from the a7R VI is the C5 function button on the front plate of the camera. This is a shame, as we found it worked well for operating the Speed Boost function that the a7R VI has gained. It's a function we used most often in combination with using AF-On for back-button focus, so the absence of a front button makes it more awkward to find a control point that can be readily used while also using AF-On and the shutter button.
High-brightness viewfinder
While the a7R VI's viewfinder resolution remains the same as its predecessor's, the underlying OLED panel is different. It can go much brighter and offers a wider color gamut than before, making it the first camera we've encountered with a viewfinder bright enough to preview HDR imagery. Sony also says it can achieve this brightness even when you're using both its 120fps refresh and highest quality modes.
Illuminated buttons
Many of the buttons on the back of the a7R VI light up if you press the new illumination button on the top plate. Brightness can be set to low, mid or high, and they can be set to remain lit up.
Another brilliant addition (in the sense of light being emitted) is the provision of back-illuminated buttons. This is a first for Sony and makes a lot of sense for what is its leading landscape camera. A small button on the top plate lights most of the camera's buttons up, though you'll need to learn to locate it by touch, as it's not itself illuminated. This button can be reconfigured if you need, and illumination can be set to always-on, if you prefer this to battery endurance.
The camera uses the same pair of combined CFexpress Type A / UHS II SD slots, letting you choose between fast, warm storage or the better-established, slower, less rugged format.
Fast/slow USB-C
The a7R VI moves to a dual USB-C arrangement, with the upper one offering fast data transfer and the lower one Power Delivery for charging or powering the camera.
The a7R VI's main USB port is a 10Gbps USB-C socket that can be used for data or power. Just below it is a second USB-C port. Despite the new shape, it's essentially a continuation of the USB 2.0 (480Mbps) port used for connecting accessories on previous models. The second port is compliant with the USB Power Delivery standard, though, and utilizes high enough power options that it can be used to charge or power the camera.
Every time you connect a USB cable to the camera, it'll ask you which function you want (eg: Live Steaming, MSC Image Transfer, MTP Image Transfer, etc), and remind you of the data rates of each port, and which port you're connecting to, though you can set the default behavior if you always want a specific mode.
The downside of this change is that any external accessories you have that used the Micro-B 'Multi-interface' socket won't now work, even though the second socket is still a USB 2.0 port at heart.
Battery
The new NP-SA100 has a capacity of 20.9Wh, a 27% increase over its predecessor. This powers the camera to a CIPA-rated endurance of 600 shots per charge if you use the viewfinder and 710 if you use the rear LCD.
Even when you bear in mind that CIPA ratings tend to significantly underestimate most people's real-world experiences – double the rated value isn't unusual, more if you shoot a lot of bursts – these are numbers that are likely to push into the realms of 'beyond needing to worry about it,' for a lot of users, with perhaps only wedding shooters having to make use of the two-battery charger that comes with the camera.
That said, it's worth noting that the charge level will diminish over time if you're just offloading data over the fast USB port: you'll want the PD port connected too for prolonged tethered shooting.
How it compares
The a7R V was a high-resolution studio and landscape camera, but the VI's Stacked CMOS sensor expands its range of capabilities to something much closer to those of Nikon's Z8 and Canon's EOS R5 II, which offer both resolution and speed.
Not included on this chart, but still in the conversation, is the Panasonic S1RII. It targets a similar market of hybrid shooters, with a similar set of stills features and the most complete set of video features. It's not as fast as these rivals but accepts the more widely supported L mount.
We've also left off the Sony a1 II. On paper, it seems very similar to the a7R VI, raising the question of whether Sony has just obsoleted its top-tier sports/action camera. However, the actual shooting experience is quite different on the two cameras, in ways we've covered in more depth in a separate article.
Sony a7R VI
Canon EOS R5 II
Nikon Z8
Sony a7R V
MSRP (current)
$4499 /
$4399 / £4399
$4299 / £3999
$4199 / £3999
Resolution
66.7MP
44.8MP
45.7MP
61.0 MP
Sensor type
Stacked CMOS
Stacked Dual Pixel CMOS
Stacked CMOS
BSI CMOS
Burst shooting rate
30fps, e-shutter
10fps mech
30fps, e-shutter, 12fps mech
20fps e-shutter (no mec)
30fps JPEG only
7fps e-shutter*
10fps mech*
Pre-burst capture?
Variable, up to 1 sec
Yes, up to 0.5 sec (20 images)
Yes, up to 1 sec JPEG only
No
Viewfinder Res / mag/ eye point
9.44M dot
0.9x
25mm
5.76M dot
0.76x
24mm
3.69M dot
0.8x
23mm
9.44M dot
0.9x
25mm
Rear screen
3.2"
2.1M dot
Tilt / articulating
3.2"
2.1M dot
Fully articulating
3.2"
2.1M dot
Two way tilting
3.2"
2.1M dot
Tilt / articulating
Image Stabilization
8.5EV center, 7EV peripheral
8.5EV center, 7.5EV peripheral
5.5EV
8EV
Stills rolling shutter rate (ms)
19.6ms
6.3ms
3.7ms
100.5ms
HDR still output
HLG HEIF (no Raw)
HDR PQ HEIF
HLG HEIF
HLG HEIF (no Raw)
Video resolutions
8K/30 (1.2x crop)
4K/120
8K/60 (30 non-Raw)
4K/120
8K/60 (30 non-Raw)
4K/120
8K/30 (1.24x crop)
4K/60 (1.24x crop)
4K/30 full width
Video options
H.265
H.264 (All-I / L-GOP)
Canon Raw
H.265 (All-I / L-GOP)
H.264
N-Raw
ProRes Raw HQ
ProRes 422 HQ
H.265
H.264
H.265
H.264 (All-I / L-GOP)
Video assist tools
Corrected Log preview
Custom LUT preview
Auto framing
Waveforms
Corrected Log preview
False color
Waveforms
Corrected Log preview
Corrected Log preview
Media types
2x CFexpress type A/UHS-II SD
1x CFexpress Type B
1x UHS-II SD
1x CFexpress Type B
1x UHS-II SD
2x CFexpress type A/UHS-II SD
Connectivity
1x USB-C 10Gbps
1x USB-C 480Mbps
Wi-Fi 6E
1x USB-C 10Gbps
Wi-Fi 6E
1x USB-C 10Gbps
1x USB-C 480Mbps
Wi-Fi 5
1x USB-C 10Gbps
1x USB-B
480Mbps
Wi-Fi 5
Battery life EVF / LCD
600 / 710 shots
250 / 540 shots
330 / 340 shots
440 / 530 shots
Dimensions
133 x 97 x 83mm
(5.2 x 3.8 x 3.3")
138 x 98 x 88mm
(5.5 x 3.9 x 3.5")
144 x 119 x 83mm
(5.7 x 4.7 x 3.3")
131 x 97 x 72mm
(5.2 x 3.8 x 2.8")
Weight
713g (25.2oz)
746g (23.6oz)
910g (32.1oz)
723g (25.5oz)
As for autofocus and handling, the differences between the a7R VI, Z8 and EOS R5 II will all come down to your preferences and use cases (eg, whether you like a top-panel display, need illuminated buttons or both). All three cameras will outperform each other in different scenarios, and some people will prefer one camera's way of doing things over the others.
Autofocus was the main area where we found the S1RII fell behind this extremely capable competition, especially in terms of tracking reliability, but it offers a less expensive route to resolution if action isn't a regular feature of your photography.
The one major callout for the a7R VI is its rolling shutter speeds in its e-shutter modes; while it uses a Stacked sensor like the Z8 and EOS R5 II, it's the slowest of the kind we've seen. This means rolling shutter will put an upper limit on how fast the action it can follow is.
Image quality
Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors, and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes, full even light and low directional light, to see the effect of different lighting conditions.
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We're only able to publish the JPEGs of the test scene at the moment, but hope to be able to follow them up with the converted Raw images very soon. But even if we only look at the JPEGs, we can see that the higher resolution sensor is resolving detail that its predecessor couldn't, putting more of a gap between it and the Canon and Nikon.
The a7R VI's image quality is truly impressive. 66MP offers the best resolution this side of medium format and is backed up by very high dynamic range. In mechanical shutter mode, the camera appears to be combining the low and high-gain readout modes of its dual conversion gain sensor, something that's made explicit as an option in 4K video mode.
The s7R VI's autofocus system is able to consistently deliver 66.7MP's worth of detail.
Sony a7R VI w/ FE 85mm F1.4 GM II | F2.0 | 1/320 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Richard Butler
Sony says the camera captures 14-bit Raws, even at its fastest shooting modes, but doesn't make clear whether the equivalent of the 'Dual Gain Shooting' video function is being applied to e-shutter stills. Our measurements show that electronic shutter images have slightly higher noise levels in the shadows, and a sensor readout rate that's consistent with the 8K video mode (in which the "Dual Gain Shooting" option is not available), suggesting it's not.
The real-world impact of the difference is extremely subtle, though, with the differences really only visible in direct side-by-side comparison. And in charts of DR numbers.
Video
The faster sensor in the a7R VI not only allows it to shoot stills much faster than its predecessor, it also allows much more extensive video capabilities. As usual for Alpha-series cameras, all the options are in the 16:9 aspect ratio, and there are also no options for Raw capture. You can output a Raw stream to an external recorder, if you wish.
Resoluion
Rates
Crop
Compression type
Rolling shutter
HS
S
S-I
Standard
Dual Gain
UHD 8K
(7680 x 4320)
24, 25, 30
1.22x
Yes
13.7ms
UHD 4K
(3840 x 2160)
24
1.00x
Yes
Yes
Yes
7.2ms
15.8ms
25, 30
Yes
Yes
7.2ms
15.8ms
50, 60
Yes
Yes
Yes
7.2ms
100, 120
1.1x / 1.0x
Yes
Yes
5.6 / 6.2ms
Full HD
(1920 x 1080)
24, 25, 30,
50, 60
Yes
Yes
100, 120
Yes
The most obvious difference is the much-improved rolling shutter rates, but the a7R VI also gains a mode, comparable to Panasonic's DR Boost mode, that combines the low and high gain output of the sensor to deliver much wider dynamic range. As with the Panasonic S1II, this feature is optional, can only be maintained at slower frame rates and approximately doubles the readout times.
The 8K footage, taken from an 8.2K region of the sensor, is comfortably the most detailed. All the 4K footage is taken from the full width of the sensor and derived from 5.0K capture, according to Sony. Given the sensor is essentially 10,000 pixels wide, that would neatly correspond to 2:1 sub-sampling, which would certainly explain the significant increase in aliasing.
The rolling shutter numbers for 4K capture are very close to being twice as fast as 8K mode, which would also be consistent with 2:1 subsampling. This number then roughly doubles when Dual Gain Shooting is activated, but the sampling method and detail capture stay the same.
Audio
Like other recent Sony cameras, the a7R VI can record up to four channels of audio, if you connect a mic into the multi interface connectors at the front of the hotshoe.
It can also record, via an optional (and, at $780, quite costly) XLR adapter, 96kHz, 32-bit float audio. This is still relatively rare on hybrid cameras, but the dual analog-to-digital converters needed to exploit the much wider value range of the 32-bit Float notation live in the XLR adapter, so the capability is not built into the camera body.
Even so, the faster rolling shutter rates and the Panasonic-like option to opt for greater dynamic range at the cost of readout speed make the a7R VI a much more credible video camera than its predecessor, again boosting its utility for modern wedding and events shooting.
In-use
The a7R VI is both the most polished camera yet in its series, while also very much being a camera of its series. So the familiar lag when the camera boots up, checks in with the lens, has a bit of a think and then lights up the screen is still present.
Some of the a7R VI's menus and messages feel like the would have benefited from another round of regionalization.
Similarly, the menus, while much more sensibly arranged and easier to navigate, are still creaking under the weight of the complexity of the camera, and aren't helped by overly condensed titles and occasional messages that feel like they've been literally translated from another language, rather than being regionalized into comprehensible phrasing.
This sense is reinforced by little details such as pre-capture, which is one of the default options in the Fn menu, but doesn't work until you first switch from mechanical to electronic shutter mode, then engage continuous shooting. Similarly, the camera offers three multi-shot modes that combine Raw files, two of them have menu settings to select which type of Raw file you want, the third simply defers to the camera's main file type setting. It all feels like it's become too large of a task to ever finish or refine.
Which is odd, because the camera has some lovely details, such as the fact that the e-shutter sound changes with your shutter speed. Rather than it being the exact same sound whether you're shooting at 1/8000 sec or 1/8 sec, it'll simulate changes in pitch, and even the sound of a shutter opening and closing, so that you have an audible cue about exposure time, even when in e-shutter mode.
We found the a7R VI more comfortable to hold than the a7 V.
The camera's grip feels like an improvement over its predecessor, but still isn't as well optimized as Sony's pro-targeting a1 II and a9 III models. For instance, they both have a custom button on the front, which is ideal for engaging the Speed Boost function that raises or lowers the burst rate when held. Without this extra button, the a7R VI has few choices that are easy to hold if you're already using AF-On for back-button focus and have another finger on the shutter.
Pre-capture mode brings a distinct lag and jerkiness to the viewfinder, presumably held back by the camera having to operate in its slower, full-resolution mode while it's buffering images. This is a shame, because the viewfinder is otherwise very good, combining both high resolution and a good refresh rate at most other times.
It's a little disappointing that the first camera to offer an HDR-capable viewfinder is also the only mainstream brand to shoot HDR HEIF images but force you to turn off Raw capture to do so (you can shoot HEIF files with the HLG response curve and Raw, but it you want the camera to include the necessary metadata to display the images as HDR, then it's Raw only).
The first thing that hits you is the camera's seriously impressive image quality, backed up by excellent autofocus
All of which sounds like we disliked the camera, when that's really not the case. There are aspects that we felt would benefit from a little more polish, but the fact that it takes so many words to describe them doesn't mean they're the main things we took away from the experience of shooting with the a7R VI.
Instead, the first thing that hits you is the camera's seriously impressive image quality and the degree to which it's backed up by excellent autofocus. It only takes a single sentence to write it, but that's the thing that matters most.
The a7R V wasn't lacking in resolution, but the VI adds even more.
Sony a7R VI | Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II | 41mm | F8 | 1/250 sec | ISO 100
The a7R VI isn't as quick in practice as the Nikon Z8 or Canon EOS R5 II, but instead it offers higher resolution, excellent DR, a very customizable, multi-dial interface and by far the best battery life in class. There are plenty of people for whom that will (and should) matter a whole lot more than some of the menu phrasing needing another round of localization.
Anyone hoping for a cut-price a1 II will find themselves disappointed: you can definitely feel the limitations as you push towards the outer edge of what the camera promises to do. But, then again, it promises to do an awful lot, and it brings its image quality excellence to a much broader range of applications than previous a7R models could.
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