Scientists have sequenced RNA from a nearly 40,000-year-old woolly mammoth leg, the oldest ancient RNA ever recovered. These fragile molecules could reveal which genes were active in the animal’s final hours and what was happening inside the animal’s muscles when it died.
Tags: DNA, RNA, Wooly mammoth, Fossils
After years of exoskeletons built primarily for medical, workforce and military applications, the recreational sport exoskeleton is really having its marketable moment. The newest take on the technology, the Irmo M1 brings what's billed as a "world first" tweak, a multi-sensor AI system that automatically adjusts output based on the terrain ahead. It's like an adaptive automotive suspension, only for legs instead of wheels.
Tags: Exoskeleton, Sports, Hiking, Cycling, Outdoors and Camping, Backpacking, Kickstarter, Fitness
The extent of an incredible dinosaur highway has been revealed in Bolivia, a country where actual skeletal fossils are rare. More than 16,000 footprints, along with tail impressions from creatures of all sizes, have been fully documented – and the scale of theropod activity alone is unlike anything that's been seen before.
Tags: Geology, Dinosaurs, Print, Birds, Fossils, National Parks, Paleontology
The business of paying respect to the dead can be an eco-unfriendly matter, whether opting for a wooden coffin that contributes to deforestation, or a cremation service that produces carbon emissions. Instead, Dutch firm Loop Biotech has found a way to save forests and reduce CO2 emissions with the Loop Living Cocoon, the world’s first mushroom-based casket.
Category: Environment, Science
Tags: Mushrooms, Biodegradable
Welcome back to our Question of the Week series! This reader-focused series aims to get our photographic community to share thoughts on all sorts of photography-related topics in our forums. We pose questions about gear, favorite camera stores, advice, problem-solving and more, and you share your thoughts and opinions.
This week, we’re leaning into the holiday spirit! The season of giving (and occasionally re-gifting) is upon us, and that means it’s time to unwrap some memories – both heartwarming and hilarious.
What are the best (and worst) photography-related gifts you've received?What’s the best photography-related gift you’ve ever received? Maybe it was a dream lens that caused you to take on an adventure deep in the mountains, or a handmade camera strap that’s now an essential part of your kit. And what about the worst? Perhaps someone thought you needed yet another "World’s Best Photographer" mug, or that odd lens filter set that turned every photo a shade of green.
In this edition of our Question of the Week series, we want to hear your gift stories: the memorable, the useful and the truly baffling. Share your favorites (and flops) in the forum link below. Photos of the gifts (or what you created with them) are also more than welcome! We'll highlight some of your most entertaining and heartfelt responses in next week's roundup.
The Sigma BF isn't a template all other cameras should follow – there are plenty of times a camera designed around a viewfinder is valuable – but it's a fascinating take on what a picture-taking device can be.
Photo: Al Power
No, I'm not trolling you. If I'd wanted to just prompt incredulous or angry comments, I'd have opted for the Sony RX1R III: a camera I genuinely really like, but recognize only appeals to a very narrow group of photographers that happens to include me.
The Sigma BF is simply a really good camera. This may not be obvious if you can only view it from the perspective of how other cameras work, but if you're able to put your preconceptions to one side and try to look at things anew, it's a consistently elegant piece of design. And I don't just mean the eye-catching body.
Ignore the looks, look beyond the basic specs and stop worrying about how many dials you think a camera should have. Ask yourself, instead, what is a camera for? It's to take pictures, perhaps to inspire or encourage you to take pictures, and to capture the light emerging from the scene as best it can.
Completely aside from the exterior design, the ability to shoot more true-to-life images without having to switch modes or worry about compatibility would probably be enough to make the Sigma my Gear of the Year.
Photo: Richard Butler
Most modern cameras are built on well-established conventions. They may have done away with the mirror and the film, but a lot of them are still shaped like SLRs from one end or other of the 1980s. Or, perhaps, they resemble 1960s rangefinders, but they're all products of established thinking. They are a series of decisions made long ago, repeated out of habit with any new ideas and features (often clumsily) lumped into already overwhelmed menu systems.
After a flurry of experimentation in the early 2000s, cameras settled back into a series of familiar shapes and archetypes. And, right back to some of those early models, they shot 8-bit JPEG images designed for printing or viewing on the CRT monitors of the day.
The Sigma questions all of this. It isn't designed to fit in with the established camera aesthetic, its interface isn't an outgrowth of design decisions made twenty years ago and it doesn't think photos are solely about prints or playback on a type of monitor people no longer have.
Instead, it's a body designed to appeal to people who don't think of themselves as photographers. It doesn't obscure your view of the scene behind a bewildering head-up display of incomprehensible icons, but instead is designed to just show you your framing. And it shoots images optimized to make the most of modern displays and phones.
We've been stuck using standard-DR JPEGs since the dawn of digital. Almost all modern cameras have an option to capture true HDR imagery, but do so in the HEIF format that remains poorly supported and awkward to share. The BF shoots HDR photos with every shot, and embeds this additional tonal information into otherwise standard JPEGs, so you have universal compatibility with added vibrancy and realism when viewed on an increasing number of modern devices.
Technology: the Sigma BF brings a breakthrough for photography
This 'Ultra HDR JPEG' approach has also been adopted by Google for its Pixel phones, and is central to the marketing push behind Hasselblad's X2D II camera (which takes the extra step of providing an HDR-capable rear monitor). In any other year, the Hasselblad might have been my Gear of the Year for this feature alone, but it was just one element of what makes the Sigma so original.
I was asked, when I first wrote about it, whether I was only excited by the Sigma because it's a refreshing change after nearly twenty years of using and writing about cameras that, for better and worse, operate in a broadly similar manner. It's a question I'd already asked myself while I was using the camera. I genuinely believe it's not.
Photo: Al Power
None of which is to say the BF is perfect. The interface would definitely benefit from another round of refinement, now it's been in more people's hands. Image stabilization would certainly be a benefit, as would a faster sensor, better suited to use without a mechanical shutter. A less sharp lip along the leading edge of the camera and a less comically small battery wouldn't go amiss, either.
Experience: What's the most interesting camera of 2025 like to live with?
Ultimately, though, these Gear of the Year articles aren't necessarily meant to be about the best equipment released in any given year, but the one we had an enjoyable or memorable experience with, and the BF excelled in that regard. Not just because it accompanied me on some enjoyable travels, not just because it's interesting, but because, when I looked back at my photos to write this article, they really jumped out at me.
I liked this photo already: well worth all the antihistamines I had to take to take to visit a pub with cats, but downloading it and viewing it on my phone recently made me realise I'd never seen it in full HDR. Download it, look closely in the cats' eyes and tell me the BF doesn't make sense.
Sigma 35mm F2 DG | F2.2 | 1/40 sec | ISO 250
Photo: Richard Butler
I published a gallery of images from the Sigma before we discovered is HDR feature, and I realised I'd not gone back and re-examined my shots on an HDR display. All of a sudden, the steam rising from the Punjabi meal I'd enjoyed in London caught the sunshine again, making my mouth water; the eyes of the pub cat I'd photographed glowed a liquid green to grab my attention. The photos I already knew were illuminated afresh.
Richard's Sigma BF sample galleries:Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this article); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.
Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab. Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.Okay, so you know how it absolutely sucks when you're exploring the polar icecaps and your flashlight craps out at sub-zero temperatures because it's simply too cold? Your batteries might be to blame – and the solution might be an alternative to conventional lithium-ion cells.
Category: Outdoors
Tags: EDC, Flashlights, Kickstarter
If you’ve ever wished your cat could tell you when something’s wrong – especially with kidneys, digestion or the bladder – the SiiPet LitterLens might be the closest thing we’ve got to that. And peace of mind comes at only US$59 in December.
Category: Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Pets, Pet-owners, Cats, Smart Home, Monitor, Health, Cameras, Smart Camera, Reviews
Four years after the A7 IV came out, Sony's given its mid-range flagship a glowup – making it a more versatile option that'll better serve your photo and video shooting needs around the US$3,000 mark.
Category: Photography, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Cameras, Sony, Mirrorless Cameras
Hypersonic vehicles aren't much use if you don't know where they're going, so Northrop Grumman is developing new navigation systems for autonomous craft that can stand up to the rigors of flying at speeds of over Mach 5.
Category: Military, Technology
Tags: Aircraft, Hypersonic, Navigation, Northrop Grumman
Bears look like textbook mammals, but hidden in their evolutionary history are two dramatic departures from the standard blueprint of growth and adaptation. For the first time, scientists have unlocked when, and how, ancient bears broke the rules and hacked nature out of need.
Tags: Fossils, Teeth, Evolution, Climate Crisis, History, Animal science
Commercial spaceflight is booming and looks to go into full-on kaboom stage in the near future, sparking the need for an ever-increasing supply of solar panels. To fill this need, Dcubed is developing its ARAQYS system to directly manufacture arrays in orbit.
Tags: 3D Printing, Solar Power
While one staple North American fiberglass 'egg' camper builder was preparing its first-ever off-road-specific trailer, another was putting the finishing touches on its smallest, lightest trailer to date. The all-new E13 shrinks down Escape Trailer's rock-solid insulated fiberglass construction to two-sleeper+ size, creating a tiny habitat that tows and stows with ease. And Escape offers a full baker's dozen of color options that range from explosively retro to three shades of gray.
Category: Camping Trailers, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors
Tags: trailers, Camping, Outdoors and Camping, RV, Caravan
As any snowboarder knows, the board does not just float dreamily across soft, puffy snow. It bangs and it shakes and it chatters against the hard-packed slopes, which is exactly where the shock-absorbing ShredLORD is designed to come in.
Category: Outdoors
Tags: Snowboarding, Kickstarter, Suspension
Who doesn’t love beautifully hued clothing? Well, how about Mother Nature? But can you blame her? Industrial dyes are absolute poison.
Category: Environment, Science
Sony announced its a7 V camera today, and included in that announcement was the new version of its standard zoom kit lens. The FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II is a subtle upgrade to meet the demands of Sony's latest camera, making it a well-rounded kit for creatives who do it all.
The primary update in the FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II is improved autofocus capabilities that allow it to handle the faster burst shooting rates of the new a7 V. Sony says it is capable of up to 120 fps with AF/AE tracking and it can track and focus while zooming. It also offers breathing compensation to reduce shifts in angle of view for smooth rack focusing.
Beyond the improved autofocus, the new lens keeps the design and features of its predecessor. That includes the same optics, which are comprised of nine elements in eight groups, with three aspherical elements and one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass element. It features the same seven-blade aperture and offers Sony's Optical SteadyShot image stabilization. It can focus as close as 0.3-0.45 m (0.99-1.48').
Image: SonyGiven that the optical design remains the same, the new version retains the same size as the previous iteration. It weighs 293g (10.4 oz) and measures 72.5 x 83mm (2.875 x 3.375"). It uses a 55mm filter thread. It offers weather sealing to protect against dust and moisture, and features a fluorine coating on the front element to repel water and oil. There are no on-lens controls, except for a zoom and focus rings.
The FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II will be available in February 2026 for $449, which is the same as the current list price of the original version. A kit with the Sony a7 V and FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II will also be available in February 2026 for $3099. You can pre-order both now.
Preoder now: Lens preorder Sony a7 V kit preorder Specs:Principal specificationsLens typeZoom lensMax Format size35mm FFFocal length28–70 mmImage stabilizationYesLens mountSony E, Sony FEApertureMaximum apertureF3.5–5.6Minimum apertureF22–36Aperture ringNoNumber of diaphragm blades7OpticsElements9Groups8Special elements / coatings1 ED, 3 asphericalFocusMinimum focus0.30 m (11.81″)AutofocusYesMotor typeLinear MotorFocus methodInternalDistance scaleNoDoF scaleNoPhysicalWeight293 g (0.65 lb)Diameter74 mm (2.9″)Length86 mm (3.4″)SealingYesColourBlackPower zoomNoFilter thread55 mmHood suppliedYesTripod collarNo
All tiny houses require compromises – it's unavoidable when your home is small enough to tow. However, the Thicket has fewer drawbacks than you'd expect given its relatively compact size, and it looks like it could be a good fit for first-time downsizers.
Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors
Tags: Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home, Building and Construction
Product photos: Mitchell Clark
The Sony a7 V is an enthusiast-tier camera with a new, full frame, 33MP 'partially stacked' CMOS sensor, with a focus on high burst rates, capable autofocus and a complete suite of video features.
Key SpecificationsSony says the a7 V will be available from late December 2025 at a recommended retail price of around $2899.
Index:Buy now:
Buy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo What's new? New sensorLike its predecessor, the a7 V features a 33MP sensor, but with extra readout circuitry to improve readout speeds (which were one of the a7 IV's weak points). We've seen this "partially stacked" technology in 24MP cameras like the Nikon Z6III and Panasonic S1II, but here it's being applied to a higher-resolution sensor.
Sony says this allows the a7 V to achieve much higher burst rates than its predecessor – 30 fps, up from 10 – and to do so with a full 14-bit readout, rather than requiring Sony's destructively lossy Raw compression. The maximum e-shutter speed has been increased to 1/16000 sec, too. The company also promises it won't have the same dynamic range reduction we saw with the Z6III, where increased read noise was evident if you pushed the shadows in post. Though we'll have to see if these claims are borne out in testing.
The IBIS system has also been upgraded, now stabilizing the sensor by 7.5EV, up from 5.5EV with the a7 IV.
New processor, new autofocusThe sensor is paired with a new "Bionz ZR2" processor, bringing Sony's most up-to-date autofocus system to the a7 line. While the previous camera had human and animal recognition, the a7 V gets the autofocus system found on most of Sony's other modern cameras, with support for recognizing six subject types, as well as a configurable 'Auto' mode.
The Subject Recognition: Auto mode can be fine-tuned so that it only looks for the types of subject you expect to encounter. You can also select how specific the focus is (eg whether it looks for birds' eyes)The Human / Face / Eye recognition is significantly upgraded from the previous camera, with the a7 V trained to recognize humans in all sorts of different positions, so that it continues to track the same person and re-finds their face faster, even if they are partially obscured.
The camera also gains a few new focus area settings, and Sony says it performs autofocus calculations 60 times per second. (It hasn't shared the a7 IV's rate, but says the a1 II does 120 calculations per second.)
The processor is an update to the one found in Sony's earlier cameras, such as the a1 II, a7R V and a6700, which paired their image processors with an "AI" coprocessor to handle autofocusing duties. Now, both functions are bundled onto one chip. Rather than providing for new features, this seems to be a play to make the system more efficient when doing the same tasks.
New Raw formatIn among the new features, Sony says there's a new, 'lightweight' Raw system. We weren't given any more information than this, and there isn't any third-party support for them, yet. The only thing we can say is that they end up being a similar size to Sony's old, damagingly lossy Raw format, but hopefully without the potential pitfalls.
AI-powered featuresApart from autofocus, the new processor allows for several other features that are based on complex algorithms created by machine learning. The first is Auto Framing: a video mode that crops in and then follows your subject around the frame. This lets you set up a wide-angle shot, then have the camera pan around the scene to make it look like you had a camera operator. The feature offers three levels of crop and includes options to show the wide shot first before punching in shortly after your subject enters the frame.
There's also a framing stabilizer option that uses the digital video stabilization to not only move a crop within the sensor to counteract shake, but also to maintain your subject's position in the frame (either centrally or in a position you've defined). In both cases, the video is then upscaled to your chosen resolution.
Pre-burst captureThe a7 V gains the pre-burst capture system that first appeared in the a9 III. This lets you capture images for up to one second between the time you initiate AF and the time you fully press the shutter button. You get quite fine-grained control over the period of time before the full shutter press that gets retained. 1 second is the maximum, 0.03sec (ie, 1 frame at the camera's maximum 30fps) is the minimum, so you can tune it to match your response time, rather than always capturing a full second's worth of images prior to full-press.
Despite the minimum duration being based on 30fps shooting, you can use pre-burst with any of the camera's shooting rates.
A video upgradeThe faster sensor lets the a7 V capture most of its video modes at up to twice the framerates its predecessor could deliver. It also gains the auto-framing and framing stabilizer modes discussed above.
There are a few other nice-to-haves, too, such as the option to upload your own LUTs to let you preview the scene with your intended grading. The camera can also embed the LUT alongside your footage, so that it's also available to whoever's editing the project. However, unlike the FX series cameras, there's no option to simply burn the LUT onto your video.
In contextThe a7 V lands in the most competitive part of the market: between the out-and-out pro models and the somewhat pared-back entry-level models. This puts it up against some very good opposition: the recently-released Canon EOS R6 III, the recently firmware-boosted Panasonic S1II and Nikon's Z6III.
We don't have room to compare all five here, so we're going to include the more expensive Panasonic S1II here, as it's built around a similar sensor to the Nikon Z6III but gets a bit more out of it, in terms of image quality, video and speed. We'll include more about the Nikon in a follow-up article, soon.
Sony a7 V Sony a7 IV Canon EOS R6 III Panasonic DC-S1II MSRP (US/UK) $2899 / $2699 / £2400 $2799 / £2799 $3199 / £2899 Sensor type Partially stacked CMOS BSI CMOS Dual Pixel AF FSI CMOS Partially stacked CMOS Resolution 33MP 33MP 33MP 24MP Viewfinder res/ magnification/eyepoint 3.69M dot3.69M dot
0.76x
23mm
5.76M dot
0.78x
21mm
12fps mech.
40fps e-shutter (12-bit)
10fps mech.
70fps e-shutter (12 bit)
60fps e-shutter (14 bit)
UHD 4K/60 (full-width, oversampled)
UHD 4K/120 (1.5x crop)
1080/240
6K/30 3:2 (Raw / open gate)
5.7K/60 DCI (Raw)
5.9K/60 (16:9)
4K/120 w/ 1.17x crop
Log view assist
Custom LUTs
Auto Framing
Framing
Stabilizer
1x CFexpress type A/UHS-II SD
1x UHS-II SD
* When combined with a stabilized lens
The table works as a striking illustration of just how far behind the latest generation of cameras the a7 IV was, a situation the a7 V has mostly rectified. Sony's E-mount also remains a leader in terms of openness and the availability of a wide range of first and third-party lenses, though it's worth noting that several big players have recently promised to start producing options for L-mount. Sony also only allows third-party lenses to continuously autofocus at 15fps and below, a limitation that wasn't a factor on the a7 IV, but that a7 V users may bump up against.
Other companies are also offering more video options than Sony; both the Canon EOS R6 III and Panasonic S1II have modes for open-gate recording, DCI 4K and internal Raw video, all of which the a7 V lacks. Sony also hasn't implemented exposure assistance tools such as a waveform monitor or false color overlay, though it has AI tricks that Canon and Panasonic don't offer.
Body and handlingThe a7 V uses an updated version of the body from the a7 IV. This means it has two main command dials, a toggle-lockable exposure comp dial on its shoulder and a third, fiddly command dial on its rear plate. However you wish to shoot, the a7 V can be set up to put the parameters you care about at your fingertips.
The front grip has been redesigned to make it feel more comfortable, though it doesn't gain the tilted-forward shutter button design that the company's pro-grade a9 III and a1 II benefit from.
We're still not great fans of the new grip: it's large enough, but the two of us shooting with the camera both found it dug into our fingers a little. This isn't helped by the unyielding grip texture on the camera that does nothing to cushion the hand.
Menus The a7 V uses Sony's latest generation menus, which are certainly an improvement on the ones used in earlier models. They definitely have their foibles still, though.The a7 V uses Sony's newer menu system, which represented a big step forward from the a7 III. It's been updated slightly from the previous model through the addition of a Home/Status Panel screen at the top of the menu. We're not fans, as it's easy to navigate away from by mistake (not ideal for quick settings changes), and it can get in the way of reaching the actual menus. The ability to minimize it as you navigate to the left-hand tabs serves no obvious purpose, beyond reinforcing the sense that it's a potentially good idea shoehorned into a context where it doesn't quite fit.
As with any menu system, you can learn it in time, or use the My Menu system and Fn menu to circumvent the need. But the a7 V's very high level of customization comes with the price of a long, complex menu frequently featuring an odly trunctd nmng systm.
EVF / rear screenThe a7 V uses the same 3.69M dot viewfinder as its predecessor, with the optics giving 0.78x magnification.
It gains a tilting cradle on which its slightly larger, fully articulated rear screen is mounted. This means it can be tilted up or down, close to the back of the camera for waist-level or overhead stills shooting as well as flipping out to the side for videos or selfies. The added movement also lets you move the screen away from the camera, reducing the risk of the screen fouling your cables when you flip it out. The new panel has around 2.1M dots, giving around a 1024 x 682px resolution.
Flipping the screen out over-rides the viewfinder's eye sensor by default, so the rear screen won't black-out if you bring the camera too close to your body when working at waist level. We had occasional issues getting the finder to work when the screen was re-stowed, though (closing the screen seems to put the camera to sleep).
USB portsThe a7 V becomes the second camera we've encountered to have two USB-C ports: one for high-speed data transfer, one for charging, using the USB-PD standard. It's worth remembering which is which: the upper port can transfer files at up to 10Gbps, the lower one is around one twentieth of this speed.
It's perhaps noteworthy that many recent Sony cameras had retained a USB Micro B socket alongside their USB-C data port, to maintain compatibility with the company's "Multi Terminal" accessories. The second slot on the a7 V appears to essentially be a continuation of this USB 2.0 socket in a new shape.
BatteryThe a7 V uses the same NP-FZ100 battery that the a7 series has used for several generations, now. It's a fairly substantial 16.4Wh unit that powers the camera to a rating of 750 shots per charge if you rely on the rear screen and 630 shots per charge if you use the viewfinder.
These are both impressive figures for a camera in this class, especially given that the CIPA-defined tests tend to significantly underestimate the number of shots most people find they actually get. Everyone's usage differs, of course, but so long as you don't spend lots of your time reviewing the images you just shot, it's not unusual to get double the rated number of shots.
VideoThe Sony a7 V records full-width UHD 4K footage at up to 60p, downsampled from 7K capture, and also offers 4K 120p recording from an APS-C-sized region of the sensor.
The camera can also use the sensor's extra resolution to power its AI Auto Framing mode, which will recognize a human in the scene and crop in on them, like a camera operator might if they were zooming in and panning around to keep a subject in frame. You can configure how tight you want the framing to be and how quickly you want the camera to move the frame to keep up with the subject. Similarly, the highest tier of digital stabilization also has a 'Framing Stabilizer' option, which aims to keep your chosen composition locked onto a selected subject, even while the camera is moving.
There's also a slight caveat to the full-width 4K 60p mode; to actually get full-width recording, you have to turn on a mode called Angle of View Priority, which Sony says turns off in-camera noise reduction. The company claims it doesn't affect dynamic range or oversampling, but we'll have to test it out more once we have a production unit.
Sony includes its S-Log3 and S-Cinetone color modes in the a7 V. The former is designed to capture as much dynamic range as possible, but will require color grading before delivery, while the latter is designed to have a subtle, movie-like appearance that's flat enough to provide a little editing latitude.
Recording ModesCompared to its competitors, the a7 V actually has relatively few recording modes, since it only records compressed, 16:9 video. However, it offers a few choices of codecs and compression types, which you can choose between depending on what you're shooting and how capable your editing computer is.
Resolution Rates Crop Compression Type 3840 x 2160 23.98, 25, 30, 60* 1.0x H.265 Long-GOPSony's menus for choosing your recording mode aren't the nicest to navigate, but they get the job done. You start by choosing your file format to determine your resolution and compression, and which are named using Sony's somewhat cryptic branding (XAVC HS 4K for 4K H.265, XAVC S-I 4K for 4K H.264 All-I, etc). Then, you can go into a separate menu to choose your frame rate and bit rate/depth and chroma subsampling settings.
*1.0 crop only with Angle of View Priority on
Rolling shutterAs with other partially stacked sensors we've seen, the a7 V manages to get excellent rolling shutter rates for video. In 4K/24, it reads out the full-width of the sensor in 14.5ms, with similar results for its 4K/60 modes. The 4K/120 mode with its APS-C crop is, obviously, much faster, reading out in 6.9ms.
Temperature limitsWhile the a7 V doesn't have a fan, it has the graphite heatsink introduced with the a7S III built into the IBIS unit for better thermal performance in the camera's more demanding video modes. At roughly room temperature (20°C, 68°F), the company says you can expect to get around 90 minutes of recording time at 4K/60. At a torturous 41°C (105°F), the company claims it should still be able to manage up to 60 minutes of 4K/60. Though it doesn't specify, we assume these figures are for indirect heat and with the overheat warnings relaxed.
Initial assessmentby Richard Butler
The a7 V should mean no Sony user need look jealously at other brands. But the reverse is also likely to be true.The Sony a7 V looks like a hugely capable all-rounder, promising high resolution for its class, paired with fast shooting, the latest AF features and the ability to shoot fast, smooth video. It represents an appreciable step forward for Sony shooters, and perhaps it needed to.
Mitchell's take"The a7 V fills a gap in Sony's lineup; it's had a camera that's good at video, a camera excellent at stills, but the only one that really did both well cost $7000. Now, you can get a genuine hybrid priced for mortals." – Mitchell Clark
The a7 IV was the first mid-range full-frame camera to push beyond 24MP, but this somewhat undercut the video, where any gain in detail was offset by levels of rolling shutter higher than its preexisting rivals. And while, back in 2021, you could fairly confidently address the impossibly complex question: "which of these models has the best autofocus" with the simple answer: "the Sony," much has changed since then.
In the four years since its launch, the rival offerings from Canon and Nikon have caught up in term of generic subject tracking, and moved ahead in terms of the range of subjects they recognize. Both brands have also made big advances in video, offering faster speeds, smoother readout and Raw video capture. Canon's recent EOS R6 III finally matched the a7 IV's remaining standout quality: photo resolution.
Sony FE 35mm F1.4 | F1.4 | 1/1000sec | ISO 100
Photo: Mitchell Clark
The a7 V moves the series forward in several ways. It maintains the resolution of its predecessor but adds a lot more speed. We'll need to confirm Sony's claims that there are no image quality costs to its move to a faster, 'partially stacked' CMOS sensor, but it's certainly not impossible, given what Panasonic achieved with the S1 II. This speed is backed up by the arrival of the company's latest subject recognition modes, along with a tunable Auto subject mode to make it easy to make the most of them. All of which should be welcomed by Sony stills shooters, because it'll only expand the range of photographic scenarios at which the a7 V should excel.
E-mount video shooters also gain some significant improvements. Frame rates and rolling shutter performance are given a boost by the faster sensor and processor, and the a7 V gains the clever auto-cropping mode from the full-frame ZV-E1 vlogging camera, which should be good for single-person projects. These improvements, supported by good battery life and promises of decent thermal performance make should make the a7 V's video competitive with its peers.
It's worth noting, though, that options such as open gate shooting, native resolution video and internal Raw capture that are becoming common elsewhere aren't present here. Maybe Sony doesn't believe enough mid-market hybrid shooters are going to need these features, or perhaps they're being saved for a future FX series camera. Either way, it feels like the a7 IV story all over again, with the a7 V looking competent, rather than excellent for video.
That's why I keep stressing the a7 V's appeal to existing Sony shooters, because while it looks to do pretty much everything very well, there's not a lot, beyond its impressive battery life, that you can point to that screams "it's better than its peers at..."
Maybe we're past the point at which each new camera reaches greater heights than the competition, but Sony's latest feels like a camera that clears the current bar, rather than raising it. The Sony a7 V looks like a hugely capable all-rounder, but that's likely to be more exciting to Sony users than to the wider market, because so do its peers.
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Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.In a major breakthrough in human tissue replication, for the first time ever a 3D-printed cornea has been transplanted onto a legally blind patient's eye, successfully restoring their sight.
Category: Body and Mind
Tags: Eye surgery, Sight, Vision, 3D Printing, Transplant
Japanese company Science is commercially producing its Mirai Ningen Sentakuki – Human Washing Machine of the Future – after an overwhelming response at the Osaka-Kansai Expo this year. Only 50 models will be made, with a price tag of US$385,000.
Category: Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Japan Display, Future, Day Spas, Expo, Well-being, Life Technologies, Artificial Intelligence
