Sony’s new 8K Alpha 7RV promises the best image quality yet for an Alpha body

A new AI-based processing unit combined with a 61MP sensor and BIONZ XR image processing engine helps the Alpha 7RV provide “the best-ever image quality for an Alpha body.”

Sony’s newly announced Alpha 7R V (model ILCE-7RM5 to give it its full title) ups the ante for the R series line of Alpha mirrorless cameras with a new AI processing unit dedicated to AI-based image recognition, a first in any Alpha camera. It also adds the powerful BIONZ XR image processing engine – a first in the R full-frame lineup — and Sony reckons that that all combines to produce new breakthroughs in subject recognition and capture for both still photography and video.

Headline feature is next-generation AF with advanced subject recognition thanks to that new AI processing unit, which includes deep learning. The processor uses detailed information about human pose estimation to improve the camera’s subject recognition accuracy and make full use of its potential resolution. Subject recognition has also been expanded to include several new subject types, with the full list now encompassing Human, Animal/Bird, Animal, Bird, Insect, Car/Train, and Airplane.

Video capabilities

The unit delivers 8Ki 24/25p video, 4K video oversampled from 6.2K without binning, a high-efficiency MPEG-H HEVC/H.265 codec, intra recording, 10-bit 4:2:2 recording, and more for high image quality and flexible editing. It also includes breathing compensation and the ability to use camera metadata for post-processing and advanced in-body image stabilisation. In addition to in-body Active mode image stabilisation for smoother on-the-go recording, the camera is compatible with select lenses that include built-in image stabilisation for even more stable framing and smooth footage.

The entire image stabilisation system has been updated with a new high-precision image stabilisation unit, advanced gyro sensors, and optimised algorithms for stills and video. In addition to the 8-step compensation effect for stills, the new stabilisation algorithm provides precise detection and control right down to the single-pixel level, taking full advantage of that 61 megapixel resolution potential to bring out the finest subject details. 

It also offers upgraded Pixel Shift Multi Shooting, capturing multiple pixel-shifted images that are later composited using a computer to achieve overwhelming resolution in a single image. Using the latest version of the Imaging Edge Desktop, small pixel-level movements such as a shift in the subject’s position or leaves on a tree are automatically detected and corrected so that perfect compositing can be achieved.

16-image composites with approximately 240.8 million pixels (19,008 x 12,672 pixels) can be produced from data that is equivalent to approximately 963.2 million pixels. This is a lot, frankly.

Feature upgrades

Sony has also added improvements to many popular features from other cameras in the Alpha series and included them for the first time in a 7R.

• Tenacious Real-time Tracking
• Faster and more precise wide-area, high-density AF system
• Continuous shooting at up to 10 fps with AF/AE tracking
• Silent, vibration-free shooting at up to 7 fps
• Continuous shooting of up to 583 compressed RAW images at high speed

The camera also includes focus features that support high resolution including full-time DMF (direct manual focus), and focus bracketing, a highly requested capability apparently that allows for focus stacked images.

Sensor sensibility

But let’s talk about the sensor for a bit. The Alpha 7RV comes equipped with the latest BIONZ XR image processing engine and a 35mm full-frame back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor with approximately 61.0 million effective megapixels. The BIONZ XR ensures that the resolution potential of the camera’s sensor is fully utilised to deliver the highest resolution at low sensitivity in the Alpha series thus far. This enables sensitivity settings from ISO 100 to ISO 32000 for both stills and movies and wide dynamic range with 15 stops for stills.

A new 4-axis multi-angle LCD monitor combines the utility of a conventional tilting monitor with side-opening vari-angle flexibility, and an electronic viewfinder with 9.44 million dots. It also includes two CFexpress Type A/SDXC compatible media slots and a brand-new menu system with touch control and a wide range of customisable functions.

Estimated retail pricing is €4500 and units are slated to ship mid-November.