Sony A7R VI Mirrorless Camera

Sony A7R VI Overview
 
a7R VI: Resolution Meets Speed

Blurring the line of what's possible in an R-series camera, the Sony a7R VI pairs the highest resolution sensor yet in an a7 body with incredible 30 fps speed, impressive 8K video capabilities, more intelligent AI-aided autofocus, and improved handling and battery life. This hybrid camera is positioned as a single camera solution for those working in a variety of genres and media, ranging from professional portrait and landscape shooters to event videographers to editorial, advertising, and commercial professionals to even wildlife and sports photographers.

Exmor RS BSI Sensor and BIONZ XR2 Processor
 
66.8MP Full-Frame Fully Stacked CMOS Sensor

The newly developed 66.8MP Exmor RS BSI sensor is the highest resolution full-frame, fully stacked sensor available, as well as the highest resolution sensor in an a7 camera to date. The stacked design achieves 5.6x faster readout speeds, which pair with AI-based processing for more intelligent AF, AE, and AWB functions.
 
Additionally, the BSI CMOS design also contributes to a rich image quality with high clarity, low shadow noise, and a wider 16-stop dynamic range compared to previous generations. The sensor's structure promotes impressive rendering that's suitable for HDR applications, and a copper wiring layer dramatically improves data transmission speed for creating 14-bit, high-resolution 66.8MP stills with a native sensitivity range from ISO 100-32000, which can be further expanded to ISO 50-102400.
 
Upgraded Processing and Continuous Shooting

A new BIONZ XR2 processing engine, with an integrated AI processing unit, offers more efficient performance compared to previous generations, which leads to faster shooting speeds, impressive image quality with wide sensitivity and dynamic ranges, and more fluent processing that's capable of handling a bevy of AI tasks, intelligent AF, and quick subject detection and recognition. This processing system also reduces rolling shutter and other motion distortions for clean rendering of moving subjects.

Pre-Capture & Speed Boost
Featured for the first time in an a7R-series body, these action-specific shooting modes greatly benefit wildlife and sports shooting situations:

- Pre-Capture: The a7R VI can be configured to begin recording images at 30 fps with AF/AE to the buffer when the shutter button is half-pressed. Users can set this between 0.03 and 1.0 seconds. Upon pressing the shutter, these images will be saved to the memory card.
- Speed Boost: With Speed Boost and an assigned custom button, users can instantly switch their camera from their usual continuous shooting frame rate to a faster one to make sure their next shot is just right. Photographers will be able to select various frame rates up to 30 fps.
 
Improved 8.5-Stop IBIS

- The in-body image stabilization (IBIS) system has been revised to support up to 8.5 stops of camera shake compensation in the center of the frame and up to 7 stops at the periphery. This 5-axis stabilization system combines a high-performance gyro sensor with an optimized algorithm for more precise shake control and improved communication between the camera body and lens.
- Additionally, specifically for video, there is also an Active IS mode that adds even more precise stabilization methods for even smoother footage straight out of camera. Also, this digital stabilization system has been updated with a new algorithm that offers the best stabilization performance when paired with select OSS-enabled lenses.

Pixel Shift Multi Shooting

This unique compositing mode allows you to achieve even greater resolution than the 66.8MP sensor affords. Working in conjunction with the sensor-shift image stabilization, this mode shifts the sensor while making 4 or 16 consecutive exposures in order to acquire approximately 265.8MP of information for greater color accuracy and detail than possible with a single exposure. These files can then be merged together during post-production by using the Sony Imaging software suite.

Additionally, multi-image HDR and Noise Reduction modes can also composite between 4-32 raw images into a single frame that exhibits a wider dynamic range or reduced apparent noise, respectively.
 
Accurate Exposure and Color

An improved auto-exposure algorithm can detect skin areas in faces in order to more accurately balance exposures for portraits. This AE method is approximately 20% more reliable, even in backlit or direct sunlight situations, or even when the subject is not directly facing the camera.
Deep learning technology, along with external visible light and IR sensors, also contributes to more accurate color reproduction and auto white balance processing.
 
Advanced Focus and Real-time Recognition AF+
 
AI Processing Unit

Using a dedicated AI processing unit within the BIONZ XR2, the a7R VI's autofocus precision and subject recognition have been improved. The new Real-time Recognition AF+ offers more stable and reliable performance, especially with distant subjects and when changing subject types. This subject detection system works with seven different selectable target types:

- Human, which tracks body and head positions for accurate portraits. Real-time Eye AF+ performance has also improved human pose estimation capabilities as well as more tracking stability in crowded scenes, better recognition of smaller and distant subjects, and more persistent tracking of partially obscured subjects.
 - Animal, Bird, and Animal/Bird modes recognize a variety of animal types, including dogs, cats, birds, and more, with the ability to pinpoint focus on eyes and recognize animal bodies and heads.
- Insect recognition offers even finer performance with the ability to detect the head or entire insect subject.
- Car/Train and Airplane recognition means the camera can detect the front part of a train, the nose of an airplane, or easily detect the entire fast-moving subject.
- Real-time Tracking benefits from AI-based subject recognition for following moving subjects, making it particularly well-suited to sports and action subjects. Also, Human pose estimation allows the camera to distinguish between multiple people and maintain focus on the targeted subject; even if someone crosses in front, the camera maintains focus on the key person.
 
Advanced Fast Hybrid AF

- Covering 94% of the full-frame image area, or 100% of the APS-C cropped area, a Fast Hybrid AF system incorporates a dense 759 phase-detection point grid for quick and precise focusing in a variety of lighting conditions with sensitivity down to -6 EV. This focusing system is available for use in all recording modes to benefit both video and stills applications.

- Full-time DMF (Direct Manual Focus) enables using the lens's focus ring for manual focus control at any time, making it easier to switch focus to a different subject even when working with AF.

- For moving subjects, this AF system keeps up with the top 30 fps continuous shooting speeds, offering full-time AF tracking between each consecutive frame at a maximum rate of 60 AF/AE calculations per second.

- XS - XL focus areas can be used, along with custom focus area shapes, to match the subject matter and framing concerns of different scenarios.

- In-camera Focus Bracketing is possible, with the ability to record up to 299 frames with sequentially shifted focus points for creating composite images during post-production with greater-than-possible depth of field.

AF During Video Recording

- Real-time Eye AF is fully supported during video recording, for subject detection and tracking of human, animal, and bird eyes while shooting.

- Focus Map is a unique way of visualizing depth of field and functions in a similar way to peaking with a colorful overlay of the scene that indicates which parts of the scene are in front of and behind the focus point, depending on the chosen aperture.

- A feature carried over from the FX6 digital cine camera, AF Assist lets you intuitively switch over to manual focus control for adjusting focus position when working with AF. This is a quick way to shift selective focus between various subjects in a scene while recording.

- A unique solution to compensate for how certain lenses perform when racking focus, Focus Breathing compensation will automatically smooth focus transitions and maintain a consistent field of view when changing the focus position during a shot. This mode crops into the image slightly and corrects for any detected shifts in composition when focusing is happening. This function is compatible with select E-mount lenses; check Breathing Compensation lens compatibility here.

Video Recording

Taking a leap forward in the video realm, the a7R VI's filmmaking capabilities have been improved, making this camera even more of an all-around hybrid workhorse.

- Recording formats include 10-bit, full-frame 8K 30/24p via 8.2K oversampling and 4K 120p via 5K oversampling with full pixel readout. When using a Super 35 recording area, 4K 60p footage can use 6.3K oversampling for improved detail or 4K 120 high-speed recording is possible when using 4.6K oversampling.

- AI subject recognition, gained from the AI Processing Unit, benefits the Framing Stabilizer mode, which can be used to automatically crop and recompose so the subject remains centered in the image.

- Dynamic Active Mode Stabilization also helps retain accurate framing while filming, especially when recording while walking or moving.

- Included S-Cinetone profile, S-Log2/3 gamma curves, ProRes RAW output over HDMI, and the ability to import LUTs offer a great amount of color control for different recording needs.

- Support for Breathing Compensation mode, which reduces the effects of focus breathing when using select lenses.

- Improved heat dissipation thanks to a sigma-shaped graphite heatsink built into the stabilization unit—4K 120p and 8K 30p recording times up to 120 minutes are possible when the temperature is 77°F. If it's 105°F, 4K recording times up to 60 minutes can be expected, or 30-min recording times for 8K footage.

Dual Gain Function

A new Dual Gain function has been added that specifically works to minimize noise without affecting shadow detail, resulting in videos with the smoothest tonal gradation and a wider perceived dynamic range. This mode limits the frame rate to 30p, the resolution to 4K, and the ISO to 400, unless using S-Log3, where an ISO range of 200-3200 is available. Also, since the readout speed is reduced in this mode, it's best suited for landscapes, interiors, or other more static subject types.

Audio

- When using the optional XLR-A4 XLR adapter, 4-channel audio with 32-bit float and a 96 kHz sampling rate can be recorded alongside video. A separate WAV file can also be saved in-camera.
- An integrated noise reference mic has been added to aid background noise reduction when using either the onboard mic or an external microphone.
- The Multi Interface Shoe features a digital audio interface that supports recording 4-channel 24-bit audio with attached mics.

Body Design and Connectivity

9.44m-Dot EVF and 4-Axis Multi-Angle LCD

- A revised QXGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF features a high 9.44m-dot resolution and 0.9x magnification for exceptionally clear and detailed eye-level viewing.

- EVF is approximately 3x brighter than the a7R V and also has an improved 10-bit display with DCI-P3-equivalent coverage for improved color accuracy and visibility.

- Viewfinder offers 120 fps playback for smooth motion rendering and the finder's physical design has a long 25mm eye point, 41° field of view, and features a fluorine coating on the outermost viewfinder element to benefit cleaning.

- Sports a highly functional 4-axis multi-angle LCD design that combines the best assets of both tilting and side-open/flip-out vari-angle designs.

- This 3.2" 2.1m-dot LCD also has a touchscreen design and a DCI-P3 wide gamut for accurate color monitoring.

- Magnesium alloy chassis assures rigidity, durability, and stability while remaining lightweight. The lens mount has also been improved to better support heavy lenses, and the grip rigidity has been improved for more comfortable hand-holding.

- Extensive weather-sealing, including enhanced sealing around the battery cover, terminal cover, and chassis joints, has been employed to resist dust and moisture for reliable operation in harsh weather conditions.

Ports and Interface

- Full-size HDMI A port offers a more reliable connection when working with external recorders.

- Dual USB-C ports offer greater versatility and the ability to simultaneously power the camera or charge the battery while also transferring data to an external storage device.

- Port 1 is a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port intended for data transfer at up to 10 Gbps, and Port 2 is a USB-C 2.0 port intended for power delivery and in-camera battery charging.

- PC sync terminal for wired flash sync with strobe packs or wireless radio remotes.

- Both 3.5mm headphone and external microphone ports facilitate greater control over audio recording.

- Multi Interface Shoe supports working with the new, optional XLR-A4 XLR Adapter for 32-bit float/96 kHz audio recording. This shoe also supports other external mics, like the ECM-B1M Shotgun Microphone, or external flashes, like the HVL-F60RM2 Flash.
 
Connectivity

- Built-in Wi-Fi 6 enables the a7R VI to instantly share imagery to mobile devices for direct sharing online. This wireless connectivity supports both 5 and 6 GHz bands, along with 2x2 MIMO, for a strong, reliable connection to enable rapid transfers, remote control, and wireless tethered shooting.

- Bluetooth connectivity allows for location data acquisition.

- Supports wired or wireless 4K livestreaming use and is UVC/UAC compliant for simple operation. Internal recording is also supported while livestreaming.

- USB-C port, when used in conjunction with an optional USB-Ethernet adapter, offers up to 1000BASE-T speeds for quick wired LAN sharing and remote operation.

- Imaging Edge Remote for desktop supports PC Remote shooting via the Wi-Fi connection or tethered by the wired USB-C port. An updated data transfer control also makes it possible to transfer files from a memory card over Wi-Fi using the Imaging Edge Mobile app, even when the camera is powered off.