The A7riv is a tremendous value at this point. Heck you can pick up a used one below 2500 on a regular basis. The question will be price. I don't see Sony releasing this camera at 3500. So the question is for maybe a 1000-1500 more do you just pick up a used A1. As always it will depend what and how you shoot. My guess is by the time this camera is actually available you will be able to get A1 for around 5000. We will see.
If these specs are true (and there is still considerable doubt they are, as they are from an unknown source according to SAR, with no proven track record), then it looks like the RV is going to be Sony's answer to the Canon R5.
The days of a resolution-focussed, landscape stills camera, appear to be over: this smacks of a higher resolution A7IV hybrid type camera, which in itself, is not an inherently bad thing, but I wonder what compromises have been made for the stills shooter to get it; their decision not to use the 102MP sensor is disappointing - and probably the first casualty for the video cause. Still, if they have adopted their latest sensor tech (recently announced on Dpreview), then we may get up to an extra stop of dynamic range out of it, which would probably be the only groundbreaking thing about the camera (much of the other specs are just playing catch-up to the R5).
I was also hoping for some improvement in the IS system: the fact its not there suggests Sony has reached their limit relative to mount diameter, and any further improvements will be software based - and require a crop.
Looks like no vertical tilt on rear screen either, and the lack of any mention of focus stacking is concerning (last chance Sony!)
A truly revolutionary 'R' camera would have a 100Mp sensor, with a fast enough readout speed to allow some of the excellent computational tech that the new OM1 displays (and no I'm not talking about needing stacked sensor type speeds for wildlife/sports, but I agree with arbitrage - 1/30s is pathetic), but just fast enough, so that relatively static landscape scenes can be taken to the next image quality level - before something moves!
Petegh wrote:
A truly revolutionary 'R' camera would have a 100Mp sensor, with a fast enough readout speed to allow some of the excellent computational tech that the new OM1 displays (and no I'm not talking about needing stacked sensor type speeds for wildlife/sports, but I agree with arbitrage - 1/30s is pathetic), but just fast enough, so that relatively static landscape scenes can be taken to the next image quality level - before something moves!
Do you think we will see a new range for the 100MP sensor, clearly it won’t be video oriented, maybe SR1, Sony will need to take the lead again,
I agree that it doesn't compete or replace the A1 and I guess Sony had to be careful there. But if you're a doing research on getting a new camera I don't see why you would get this camera over the A1 if the prices are anywhere close.
If you can get an A1 for ~$1000 more with it's stacked sensor and much higher fps why would you get this camera? By the time it comes out it might be possible to get a discounted A1 for close to the new price of this.
Sony needs to update the eyeAF on the A1 and quit playing around too. I don't have that camera yet but it's kind of ridiculous the amount of money it cost and not have the features of it's lesser siblings.
Tony Ross wrote:
This reads likes someone's guesses, not a real set of specs. Some of it even sounds like a poor transcription of existing specs.
I agree with this. "Beautiful skin effect that brightens and cleans the skin even during video recording and live streaming" doesn't sound like Sony speak.
Anyways, if this is all real, this sounds largely iterative and the R series continues to move farther away from its original focus of the landscape specialist into this weird hybrid role where it wants to be the high megapixel big dog (at the expense of noise) and also wants to be an action cam (but can never quite measure up).
I certainly wouldn't give this cam with these specs the first look over the A1 at this point.
Sony a7R4 is my favorite camera ever, at least regarding imaging (ergos are still Sony-small).
Looks like I might be able to add another lightly used a7R4 once this new a7R5 is released, getting rid of one or both of my older a7R2 bodies -- certainly showing their age when manual focusing.
Lifeinpictures wrote:
I would treat this rumor with a grain of salt.
The telling spec is the micro HDMI socket.
Sony has been using full size HDMI sockets for all their new cameras (A1 and A7 IV).
It does not make sense for them to revert to micro HDMI for the R series.
I see your point with the HDMI ports. But for some strange reason Sony gave a ho hum update to the rear screen on the A7IV. But yet gave the now 4.5 year old A7RIIIA a 2.3 million dot rear screen. And the A7IV is the slightly upgraded from the A7III's 1.036 million dot.
Uncle Chip wrote:
Do you think we will see a new range for the 100MP sensor, clearly it won’t be video oriented, maybe SR1, Sony will need to take the lead again,
Well, perhaps that's Sony's intention; otherwise we'll have to wait another couple of years for the A7RVI, and the 100Mp sensor to show its face - which just doesn't sound right to me, not in the extremely competitive full frame world that Sony now finds itself in. Or maybe the medium format rumours are true, and Sony is saving the 100Mp title for that?
People need to remember that its not about outputting 100Mp photos - its about having the option to down-res those to 60 or 50MP, either in-camera or in post, for a significant image quality boost.
It would be nice if they somehow improved energy consumption, as battery life is one of the visible downgrades when moving to the "current" gen of Sony cameras (at least in case of A1).
So, to sum it up - it gets a slightly updated processor compared to the A7R IVa, but the hardware remains more or less the same. Maybe they should call it the A7R IVb?
molson wrote:
So, to sum it up - it gets a slightly updated processor compared to the A7R IVa, but the hardware remains more or less the same. Maybe they should call it the A7R IVb?
You guys don't appreciate how snappy the camera becomes thanks to the "slightly updated processor".
If true, glad to see they are going with an updated 61mp sensor. That might internet me, depending in high ISO improvements and other features.
Given inflation, chip shortage, overall gloomy global economy, I wonder just how much the premium Sony will charge above the rIV's current price?
In earlier discussions on that, many have suggested +$500 USD. I think that might be conservative.
And you'll have to wait a long time to actually get one.
