p.1 #1 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
Hey all,
I picked up a “brand new” A7r V in the B&S board back in August. Since then, I’ve been using it regularly, currently it is with my on a trip to Japan and the Philippines.
However, I am having some reliability problems with the camera, and I’m not sure whether this is unique to me or not. The problems have been around for a while, but I was not sure if it was a bad cfexpress card or something. Now that I’ve spent many weeks using different cards and different batteries, etc I am now confident the camera is suffering problems.
Here is a description of my problems:
1. When I playback images, eventually the camera fails to magnify images until I reset the camera by pulling the battery.
2. Sometimes after failing to magnify sometimes it won’t switch to another photo.
3. Sometimes after failing to magnify, when attempting to leave the playback mode and resuming shooting, the shooting ui shows up but the image that failed to magnify is stuck on the screen instead of a live feed.
4. Sometimes autofocus just stops working. When I press buttons to trigger AF, it just doesn’t try. This continues until I pull the battery. This has happened on every lens I have (all Sony 1st party).
5. About 4-5 times the camera has just completely frozen up, a couple times in playback and a couple times while shooting. The camera just becomes completely nonresponsive until pulling the battery.
Here’s my setup:
Typically I set up mirrored recording (Lossless Compressed RAW, and / or Uncompressed RAW) to 2x CFExpress Cards, I have both 2x Angelbird 1TB cards and also 2x Sony 320GB G series cards. I have tried using a single card and have not seen any change in behavior.
Tested with 2x Sony NP-FZ100 batteries. Both work fine in my A1 and haven’t had any of these issues. Ditto for the CFExpress cards.
I have updated to the most recent firmware 2.01 that promises to fix issues with magnifying jpegs, but it did not help for me. I suppose that was expected, because I don’t shoot JPEGs. I’ve since factory reset the camera (before the trip I’m on) and I’m still having the same issue.
But I don’t know if his issues were resolved following 2.01.
The only thing I have not tested is using SD cards. I’ve started to wonder if this is a CFExpress bug on the A7rV. I also assume that I just have a bum copy of the camera, but I wanted to see if this is an issue others have been having.
p.1 #2 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
Have no idea what has been done to your camera but couple general questions:
As for camera stopping to AF, you got some button assigned to AF/MF toggle that you inadvertently press? Anything assigned to the lens button?
Have you tried resetting the camera to factory defaults?
p.1 #3 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
randomguy wrote:
Have no idea what has been done to your camera but couple general questions:
As for camera stopping to AF, you got some button assigned to AF/MF toggle that you inadvertently press? Anything assigned to the lens button?
Have you tried resetting the camera to factory defaults?
I do not have a button assigned to disable or toggle AF.
I do not have any function assigned to the lens button.
I have factory reset the camera and still am experiencing the issue.
p.1 #5 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
I haven't had the issues you describe. I'm using Lexar CFExpress cards. I'm shooting RAW only (used to shoot RAW+JPEG on my other a7R series cameras, as the embedded JPEG was too small for my preference), which Lloyd mentions on the link you provided.
p.1 #6 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
tsdevine wrote:
I haven't had the issues you describe. I'm using Lexar CFExpress cards. I'm shooting RAW only (used to shoot RAW+JPEG on my other a7R series cameras, as the embedded JPEG was too small for my preference), which Lloyd mentions on the link you provided.
Are you shooting RAW+JPEG or just RAW?
Thanks for the confirmation. I’m just shooting RAW rather than RAW+JPEG.
p.1 #7 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
How frustrating!
My first A7RV blacked out as I was setting up the system...a few hours old. Had to pull the battery and then it was OK but, I returned it and got another which has been fine. I use Sony Tough SD2 cards not express and shoot both RAW and JPG to both cards.
Darn mini computers anyway!
Hopefully, your camera is still under warranty so you can get it fixed free.
Richard
p.1 #10 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
Jesse, I would send that camera in to Sony as soon as you get back home from your trip. Especially, since it is still under warranty. In the meantime, I hope you could just limp along with it…
p.1 #11 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
AGeoJO wrote:
Jesse, I would send that camera in to Sony as soon as you get back home from your trip. Especially, since it is still under warranty. In the meantime, I hope you could just limp along with it…
Thanks, I will if I can. Unfortunately the seller I purchased from on the B&S board did not include the receipt and has not replied to my follow ups. I expect I may be well and screwed but we will see.
p.1 #15 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
Jesse Evans wrote:
Thanks, I will if I can. Unfortunately the seller I purchased from on the B&S board did not include the receipt and has not replied to my follow ups. I expect I may be well and screwed but we will see.
Jesse, sorry you have had these problems! My A7RV has been flawless since I got it in February and I know I’d be very disheartened if my copy had your issues. Try tagging that FM member who sold it to you in this thread to get his attention - he should be able to supply you with the receipt.
p.1 #16 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
Wild hair here but check every button on camera and make sure it is not sticking half way down or something. Make sure all of them pop back up. Also make sure any maginifer timing is set for something for longer time or stuff like that where you are getting limited on timing. Sounds like a wild electronic function acting up. Try different cards as well and batteries they may function fine but maybe some interference or shortening of battery at times
p.1 #17 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
This is a stretch....but worst case.... Reset the camera to factory settings, remove the battery, then format the cards outside the camera. Basically the nuclear option, but it may be worth trying.
p.1 #19 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
I'd do a hard reset back to all factory settings, and then to a new setup - not from a backup file. I know it is a lot of work, but worth trying before trying to send it to Sony for repair. If the issue persists, it obviously needs to go back for repair (swapping out a circuit board or something)
I'm on my 2nd a7RV since the say it came out - I've had zero issues. I only had perceived issues with a single Sony camera in my life, it went back to Sony's outsourced repair shop on the East coast and came back within 2 weeks.
Hunt down the seller and ask for the original purchase receipt (unless it was the very first batch, then it is more than 1 year old at this point).
p.1 #20 · Sony A7r V Reliability Problems / Lock-Ups
Thanks for the tips folks. I will definitely try and see if anything improves it and if I can’t figure it out I will be chasing down the seller (hopefully).
