Personally I think its a good update. The image quality is better, which is a departure from cameras like the R5ii where the image quality got worse...
It looks like a nice camera for most people, but I don't know where it would fit in my kit - the resolution is too low to replace my A7R V, and the shutter readout speed is still too slow for some of my favourite subjects (such as hummingbirds), so it won't replace my A1.
I'm sure it will sell like hotcakes, and there will be a lot of used A7 IV's on the market soon.
Cliff L. wrote:
I'm sure it will sell like hotcakes, and there will be a lot of used A7 IV's on the market soon.
Mine definitely not. That's why I'm so glad that the V doesn't offer anything that tempts me. So I can confidently pat myself on the back, knowing that buying the IV in 2023 wasn't a bad decision.😊
And in the press release the usual bullshit of "AI white balance" and "deep learning".
This camera, like all others, doesn't contain a trace of AI. AI would mean that the camera learns through your shooting experiences, so that each individual copy over time develops individual reactions to shooting situations. Of course this isn't the case, each copy of a certain camera model reacts in the same way, and that reaction doesn't change over time.
hasenbein wrote:
And in the press release the usual bullshit of "AI white balance" and "deep learning".
This camera, like all others, doesn't contain a trace of AI. AI would mean that the camera learns through your shooting experiences, so that each individual copy over time develops individual reactions to shooting situations. Of course this isn't the case, each copy of a certain camera model reacts in the same way, and that reaction doesn't change over time.
Take it easy. Everything is AI today…that’s just the latest buzz word.
hasenbein wrote:
And in the press release the usual bullshit of "AI white balance" and "deep learning".
This camera, like all others, doesn't contain a trace of AI. AI would mean that the camera learns through your shooting experiences, so that each individual copy over time develops individual reactions to shooting situations. Of course this isn't the case, each copy of a certain camera model reacts in the same way, and that reaction doesn't change over time.
Yes - I think AI in cameras is really 'pre-AI' as in they used AI to develop the subject recognition and AF algorithms in a lab, but the camera itself doesn't learn and adapt. So it's not AI in the way in which we use the word now with things like LLMs.
On the camera front, I'm not a video shooter, so this seems like a nice upgrade from a photo perspective. Great AF - would like to have seen a higher resolution viewfinder, though.
Honestly, this is the update I was looking for when I upgraded my A7iii that I shot for 3 year with over 250,000 clicks. I was disappointed with the A7iv and decided to go with the A7RV instead. While I like the A7RV, I never did need to extra MP.
Most likely, looking of sell my A7RV and A7Cii (bought for video and backup) that I hardly used for a one camera system like the A7V.
hasenbein wrote:
And in the press release the usual bullshit of "AI white balance" and "deep learning".
This camera, like all others, doesn't contain a trace of AI. AI would mean that the camera learns through your shooting experiences, so that each individual copy over time develops individual reactions to shooting situations. Of course this isn't the case, each copy of a certain camera model reacts in the same way, and that reaction doesn't change over time.
It’s not generative AI, which is likely what you are indicating. It’s more like Machine -Learning AI, which automates complex programmed algorithms (deciding which to apply, to what extent, etc.), like focus calculations and image processing. But it’s debatable if it’s true AI.
I like it, but it seems like a very lateral upgrade if you have an A7iv already.
And I agree with the guys calling out the “AI” in it. It’s just regular processing, not an adaptive learning processor. It really bugs me with so many things now claiming to have AI when it’s really just standard processing
hasenbein wrote:
And in the press release the usual bullshit of "AI white balance" and "deep learning".
This camera, like all others, doesn't contain a trace of AI. AI would mean that the camera learns through your shooting experiences, so that each individual copy over time develops individual reactions to shooting situations. Of course this isn't the case, each copy of a certain camera model reacts in the same way, and that reaction doesn't change over time.
I assume it uses fixed pre-trained model and its chip is not powerful enough to do fine-tuning or active learning.
If it's a Nikon/Canon camera the model may get optimized in a few FW updates (still not tailored per user).
Outstanding wrote:
A good update but price seems to have gone up $500 in Canada where we don't even have tariff situation.
A midrange body will now cost $4.2k with tax in BC, Canada.
Unfortunately, Sony Canada still receives much of their inventory from Sony USA, so the cost of US tariffs is included. They aren't smart enough to use a bonded warehouse to allow the goods to transit to Canada tariff-free, despite most of their retailers asking them to do this...
However, it will be likely be much cheaper in a few months once the initial orders are filled, like most new Sony products.
yongliu wrote:
I assume it uses fixed pre-trained model and its chip is not powerful enough to do fine-tuning or active learning.
If it's a Nikon/Canon camera the model may get optimized in a few FW updates (still not tailored per user).
It’s still not true AI in my opinion. In Data Science, this would be equivalent to nothing more than an Edit Check — aka automated execution of some business rules. By definition, true Ai would result in some cameras being at different AI capability stages based on the number of use cases executed with the camera and what it learned from those cases. At the very minimum, there would have to be a data feedback loop from your camera usage patterns back to Sony so that they can retrain the models and update it on some regular basis.
I broke my all-time record this time of buying a camera model shortly before its replacement update is released!! I purchased my A7iv on 11/18/25, only 14 days prior to the release of the A7v!! I've never gotten this close before!! Last ones have been the A7c, R6II, OM-5, D750, D200.
Also, my A7iv was manufactured between May and November of this year, so if it is completely discontinued I'll have yet another "near end of production cycle" camera.
This is apparently a tradition of mine dating back to my film days (purchased cameras right before the end of their production cycle; closest was my F100 manufactured in the very last month of its production cycle)! 😀
I see used A1's going for a little over $3k on the B&S boards. I realize there's some new features on the A7V, but for me if I didn't already have an A1 & had $3k I know where my money would go....
gocolts wrote:
I see used A1's going for a little over $3k on the B&S boards. I realize there's some new features on the A7V, but for me if I didn't already have an A1 & had $3k I know where my money would go....
I just sold my like new A1. The used price for A1 is a steal, IMHO.
In Mark Galer's review, he said the A1 and A1II's sensor read speed is 4X faster than that of the A7V.
