Sony A7R V adds super-fast whole-body tracking, and 8K video to the Alpha range

Sony has unveiled its latest top-of-the-line high-resolution Alpha series camera, and it's got a lot of power under the hood. 

The A7R V comes with a similar full-frame 35mm 61-megapixel sensor to its predecessor, but with an all-new image processing system and AI-powered autofocus to make it even faster and smarter than before. 

A big part of its new AI capabilities is built entirely on making autofocus smarter. Where previous models could autofocus and detect human eyes and faces, as well as animal eyes, the new model can do entire bodies and tracks in real-time as people or objects move. 

The improved object recognition - combined with 693 phase detection autofocus points - also means it can automatically recognise, track and focus on cars, trains and planes, as well as insects. Ensuring that whatever your subject is, it can do that hard part for you and automatically keep it sharp and in focus whether you're shooting video or stills. 

What's more, if you are shooting a person and they're wearing sunglasses - as an example - and covering their eyes, the camera can estimate where the eye is accurately, lock it in and keep it sharp. 

If you're shooting a group of people you can tap to target a specific person in a group, and it'll keep locked on them even if other people step closer to the camera, or get in the shot. 

Other improvements include a 5-axis, 8-stop in-body stabilisation system for minimising hand shakiness or movements, as well as the ability to shoot in 8K resolution at 24/25 frames-per-second. 

4K can be recorded at 50/60p, with a 4K option over-sampled from 6.2k at up to 30 frames-per-second. 

The camera body is built from a magnesium alloy and is sealed against water and dust, even featuring an anti-dust system to help keep dust off the sensor, and a feature where the shutter shuts automatically when you switch the camera off. 

A new graphite heatsink helps dissipate heat so that you can shoot for long periods without it overheating and shutting down. In fact, it can do 30 minutes of 8K/24, 10-bit, 4:2:0 footage before needing a break. 

There's a new LCD monitor which rotates and flips in pretty much every direction and features a 2 million dot resolution. Plus, it has a new user interface that pushes all the data to the edges and lets you control the camera using touchscreen gestures, as well as using the usual buttons and dials on the body. 

If that wasn't enough, there's a new battery - capable of lasting over 500 images on a full charge using the touchscreen monitor. Plus, with its USB-C Power Delivery compatibility, it can refill more quickly than the previous version too. 

All in all, it sounds like a really impressive high-end camera from Sony. Although, as you'd expect, this performance all adds up to a fairly high cost. 

The Sony A7R V will be available from mid-November with $3899.99 cost and a UK price set at around £3999 for the body only. Like nearly all of its recent cameras, it features the E-mount, so any existing lenses will fit. 

Source : https://www.pocket-lint.com/cameras/news/sony/163156-sony-a7r-v-launch-specs-price-features