RedShark News - Video technology news and analysis

New Sony A7R 1V is a full frame 61MP mirrorless powerhouse with "Medium Format" image quality

Written by David Shapton | Jul 16, 2019 3:04:11 PM
Sony A7R !V

Sony's new A7R 1V has the widest dynamic range and the highest resolution of any Sony Alpha system camera


 Full details to follow soon (in a separate article) but meanwhile here are the headlines:

Unprecedented Highest Resolution and Widest Dynamic Range for α - Alpha System, Combined with High-speed Performance and a Lightweight, Compact Body

World’s first 35mm full-frame 61.0 MP back-illuminated Exmor R™ CMOS image sensor with latest-generation BIONZ X™ image processor

15-stop dynamic range at low sensitivities, resulting in smooth, natural gradations ranging from deep shadows to highlights

High-speed continuous shooting at up to 10 fps with full AF / AE tracking for approximately seven seconds in full-frame mode with an increased buffer memory, and approximately three times as long in APS-C mode

567 focal-plane phase-detection AF points covering 74% of image area and 425 contrast AF points

Debut of Real-time Eye AF for movie recording and advanced Real-time Tracking plus Real-time Eye AF for still image recording

Features an APS-C crop mode delivering stunning high resolution images of 26.2MP

5.76 million dot UXGA (Ultra-XGA) OLED Tru-Finder™ electronic viewfinder with outstanding detail, brightness and contrast

Upgraded connectivity and operability including high-speed Wi-Fi support, wireless PC remote connectivity, FTP wireless transfer, faster data transfer via USB and more

Professional 4K movie recording functionality including full pixel readout with no pixel binning in Super 35mm mode[, S-Log3, HDR workflow support

Multi Interface Shoe™ with digital audio interface delivers the high-quality sound recording with Sony’s new microphone and XLR microphone adaptor

Additional enhancements to the body design include an improved grip and button layout for improved control with compact, lightweight body

 

This camera genuinely looks like it's a significant improvement. Neal Manowitz, deputy president of Imaging Product and Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics says it has "medium format-level image quality". 

According to Sony's press release the new camera has a newly developed 35mm full frame, back-illuminated CMOS sensor with a resolution of 61 megapixels. It's evident that image processing plays a large part in creating the final images from the camera: "The new sensor's back-illuminated structure and effective noise reduction techniques combine to deliver extremely low-noise and high-sensitivity performance, ensuring the absolute maximum image quality."