What’s Changed? Expanding on the R-series from Sony, the a7R VI pushes the limits of possibilities in a hybrid, full-frame body with improvements made to ease your workflow and capture stunning stills and video. Compared to its predecessor, the a7R V, this updated version moves from a 61MP Exmor R BSI CMOS sensor to a gorgeous 66.8MP fully stacked RS BSI CMOS sensor, which works in tandem with the BIONZ XR2 processing engine and integrated AI processing unit for more efficient performance. Imaging is key with this update, not only delivering rich, high-clarity results, but also offering a wider 16-stop dynamic range. Its improved data transmission and rendering creates 14-bit 66.8MP stills with and ISO sensitivity range of 100-32000, which can be expanded to ISO 50-102400. You can shoot up to 30 fps at full resolution with full autofocus for up to 150 consecutive compressed RAW frames or over 215 consecutive JPEG frames in mechanical shutter mode.

UHD 8K 30p and 4K 120p Video Capture. The a7R VI can capture UHD 8K 10-bit video at up to 30p and UHD 4K 10-bit video at up to 120p from a 1.5x cropped portion of its sensor, giving you native 7680 × 4320 footage. It is also capable of internal 10-bit, full-frame 8K 30/24p via 8.2K oversampling and 4K 120p via 5K oversampling with full pixel readout. For the S35 recording area, 4K 60p footage can use 6.3K oversampling for improved detail or 4K 120 high-speed recording is possible when using 4.6K oversampling.

Customizable Color and Gamma Controls. This update includes the S-Cinetone color matrix that was previously seen in Sony’s Cinema Line cameras like the VENICE and FX6. You can use the S-Cinetone color profile to produce healthy-looking, accurate skin tones; beautiful, well-controlled highlights; and soft, distinct colors. In addition, the a7R VI also offers extensive customizable color and gamma controls, letting you adjust the gamma, black level, color level, and more. You also get S-Log3, which will give you a 15+ stop dynamic range with greater control over grading in the shadow to mid-tone areas of your image. Finally, the a7R VI supports Hybrid-Log Gamma to give you a broader color gamut.

AI Processing Unit. For impressive and precise autofocus and tracking capabilities, the a7R VI uses its AI system and BIONS XR2 processor to deliver Real-time Recognition AF+ and Fast Hybrid AF. With seven selectable subject types, Human mode tracks people by their body and head positions for maximum sharpness when shooting portraits. Its Animal, Bird, and Animal/Bird modes recognize a variety of animal types—including insects—and pinpoints and tracks their heads and eyes. This system also has dedicated Car/Train and Airplane modes, which can detect and track those subjects with utmost accuracy, even at high speeds. The Real-Time Eye AF feature is designed for maximum sharpness when shooting portraits, and it works on humans and animals alike. You have control over how quickly and smoothly focus shifts from subject to subject for even greater fine tuning. Focus Map gives you a colorful overlay of your shot that lets you know which subjects are in front of and behind the focus point based on the aperture you selected, while the Focus Breathing compensation feature automatically smooths transitions when changing the focus position during a shot. Finally, AF Assist lets you easily switch to manual focus control for fine tuning.

Updated Five-Axis Image-Stabilization System. The a7R VI’s image-stabilization system gives you up to 8.5 stops of correction on any lens you mount with the carried gyro sensor of its predecessor. This system compensates for five types of camera shake, including angular shake (pitch and yaw), shift shake (X and Y axes), and rotational shake (roll). All five stabilization axes are constantly engaged, even when you’re using third-party lenses, adapters, or lenses with their own built-in image stabilization. A video-specific Active IS mode gives you even greater stability for smoother footage direct from the camera, and a new algorithm provides improved performance when paired with select OSS-enabled lenses.

Pixel Shift Multi-Shooting Mode. The a7R V boasts an improved Pixel-Shift Multi-Shooting mode with two different shooting options. The familiar sixteen-shot mode shoots sixteen images and moves the sensor between each shot in order to capture full color information for every pixel. This reduces noise and softens the image in a fashion similar to demosaicing. A newly developed four-shot mode captures red, green, and blue information for every output pixel location, which provides greater chroma resolution while preventing the softening you typically see when demosaicing Bayer images. There are a couple of downsides to this feature, though. Firstly, the a7R V can’t assemble the final images on its own, so you must use the Sony Imaging software suite to process the sixteen RAW images. Secondly, it takes the camera between one and thirty seconds between each shot, meaning there’s a high chance your subject will move between the first and fourth shot.

High-Res Electronic Viewfinder and LCD. The improved QXGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF is approximately 3x brighter than the previous generation, and boasts 9.44m-dot resolution, an improved 10-bit display, long 25mm eye point, and 41° field of view to give you a bright, clear view of what the sensor sees. It allows for 120 fps playback for smooth motion rendering. The tilting 3.2-inch 2.1m-dot rear vari-angle touchscreen LCD can also be used for image composition and review when shooting at arm’s length, in addition to offering intuitive shooting and autofocus control, and menu navigation. It uses a DCI-P3 wide gamut for accurate color reproduction.

Power, Memory, & More. There’s a Multi-Interface Shoe that supports the use of the optical ECM-B1M shotgun mic or the XLR-K3M XLR adapter kit for direct digital audio recording, while a 3.5mm headphone jack and an external mic port give you even greater control over audio recording. There’s a PC-sync terminal for wired flash sync with strobes and wireless radio remotes, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities for wireless image sharing and camera control. An HDMI port allows direct video output to a laptop, while the dual memory-card slots support CFexpress Type A and SD. The camera uses the rechargeable NP-SA100 battery for fuel, and can be recharged with the BC-SAD1 Battery Charger. This rental will also include a camera strap to safely free your hands when needed.

New Accessories Available! Alongside an updated power system, the a7R VI’s release is also accompanied by the DC-C2 DC Coupler for continuous power, the VG-C6 Vertical Grip, and XLR-A4 XLR Adapter that attaches directly to the MI shoe to add two XLR inputs to your system.