Sony A7V Review: The Do-Everything Camera That Actually Does Everything
Sony just dropped the A7V this might be the most complete hybrid camera you can buy right now for under $3,000. I've spent time with it, and after years of watching Sony play it safe with the A7 line, they finally brought flagship features down to where "normal humans" can afford them.
The A7V costs $2,899 body-only.
What Makes It Different?
Sony took their sweet time with this one. Four years since the A7 IV. The wait?Worth it because they basically crammed a partially stacked 33MP sensor and the new BIONZ XR2 processor into this thing. That's the same AI tech from their $6,000 cameras.
What does that actually mean? You can shoot at 30fps with zero blackout. The autofocus tracks stuff it couldn't before insects, cars, planes, your dog when he's facing away from you.
The partially stacked sensor is the hidden gem. It's not fully stacked like the crazy expensive cameras, but it reads data way faster than the A7 IV. Less rolling shutter, faster burst speeds, better video.
In The Real World
Here's where this camera gets serious. 30fps continuous shooting with full autofocus and auto exposure. With pre-capture that saves up to one second before you hit the shutter.
Think about that. You see something happening, you press the button half a second late, you still got the shot. That's wild for a $2,900 camera.
The electronic shutter maxes out at 1/16,000 second. Fast enough for anything you'll actually shoot.
The Autofocus Is "Okay"
I tested this thing tracking people through crowds, birds in flight, my nephew's soccer game. The AI processing just works. It can recognize humans by their pose and body shape even when their face isn't visible.
The camera recognized my subject when trees kept blocking the view. When lighting changed. When he turned around completely. It just stayed locked on.
Animal detection now tracks the eye, head, and body. Not just the eye. Birds, insects, airplanes, cars, and trains all get their own detection modes. Or you can just leave it on Auto and let the camera figure it out.
The low light focus is solid too. Down to -6EV with a fast lens. That's barely any light at all.
Build & Handling
Body looks identical to the A7 IV. Same button layout. Same controls. If you've used any recent Sony, you'll feel right at home.
The grip is the same as the A7R V now slightly bigger than before. Way more comfortable for long shooting days. Your pinky won't be dangling off the bottom anymore.
Screen is the big upgrade. Four axis articulating design that can tilt up and down behind the camera, then swing out and rotate for any angle you need. Better than Canon or Nikon's side-hinge screens. You can shoot low angle, flip it for selfies, fold it in for protection.
Viewfinder is the same 3.69-million dot EVF as before. Not groundbreaking but totally fine. The refresh rate goes up to 120fps so it's smooth.
Two USB C ports now. One for charging, one for data transfer. Full-size HDMI. Dual card slots one UHS-II SD, one hybrid CFexpress Type A/SD.
Weather sealing is solid. Sony says it'll handle dust and rain. I wouldn't dunk it in a lake but it'll survive a wedding in light rain.
Video Capabilities
4K at 60fps using the full sensor width with no crop. Oversampled from 7K for better quality. That's pretty impressive.
4K at 120fps is there too but with a 1.5x crop in Super 35 mode. Not ideal but still usable. Full HD goes up to 240fps for slow motion.
No overheating in my tests. Recorded 4K/60p for two hours straight until the battery died. The new processor runs way cooler. Sony rates it for 60 minutes of recording in 40°C heat versus just 10 minutes on the A7 IV.
Video autofocus is excellent. Tracks subjects smoothly, adjusts naturally. The Dynamic Active stabilization mode works well but adds a noticeable crop.
Here's what's missing: no open gate recording. No internal RAW. Max resolution is 4K, limited codecs. The Canon R6 III has 7K open gate, internal RAW, the works. If you're video-first, the Canon might be better.
But for hybrid shooters? This does everything you need.
Image Quality
33MP is the sweet spot. Enough resolution to crop aggressively, not so much that your hard drive explodes.
Dynamic range is excellent. Sony claims 16 stops. Shadow recovery is strong. Colors look accurate straight out of camera.
Auto white balance is way better than previous Sony cameras, avoiding the greenish cast they were known for. The AI processing helps a lot here.
High ISO performance is solid through ISO 6400. Things get noisy above that. ISO 51,200 is technically available but you probably shouldn't use it unless you desperately need the shot.
Battery Life Is Exceptional
Rated at 630 shots using the viewfinder or 750 using the LCD. That's way better than the A7 IV and most competitors.
In real use, I got through a full day of shooting without swapping batteries. The new processor is way more efficient. Same NP-FZ100 battery as before, just lasts longer.
You could shoot a wedding on two batteries. Maybe three if you're hammering video.
Stabilization
7.5 stops of in-body stabilization in the center, 6.5 stops at the edges. That's a huge jump from the A7 IV's 5.5 stops.
I shot handheld at 1/20 second with sharp results. Not quite Panasonic or OM System level for video, but really good for general use.
For video, the Active and Dynamic modes add digital stabilization on top. They work but add a crop.
What It's Missing
CFexpress Type A cards are expensive. Like really expensive. $100+ for 80GB. You can use SD cards but you won't get the full speed.
No open gate video. Max 4K resolution. Limited internal codecs. Video specs feel a bit held back compared to the Canon R6 III.
There are reports of compatibility issues with some third-party lenses, specifically Chinese brands like Viltrox and Laowa. Might be firmware-related and fixable. But something to watch.
A7V vs Canon R6 III
This is the big question everyone's asking.
Canon R6 III: 40fps burst, 7K open gate video, internal RAW, better IBIS (8.5 stops). Costs $2,799 which is$100 less than the Sony.
Sony A7V: Better battery life, mature lens ecosystem, slightly better dynamic range at base ISO, 14-bit RAW at all speeds.
For video first shooters, the Canon's advanced recording options give it the edge. For hybrid shooters or stills-focused photographers, the Sony's better ecosystem and reliability make more sense.
The Canon is impressive on paper. But the Sony has way more lenses available, especially affordable ones. And Sony's been doing this longer the system is more mature.
Who Should Buy This?
- You want one camera that does everything really well. Sports, portraits, wildlife, weddings, video work this handles all of it.
- You're invested in Sony glass already.
- You need flagship features but can't drop six grand on an A1 II. This gets you 80% of the performance for half the price.
- You shoot hybrid content. The video specs aren't the absolute best, but they're more than good enough for most creators.
Who Should Skip This
- You're video-first and need open gate or internal RAW. Get the Canon R6 III or wait for something else.
- You already have an A7 IV and mostly shoot landscapes or portraits. The improvements won't change your life.
- You need maximum resolution. The A7R V has 61MP for $500 more.
The Reality
Before this announcement, the Canon R6 III looked like the camera of the year.
Sony brought serious upgrades here. The partially stacked sensor fixes the A7 IV's biggest weaknesses slow readout, rolling shutter, burst speed. The AI autofocus is among the best I've used. Battery life is class-leading.
Yeah, the video specs could be better. Yeah, CFexpress Type A is expensive. But this camera does more things well than almost anything else at this price.
The A7 line used to be the "good enough" option in Sony's lineup. Not anymore.
If you need one camera for everything and I mean everything this is probably it.
Where to Buy
Sony A7V - $2,899 (B&H Photo | Amazon | Adorama)
Ships mid-December 2025
Kit with 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II - $3,099
Lens ships February 2026
In Europe, there are some bundle deals if you get it with a G Master II lens up to €500 off depending on what you buy.
Worth noting: only a small batch ships before Christmas. If you want this for the holidays, order early.
The Verdict: Buy it that is if you have the money to do so.
