Sony is the dominant force in the mirrorless camera market right now and the Sony A7r V is perhaps the most eagerly anticipated mirrorless camera in 2022. Due to the worldwide sensor shortages, things are a bit up in the air with camera makers, who are doing all they can to meet demand and design, develop, and release new cameras.
Sony is hardly immune to these problems and rumors abound regarding when Sony will be announcing the A7r V, the follow-up to the Sony A7r IV from 2019 should set a new high-water mark for the resolution of a Sony mirrorless camera.
We have been digging around for every piece of information we can find. After hours of scouring the rumor sites, watching speculative videos by respected camera enthusiasts, and chatting with a friend on the inside, here is everything we have been able to gather so far.
Sony A7r V Price
Based on the current Sony A7r IV price being in the $3,500 range, it's reasonable to assume that Sony will stay in the same ballpark with the A7r V. However, there are a number of factors at play that could push that price upwards.
Naturally, a significant spec bump and other potential advanced tech they've crammed into the camera may spike the price. Also economically we are currently dealing with a bit of consumer inflation so we could be looking upwards of $4,000 for the body alone, hypothetically.
Sony A7r V Specs
Most of the rumors regarding the specs of the upcoming Sony A7r V are focused on its sensor and just how large it will be. With several sources suggesting it could be as large as 100 megapixels. This 100MP full-frame sensor is rumored to be BSI stacked and able to shoot stills at 10 frames per second. It's expected that the new A7r V will use dual CFexpress Type-A memory cards to store all that image data. Image quality should be fantastic as it's also rumored to shoot in 14 bit RAW.
Based on the current A7r IV 567-Point Phase-Detection AF system, we're guessing there will be improvements there as well. How many points of AF? We don't know. But, it could be between where we are now and Sony's A1 camera which has 759 Points of Fast Hybrid AF, so between 650 and 700 is a safe estimate.
We may also see Sony push into the 6K/30p and 4K/120 or higher realm for video with the A7r V. That would mark a significant step up for the A7r line, but also remain beneath the 8K/30 of Sony's new flagship A1 camera. As far as stabilization goes more than likely we will see some slight improvements to the 5-axis in-body stabilization.
Again this is speculation based on rumors and comparing what Sony has put out recently versus the specs of the current Sony A7r IV. Also if we take into consideration what competitors have released in the past year, it gives us a foundation on which to build our theories regarding what is possible for the A7r V based on its position in the market.
Sony A7r V Design
The expectation is for the next iteration in the Sony Alpha line to remain true to its award-winning design elements with some possible changes or upgrades to take advantage of improved specs and functions. We expect it to be weather-sealed, durable but possibly with a slight improvement in the grip. There are some that are hoping for a 360-degree flip-out screen like we recently enjoyed on the Sony ZV-E10.
It has been rumored that Sony will be updating, and possibly simplifying the user interface to make it a little more user-friendly for first-time Sony converts. Whatever design changes we see, will most likely be minor, with improvements focused on ease of use for all levels of shooters.
Outlook
With what we know so far, which truly isn't much, the upcoming Sony A7r V, will remain a top-performing camera and formidable adversary within its price range. Due to sensor shortages delaying production for all camera makers, it makes things a little cloudier, but as we encroach on three years since the launch of the Sony A7r IV, it's plausible that Sony is nearly through its delayed production timeline. Sony has an excellent track record of producing high-quality prosumer cameras that create a massive buzz and this looks poised to do it again.
We will continue to pester our secretive insiders to hopefully gain some advanced perspective on what's to come and keep you in the know on all of the latest rumors right up until launch.
