The 2019-released A7R IV is due for an update and word on the street suggests we might see the new Sony a7R V within the next week.
The Sony a7R IV has been, and will continue to be, a solid camera for many photographers who want huge resolution for their images. The 61-megapixel sensor in the a7R IV is truly breathtaking. The amount of detail it can convey is simply extraordinary. However, the rest of the camera is now a bit tired and in need of an update with Sony’s new design language.
Sony has come a long way in terms of ergonomics, IBIS and ease of use since the a7R IV hit the market, and now many photographers are looking forward to the Sony a7R V with new technologies and the improvements listed above. The good news is that we may not have to wait long to see it. The bad news is that not much is known about the potential megapixel camera. However, if the Sony Alpha Rumors report is correct (we know, we know), the camera could be unveiled during the Kando Closed Event to be held in Idaho on August 29, 2022.
What is the Sony Kando event?
Sony Kando events were highly publicized and very popular before the pandemic hit. Members of the media, influencers and educators will be invited to the retreat to learn about filming techniques and editing styles. Often, new cameras and lenses were also given away. The Sony a7R IV was unveiled at Kando 3.0 in 2019, so the suggestion that the Sony a7R V is being teased at this Kando event might be correct. Since 2019, Kando events have been held online for security reasons.
The difference this year is that Sony has been very quiet about its Kando event. The report mentioned above indicates that this year’s event will be organized as a face-to-face party. However, news of this is being kept under wraps and only a select few influencers will be in attendance. It is likely that visitors will get their hands on new equipment. However, they will be required to maintain secrecy until the non-disclosure agreement is violated. It is said that the magic date for the Sony a7R V announcement could be September 5, 2022.
Will the Sony a7R V be released in 2022?
At this point, your guesses as to when the camera will launch are as good as ours. However, I believe that the Sony A7R V will be released this year. The Sony a7R IV was released in September 2019, so the timing reports above are on schedule.
What will the camera look like? Again, details about any new camera are being kept under wraps. However, there has been a lot of speculation about the next iteration of the a7R series. The camera can have an image sensor (BSI no stack I guess) with 90 to 100 megapixels. If so, the Sony a7R V will still have the highest pixel density full frame sensor on the market.
New design language
Everything else we write here is still pure speculation. However, I would be shocked if the new Sony a7R V didn’t have an improved electronic viewfinder. The camera will use Sony’s new menu system, improved ergonomics, weather protection and IBIS system. Since the a7R series is for photographers, I think it will likely keep a tilting LCD instead of a swivel screen and will most likely start using CFexpress cards. 90 megapixel files will be huge. Thus, the data transfer rate must be high.
One thing is for sure: Sony will want to beat Canon in the market with a camera with more megapixels. Canon has done an outstanding job of closing the huge technology gap that Sony once enjoyed. For now, Canon may be kicking Sony off the top of mirrorless cameras. This may indeed be the case if the high megapixel Canon EOS R1 rumors are true. Sony will need to properly price the Sony a7R V. The A7R IV was launched at $3,498. I believe the new version will be higher, but Sony needs to be careful.
Hopefully we’ll see the Sony a7R IV soon. However, if we don’t, we’re still on track for an exciting end of the year when it comes to new cameras hitting the market. So what do you want to see in the Sony a7R V? Let us know in the comments section below.