Hands-on test of the Sony Alpha 7 V: the market leader’s back
3/12/2025
Sony’s new hybrid camera’s locked in a neck-and-neck race with its competitor from Canon. In the end, they both win.
The Alpha 7 V’s Sony returning to the important all-round segment. The camera comes with a new sensor and a new processor. In Switzerland, it costs less than its predecessor did at market launch – and exactly the same as the also brand-new Canon EOS R6 Mark III. I tested Sony’s new mid-range full-frame camera.
Fast sensor for hybrid applications
Undoubtedly, the most important innovation is the partially stacked, back-illuminated (BSI) 33-megapixel CMOS sensor. It offers the same resolution as the sensor in the Alpha 7 IV, but can be read out significantly faster. This has two advantages: the autofocus reacts faster and there’s less of a rolling shutter effect. A test image of a running fan with an electronic shutter demonstrates just how significant the difference is compared to the old sensor.
The comparable Canon EOS R6 Mark III has almost the same resolution, but uses a non-stacked, front-illuminated (FSI) sensor. Canon manages to extract surprisingly good performance from this – in practical comparisons, my colleague David and I can’t identify any advantage for Sony. In other words, both sensors are slower than fully stacked sensors (e.g. Sony Alpha 1 II, Nikon Z8, Canon EOS R5 Mark II). However, with both, the rolling shutter is so well controlled that it only becomes a problem in extreme situations.
According to Sony, noise performance and dynamic range have also improved. I can only test both to a limited extent, as Lightroom doesn’t support RAW files yet. While I can still read them with a little trick, the image processing isn’t optimised for the new model. In direct comparison with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, the Sony Alpha 7 V seems to have slightly more headroom in the highlights. To me, the image noise looks about the same. More definitive results will only come from scientific tests by portals such as Photons to Photos.
With its relatively fast sensor, the Alpha 7 V is well-suited for video. Unlike its competitor from Canon, Sony’s camera doesn’t offer the sensor’s full 7K resolution or an open gate mode. Instead, the image is always scaled down to 4K in a 16:9 aspect ratio. At 30 and 60 fps, this is done using oversampling without cropping, resulting in high image quality. APS-C crop makes 4K at 120 fps possible.
Advances in chip, IBIS and LCD
Besides the sensor, the processor’s new too. Previously, Sony used a separate chip alongside the main processor for AI acceleration. In the new Bionz XR2, everything’s integrated onto a single board. The increased efficiency has a positive effect on battery life. According to CIPA ratings, it now allows for 630 shots with the viewfinder (previously 520) and 750 with the LCD (previously 580). Most importantly, however, the shorter paths between the transistors should enable more AI features and make them faster.
According to Sony, this is clear to see in the latest version of the autofocus. It supposedly recognises subjects faster and predicts their movement more accurately. I didn’t notice much difference in my test, at least with people. Mainly because Sony’s autofocus has been very good for multiple generations. The Alpha 7 IV seems to find an eye just as quickly as its successor. With backlighting, both models occasionally falter and fail to find anything at all. This doesn’t happen with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. However, it often misses the eye and focuses on some random point on the face.
The new processor and partially stacked sensor enable a high continuous shooting speed. It reaches up to 30 frames per second (FPS) with the electronic shutter – the same as the Sony Alpha 1 II, although the latter tracks autofocus and exposure 120 times per second, while the Sony Alpha 7 V only manages 60. There’s still a 10-fps mechanical shutter inside.
Progress is also expected in terms of automatic white balance. AI analyses the image content and predicts what’s best suited as a neutral area for the white point.
The body’s the same as the Alpha 7R V. It fits more comfortably in your hand than its predecessor. Further improvements include the LCD (it’s slightly larger and much sharper) and the image stabiliser (7.5 stops instead of 5.5). Sony still hasn’t gone for top-of-the-line features with the viewfinder. It has a mediocre resolution of 3.69 million pixels and 0.78x magnification.
Initial verdict: a future bestseller
The Sony Alpha 7 V’s a fantastic all-around package. It virtually eliminates all the weaknesses of its predecessor, such as the slow readout time. In initial tests, the new sensor seems to be an excellent compromise between image quality and speed, making it suitable for both photography and video. It’ll undoubtedly become a bestseller.
Sony’s also brought the LCD, image stabilisation, and user interface up to date. The only remaining weakness is the mediocre viewfinder. Alleged improvements in autofocus may be measurable in specific scenarios, but the old system was perfectly fine for everyday use. The same goes for the continuous shooting speed: 30 frames per second’s impressive but hardly ever necessary.
Does this put Sony back at the top of the mid-range full-frame market? Yes, but it’s not alone. Canon’s EOS R6 Mark III delivers similarly strong performance despite its less sophisticated sensor technology. Since it costs exactly the same, the choice comes down to which manufacturer’s lenses suit you better. And let’s not forget the Nikon Z6 III, which offers slightly lower resolution but also a lower price. In all three cases, you get a camera without any significant weaknesses. Or, as YouTuber Gerald Undone recently put it: «Cameras are basically solved now.»
Samuel Buchmann
Senior Editor
Samuel.Buchmann@digitecgalaxus.chMy fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.
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