The Sony a7R VI is one of the best hybrid cameras you can buy right now, with stellar photo and video performance. But even more important to us filmmakers, it shows us exactly where Sony is heading for a future a7S IV and FX3 Mark II.
My name is Matt Johnson, and I’m reviewing the a7R VI from the perspective of a wedding, corporate, and commercial filmmaker. I’m going to tell you not only whether it’s a good camera for you to buy, but also what it signals about Sony’s future. Because I genuinely believe the pieces are falling into place for Sony to release a flagship video camera sooner rather than later.
Quick note on ethics: this video is not paid or sponsored by Sony. They did loan me this camera so I could make this review, but the first time they see it is the first time you see it. I will sadly be returning this magnificent camera to them soon.
The Body: Familiar But Improved
Looking at the body, it doesn’t look very different from the a7R V, and that isn’t surprising. A lot of photographers and filmmakers, myself included, loved what the R5 brought to the table. The fully articulating screen that flips out and tilts up and down made its debut on that camera, and it makes a return here.
In a perfect world, Sony would’ve figured out a way to put the tilting EVF from the FX2 on this camera, but I’m betting they’re keeping that for the cinema line. The EVF on the a7R VI has still seen a meaningful upgrade though, to a 10-bit panel with DCI-P3 color coverage that Sony says is 3x brighter than the a7R V.
There are a lot of smaller body improvements I’m a big fan of too. The lens mount now has a raised indicator that shows exactly where to insert the lens, which makes attaching lenses by feel without looking much easier. And here’s something really cool: all of the buttons on the rear are backlit, which makes filming and shooting in low light significantly easier. Don’t want the lights on? There’s a new backlight button on top of the camera that turns them off completely, and you can adjust the brightness in the menu.
There’s also a new tally light on the front of the camera that helps you check if the camera is recording. Of course, it can be disabled in settings if you prefer.
Pop open the port covers on the side and you’ll notice the a7R VI has followed the a7V in finally doing away with the multi-interface connector that used micro USB. You now have dual USB-C connectors, which is great to see, especially if you want to charge the camera while also having external controls plugged in.
The Biggest News: A Brand New Battery
Now here’s where things get interesting, and a little controversial. If you’re coming from the a7R V, you’re going to notice the grip feels slightly different. It’s a bit larger, and the reason isn’t just ergonomics. It’s because of what’s inside the grip.
The a7R VI is the first Sony camera since 2018, back with the a7 III, to come with a brand new battery. Over eight years since Sony upgraded their batteries. And yes, this will be controversial, because these new batteries are a bit larger and they are not backwards compatible. None of your older Sony Z-series batteries will work in the R6.
But Sony isn’t upgrading the battery just for the sake of it. These batteries are not only about 5% physically larger, they also have 17% more storage capacity at 2670 mAh. Even better, they now support fast charging, just like modern smartphones. There’s also a new battery health feature that tells you if a battery is still performing well, and you can check that both on the camera and on the new Sony charger.
Speaking of which, the included charger is a dual battery charger, and Sony is including two batteries in the box with every camera. It feels like they’re trying to soften the blow of the new battery ecosystem, and honestly, I appreciate that.
Now, I want you to think about the bigger picture here for a second. Sony has told me that this new battery supports more stable performance at high-load shooting conditions, and video recording is definitely a high-load task. My theory: Sony essentially maxed out their video recording capabilities with the older battery tech. They needed to upgrade the entire power system to enable the higher quality video recording we’ll eventually see on a future a7S IV or FX3 Mark II.
This battery upgrade is already unlocking higher resolution and frame rates on the a7R VI. And it’s probably also why the a7V didn’t offer 6K video recording. I think power was the limiting factor. I’ve written about what I think the a7S IV and FX3 II need to deliver in detail, and the battery upgrade makes a lot of those features feel much more achievable now.
32-Bit Float Audio Is Finally Here For Sony
Here’s another massive feature that may also be connected to the new battery: 32-bit float audio recording. Yes. It’s finally happening on a Sony camera, and the a7R VI is the first to get it.
Sony is taking a page from Panasonic here and has created a new XLR adapter called the XLRA4, which attaches to the camera’s hot shoe and enables 32-bit float recording. So unfortunately, unlike the Nikon ZR, which records 32-bit float audio directly into the 3.5mm microphone jack, you will need this adapter on Sony to get this functionality. I reviewed the Nikon ZR and its 32-bit float implementation recently, so check that out if you want a comparison.
But regardless, 32-bit float audio on a Sony camera is enormously welcome. If you’re recording audio and the gain is too loud and clips, you can bring the levels down in post and recover it completely. And if the sound is too quiet, you can bring it up without introducing noise. It’s a game changer for wedding and event filmmakers.
Sony has told me the XLRA4 adapter may not be available at the same time as the camera, but I’m very excited for it. And here’s something else to think about: remember what accessory came with the original FX3? An XLR handle. There’s no way Sony isn’t working on a new filmmaking-focused version of this adapter for an FX3 Mark II. I wrote a whole post on why the FX3 II is taking so long, and pieces like this keep convincing me it’s getting closer.
The New BIONZ XR2 Processor and AI Autofocus
Just like the a7V, the a7R VI is running on the new BIONZ XR2 processor, which is significantly faster and more efficient than its predecessor. It also fully integrates the AI autofocus chip that used to be a separate component into the main chip itself. Sony is calling this new autofocus technology AI-based Real-Time AF+, and the plus is the important part.
They’ve made subject recognition noticeably better. Even if people are really far away or their eyes are very small in the frame, the camera can detect them. It can better track a single face in a large group. It’s just better. Sony autofocus has been good for a long time, but coming from an a7S III and FX3, this is still a noticeable improvement. If you want to squeeze even more performance out of Sony’s autofocus system, I have a post on the autofocus settings you should change on your Sony camera right away.
The Sensor: 66.8 Megapixels, More Dynamic Range, and Dual Native ISO
Inside the a7R VI is a brand new, fully backside-illuminated stacked sensor with 66.8 megapixels of resolution. Sony is being very precise about that number instead of rounding up to 67, and I’m pretty sure I know why they’re avoiding that number.
IBIS has improved by half a stop, and while Sony isn’t quite at Panasonic’s stabilization level yet, using this camera handheld is very easy and comfortable. No complaints there.
Because this sensor is fully stacked and backside illuminated, Sony says they were able to squeeze out an extra stop of dynamic range, bringing the camera to 16 stops, up from 15 on the R5. In my real-world testing, the dynamic range in S-Log 3 is extremely good, and the colors and image quality are stellar.
Low light is also really interesting here, because this is the first Sony photo camera I’m aware of where they’ve officially confirmed it’s using a dual gain ISO sensor. Sony usually only tells us that on their video-focused cameras like the FX3. With the a7R VI, they confirmed base ISOs at 800 and 3200. It’s not going to be a low-light powerhouse like the FX3 with its second base ISO at 12,800, but in my testing it’s still quite good, and I’d feel comfortable pushing to ISO 32,000 if needed. If you want to get the most out of S-Log 3, I have a guide on how to easily film in Sony’s S-Log 3 picture profile.
Frame Rates and Resolution: This Is Where It Gets Crazy
Now for frame rates and resolutions, and this is where you start to see what the new battery and BIONZ XR2 can really do. The a7R VI is capable of recording in 8K up to 30 fps with a 1.2x crop, up from 24 fps on the a7R V. But more importantly, it can also record in 4K at up to 120 fps with no crop, as long as you disable the 4K angle of view priority mode, just like you had to do on the a7V.
4K at 120 fps without a crop is a feature I would expect from a dedicated video camera, not an ultra-high-resolution photo-first hybrid. That’s genuinely impressive.
“But Matt, what about overheating? This camera doesn’t have a fan!” You’re right. But Sony is bringing one of my favorite features from the a7S III to this camera: sigma graphite heat sink technology. This passive cooling system made it very difficult to overheat the a7S III even without a fan, and now it’s in the a7R VI as well.
Sony even shared specific overheating tests: in 77-degree Fahrenheit weather, the camera lasted two hours recording in 8K at 30 fps or in 4K at 120 fps. In 105-degree heat, comparable to a Texas summer, they said it would last 30 minutes in 8K at 30 fps or a full hour in 4K at 120 fps. In all of my time recording indoors and outdoors, I never experienced overheating on the a7R VI. That gives me a lot of hope that if and when we see an a7S IV, overheating won’t be a concern there either.
Should You Buy the Sony a7R VI?
If you are a hybrid photographer who wants a camera that absolutely crushes it on the photography side, thanks to a nearly 67-megapixel sensor, while also being capable of recording 8K video at 30 fps, 4K at up to 120 fps without overheating, 32-bit float audio, and the best autofocus Sony has ever put in a camera, the a7R VI gets my highest recommendation.
Pricing is coming in between $4,500 and $4,700, which is definitely not cheap, but given everything you’re getting, it feels fair. Just budget a bit extra for additional batteries and the new XLRA4 hot shoe adapter.
And if you want to make sure you’re always getting sharp, in-focus shots with your Sony camera, be sure to download my free Sony autofocus cheat sheet. There are several settings that Sony cameras ship with out of the box that you’re going to want to change right away, and this free resource walks you through all of them.
If you’re also looking to level up your editing skills to match your new footage, grab my free Edit Videos Like a Pro guide. It’s a great place to start.