A Traveler's Review: Sony a7R V

Quick Summary of Sony a7R V camera

If you are short on time, here is a quick summary of the pros and cons of using the Sony a7R V camera as your main travel camera and a link to check the recent discount on the camera below:

What to Look For In A Travel Camera?

Size and Weight: When it comes to picking a travel camera, one of the most important things to consider is its size and weight. If you bought a travel camera that you don't want to carry around your neck for hours while traveling then why even bother buying it, right?

The best travel camera has to have a size and weight that are reasonable for you to travel with. It should be a camera that you want to immediately grab whenever you want to go out and explore, so before buying one, be sure to go to a store, handle it, see how light and compact it is, and pick the one that feels best for you.

Photo and Video Quality: Travel moments come and go pretty fast and the last thing you want is to find out later after your vacation that the photos and videos you took to commemorate one of the best moments of your life are all blurry, full of noises, and poor quality.

A travel camera you should buy should have at least the capability to shoot 20+ megapixel photos which should be good enough for most use cases. It should also come with at least a 4K 24p video capability so you can capture those beautiful moments in crisp detail. All in all, as long as your travel camera does not fail you in these 2 departments, you are good to go.

Lens Selection: As a travel photographer, you will often find yourself in a variety of situations that will require you to adapt fast. From architecture to landscape to street photography, with a great combination of lenses at your disposal, you will be able to adapt and get that money shot before it goes away forever, and that is why having a great lens selection is crucial.

Before you invest in a travel camera, you first should look around for lenses to pair with the camera. Lenses are brand and format-specific, so when you are buying a Sony camera, you are in fact, investing in its system as well.

A good travel camera to invest in should have a slew of high-quality lens selections at varying price points that you can choose from. You should also see if there are any third-party lenses available for your system as that is a clear indication that the system's lens market is thriving well and in turn provide you with even more options to choose from at all price points.

Durability: Traveling will take you to wonderful places but it will also expose you to some really extreme and nasty environments and it is important to buy a travel camera that can withstand whatever the world throws at you. Look for a travel camera that is weather-sealed, weather resistant, and one that is built to last for many years to come.

Why Did I Choose the Sony a7R V?

As some of you may know, I am a hybrid shooter when it comes to travel content creation which means I often switch between shooting photos and videos while I am on the road.

I love doing both and I have always been on the lookout for new technologies that will help make my life a little easier while also improving my skills and the quality of my work in the process.

When it comes to picking the right camera, usually I would have to choose between cameras that are really good at photography but not so capable at videography or vice versa which is a big problem for a hybrid shooter like myself.

There are some cameras out there that excel at both photography and videography, Sony a1 for example, but they are often extremely expensive and not viable for me.

It was not until Sony released the Sony a7R V, a photography beast that is also capable of shooting great videos, that I think I may have found the perfect camera that can do both photography and videography with very few compromises and a price point that although expensive, is a little more reasonable.

That is why I decided to choose the Sony a7R V, a new iteration of a camera series that is known for its extremely high-resolution sensor (61 megapixels) but for this one, Sony decided to go for the crown and added a slew of videography capabilities like 8K and 4K 60p which is often sought after by hybrid shooters such as myself.

Not to mention, the new AI-powered autofocus system that is extremely important for travel photography, incredible stabilization allowing me to shoot at a slower shutter speed without a tripod, a 4-axis articulating screen, perfect for videography and photography, and more, all the while keeping the price at 3,900 USD retail.

Don't get me wrong, that price tag is also eye-watering for me but considering the amount of features you get, I think it is a great investment to make for a tool that will likely last me many years to come. Plus, the other option is the Sony a1 which costs almost 6,500 USD, which is almost doubled the price.

While the Sony a7 IV is a great alternative, for travel content that I often do, the higher resolution sensor of 61 megapixels will come in handy when I want to crop images which I often do.

The ability to shoot 4K 60p is also important for me and while the Sony a7 IV is capable of doing that, it only allows you to do it in APS-C mode which applies a 1.5 crop factor to the video while the Sony a7R V only applies a 1.24 crop factor which is a bit better. Not to mention the ability to shoot 8K which should future-proof this camera for many years to come.

Now that I have established why I decided to go with the Sony a7R V, let's take a look at why I love the camera based on real usage in the field:

What I Love Most About the Sony a7R V

Unprecedented Image Quality

The Sony a7R 5 comes with a 61-megapixel sensor which allows you to shoot at a whopping 9504 x 6336 resolution, providing unprecedented image quality and sharpness unlike any other cameras out there. Not even the Sony a1 flagship camera with its 50-megapixel sensor can compete.

When it comes to travel photography, sometimes the situation may not allow you to switch lenses on the go but with such a high-resolution sensor, you can often crop your photos to your heart's content and still retain the sharpness of your images. With the APS-C mode, I can often get an extra reach on a telephoto end without having to switch lenses and still be able to produce more than 30-megapixel photos. For me, that is a game changer for travel photography.

With the 70-200mm lens attached to this camera, I can reach over 350mm with APS-C mode without needing to switch the lens and still capture over 6480 x 4632 resolution which is more than enough for most applications.

Now, imagine you are on a safari, you can reach more than 550mm focal length with this camera in APS-C mode by only carrying the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 lens and a 2x teleconverter. That significantly reduces the amount of gear you have to carry when you travel which is one of the most important factors to consider when picking a travel gear.

The Sony a7R V is truly the best photography camera out there and if you love taking lots of photos without having to compromise much, this camera is perfect for you.

Great Video Capability

Usually, the Sony a7R series is marketed towards photographers only and videographers will often lean towards the Sony a7S series but with the Sony a7R V and its video capabilities, if you are a hybrid shooter, you no longer have to sacrifice high-resolution sensor for video capabilities.

You can now shoot 4K 60p 10 bit 4:2:2 with only 1.24 crop factor with the Sony a7R V which is way better than the 1.5 crop factor on the Sony a7 IV. I love shooting in 60p as I found my handheld footage to be way more pleasing to watch while also allowing me to slow down the footage and create nice and smooth slow-motion videos. The Sony a7R V can also shoot 8K 24p which will future-proof your investment for many years to come.

The camera also let me shoot at 4K 30p 10 bit 4:2:2 in S&Q mode which I often use for timelapse videos allowing me to quickly shoot timelapse and view the result in the camera while also retaining the quality and sharpness of the videos. Something that can only be done with newer Sony camera models.

The camera also comes with other videography features that are often sought after like Active Stabilization which allows me to shoot smooth footage handheld as well as breathing compensation, and best of all, it has a separate camera mode dial allowing you to switch between video and photo shooting without having to wait for the dreaded mode switching window and losing settings in the process.

Although, for serious cinematographers, the Sony a7R V might not be as good as the Sony a7S III, the Sony a1, and other cinema line cameras, for hybrid shooters, I found the camera to perform extremely well and on par with what I expect my main travel camera to be able to do. Definitely worth checking the Sony a7R V out if you are a hybrid shooter.

Excellent AI-Powered Autofocus System

Another new feature the Sony a7R V introduces that will be very beneficial for travel content creators is the AI-powered autofocus system which will automatically focus on human eyes and other types of subjects and also track it without skipping a beat as the subject moves around the frame.

With its dedicated AI chip, the Sony a7R V can recognize a human subject and stay focused on it even when the subject turns around or is partially visible. It also recognizes other types of subjects as well like animals, birds, planes, cars, and even insects.

For travel photography, where moments often come and go, the ability to quickly rely on the camera's autofocus system and capture the photos you want without wasting time fiddling with the settings is extremely handy. In both photos and videos, with the right settings, I rarely ever miss the focus when shooting fast-moving objects which goes to show how incredible the autofocus is on the Sony a7R V.

The Sony a7R V is definitely the new standard and if you are a travel content creator that relies heavily on the autofocus system, you are going to love the Sony a7R V.

Best-in-Class Stabilization

One of the features the Sony a7R V has that I didn't think would be very useful to me personally but somehow I found myself thanking it many times while I travel is the 5-axis stabilization that allows me to shoot at a lower shutter speed without having to use a tripod.

This is so incredibly convenient that I found myself leaving my tripod at my hotel several times and relying on the camera stabilization alone to shoot subjects with long exposure like moving people or a waterfall. I found myself going way below 1/10th of a second handheld which is a shutter speed I would not even bother with other cameras.

For videos, the stabilization might not be as good as cameras like the Lumix from Panasonic but the Sony a7R V does compensate for with the Active Stabilization mode as well as capturing gyro data for stabilization in post allowing me to keep my handheld shots smooth. If you check out my sample video below, 90% of the footage is shot handheld.

The incredible in-body stabilization of this camera has allowed me to capture numerous moments in places like metro stations where shooting with a tripod is prohibited. Without this camera, I would have otherwise missed out on these moments and so if you find yourself which you have a tripod when shooting photos, you might want to check out the Sony a7R V.

4-Axis Articulating Screen

Another feature that may seem pretty simple on paper but is extremely useful in the field is the Sony a7R V fully articulating screen which allows you to both tilt and flip at the same time.

Being able to tilt my screen to shoot discretely at hip level is something I really missed when I upgraded from the Sony a6500, which has a tilt screen, to the Sony a7C which has a flip screen.

With the Sony a7R V, you can finally do both and use the tilt screen when you want to be discrete and use the flip screen for selfies. You no longer have to sacrifice one or another and that has been extremely beneficial for me. If you find yourself wishing for a screen that can both tilt and flip, you are going to love the Sony a7R V.

What I Hate Most About the Sony a7R V

4K 60p still has a crop factor

Despite me being ok with the 1.24 crop factor of the Sony a7R V when shooting 4K 60p, which is the mode I often use for my travel videos, I was hoping that we no longer have to deal with this type of compromise in 2023 but here we are.

With the 1.24 crop factor and the Active Stabilization mode turned on, your footage is going to be cropped even more and I found it hard to plan my shots when shooting videos sometimes. I got used to it after a while but still, I wish I don't have to sacrifice all those frames when I shoot in 4K 60p.

If you are going to use your camera to shoot only videos, you might be better off with the Sony a7S III or the Sony FX3 which allow you to shoot 4K 60p or even 120p with no compromise.

Rolling Shutter

Due to the size of its sensor and the significant amount of data it captures, the Sony a7R V may encounter difficulty in suppressing the rolling shutter problem, which can often be quite apparent in footage featuring fast-moving subjects with straight lines, such as fences or light posts.

This is significantly visible when shooting in 8K which is a compromise you have to make for having a camera with a high-resolution sensor. You won't have this problem with cameras equipped with a stacked sensor like the Sony a1, Sony a7S III, and FX3.

Still Quite Expensive

Despite the camera being half the price of the Sony a1 flagship camera, it is still quite expensive for most with a retail price of around 3,800 USD. Combining this with a high-quality lens that will utilize the full 61-megapixel sensor and you are looking to spend at least 5,000 USD.

With that eye-watering price, you can buy the Sony a7 IV instead which is less than 2,400 USD and you can invest the rest of the money in extra lenses if you don't find the extra features on the Sony a7R V to be beneficial for the type of content you create.

Push-to-Unlock mechanism on the mode dial

One minor thing that I do not like about the Sony a7R V or the other advanced Sony cameras is the push-to-unlock mechanism on its mode dial where you have to push a button every time if you wish to switch between modes or memory recalls.

The mechanism is there, probably to prevent accidentally switching modes but that has never happened to me once on the other Sony cameras that do not have the mechanism and I found it hard to switch between memory recall modes with one hand, which I often find myself doing when shooting videos and photos.

The good thing is, you do not have to push-to-unlock to switch between photo and video modes, only when switching between memory recalls or other automatic modes, which makes it a little bit more reliable. Maybe this is just me but after a few months of traveling with the Sony a7R V, I'm still not used to it 😅.

Sample Photos From the Sony a7R V camera

A photo is worth a thousand words so here are some of my favorite shots I took with the Sony a7R V camera:

Sample Videos From the Sony a7R V camera

The Verdict: One of the Best Hybrid Travel Cameras If You Can Afford It

All in all, I love the Sony a7R V and I look forward to creating more travel content on this blog with the camera for many years to come. The camera is definitely capable of doing both photography and videography without having to compromise much. It is definitely a huge upgrade from my Sony a7C and I found the benefit to be worth the price I paid for.

As I illustrated in this article, the Sony a7R V is definitely a capable hybrid camera and they really hit it out of the park with most new features but of course, it all comes down to your budget and how much you are willing to invest in this upgrade and the amount of benefit you will see from shelling out 3,800 USD.

If you are coming from the Sony a7III, Sony a7C, Sony a7R III, or below, I think you are going to find the upgrade to be worthwhile if the price is in your budget range, but if you are coming from newer Sony camera models like the Sony a7 IV, Sony a1, and Sony a7V IV, I don't think it is worth an upgrade unless you can get a good price selling your current camera and you can find a cheaper Sony a7R V in the secondhand market.

Since I was upgrading from the Sony a7C, which is a huge jump to be on the Sony a7R V, and I found a pretty reasonably priced Sony a7R V in the secondhand market in Thailand, I believe I made a good decision picking up the camera and I can't wait to continue to use it in my upcoming trip.

To check the latest price and discounts on the Sony a7R V, click the link below:

Check Price

Which Lenses to Buy with the Sony a7R V?

If you are looking to buy the Sony a7R V and are wondering what lenses you should buy to pair it with your new camera, here are all the lenses I use with my Sony a7R V:

Travel Lenses for the Sony a7R V:

• Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II Lens - A great all-around lightweight zoom lens if money is no object.
• Sigma 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN Lens - The best value and lightest wide-angle zoom lens for landscapes and architecture.
• Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II Lens is one of the best telephoto lenses you can get with fast autofocus and relatively lightweight, making it perfect for travel.
• Sony 2x Teleconverter - This allows me to transform my Sony 70-200mm F2.8 lens into a 140-400mm F5.6 lens, eliminating the need to purchase an additional lens. When combined with the APS-C mode, I can achieve a focal length of 600mm, which is ideal for wildlife photography.

These are all the lenses I carry with my Sony a7R V. I can go from 16mm all the way to 600mm which allows me to adapt to whatever situation I might find myself into. If you want to carry only 3 lenses when you travel, this is the best lens combination you can get, so be sure to check these lenses out.

Want to take your photography game to the next level? Here are some resources to help you upgrade your work and photography gear:

Lightroom Presets: If you are looking for a quick way to make your travel photos look like mine, you should check out my newly released Lightroom Preset Collections.

Camera: Sony a7R V, the highest resolution full-frame camera out there, is my go-to camera when I travel. All of my recent photos and videos are all from this beast.

All-Around Travel Lens: Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens is the lens I mounted on my camera the most. The lens covers most of the ranges I need for travel from wide to telephoto. If I have to take only one lens with me on my travel, it would be this lens.

Ultra-Wide Lens: Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM II Lnes: An ultra-wide lens I often use to shoot expansive landscapes and capture massive architecture I stumble upon while traveling.

Telephoto Lens: Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM II lens is one of the most versatile lenses to have. It is great for picking out details in landscapes and capturing wildlife when combined with the Sony FE 2x teleconverter.

Portrait Lens: Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Lens is the most compact and lightweight 85mm F1.4 lens out there. It's sharp and produces stunning bokeh for subject separation, perfect for portraits and street photography.

Drone: DJI Mavic Mini 2, a perfect drone for those who travel light. It weighs less than 250g and smaller than an iPhone when folded and can capture 4K video as well as 12 megapixels RAW photos. More than enough for its size.

Bag: Langly Alpha Globetrotter is a camera bag I use to carry all these lenses as well as other essentials when I'm traveling.

Further Reading for Photography

Looking for more photography articles like this? Here is a collection of articles you might like:

• For a complete list of travel lenses to buy for Sony Full-Frame cameras, check out: The Best Travel Lenses For Sony Full-Frame Cameras.
• If you are looking for a secondary camera to vlog or help you with time-consuming processes like timelapse, you might want to check this out: A Traveler's Review: DJI Osmo Pocket 3.
• Looking for the very best full-frame travel camera to buy for your next trip? How about the Sony a7C, the smallest full-frame camera with an EVF in the world! Check out my review: A Traveler's Review: The Sony a7C Camera
• The new king of landscape/architecture lens is here. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 Lens.
• For the best landscape/architecture travel lens, you just can't beat the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM lens. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 GM Lens.
• Looking for the best travel portrait lens to buy for your next trip? You can't beat the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN lens. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art Lens.
• Looking for a compact and lightweight travel telephoto lens for wildlife and landscapes? You are going to love this lens. Here is A Traveler's Review of the Tamron 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 lens.
• Ever wondered what a full-time travel blogger like myself carries in their camera bag? Check out: What's In My Camera Bag in 2022?
• Wondering which Sony Mirrorless camera is right for you? The Best Sony Travel Cameras to Buy.
• For more photography resources like this, visit my Photography page.