Sony a7r VI (Mark 6) - an a1 beater for $2000 less

[Andrew - EOSHD]

To be honest, I really want one. I'll wait for it to come down to 3500 euros used, then I think i'll sell some stuff and pounce on it.

The main weakness of the a7r V and Panasonic S1R II - the slower sensors and rolling shutter, is banished.

The 1.2x crop in 8K isn't ideal though.

Specs:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-a7r-vi-review

[eatstoomuchjam]

It looks like a solid upgrade if you're in the Sony world and want your stills-first camera to have a bit better video.   67 vs 61 mp is 🥱.  Internal video codecs are industry-trailing (H.265/H.264 only).

The standout feature, for me, is 4K DGO video with only a 15ms readout - but if that were the only spec that I wanted, I wouldn't have sold my C70 (and it could do it in raw).  Wish they would have done an 8K DGO - would gladly take 22-28ms readout speeds for the extra DR on scenes without fast movement.

This seems to me like a camera that's designed to throw a bone to Sony shooters who might otherwise be thinking of jumping ship.  It's fine, but not very exciting.  I think Sony sent some spies over to the Canon headquarters to learn the secrets of the 🔨

[MrSMW]

Looks decent and loved my A7RV, but I have nailed my colours to the LUMIX mast for what remains of my career.

But if I did switch, it would be to Nikon.

Or Leica.

Or dammit, maybe even Canon.

Or possibly Sony actually.

The simple reality is they all make good shit these days.

Remaining a Lumix bro, - it does what I need it to do.

[Andrew - EOSHD]

I think it's quite exciting, for someone who skipped the Sony a7r V for video because of the slow sensor and terrible rolling shutter in 8K, I can finally embrace it fully without any silly deal breakers.

It's also going to really help the price of the original a1 drop to sensible amounts. Already the lovely a1 OG is <£2200 on eBay from Japan.

This is highest resolution stacked sensor yet though... 68 vs 50mp, $2000 less than an a1 Mark II, DGO and a new, absolute chonk of a battery, plus new EVF - possibly the best ever on a Sony - and an EOS R5 Mark II price to match. Finally Sony are not deluding themselves that everything high-end they do should be 6 or 7 grand.

Would it be nice if it had real-time LUTs, open gate, anamorphic and raw codec?

Yes, but as an all-rounder it ain't bad is it? I am not in the least interested in 2500Mbit codec file sizes when H.265 looks as good as it does in 2026.

S1R II for me is tempting for open gate and the LUTs, but it's got too many deal-breakers where the Sony hasn't. The mount, for a start.

And the a7r VI autofocus I bet is stunning.

[MrSMW]

8 hours ago, Andrew - EOSHD said:

S1R II for me is tempting for open gate and the LUTs, but it's got too many deal-breakers where the Sony hasn't. The mount, for a start

I envy Sony’s lens line up which being honest, blows away what is available from L Mount.

But that is it.

And I try not to think about it too often.

[Andrew - EOSHD]

For manual focus vintage lens users like me, I just can't get away from that damned Techart adapter which autofocuses your Noctilux.

Really miss it when picking up my Sigma Fp-L.

It's a real shotgetter.

Not Panasonic or Leica's fault of course, lots of nice native Sigma lenses for the system and they can't influence third party adapters much.

[eatstoomuchjam]

20 minutes ago, Andrew - EOSHD said:

For manual focus vintage lens users like me, I just can't get away from that damned Techart adapter which autofocuses your Noctilux.

If Megadap's website/YouTube is to be believed, sometime this month or next, their M mount autofocus adapter (M2RF) will be released this month sometime.  🤞

[Andrew - EOSHD]

Praise be to the gods... Megadap don't make stuff for L-mount (so far) but maybe they'll surprise all 3 users at once.

[BTM_Pix]

Amazing spec really.

Looks like it could be my forever camera….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[eatstoomuchjam]

1 hour ago, Andrew - EOSHD said:

Praise be to the gods... Megadap don't make stuff for L-mount (so far) but maybe they'll surprise all 3 users at once.

As of now, RF mount is the only one they're promising, but who knows after that?  I'll just need to grab one quick before Canon's lawyers get to them.  😅

[BTM_Pix]

It’s the Frank Sinatra of camera review retirements then.

 

[mercer]

Do vintage lenses even resolve enough for 8K?

[eatstoomuchjam]

1 hour ago, mercer said:

Do vintage lenses even resolve enough for 8K?

This sort of question comes up often in a photo context on GFX forums and the most correct/accepted answer to it is "it doesn't matter."

And any discussion of that sort of thing is going to quickly devolve into arguments about how bayer sensors work (hint: 4K from a bayer sensor isn't 4K of actual information and is actually closer to 1.5K-3.5K, depending on who you ask).

But the short answer is "that depends on the lens, but some do for sure, some do near the center and not at the edges, and some definitely do not."

[mercer]

22 minutes ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

This sort of question comes up often in a photo context on GFX forums and the most correct/accepted answer to it is "it doesn't matter."

And any discussion of that sort of thing is going to quickly devolve into arguments about how bayer sensors work (hint: 4K from a bayer sensor isn't 4K of actual information and is actually closer to 1.5K-3.5K, depending on who you ask).

But the short answer is "that depends on the lens, but some do for sure, some do near the center and not at the edges, and some definitely do not."

I'm still a weirdo because I just bought a Yashica ML 50mm 1.7 hoping it will give me 80% of the micro contrast Zeiss offers in their 1.7 50 for 80% less but the catch is I want to use it to shoot 1920x818 on my 5D3. So the idea of shooting 8K sounds so alien to me. Of course, I am liking the 5.7K on my GH6... go figure. 

[Andrew - EOSHD]

Bayer 8K sensors don't even resolve 8K

[eatstoomuchjam]

On 5/14/2026 at 6:18 AM, eatstoomuchjam said:

If Megadap's website/YouTube is to be believed, sometime this month or next, their M mount autofocus adapter (M2RF) will be released this month sometime.  🤞

Well, it wasn't in May, but mine just arrived!  Let's see how/if it works...

[eatstoomuchjam]

50 minutes ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

Well, it wasn't in May, but mine just arrived!  Let's see how/if it works...

Well, my initial review is very short and succinct.

"Doesn't fucking work.  At all."

Judging by their FAQ, I received a defective unit, as on my R5, it just shows F00 and won't switch out of MF mode.  On the C80, it displays a communication error and won't autofocus.  After updating the adapter firmware, no change.  Their utility to program it also does not find it after I follow their instructions to connect it... at least on my Mac.  I'll try it on a Windows computer later tonight, maybe.

Also, even if it did work, it won't be usable on an RF mount Red.  On my OG Komodo, the chin/motor of the adapter hits the chin of the camera.  I didn't try it on the Komodo-X, but the horizontal/vertical dimensions are identical or nearly identical so I don't expect a different result there.

Asked Amazon to replace it.  I think they ship the replacement before I send back the original...  though it ships from China.  So I guess we'll see in 7-14 days whether the replacement works.

[MrSMW]

I am currently taking a good hard look at the V…

Not the A7RV that I had, but the more recent V for vanilla, as in none-R, the 33mp one.

As a pure stills camera.

In a direct comparison between the A7RV I had and the S1Rii that I currently have, bodies only, nothing in it.

The Sony has more megapixels which gives more latitude to punch in and shorter focal length lenses plus even better (more accurate) AF and is smaller & lighter with battery life and the S1Rii counters with…well with what actually…??

’Something’ I can’t quite put my finger on…

It’s only slightly behind in the above factors and the only thing I can come up with that I prefer over the Sony is, “I prefer using it”.

But…and this is the big one and the above confirms it even more, there are quite a few bodies that do what I need them to do, but very few lenses.

As things stand, I’m not going to jump immediately, but my primary tool for next year is going to be based on a specific lens, or at least something very much like it and that lens is the Sony 50-150 f2.

I can’t quite get past it. It is the perfect outdoor lens for my line of work.

Yes I wish it was smaller and lighter but that is it’s only compromise. The cost isn’t because for business use, it’s not that big a deal.

But, it’s E Mount only so native on Sony or adapted on Nikon.

The more recent A7V beats the A7RV for me as it’s; better in low-light, even faster and more accurate AF and I prefer 33mp when I don’t need to crop so aggressively.

There is nothing else from Sony that would work for me as a body. 

Nikon, I had the ZF and with primes and smaller zooms it’s fine, but with the 50-150 adapted, it would be trash to use, especially as there is no battery grip and I prefer the A7V/S1Rii style fully artic screen.

Ditto ZR. And there are reports of banding in certain lighting conditions. If it had a mech shutter and the type of rear LCD I prefer, I’d be all over it.

Z8? Could get away with no battery grip and it’s an option…

Z9? Prefer it over the Z8 and could be an option…

But with both of the latter, there have been reports of this specific lens, the 50-150, not working quite as well as it does natively…

And then the final piece of this particular puzzle is the fact that is not a fact but could become a fact, that from within the L Mount alliance, someone pops out a rival lens to the 50-150…

No signs but a patent went in a few years ago apparently for a longer focal length to the Sigma 28-45mm f1.8 which was I believe for a 45-90 or very similar.

That would do it for me as keep me in the L Mount alliance for all my needs because with the S1Rii I could just about punch in for my needs.

So you have 6 months L Mount Alliance to come up with something and it MUST be internal zooming and MUST be f2 or faster and ideally, basically the existing 28-45mm f1.8 in longer focal length such as 45-90 and then we’re good.

Because if not, I will almost certainly be chopping in one of my S1Rii’s for either a Sony or a Nikon plus 2 lenses.

For video though, all the other (4) bodies and lenses will remain LUMIX/Sigma because as things stand.

A. They are unbeatable for my needs.

B. The cost to change would be hideous and if that change was sideways at best, what would be the point?

The simplest answer to all this is make that fucking lens Sigma. You have 6 months to get it on the market. 7 months at a real push because if there is no sign of it within 4-5 max, I will be jumping ship for all my stills photo needs.