Sony A7V Rumors: Is the new Alpha Camera Coming in 2024?

Reports have been circulating for several months now that Sony was planning on releasing a new Alpha camera before the end of 2024, and there’s been a recent development - albeit with a caveat. Though a Sony A7V release date hasn’t been confirmed, it is reportedly the camera we’ll be getting next. However, alongside the successor to the FX9, Sony apparently had to delay this product launch.

Sony A7V Release Date Rumors

The news comes to us courtesy of Andrea Pizzini, who initially sparked the rumors regarding upcoming Sony releases. In a follow-up, multiple sources corroborate that the A7V will be available between January and March 2025. This comes in parcel with the news that there is an ongoing postponement of Sony product launches. It has been a very slow year by Sony standards, with the A9 III, ZV-E10 II, and a 24-50mm G lens being their only noteworthy launches; and all of them arrived later than expected. According to Pizzini:

"We were supposed to get a new FX9 successor camera in late summer, but that didn’t happen. There seems to be a production bottleneck in the entire industry, which has now also been officially confirmed by Canon Japan. This is probably the reason why the A7V will only be launched in Q1 2025 and not in Q4 2024."
Source: Sony Alpha Rumors

Whilst there’s a chance that Sony could turn the tide and revamp its production pipeline, we’re not confident that we’ll see the A7V before the end of 2024. The reports of a production bottleneck are reminiscent of the microchip shortage shortly after the global pandemic, which slowed down manufacturing on dozens of industries - including the camera market. With a potential release date between January and March from an originally slated November-December release, the severity of these delays can be clearly seen.

A7V Potential Specs

Much more importantly, Pizzini has seemingly confirmed that the incoming camera is in fact the A7V. If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, then it’s worth highlighting why the A7IV is so popular. With its 33MP sensor, excellent low-light capabilities and huge range of E-Mount lenses, it is one of the most popular cameras among photography enthusiasts and professionals alike. So what can the A7V build upon? Though nothing has been concretely confirmed, we can rule out some features. According to Pizzini’s sources:

"I don’t have 100% confirmed specs yet but the main improvements on the A7V will be related to “speed” and “new AI features”. Definitely do NOT expect to get global shutter or 8K recording on this model."
Source: Sony Alpha Rumors

This means we can rule out a few things: the A9 III’s global shutter will remain in the A9’s purview, and 8K video is also gone. These weren’t really on our bingo cards to begin with, but what interests us is the “speed” that Pizzini refers to. The A7IV has a moderately fast shooting rate of 10FPS: competent for most photography uses, but starting to show its age. A 2024 camera like the Z6 III from Nikon can shoot up to 14FPS, and the A1 can shoot up to 30. We hope that the A7V will strike a balance between these extremes of speeds.

Sensor size is one of the basic considerations for most camera buyers, and for good reason. Though not always a sounding board for quality, it highlights the raw resolution of your image. At 33MP, the A7IV is already an impressively powerful photography tool. We don’t think that the A7V will come for the A1’s 50.1MP crown, but we can expect a boost in megapixel capabilities. Sony did register a 44MP camera sensor last year, but that may be for a product further down the line. We’d hedge our bets at a 36MP sensor, just shy of higher-end models like the Canon R5 II, but enough to make it a great choice for enthusiasts too.

Pizzini also touches on “AI features”, which we read to be based on the AI autofocus we’ve seen in the a6700. New AI-based autofocus, paired with some potential in-body AI noise reduction, could make for even sharper photos - adding more detail in lower light.

We can also expect a speedier shutter. Though 1/8000s sounds fast, it lags behind even some mirrorless compacts in the modern camera market. A 5-digit shutter speed would allow for smoother frames, and the ability to capture fast-moving objects with clarity. Given that the A7IV is already an all-rounder, this would simply add sports or racing photography to its repertoire of scenarios it excels in.

Video-wise, we’ve already ruled out 8K footage - but is 6K a possibility? The A7IV can do 4K 30FPS, which is still capable but could be improved upon to an extent. Given that the Z6 III offers 6K RAW at 30FPS, the A7V hopefully won’t lag too far behind. One of the A7IV’s most noteworthy flaws is its overheating in video settings, so hopefully an improved heatsink will help reduce the buildup in heated shooting sessions.

One thing we’re particularly hopeful for is a reduction in the bulk of the camera. The A7IV isn’t the lightest of cameras, and when paired with hefty lenses, it can be a literal pain in the neck. Given last year’s A7C II and A7CR managed to pack a full-frame 33MP sensor into an APS-C body, we’re hopeful that we can get a lighter camera. We do think the A7IV fits nicely in your hand, so a reduction in weight rather than size is a suitable compromise in our minds.

Otherwise, we’re not too sure what to expect from the A7V. The advantage and popularity of the A7IV has been its excellent blend of features: it’s not the best, sure, but the best value for money? Undoubtedly. We’re hoping for some more valuable improvements that reflect the price, such as an OLED viewfinder and a decent ISO range - but nothing that pushes the boat out on price too heftily. You can pick the A7IV up these days for just north of $2,000 - and just south of it on a good day - which is part of what makes it so useful as an intermediate camera.