Sony a7 V: Faster Than the a7 IV, But Where Are the Real Tradeoffs?

Sony's a7 V sounds like the obvious upgrade if you want a faster, more responsive full frame body without jumping to a flagship price. The catch is that a spec sheet won’t tell you where the real compromises hide.

Coming to you from Gordon Laing, this methodical video puts the Sony a7 V through side-by-side tests against the Sony a7 IV and the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, with a detour to the Panasonic Lumix S1 II. You get a clear look at what partially stacked really buys you: 30 fps bursts, a blackout-free viewfinder experience, and less skewing than the previous generation when you pan quickly. You also get the kind of detail most reviews skip, like how viewfinder quality modes trade fine detail for smoothness, and how that choice changes tracking fast subjects. If you’ve ever missed the start of a bird’s takeoff or the exact instant a wave hits, the pre-capture options alone will make you pause.

Laing also spends time on the stuff that decides whether the camera is pleasant to live with. The rear screen mechanism matters more than it sounds, especially if you shoot low, high, or vertical frames in quick succession without wanting the screen flapping off to the side. The storage setup matters too, and the video breaks down the practical difference between SD and faster media once the buffer starts clearing, including how long you’re stuck waiting before you can shoot another burst. If you plan to lean on bursts, pairing the camera with CFexpress Type A changes the experience in a way that’s hard to ignore. Canon users will notice the mirror-image tradeoff with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III and CFexpress Type B, especially if you like recording to two cards.

Where the video gets interesting is how it refuses easy assumptions about image quality. The a7 V doesn’t chase higher megapixels, so the question becomes whether speed costs you anything in noise or shadow recovery when you push files hard. You see real comparisons, including raw files with consistent conversion settings, and you get a sense of how close modern bodies are once you stop reading marketing claims and start lifting shadows. There’s also a quiet warning for anyone who expects “Sony autofocus is always best” to hold in every scenario, because the Canon body can be more confident in some tracking situations, especially at distance.

Lens and accessory choices can quietly box you in, and Laing doesn’t gloss over it. The a7 V’s top burst speed is easiest to access with Sony lenses, while third-party glass can hit limits that don’t show up in your first week of casual shooting. The video uses examples like the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary, the Sigma 20-70mm f/2.8 DG DN | Contemporary, and a Viltrox 85mm f/1.4, plus a Sony telephoto like the Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS. You also get a reality check on upgrade math: the a7 V may be the cleanest path inside E-mount, but a used Sony a1 can land in the same budget neighborhood if you prioritize stacked-sensor behavior and resolution. Battery life and handling come up in practical terms too, including the familiar NP-FZ100 and the optional VG-C4EM grip, with small usability notes that only show up after weeks of use. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Laing.