We’re reaching peak camera with the Sony A7R VI

Sony’s spec monster let me shoot 67-megapixel images fast, silently, and without any blackout.

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Sony’s spec monster let me shoot 67-megapixel images fast, silently, and without any blackout.

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

It wasn’t long ago that shooting with a super high-resolution camera meant making serious sacrifices for the sake of all those megapixels. Enter the A7R VI .

Sony’s latest flagship high-res camera is a 66.8-megapixel spec monster. In addition to its modest bump in resolution from the last-gen A7R V , it uses a new sensor and processor that unlock nearly any kind of shooting — from sports and action to usable 8K video. It’s a huge departure from years ago, when high-resolution cameras were slower, noisier, and more specialized as a result of all those megapixels.

The A7R VI’s fully stacked sensor and new Bionz XR2 processor allow it to shoot full-resolution bursts at up to 30 frames per second without any viewfinder blackout. And that faster sensor means there’s little downside to using the electronic shutter full time, meaning you get truly silent shooting for any moment you want to be stealthy. The A7R VI also has 8.5 stops of in-body image stabilization, dual USB-C ports (because why not), and Sony’s new AI-based autofocus system.

Tons of resolution Stacked sensor allows blackout free, silent shooting up to 30fps The best continuous tracking autofocus

Ergonomics not as good as Sony A9 III or A1 II Can’t share batteries with older Sony bodies

The A7R V was pretty quick, shooting 60-megapixel images at up to 10 frames per second with its mechanical shutter, but the A7R VI pumps out its 9984 x 6656 resolution RAW files lightning-fast. And these files are huge. They average about 60 megabytes in lossless compressed RAW format, so that one-second burst of 30 shots can soak up 1.8GB. Wild.

I already use a pretty high-res Sony camera that shoots fast: the original A1. I pair it with the even faster but much lower-res A9 III for my wedding photo gigs. But even though I’m used to Sony’s speedy shooters, the A7R VI’s over-the-top resolution and flexibility really impressed me. In the past, super high-res cameras were reserved for studio work, but the A7R VI blows away any reservations over using a camera with 60-plus megapixels of resolution on just about anything: landscapes, sports, action, photojournalism, street photography, portraits, etc. It. Does. Everything.

I got to spend some time testing an A7R VI, and in that time I used it for casual snapshots, family weekend trips (including a mini safari), Verge product images, and a freelance wedding shoot (as the second photographer). I quickly realized that despite its new battery and ever-so-slightly revised grip around it, the A7R VI feels just like the A7R V — and therefore a whole lot like nearly any other A7 camera.