Sony A7R PDF User Manual
Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Sony Alpha A7R? It happens all too easily, but fortunately Sony makes a soft copy available that you can browse through online, print out, or download (see the pdf file below). It is certainly good practice to carefully familiarize oneself with the many different functionalities and options that the A7R offers, and the official user manual is without doubt an authoritative and comprehensive source of respective information.
That said, the instruction booklet can be a dry read, so that a dedicated camera guide book from a professional photographer that illustrates the camera's core functions in a real life photography context can be a very helpful complement. Yes, getting one of these camera guides (see here at amazon) would involve an additional expense, but if that book helps to exploit the camera's potential to the full, the (small) additional investment may well be worth it.
Also, you might want to check out the video tutorial on the Sony Alpha A7R below.
In any case, the A7R is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This mirrorless interchangeable lens camera was announced on October 16th, 2013, which means that, as of today, the camera is 3997 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued and was succeeded by the Sony A7R II as a replacement in the same line of cameras.
Sony's instruction manual for the A7R
The camera's instruction manual is 96 pages long. The pdf version is embedded below. As you browse through, you will hopefully find the information you are looking for. You can also print out a hard copy by right clicking on the manual and then choosing the respective menu option. For convenience, a summary of the key specs of the A7R is included towards the bottom of this webpage.
Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference (Ctrl-Shift-D on a Windows PC; Cmd-Shift-D on a Mac). Happy browsing!
Click on the button below to download the pdf version of the Sony Alpha A7R manual to your computer. The file will open in a new browser window.
If you prefer to read the user guide in another language, please check the respective availability on Sony's support site. That site also provides complementary online resources, such as information on the compatibility of various camera accessories or the availability of firmware updates that are not necessarily comprehensively covered in the instruction manual.
Printed, hardcopy versions of the Sony A7R manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.
Video tutorial for the Sony Alpha A7R
Perhaps instead of reading through a manual or operations guide, you might prefer to better familiarize yourself with your A7R by watching a video tutorial. It can notably help to quickly get to know the key functions and to set up your camera according to your particular preferences and needs.
Once again, the Sony A7R is a sophisticated imaging tool and not exploiting its capabilities to the full would be a pity. Hence, taking the time to study online information material or to read through a well-written camera guide book is highly recommended to make the most of your purchase.
Sony A7R FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the A7R.
What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Sony A7R?
The camera features a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.
Which image processing chip is used in the Sony A7R to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Sony equipped the A7R with the BIONZ X image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony A7R?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-51200.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Sony Alpha A7R?
Sony mentions a shutter rating of 250 000 actuations for the A7R. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the A7R over, say, three years, one would have to take about 250 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Sony A7R?
Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your A7R has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.
Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Sony A7R?
The A7R offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.
Does the Sony A7R feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Sony A7R for flash photography?
The A7R's flash sync speed is 1/160 sec.
Does the Sony A7R support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?
Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).
Which battery does the Sony A7R use?
The camera gets its power from the Sony NP-FW50 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Sony A7R?
Yes, Sony offers the VG-C1EM as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Further reading
How does the A7R stack up against available alternatives? In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
Core camera specifications
Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Sony Alpha A7R.
Camera Model | Sony A7R | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
Camera Lens | Sony E mount lenses | |
Launch Date | October 2013 | |
Launch Price | USD 2 299 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 35.9 x 24.0 mm | |
Sensor Area | 862 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 43.2 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 36.2 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 7 360 x 4 912 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 4.88 μm | |
Pixel Density | 4.20 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | no AA filter | |
Movie Capability | 1080/60p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 25 600 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 50 - 51 200 ISO | |
Image Processor | BIONZ X | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 95 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 25.6 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 14.1 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 2746 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2400k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 1230k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | No front-flip | |
Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 4 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 250 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | |
UHS card support | UHS-I | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FW50 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 340 shots per charge | |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | |
Body Dimensions |
127 x 94 x 48 mm (5.0 x 3.7 x 1.9 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 465 g (16.4 oz) |
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