Sony a6700 vs A7RV | A Weighted Decision

In this video I compare the Sony a6700 with the A7RV and talk about why you might consider the a6700 or why the a7rV might be best for your situation.
Sony a6700: sovrn.co/yewb0lr
Sony a7RV: amzn.to/44uNP3d
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[@Benjamin_Jehne]

I think in the same direction. What concerns me with the A7RV is the super slow sensor read out, the noise and it's size. The RV has the same pixel pitch as the A6700, but there is a very noticeable difference at higher ISOs. To make it clear, the RV is one stop behind the A6700 and there you see the age of this 61mpix sensor. It wasn't good as it was introduced in 2019 in the A7RIV and it's still not improved in the RV like they did with the 2015 42mpixer from the A7RII vs. A7RIII. As I normally shoot with over 40mpix bodies, this glued me to the A7RIII for six years now. The A1 is overpriced as something could be and the A7RV is a good weather or studio camera, but it's by far not on a level that comes with the A7RIII with it's sensor that performed at low and high ISO. But the A6700 with its overall package and the small lenses, thats somthing where I think, ok thats nice. This is the cheapest entry into the new AF system and once you tried the ZV-E1 you are conficed with this system. I totally understand why you bought it. The A6700 is just the next step that combines all together - not in a perfect way - but it checks most boxes. But there is one thing in your video what isn't right. The lenses don't lose any speed on an APS-C body. the amount of light is always the same. The A7RV and A6700 are the best example. Each pixel has the same size, so the delivers any pixel with the same amount of light. What you lose is just the DOF. But you're not losing any light. sometimes you will get even more light, as you don't need to zoom that far in, so a lens with variable aperture stays in a brighter f stop. Same with the A7RV in crop mode.

[@Davidmccombs]

Great insight. I didn’t realize the sensor of the A7rv was worse than the A7riii. And thanks for the clarification on the a6700 and a7rv in crop mode.

[@joshua4578]

I love my a6700 and I’m considering buying a second a6700 to be able to switch between telephoto and wide lenses in sports shooting situations. HOWEVER, I am curious about a full frame…but the cost for what I get isn’t worth it to me.

[@sidvicious3129]

Great points and content here. The A6700 is a baby A7RV, same AI chip and auto focusing system, I know because I own them both. I use the A6700 for the extra reach for sports, along with the A9. As far as professional uses, people were shooting professionally with Nikon D700s(which I owned) for years and it only has one card slot. Two card slots while extremely convenient, doesn’t make you a professional or always define professional use, your skill set defines what can and cannot be used for professional use, and again two card slots are a better bet overall, but you would be surprised by the amount of people that have two card slots that only bring one card or even set the two card slot redundancy up properly. Two card slots or a dual Cfexpress type a slot should, especially the Cfexpress slot should have been used. I have a few APSC lenses, but mostly use it with my full frame lenses. I think the Cfexpress type A probably wasn’t used due to heat. The A6700 is a great camera with great video specs. We also own a an A9, A7III A7RV,A7IV, two A7SIIIs Fx3, two Fx30s and three BlackMagic cameras. Each employee has a camera assigned to them, along with having a back up in case of failure and we backup on the fly with a little black box that covers photos and videos with an ssd in it.

[@stkuj]

Today, I shoot the a7rv for my portrait work. I took it on vacation and barely used it as I was just too lazy to take it out of the backpack. I'm loving my a7rv and will def keep it. So, I recently picked up a used a7c for travel/street and will pair it with some compact primes. I might get the ZV-E1 at some point this year too. I do think the a6700 offers a tremendous amount of value for the money. In the end, I want to stay FF across all bodies.

[@Davidmccombs]

I hear you. I’ve thought about getting the A7rV and picking up some apsc lenses to keep it extra light. Like the 15mm 1.4 or the 70-350.

[@pf4773]

you make my point, why bother with FF when it's size stops you from using it frequently?! SMALL matters. I love my A6000 and A6600 with the compact lenses. That said, I use my cell phone camera (IPHONE 13) WAY more than my camera. :)

[@kentao4]

Thank you for this! I’m looking for a good second cam and I think this is it! I haven’t watched yet but what about the a7c2?

[@Davidmccombs]

You might want to hold out for the A7c ii. I’m just concerned it won’t have dynamic stabilization.

[@pf4773]

Size matters :). People buy big cameras because of the specs, then rarely use them!!! they DO use their cell phones! If you are an international traveler even carrying a SMALL camera can cost you---I know, my entire bag with equipment was stolen last year while I was shooting. The smaller the camera the more subtle and discreet for shooting candid photos of people in various settings. Cameras vs. cell phones? No competition-cell phones kill cameras for percentage of use. Why? obvious-because size matters, and the cell phone gives you so much more than just a camera. Take a look at the head to head competition between the IPHONE 13 pro/14 pro, and regular cameras, the images on the computer screen are not distinguishable (yes of course blow up the photo on paper past 8x10 you will see differences). 2. One advantage of cameras over cell: powerful zoom lenses for animals, birding, street shooting, and sports.

[@Davidmccombs]

Good point. Smaller is better in my eyes. Just wish I could fit my mirror less camera in my pocket.

[@azirulbahrom5438]

I think A7CII is your answer

[@Davidmccombs]

I think I created this right before it was released. That’s a solid choice. Especially if you’re on the fence.

[@holdmyown32]

I’m in the same boat, I want the a6700 for travel and maybe hiking. I have the a7riv and a7iv for my professional work, with a few FE lenses. I have the sigma 30 1.4 and the sigma 56 1.4 that I can use with the a6700 and may add the sigma 18-50.

[@Davidmccombs]

It’s nice to have the benefits of full frame and aps-c with the A7r series, but I like the smaller size. I wish they made the a7cr with a better grip and viewfinder. That would be close to the perfect camera in my opinion.

[@lewcehjitl3282]

I am selling my a7iv to buy 2 of these since Sony dose not update there firmware so sad man.

[@Davidmccombs]

I’m glad I sold mine before this one came out.

[@andrewbrooks2001]

Go with a micro 4/3rd camera. Panasonic Lumix GH6 is pretty awesome.

[@shilonglam]

What about just using aps-c on full frame body? I don’t see any downside.

[@Maniya_gokila]

Searched for this content finally you made it 🤝🏻🔥

[@Davidmccombs]

Thanks! Hope you enjoyed it!

[@canucklehead28]

The 70-350mm is a phenomenal lens.

[@pf4773]

absolutely-I love this lens

[@Davidmccombs]

Good to know. It's been on my mind.

[@tanmaysakpalofficial]

What about the Tamron 18-300 compared to Sony 70-350 ?

[@Davidmccombs]

Good point. It's better on the wide end, so ideal for landscapes. The 70-350 is probably better if shooting wildlife.@@tanmaysakpalofficial

[@tanmaysakpalofficial]

@@Davidmccombs what about the image quality & real world use? By any chance can you make that comparison? Between the 18-300 vs 70-350

[@SilatShooter]

Now that the A7CII and A7Cr are out, would you consider these over the A6700? They seem pretty similar except for sensor. I know there are pros and cons for each.

[@Davidmccombs]

Great question. I’ve thought about that and I think both those cameras are great and I’ll probably eventually get one but I’m disappointed by the EVF and that’s make the decision more difficult. Honestly, I’m still planning on the a6700 because of the similar performance and the lighter lenses, but that may change.

[@truthseeker6804]

its a disappointing camera the fps is low and single card slot, cant be used for professional use. cool as a second camera tho. id rather go for a canon r7 for professional use, or a canon r8 for personal use. this a6700 shouldve been priced max $1200 and sony needs to release another camera to really compete with the canon r7 and r8. hopefully the a7cii competes with the r8.

[@gavincarter3425]

Everyone goes on about this. Although great specs Sony would confirm the A6700 is not aimed at professionals. The fps is irrelevant to how many keeper shots you get. So for argument sake the 11fps camera hits 10 out of 11 spot on in focus in a second burst and a 15fps/20fps camera gets the exact same number of shots in focus there would be no difference. It’s all about timing of the photographer to get a great shot so in my opinion 11fps is still sufficient and possibly a worthy trade off to get other great features on the A6700. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@truthseeker6804]

@@gavincarter3425 plus the Canon can do all that with dual sd cards. Wow. As I said this a6700 should've been at max $1200, sony needs another camera to actually compete with the r7.

[@truthseeker6804]

@@gavincarter3425 check Tony Northrup video of the a6700 vs r7. The r7 get more images in focus with better autofocus for photos. The a6700 is totally overpriced for photography. It has more video specs tho.

[@replay0712]

@@truthseeker6804 Use what suits you best.

[@Benjamin_Jehne]

​@@truthseeker6804 And then I put a nice 11mm F1.8 or Tamron 11-20mm F2.8 in front of the R7. Moment, wait - there are non of these lenses for the Canon?! Yeah, but they have some nice kit-lenses for the professional body, yeah that makes sense. I will never understand, how my generation could've used Canon 5D MKI and MKII's to shoot professional stuff. These bodies where so unprofessional with it's one card slot. Even cameras like the A7III and RIII couldn't write video on two cards. To make it short, it woul've been way better if there was a second card slot for redundancy, but if thats a problem, you have to invest in better cards like the Tough series. Or you buy into a sytem without lenses. Like you said, for photography this camera isn't a big deal, but this is a camera to streamline the overall cost for small videoproductions etc., without loosing any quality. And thats the point. It's overpriced on the one side and to cheap on the other side. This might not be the A cam for professionals, but this is a perfect B cam, as it is compact and fast enough for 99,99% of photographers who don't shoot the Eifel tower with 30fps. Do you know what I consider unprofessional in 2023? No IBIS. This is something where I would never ever step down from. And I also wouldn't even consider to buy an APS-C camera with the size of an old DSLR Body. The R7 is huuuuuge. But there you have it, it's aimed for a totally different user. Put some big and heavy tele lenses with internal OIS on it and go for it. The perfect sports and wildlife camera. But thats not the A6700. In my case, this is the first Sony APS-C body after the NEX-7 that I consider to be a tool used by professional, as there is a dial in the grip. This was my dealbreaker for all the years. I can't operate a camera that has just on specific dial. Now we have two + the dial in the back so aperture, shutter and ISO have their own dial.

[@martinsmyth5580]

Hi Andrey, you get the same light on a full frame as you do apsc f5.6 on apsc is the same as 5.6 on a full frame with different shallow depth of field and field of view. but its the same light :)

[@Davidmccombs]

Thanks for sharing. You’re right. You get the same light but different noise since the sensors are different.

[@hellopsp180]

Honestly What constitutes as "Heavy" is different for different people. But yes Objectively FF Setups are "Heavier" in comparison to APSC setups. But there's no equivalent to all FF lenses on APSC. Which completely negates the weight saving you were trying to get from APSC

[@Davidmccombs]

True. But you’ll always get more wide or more telephoto for a fraction of the weight. For example, the Sony 11 1.8 is like a lbs lighter than the 16mm 1.8 FF. The only similarity they share is the focal length bit something worth considering if you need weight savings.

[@iconikkkelement]

To even compare the Sony A7R5 to the Sony A6700 is weird to me… that’s like comparing a pitbull to a poodle … cause the only fault you can find with the R5 is that it’s bigger than the A6700 and a bit heavier

[@Davidmccombs]

Makes sense, but you get the same camera features with this camera. It's a much better deal for what you get at much lower price. The size and weight are the icing on the cake.

[@sdophoto1405]

Great video. I have an a6000 and have been waiting for this to come out. I have thought about other brands too as I use to be a canon guy. But I am in the eco system now and have a few great lenses. I also love the new menu system from what I have seen. It was one of my biggest complaints with sony.

[@Davidmccombs]

Glad it was helpful! I think that will be a great upgrade for you.

[@pf4773]

I'm excited for you. I had the a6000 for 10 years, then 4 years ago bought the A6600 (it was recently stolen). I've compared size/handling and the lenses with the Fuji and Canon 2 days ago, and am going to buy the A6700.

[@sdophoto1405]

@@pf4773 Thanks that is helpful

[@chip67art]

Same here I already have lenses for Sony APS-C lens mount

[@mtbboy1993]

Great points, size an price is why I am leaning away from the pricier cameras. i don't have a camera yet, but the 6700 pulls me back towards it, great autofocus, I see it does great at tracking faces, eyes. So far only drawback I see is single Sd card slot. But I'm not an pro, also failed cards is rare. But this makes me conflicted. But the capabilities of the camera are great. I must end the paralysis of analysis eventually.

[@Davidmccombs]

I’ve never had failed SD card and I’m not pro, so it’s not a big deal for me.

[@mtbboy1993]

@@Davidmccombs I went for a secondhand A7 IV and a second hand Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 from a dealer. camera was like new and to a great price, and the lens was separate, but had damage on the focus ring, only a tiny bit. otherwise all perfect. so I got a great deal. I never saw them second hand. Yesterday a second one popped up.

[@mtbboy1993]

@@Davidmccombs Failed Sd cards seems to be rare. But nice to be safe.

[@mtbboy1993]

@@Davidmccombs The A7IV wasn't too heavy. I have it in a backpack. But holding it doesn't feel too hevay, and finger clearnace is not an problem if I hold it properly, no need to hav finger lal the way in, point knuckle into the lens. I have size medium to small hands. But I guess it might be an issue big and long fingers. I have the fe 85 F1. 8 lens. Good allrounder. A bit of vignette, but easily solved in software like rawtherapee.

[@Davidmccombs]

The Sony A7iv is a great camera. I kinda regret selling it. It's actually very light, but I still like the smaller footprint of the A7C and may end up getting an A7Cii, but I'm also still conflicted. @@mtbboy1993

[@СергейКравец-и5ю]

I have a Sony R5 and Sony 6700, and a Sony 200-600 lens, so on the Sony 6700 the picture is sharper and less noise, I was very surprised

[@Davidmccombs]

That’s interesting. I wouldn’t have thought that.

[@bobdrawbaugh4207]

The problem with the A6000 series for me is the range finder style. I’m left Eye dominate so the range finder style is a non starter. Plus the fact I wear glasses makes the view finder to small. I did rent the A7CII and loved the out put. So I purchased the A7IV. I’m with you I like smaller lenses. So I’m looking at the new compact primes for times I want to go small. The sigma I-series, the Samyang tiny series and the Sony compact primes are all examples of small primes that compete with APSC for size.

[@Davidmccombs]

Yeah I love my apc lenses. So much more compact. I used to have the a7iv. It’s a great camera and of my favorite for both photo and video. Also I wish Sony had a better viewfinder on apsc like the a7iv

[@jean-philippeperetti8463]

Back in December, I put a huge dent into my budget and bought an A7RV. I'm 69, have shaky hands and not-as-good-as-when-I-was-young eyesight. For me the A7RV is a delight to use but I have been wanting to get a 2nd body. I am waiting for the A7CII announcement before making a decision. But I hear that there possibly might be an RX1RIII coming out? Can't wait to see.

[@Davidmccombs]

An RxRIII would be awesome. I would consider that. Good choice with the A7rv. It sounds like the perfect camera for what you need.

[@acheekymonkey]

Thanks for this discussion! I also prefer smaller cameras, but my eyes prefer a better EVF. Recently I did a trip with an Olympus OM1 and it worked out well and convinced me that less than full frame would be fine for me. And like you say, it's the size of the lenses that get you. So my plan right now is the Sony A7R5 with some APS-C lenses like the 70-350mm. That way I get the longer throw of using APSC mode, while still allowing me to use my Sony FF glass for portraits. If the A7R5 with smaller lenses is still too big, I can always sell that body and buy the A6700 or the new A7C2 when it comes out. THanks for the video!

[@Davidmccombs]

Great points. Those are my thoughts exactly. I really would like the better EVF in the A7RV, but the price is a major drag. I may still consider it in the future if the price comes down.

[@halimrahman]

If I am using the Manual mode (M), then I chose a certain Picture Profile (PP), will the PP be applied to both videos and still photos? Or just to videos when you press record and not to still photos when you press the photo shutter?

[@Davidmccombs]

It’s applied separately.

[@juergenstrapko7159]

In the A7RV you have a 6700 integrated..so both world in one camera. 200 gramm difference. You can use APS-C lens on the V and get even better picture quality as the 6700 can deliver. Tthe V sensor is far better in crop than the 6700 sensor

[@Davidmccombs]

That’s true. You just need to be able to afford it.

[@Nelsonng6688]

You could consider A7CR, much lighter and cheaper

[@jameiealehandro]

what do you guys think about the rolling shutter on a6700/fx30 ? is it good ? is it manageable for producing cinematic videos and commercials ?

[@Davidmccombs]

It looks pretty good. Terry talks about here at the 7 min mark. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoPMd4N5bauZpK8

[@pf4773]

if you are a pro then I would get the very best camera for image quality. But for enthusiast level, or semi-pro serious hobbyist, because I travel and want to stick with one camera, the A6700 will be my next camera body.

[@alen2937]

lol.. if size really matter, we can get either an a7c or similar camera... or might as well get an hx80 for ultra compacness, or rx100 for extra image quality.

[@pf4773]

I have the RX1000 vii. It's a great small camera, but nothing like the image quality/zoom possibilities of the A6700. If I had to choose, 1. get a good cell phone camera, Iphone 13/13 pro/14/14 pro, AND the A6700 with 18-135/70-350mm sony zoom lenses

[@Davidmccombs]

You’re right. But the A7c you get the best of both worlds and interchangeable lenses, a full frame sensor and more.

[@francissosing]

Hey Andrew, you’re talking about some good points here but I think testing a camera will give you the experience with the camera. I’ve seen some sketchy outcomes when testing the new a6700 when recording video with some overheating. I had the Fuji x-s10 in the past that is great for photography and some video work but I do notice that overheating can be an issue for extended periods. Even at 5 minutes of recording, the a6700 started having heat issues and actually shut down despite the “High” heat threshold setting turned on. Just something to keep in mind. Keep up the cool videos sir

[@Davidmccombs]

Thank you!

[@pf4773]

Virtually no reviewers after running the a6700 are reporting heating issues, including at various video settings running the camera for over an hour. If a camera is overheating after 5 minutes it is defective, not representative of the model/brand. If someone is a hard core videographer there are dedicated pro-level cameras for this purpose. The A6700 was never meant to be a pro-level video camera, even though it has pro-level features. But for running/creating short videos, it is 95% more than you need :). Again, return the camera if it overheats so quickly :)

[@donaldchoi3912]

Sony zv-e1 is better not much more in price

[@Davidmccombs]

Yes, just wished it had EVF.