PetaPixel: Sony’s Mid-Range Camera Lineup Is Falling Behind – Time for an A7 V?

Sony, once the king of refreshing their lineup with rapid-fire precision, now seems to be stumbling in the mid-range mirrorless game:(

During a recent Petapixel podcast, hosts Chris Niccolls, Jordan Drake, and Jaron Schneider dove deep into the state of mid-range cameras across all brands—and Sony didn’t come out looking great.

“Sony’s mid-range is a mess,” said Jordan bluntly, noting that the A7 IV is now long in the tooth and lacks Sony’s newer AI-based subject tracking. While Sony’s compact A7C II and A7CR have more recent tech, their ergonomics and controls are compromised. “They’re back to small bodies with no joystick, small EVFs, and single card slots,” the hosts pointed out.

So where is the real mid-range option?

The A7 IV, launched in 2021, still costs $2,500, and despite its popularity, it’s showing its age—especially when compared to offerings like the Nikon Z6 III or Canon R6 II, which now offer faster readout sensors, improved EVFs, and class-leading AF performance. Meanwhile, the A7C II retails for a similar price but cuts too many corners for serious hybrid shooters.

Jordan suggested Sony desperately needs to release a new mid-tier model with a stacked or partially stacked sensor—perhaps a reimagined A7 V with the AI chip, better ergonomics, and at least some excitement to match the competition.

“If Sony wants to shift the conversation back to ‘Sony is killing it,’ they need to drop something genuinely new in the mid-range,” said Chris.

As it stands now, Sony seems to be coasting on past success in this segment, while Nikon and Canon aggressively push value-packed new releases.