This year I was able to photograph the Bristol Renaissance Faire in Wisconsin with my friend's Sony a7R V mirrorless camera. Paired with the Sony 28mm f/2 and 85mm f/1.8 lenses.
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Renaissance fairs are a great option for people interested in photography. You can capture performance artists, intricate props, unique architecture, and many other subjects. I mostly go there to enjoy the time and atmosphere with friends, but it's great to get some photography in as well.
First Impressions: Build and Ergonomics
The Sony A7R V stands out for its build quality compared to other Sony cameras like the a6000 and a7S that I currently have. It feels impressively solid and has that professional-grade heft without being overly bulky. Even though it's a high technology camera, it doesn't overwhelm you with its size like cameras with a built-in grip can do.
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| One of my friends trying the camera out. |
The fully articulating back screen is an ideal design. This setup is the best I've seen for self-photography or vlogging while still supporting the traditional horizontal tilt for landscape work. The screen has a resolution of around 2 million dots which is above average. The only downside is that all of the mechanical workings of the screen make it pretty thick. Sony also improved the menu system on this model. Kaizen is very evident in this camera since the original a7 full-frame E-mount model was released in 2013.
High-End Specs and Enhanced Controls
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| Technically three locks because the setting ring under the main dial also has a lock. |
The Sony A7R V is like the "kitchen sink" of cameras. It has everything you could ask for in terms of physical controls. Dual locking dials on top keep settings from getting accidentally changed. The triple adjustment dial design allows for easy changes to the entire exposure triangle, so if you prefer physical controls for ISO, aperture, and shutter speed then you should be covered (I didn't personally try that out).
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| All the ports! |
Ports on the camera include microphone and headphone jacks, two USB ports (USB-C and micro USB), a full-sized HDMI port, and a flash sync port for studio use. You even get dual combined CFexpress Type A and SD card slots, which I configured to provide an instant backup between the two SD cards we used. Perfect for sharing files with a friend after an event. Though, at the end of the day, I ended up copying all of the photos to a third card I had on hand within the camera itself. A cool feature that I don't know if every camera with dual memory card slots offers.
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| The high-resolution viewfinder with a 0.9x magnification and around 9.4 million dots. |
High Resolution, High Demands
At 61 megapixels, this camera potentially delivers a large amount of detail, though it comes with some practical challenges. This kind of resolution pushes any lens to its limits. Finding lenses capable of fully resolving this amount of pixel density is likely expensive and could be nearly impossible. The highest sharpness measured on DxoMark is 51 MP by the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Art lens on a Sony a7R IV. That's not even considering other factors like the potential for shutter shock in mechanical mode.
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| The 28mm lens at f/6.3 aperture. |
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| 28mm turns into a zoom lens when viewed at 100 percent. |
My old computer struggled to keep up when browsing through the photos, which is something to consider if you're considering a high resolution camera. You might need to upgrade your computer to make it feel manageable. Not as much of an issue with the many cameras around 24 MP I've had over the years.
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| Here you can see that the sensor is tilted while off. |
The camera's internal stabilization is a feature that could potentially help eek out a bit more resolution hand held, but not all subjects are a good fit for this. Anything with people in the photos can't account for them moving around, so sensor based stabilization will only help on your side of the camera.
Real-World Autofocus and Performance
Overall, the autofocus felt very responsive and confident when registering that it was focusing. However, as I reviewed my photos, I noticed that many of them didn't focus where I wanted. Maybe it needed some sort of configuration adjustments, but I'm not sure.
Know that the camera's defaults won't give you perfect photos sometimes, but with time and effort, I think it's capable of impressive results. I tend to move around pretty quickly in addition to low shutter speeds the camera was using in aperture priority mode likely contributed to the mixed results.
One additional glitch I experienced was the camera locking up after going into sleep mode. This required removing the battery to get it going again. The camera was running version 2.00 firmware. I'm not sure if this is an issue that Sony has since addressed in an update or if it was an issue with the specific camera.
Lenses in Action: 28mm f/2 and 85mm f/1.8
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| An ideal situation for the 85mm lens taken at f/4.5. |
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| Close up crop of the photo. |
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| 28mm f/2 lens at f/3.2 |
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| 28mm f/2 lens at f/3.2 close up |
The 28mm f/2, however, was a better match for this kind of event. It offered a nice field of view that allowed me to get close without losing context, and the f/2 maximum aperture is pretty reasonable for a somewhat wide angle lens.
Photographing the Faire: Scenes and Subjects
The Bristol Renaissance Faire provides a solid array of subjects to photograph. From people in intricate costumes to the styled architecture. Performance artists were everywhere, and they make fantastic subjects, as their expressions and dynamic movements create unique photo opportunities.
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| 85mm lens set to f/4.5 aperture. |
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| Close up you can see color fringing on the armor. |
Beyond people, the event is full of details worth capturing. Statues, armor displays, and scenic props add layers to the medieval styled setting. The crowds, flowers, and even cosplayers. I spotted two from "Delicious in Dungeon".
Final Thoughts
Using the Sony A7R V at the Renaissance Faire was a fun experiment, though I don't think I'd bring a camera this size every time. Especially during the summer when it's hot and my hands are covered in sunscreen. For those deeply invested in photography and excited to get use out of your expensive equipment, it's still a great event for that.
The Sony a7R V has everything a photographer might need in a single camera, but it also requires a fair bit of learning and setup to get the most out of it. With more time and knowledge, I think this camera can produce great results.