How to update your lenses to work on the Sony A7 V

Sony’s latest enthusiast-focused camera arrived with worrying reports that it didn’t work with third-party lenses. I’ve tested 16 lenses from 6 different brands to establish what’s going on, and how to update them for full compatibility?

TL:DR

• Sony’s latest camera, the Sony A7 V, arrived with worrying reports that it didn’t work with third party lenses.
• In reality, it works perfectly with Sigma, Tamron and Zeiss lenses (and Sony ones, of course).
• However, autofocus lenses from most other manufacturers only work properly in AF-C or manual focus modes.
• In AF-S, AF-A and DMF focus modes, affected lenses won’t confirm autofocus, which means the shutter won’t release.
• Lenses can regain full functionality via firmware updates.
• Some manufacturers have already provided the requisite updates, including Samyang, Sirui, TTArtisan, and Viltrox.

Read on for the full gory details...

Sony A7 V and third-party lenses: background

Sony released its latest enthusiast-focused all-rounder, the Sony Alpha A7 V, in December 2025. But amid a generally positive reception, one major concern arose immediately. The camera didn’t appear to work with some third-party lenses, refusing to either autofocus or take a photo. This gave rise to concerns over whether Sony might be trying to restrict those lens makers in some way.

The issue was first highlighted by YouTuber Kai Wong in his initial Sony A7 V review. Then in a follow-up video, he pinned down more specifically what appeared to be going on. But even then, questions remained over whether the affected lenses could be fixed by firmware updates.

Now, the situation has become clearer. In short, lenses can in fact be updated to regain full functionality on the Sony A7 V, and many manufacturers have now done this. Here’s the full story.

The information in this guide is up-to-date, to best of our knowledge, at the time of writing, 9^th February 2026

Does the Sony A7 V work with third party lenses?

It turns out that the answer to this question is a slightly complicated, and the lens makers can be split into two groups. For the longest-established makers – Sigma, Tamron, and Zeiss – there’s no problem at all. These firms all fully license the E-mount protocols from Sony, which means their lenses are unaffected and work just fine.

For the second group of makers, mostly Chinese and Korean companies, almost all lenses show the same specific incompatibilities with the Sony A7 V. The implication is that these makers are probably reverse-engineering, rather than licensing the mount.

So what, exactly, is the problem? When the Sony A7 V is set to AF-S, AF-A, or DMF (Direct Manual Focus) mode, these lenses won’t confirm autofocus and the shutter won’t fire. However, affected lenses do work as expected in AF-C and manual-focus modes. So you can keep on using them, just with limitations.

Can third-party lenses be updated to work with the Sony A7 V?

Thankfully, it’s rapidly become clear that these problems can be fixed by updating the firmware of affected lenses. Indeed some makers have already issued updates for all their lenses, while others are working their way through their catalogues.

Which third-party lenses work on the A7 V, and which don’t?

With this in mind, let’s now spell out at the situation for the various lens makers one-by-one, starting with those whose lenses work fine without updates. Let’s start with those that work without requiring any update.

Do Sigma lenses work on the Sony A7 V?

Yes, Sigma lenses work perfectly well on the Sony A7 V, operating entirely as expected. I’ve tested and confirmed this with the 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS, 24mm F3.5 DG DN, 45mm F2.8 DG DN, and 90mm F2.8 DG DN.

It even holds up with Sigma’s oldest APS-C format E-mount lenses, the 19mm F2.8 DC DN, 30mm F2.8 DC DN, and 60mm F2.8 DC DN. So if you have Sigma lenses and want to use them on the Sony A7 V, you should be absolutely fine.

Do Tamron lenses work on the Sony A7 V?

Like Sigma, Tamron lenses should also work on the Sony A7 V. At least, according to reliable reports; I don’t currently have any that I can test myself.

Do Zeiss lenses work on the Sony A7 V?

Zeiss lenses also work seamlessly on the Sony A7 V. I’ve tested both the Batis 40mm F2 CF and 135mm F2.8, and they work exactly as they should.

In contrast, the following lens brands are affected by compatibility problems…

Do Laowa lenses work on the Sony A7 V?

Laowa has recently released its first two autofocus E-mount lenses, the impressive 180mm f/4.5 1.5x Ultra Macro APO, and the 200mm f/2 AF FF. While these lenses can be updated via their USB-C ports, the firm hasn’t issued compatibility updates specifically for the A7 V yet.

However, I’ve tested the Laowa 180mm f/4.5 Ultra Macro APO on the Sony A7 V, and it still works in AF-C and manual focus modes. It’ll also work intermittently in AF-S mode – but not reliably enough.

Laowa lens firmware updates can be found here

Do Samyang lenses work on the Sony A7 V?

Samyang lenses are among those affected. However, the company has now issued firmware updates to fix the problem. The complication is that while Samyang’s latest lenses incorporate USB-C ports, many older designs do not. To update those, you need to use the firm’s Lens Station accessory instead. I’ve updated the tiny, lightweight AF 35mm F2.8 FE below and the AF 50mm F1.4 FE, and verified they now work seamlessly on the A7 V.

You can find firmware updates for Samyang lenses here

Do Sirui lenses work on the Sony A7 V?

Sirui lenses are affected, but the firm has rapidly issued updates for its Aurora full-frame, Astra 1.33x  full-frame anamorphic, and Super-35 anamorphic lenses. These updates aim to provide full compatibility with the Sony  A7 V, but I haven’t been able to test them.

However, Sirui hasn’t yet done anything for its APS-C format Sniper series of lenses. There’s no word on its website whether it has any intention of updating them, although I’d be surprised if it didn’t.

Sirui lens firmware updates can be found here

Do Viltrox lenses work on the Sony A7 V?

Viltrox lenses were initially affected by the compatibility problems with the A7 V. But the firm has now issued firmware updates for all of its lenses, so they should work on the Sony A7 V.

To update your lenses, you need to download a program for your desktop computer. You can then apply the firmware updates by connecting them to your computer via their USB ports (Viltrox’s smartphone app won’t work in this case).

I’ve verified this fixes the problem with the 14mm f/4, 20mm f/2.8, and 28mm f/4.5 lenses. Before the update, they only worked with the A7 V set to AF-C or MF; afterwards, they also work perfectly in AF-S, AF-A and DMF.

Full information on Viltrox lens firmware updates can be found here