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Sony a1 .RSV file recovery

Your a1 stopped mid-recording and left a .RSV file. Here’s how to get the clip back.

The a1 (ILCE-1) records XAVC S, XAVC HS and XAVC S-I, 8- or 10-bit, up to 8K 30p and 4K 120p, with LPCM sound. While it records, it writes the clip to a temporary .RSV file in PRIVATE/M4ROOT/CLIP/ and turns it into an .MP4 when you press stop. If the battery dies, the card fills up or the camera overheats first, the .RSV is left behind and won’t open.

The a1’s 8K and 4K 120p modes write a lot of data quickly, so a full card is a common cause of a .RSV.

How to recover it

Stop using the card and copy everything on it to your computer.
Open rsvrescue.com and drop the .RSV from the copy. It’s read in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Watch the free 15-second preview with sound.
Pay once for the file and save the repaired .MOV, which opens in Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, QuickTime and VLC.

RSV Rescue reads the a1’s own settings from the .RSV itself, so you don’t need a reference clip, and it handles clips where you changed settings partway through. More detail: how to recover a Sony .RSV file.

a1 tips to avoid losing a take

Battery: the a1 uses the NP-FZ100. Start long takes on a full battery, swap between takes rather than during one, or use external power.
Back up as you shoot: the a1 has two slots that each take CFexpress Type A or SD cards. Set Recording Mode to simultaneous recording (Simult. Rec) so every clip is written to both cards; if one take ends as a .RSV, the other card often has a complete copy.
Heat: Set Auto Power OFF Temp. to High for long takes, especially in 8K.
Tip: 8K and 4K 120p write data very fast: use CFexpress Type A cards and start long takes with plenty of space.

Why it happened, and how to avoid it next time

See what an .RSV file is and how to avoid .RSV files.

Try the free preview → Drop your .RSV and watch the first 15 seconds of your recovered clip before you pay anything.