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Sony a7 III .RSV file recovery

Your a7 III stopped mid-recording and left a .RSV file. Here’s how to get the clip back.

The a7 III (ILCE-7M3) records XAVC S, H.264 8-bit, up to 4K 30p and Full HD 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 a7 III is still widely used for weddings and events, where an ageing battery or a full card is the usual cause of a .RSV.

How to recover it

1. Stop using the card and copy everything on it to your computer.
2. Open rsvrescue.com and drop the .RSV from the copy. It’s read in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
3. Watch the free 15-second preview with sound.
4. 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 a7 III’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.

a7 III tips to avoid losing a take

• Battery: the a7 III 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 a7 III has two SD card slots (slot 1 is UHS-II). 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: The a7 III rarely overheats in 4K 30p, but keep it out of direct sun on long takes.
• Tip: Older NP-FZ100 batteries can drop out without warning near the end of their life; retire any that run down unusually fast.

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.