There's a standard mic input, as well as a headphone jack, so you can easily connect an external mic. The IS system in the a7 II works by compensating … But the firmware update really improves the in-body stabilization. Now Sony has created new waves of excitement by introducing an update to the A7 in the guise of the Alpha A7 II. You can also attach an XLR microphone via an adaptor. The video performance is strong, but it is limited to 1080p. High bitrate 1080p video. However, the Alpha A7 II is still a great buy and can be found at heavily discounted prices, making it a very tempting proposition.]. By Sean Captain, Cherlynn Low 09 January 2015. Sign up to get breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more, plus the hottest tech deals! Improved ergonomics. Sony has also given the Alpha A7 II some of the video features of the A7S. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The autofocus system is a bit snappier when tracking moving targets, the grip is more substantial for comfortable handheld shooting, and there's now an in-body stabilization system that steadies any lens that's attached to the camera, even ones that aren't native to the Sony system. If the battery life was better that wouldn't be a huge issue. I also recorded some handheld video footage using the 85mm lens. Sony Alpha 7 II Review – Features. The Sony a7 II might be five years old, but it still has features and specs that are well worth the price in 2020. If you're using a non-native lens, or even a native manual focus lens like the Zeiss Loxia 2/50 ($806.00 at Amazon) , it's stabilized along three axes—yaw, pitch, and roll. Aside from the lens release button, controls are absent from the front plate. Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. The multi-interface hot shoe also supports Sony's XLR-K2M adapter ($599.99), which adds balanced XLR input and a shotgun mic, if you're serious about audio quality. Keep an eye on your inbox! It's not a touch screen like the one on the Leica SL. This means that the sensor can move to correct for accidental camera movements during the exposure. There are also adaptors available to allow Canon and Nikon lenses to be used. NEW: All Sony Cameras Compared. Once updated, the remote control provides full manual control over shooting. The camera measures in at 3.8 by 5 by 2.4 inches (HWD) and weighs 1.2 pounds without a lens. by William Brawley, Jeremy Gray, and Zig WeidelichOverview originally posted: 09/11/2015 Updates: 10/14/2015: Gallery Images added 10/20/2015: First Shots posted 11/23/2015: Performance test results posted 12/11/2015: Field Test posted 02/29/2016: Image Quality Comparison, Print Quality Analysis and Review Conclusionposted --- Special update: The Sony A7S II was named Best Low Light Camera in our 2015 Came… The Sony A7 II has been superseded by the newer Sony A7 III, but Sony's policy of keeping older models on sale means you can now get it at seriously low prices. Clean, detailed high ISO images. You can choose to shoot in a compressed Raw format, which saves space on your memory card, or an uncompressed format for the highest quality image. The Sony A7 range has … Top Sample Images Intro Lenses & Adapters Specifications USA Version Performance Compared Usage Recommendations More Overall The Sony A7 II is a great camera. That broadens the appeal of the camera to those who value top-end optics, but don't want to spend a fortune on a camera body. I tested the camera along with an adapter for Canon EF lenses from Fotodiox and Sony's own LA-EA3 adapter for Alpha SLR lenses. Like the original Alpha 7, the Alpha 7 II incorporates an optical low-pass filter as part of its image sensor design. And it’s also a strong choice if you’re looking for a well rounded and versatile option in Sony… The Sony Alpha A7 II is a superb camera that has all the benefits of a full-frame sensor without the bulk. Sony Alpha A7 II (body only with pro kit) ilce7m2bb $1,422.41. And Sony makes another specialized camera using this body design, the 12-megapixel Alpha 7S II ($1,998.00 at Amazon) , which offers the best 4K video of the bunch and is excellent when shooting at extreme ISO settings. Image quality out of the Sony A7 II is excellent, which isn't surprising considering the stellar performance we found from its predecessor. There's definitely a drop-off in quality at ISO 25600, but image quality is stronger than other cameras we've seen when pushed that far. Jim Fisher is our lead analyst for cameras, drones, and digital imaging. The original 24.3-megapixel Alpha A7 – our 2013 Camera of the Year – was already stellar, … I found that a quick twist of the manual focus ring helped considerably—if my subject was almost in focus the lens would be able to locate it, lock focus, and track it with ease. The in-body stabilization works well for stills and video alike, and the short distance between the lens mount and sensor allows you to use virtually any lens with the camera, as long as the proper adapter is available. The topmost can switch between automatic or manual focusing, or lock the exposure—an integrated toggle switch adjusts its function. This feature was first seen in the Alpha 7R II ($1,198.00 at Amazon) . Sony's PlayMemories app store offers a number of programs that can be downloaded to expand the functionality of the camera, and some of them are free. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, It covers the center third of the frame, where the Alpha 7R II has phase detect points covering most of the image sensor. The Review Sony a7 II. It's thicker than the initial trio of Alpha 7 cameras, and a little bit heavier (3.75 by 5 by 1.9 inches, 1 pound); the body itself is a bit deeper due to the stabilization system and the larger handgrip. The a7II is not without its quirks. That makes the Alpha 7 II our Editors' Choice in the full-frame mirrorless category. You will have to set the mode via the camera itself, however. It takes everything that we loved about the original A7 and improves upon it. It has good AF, superb image stabilization and produces very high quality images in a wide range of conditions. More and more cameras are gaining the capability to record footage at 4K quality. The A7 III gains a significant update to its autofocus because it features a very similar … The 3-inch rear display is mounted on a hinge so you can frame shots from above or below. There aren't a lot of full-frame mirrorless models on the market—and the affordable ones are all made by Sony. The bigg… Performance and ConclusionsThe Alpha 7 II starts and shoots in 1.5 seconds, focuses quickly in bright light (0.05-second), and does the same in about 0.7-second in very dim light. Canon 5DSR vs. Sony A7R II 17 October 2015. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/sony-alpha-7-ii. Before it, the Sony Alpha A7S II and A7R II both supported uncompressed raw shooting. When capturing JPGs the A7 II keeps noise under 1.5 percent through its top ISO 25600 sensitivity, but a simple score on a test doesn't tell the whole story. It’s user interface still lacks the polish I would expect of such an advanced camera. In-body stabilization is one of the huge selling points of the Alpha 7 II, and it's the real deal. The A7 II supports video at 1080p24, 1080p30, or 1080p60 quality in a variety of recording formats. Screen: 3.0-inch tilt-angle, 1,228,000 dots. The Sony Alpha 77 II ( at Amazon) is a strong entry in the APS-C field in that regard, and the Nikon D750 ($1,496.95 at Amazon) is one to consider when looking for a full-frame model. Compact design. Score. Sony A7R II vs iPhone vs Canon vs Fuji at 12MP and 35mm! It's recessed just enough that you're unlikely to activate it by accident, but it can be disabled when in still-capture modes if you're worried about accidentally starting a video. NY 10036. But that does mean that if you opt to use a vertical shooting grip, you'll have to buy a new one; the grip for the A7 II is priced at $350, holds two batteries, and includes vertical shooting controls. There's still plenty of detail in the 24-megapixel output from the Alpha 7 II, but a camera that omits the OLPF captures images that are just a little crisper, a difference that's especially evident in prints. LEICA 21mm + Sony A7R II versus Canon 20mm USM + 5DS R Comparison 01 October 2015 . Earlier this year, I wrote a detailed review of the Sony A7R, where I expressed a number of serious concerns with the camera, some of which were serious enough to be categorized as “deal … There's a number of improvements on the new model, with an all-new sensor and highly sophisticated 693-point AF system, while handling and performance has been improved also. We were very impressed by the results produced by the original Sony A7 and as the A7 II uses the same sensor and processing engine we knew that it would perform well. The lens mount is stainless steel, just like the one on the Alpha 7S, so you can attach big, heavy lenses to the svelte body with some confidence. Focus peaking and magnification. With a full-frame sensor, the range has offered image quality similar … Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning. Design and FeaturesThe Alpha 7 II ($898.00 at Amazon)  is the fourth camera in the family—joining the 7S ($2,498.00 at Amazon) , Alpha 7R ($1,099.00 at Amazon) , and the 7, which is remaining in production at a lower price point. Adds 3-axis stabilization to adapted lenses. If the focus wasn't set close to the subject to begin with, the lens could hunt back and forth for seconds without finding focus. There are a number of paid apps, ranging in price from $4.99 to $9.99, and Sony has continued to expand the selection. This means that these full-frame cameras can accept both full-frame and APS-C format E-mount lenses, but the image size is reduced when APS-C lenses are used. The only real downside to this is that the A7 II does not add that focal length to the recorded EXIF data, so if you like to track which lens a shot is captured with, you'll need to take notes. It's one of the best out there, with excellent sharpness and contrast. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. Exposure accuracy was pretty good, though I noticed that in auto white balance for indoor shooting, such as with basketball/gym lighting, that the camera leaned somew… Sony has several lenses in its E-mount line-up with integrated stabilization—they bear an OSS designation. CIPA rates the camera for 270 shots using the EVF or 350 with the rear LCD, but those figures don't take image review, Wi-Fi usage, or video recording into account. The function of the rear dial, as well as most of the other buttons on the camera, can be customized via the extensive menu system. The sensor is a bit hyperactive—its range is a bit excessive, so it's fairly easy to fool the camera into switching to the EVF when you're actually holding it at waist level with the screen titled up. At ISO 12800 detail is stronger, but still compromised to a point. The bulk of the controls are flush on the back, to the right of the LCD. If you don't mind a very grainy image, ISO 25600 is a viable option when shooting Raw as well. 5-axis in-body stabilization system. 7. The stabilization corrects X and Y axis movements as well as pitch, roll and yaw for both still and movie recording. When used in conjunction with the A7 II the in-lens and in-body systems work in concert to steady images. You'll want to download a free update from the PlayMemories Mobile app store, and you'll have to set up an account on a Web site in order to do so. When a stabilised Sony lens is used on the camera the two systems combine to give optimised performance, choosing the best one to use for the focal length and each type of correction. Even if you're using a purely mechanical Leica lens it can be stabilized—you're able to manually enter the focal length via a menu. Using an old manual focus Pentax 85mm lens this time, I was able to get tack sharp results at handheld speeds as low as 1/25-second, and reasonably sharp images at 1/15-second—and that's with stabilization along just three axes. Some of the fine lines in our test scene have smudged together, and very fine detail has been washed away, but you can still get away with that setting if shooting for Web output. But like the Alpha 7R II, the Alpha 7 II can have a tough time locking focus when using an adapted lens. Sony's claims that the focus system is improved by about 30 percent, and those improvements are in the realm of tracking accuracy and speed. The Fn button brings up an on-screen menu of shooting settings, and there are the standard playback and delete buttons; delete doubles as the programmable C4 button when shooting. But how well does the stabilization work? When he’s not out with his camera, Jim enjoys watching bad and good television, playing video games (poorly), and reading. Sony A7R II vs A6000 vs Canon 5DS R Comparison 18 September 2015 . This limits critical sharpness, but also counteracts color moiré effects that can appear when capturing images with certain repeating patterns and video. Video is crisp and full of detail, with quick autofocus. The camera also captures images in Raw format, which is appealing to photographers who want to apply noise reduction via software tools like Lightroom, and who want to have the flexibility to adjust color balance and exposure after capture. Sony Alpha A7 II (with 28-70mm lens) isoa7m2k $998.00. New York, Sony doesn't stuff the top plate with controls either, there are none to the left of the EVF. Sony a7 II Review: A Camera That's Still Got It in 2020 Join a Community of +2.7M … You will receive a verification email shortly. It's got 12 banks, each of which can be programmed. If you're buying an Alpha 7 II specifcially to use with third-party autofocus SLR lenses, you may find the experience to be disappointing, or at the very least inconsistent. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. For example, it can now record in the XAVC S, AVCHD or MP4 format. Sony would be wise to add a feature that disables the EVF entirely when the screen isn't positioned flush against the rear, as you'll have to dive into the menu and disable the EVF entirely if you want to grab a shot with the camera tight against your body at waist level. Sony A7II – Body Only ($1,699) or Sony A7II Kit with FE 28-70mm lens ($1,999) is priced at the same release price as the original Sony A7. Sony has one of those in its full-frame mirrorless lineup. The Sony Alpha 7 II is the follow-up to the original Alpha 7 and adds 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization to its 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor. Leica rangefinder lenses can be used on the A7 II via a mechanical adapter, benefitting from the in-body stabilization in the process. There was a big question mark about Sony's full-frame system when we reviewed the Alpha 7 and 7R in late 2013: lens selection. The 24.3-megapixel, full-frame sensor is capable of capturing fantastic, crisp images with very pleasing colors. If you're really serious about shooting action, you'll still do better with a camera with a dedicated phase detect sensor that supports predictive tracking. A flat command dial with a center button rounds out the controls. 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