The Sony Alpha a7 II is an image-stabilized full frame mirrorless camera, the fourth release in Sony's a7 lineup and the follow up the original a7. It uses the same 24-megapixel sensor as its predecessor, and the same Bionz X processor as the rest of the a7 series.
The A7iii massively outperforms its predecessor on the AF system and shooting speed, and also brings welcome enhancements to the ISO, video capability, image stabilisation and plenty of handling improvements too. One area that may sway you in favour of the A7ii is the price.
Video modes can be changed from full-frame to APS-C (super 35mm equivalent) if desired, and in this crop mode, the camera can support high frame rate 120fps shooting at standard HD resolution (1280 x 720p), creating a 5x slow-motion effect."
Conclusion. The Sony A7 II is a great camera, but unfortunately, it's not catered to every type of photographer. Those who already own the original A7 have no real reason to upgrade unless they need the image stabilization, better subject tracking or better feature set when it comes to video.
Recommendations. Its perfect resolution, great high ISO performance and great handling makes this A7 II Sony's best buy in full-frame cameras. It's 95% of the A7S II and A7R II for 50% of the price — and it weighs less and has the most optimum resolution; 24MP is perfect for full-frame.
Sony claims their SteadyShot INSIDE technology in the a7II can compensate 4.5-stops worth with stabilization. With image stabilization inside the Sony a7II, yes you can pull off shots with less available light, but if your subject is in motion, the stabilization will not help you.
While the new a7 III seems to be a big step forward in regard to the battery life, autofocus accuracy, and its newly added video features, the a7 II remains a pretty good camera which, for the price, offers a decent range of possibilities for amateurs or professional photographers.
What are the best 4K cameras?
- Panasonic GH5 4K camera. Unlimited 4K recording.
- Sony A7 III 4K camera. 4K @ 30p/25p.
- Fujifilm X-H1 4K camera. C4K video with F-Log and 200Mbps.
- Nikon D850 4K camera. 4K @ 30p/25p/24p.
- Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II 4K camera. 4K @ 30p/25p/24p.
- Panasonic GH5S 4K camera.
- Canon EOS 5D Mark IV 4K camera.
Sony has become rather popular for its video features over the last few years. He uses the burst mode to create full raw file image sequences to use in his videos. The Sony A7III and A7RIII both offer 10 frames per second at 6K and 8K resolution respectively.
The sony website advertises the A7II as being able to do 120fps at 720p if you switch to APS-C crop mode. This made the RX10 a great option for under-1000 slowmo HD videography.
After years of speculation the waiting is over, Sony has finally announced the replacement to the A7S II, the Sony A7S III. While the Canon EOS R5 makes the huge leap to 8K video capability, Sony has played it a bit safer with the aim of producing the best 4K video from any Sony camera to date.
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- 1 - Set the Camera to XAVC-S HD. Press the menu button, then toggle over to camera menu 2.
- 2 - Choose a Record Setting. Directly below the File Format sub-menu, you should see Record Setting, which will allow you to choose a frame rate and a bit rate.
At a mere 407 grams (body only), at this time the A7 series can rightly lay claim to the world's smallest full frame sensor camera. Images from the A7r are as good as it gets. Video usage is not at the same excellence however, but as has been said, this camera was not designed with video as a first priority.
The A7sii sports a 12.2MP full-frame 35mm mirrorless sensor with an ISO range of 50-409600. The camera also has a shutter speed range of 30 seconds to 1/8000 sec with a maximum continuous shutter of 5 frames per second. In terms of video, this camera shoots 4K UHD up to 30fps internally and up to 120fps in 1080p.
The A7S is Sony's newest entry in its full-frame mirrorless lineup. But where the 'R' in A7R stood for resolution, the 'S' in the 12MP A7S stands for sensitivity. Furthermore, with its full-sensor readout and 4K video capabilities, the A7S is as much a camera for video as it is a camera for stills.
The a7R IV is undoubtably attractive to anyone buying a full-frame camera today, but it's not going to be the right choice for nearly anyone considering it. The a7R III is far more appealing and valuable right now, and it's still an outstanding camera.
Why you should buy the Sony A7IIIThe Sony A7III gives you 24 MP files vs. 42 MP files on the A7RIII. It will be easier on your storage and your workflow will be much faster. According to Manny's quick tests, the A7III has a slightly better low light performance than the A7RIII.
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A7II in crop mode is like using a 10MP APS-C camera. Depending on your uses, 10MP maybe more than adequate. In terms of high ISO, it will be about as good as an average APS-C camera, so about one stop worse than the full frame A7II.
