Sony Alpha A7 II
MSRP $1,700.00
“For $400 more than its predecessor, Sony’s A7 Mark II, with improved performance and excellent image stabilization, is well worth it.”
Avg
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Full-frame image quality in a compact body
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Stable five-point stabilization
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XAVC-S video format
Against
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Slow burst modes are not ideal for action
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It does not have a built-in flash
Update November 5, 2015: An upcoming firmware update will add support for 14-bit uncompressed RAW and phase detection autofocus. The latter will support autofocusing of selected Canon lenses (via an adapter). Go here to read more.
Sony has put some major upgrades into its latest full-frame mirrorless camera, the Alpha A7 Mark II. The original 24.3-megapixel Alpha A7 – our 2013 Camera of the Year – was already great, but Sony has improved it with five-axis image stabilization, faster autofocus and superior video. We know (at the time of writing) that 2015 has only just begun, but is the A7 Mark II already in the running for another blockbuster?
Features and design
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We’re big fans of the A7 and the later models that followed, including the 36MP A7R and 12.2MP A7S with an outstanding ISO (409,600). While each is different, they all use full-frame image sensors and interchangeable mirrorless lens bodies that are the smallest in their class. Full-frame DSLRs like the really good Nikon D750 are much bigger and heavier. While the original A7 will still be available for $1299 (body only) – a relative bargain in the world of full-frame interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs) – we recently spent some time with the new Mark II to see if it’s worth the $400 more .
At first glance, the two cameras look similar, but the Mark II is thicker, has a larger grip (more like a DSLR), and weighs 21 ounces with battery versus 16.7 for the original. Overall dimensions are similar, but the new camera is 2.4 inches deep instead of 1.9. Some controls have been rearranged (for example, the shutter button has been moved to the beveled top of the grip, and the recessed operation wheel is now near the front), and Sony has added internal improvements such as the five-axis image stabilization we’ll discuss in the Performance section. We think the new grip is a nice improvement, but as always, you have to do it yourself.
The Mark II uses an E-mount and seven full-frame (FE) lenses are available, including fixed and zoom lenses. It’s far from a huge selection, but the key bases are covered, and Sony plans to increase it. Other E-mount glass can be used, but the image will be cropped, so it’s really not an option if you want full-frame quality. If you have A-mount lenses, an adapter is available for $349 (third-party options are also available). Also on the front is an AF Assist lamp for low-light focusing and a lens release button.
On the top of the all-black camera are two pinhole speakers, a hot shoe, stereo microphones surrounding the electronic viewfinder (EVF), an exposure compensation dial (+/- 3 EV), a main mode dial, and two custom buttons (1, 2); the original only had one. With custom buttons, you can assign a specific camera function.
The camera is worth the money for a long-term investment
The main mode dial has classic Sony camera settings including Auto; Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority (PASM) and Manual; Scene; Panorama; Movie; and Custom 1 and 2. These additional Custom settings allow you to adjust a wide range of photo parameters that you can “call up” with the turn of a dial. The camera offers plenty of personalization options, but if you prefer to work in automatic or program AE mode, those are also available. What the camera does not offer is a built-in flash. This is definitely a negative rating even with ISO 25,600 capability; many times you need a fill-in flash for portrait or backlit work. An optional flash should be added and Sony’s starting price is $149, but third-party options are available for less.
Key features on the back are a 3-inch tilting LCD screen (rated at 1230K dots) and an OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) specced at 2390K dots with diopter control. The LCD is an improvement over the A7’s 921.6K-dot resolution, but the EVFs are similar. It would be nice if Sony added touch to the LCD to adjust menus, touch focus, etc. (like Samsung’s NX1), but both viewing options are near the top of their class. Not the end of the world, just a suggestion for whatever Sony has next in the series.
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends
The back also has the usual collection of camera buttons, but there’s a slight difference from the original A7: Here you get C3 and C4 (four in total) for extra customization. There’s also direct access to ISO instead of white balance on the control wheel, which is much more useful. There’s a nice raised thumb rest with a video button with a red dot on the edge. It is slightly recessed so it is not easy to access; moving to the upper deck would be more convenient but again not a problem.
The right side has a compartment for SD or Memory Stick media. Be sure to purchase SDXC cards (UHS-I or better) to take advantage of XAVC-S video recording. One annoying thing that kept happening was that our right palm would push the door open. There’s also an NFC tag for quick pairing with compatible devices. The camera has a Wi-Fi connection for remote control and photo transfer (via Sony’s PlayMemories app for iOS and Android, which can be downloaded from their app stores). On the left, there are two compartments with headphone and microphone ports, as well as USB and HDMI outputs. The battery is placed on the bottom and has a capacity of 350 shots, which is a typical specification for mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses.
What’s in the box
The A7 Mark II is available as a body-only kit or with a 28-70mm f/3.6-5.6 optically stabilized zoom lens. With both you also get a battery, an AC adapter with a USB charging cable, caps and a strap. Sony doesn’t provide any software, so you’ll need to download them (PlayMemories Home for handling files and Image Data Converter for developing RAW images) from Sony’s website.
Warranty
Sony offers a one-year limited warranty on parts and labor.
Performance and use
It’s hard to beat the image quality provided by full-frame sensors (unless you’re talking about medium format, but that’s beyond consumer understanding). The A7 Mark II uses a 24.3 MP sensor combined with Sony’s Bionz X processor; it’s the same setting as the A7. Sony claims focus tracking is more accurate with the new model, although the hybrid AF system is the same (117 phase detection points/25 contrast detection points). Responsiveness is also the same at 2.5 frames per second (fps), 5 fps with speed priority. With numbers like that, the camera isn’t really geared for action, but for landscapes, portraits, as well as videos.
Our review unit came with a 28-70mm zoom and we really put it to the test for a few weeks. It is set to the highest resolution for photos and movies (6000 x 4000 pixels, AVCHD Progressive and XAVC-S at 50 Mbps).
The A7 Mark II takes photos that are just as good as the original, which is to be expected since the basic elements of photography are the same. Where things differ (for the better) is video quality. XAVC-S movies are really good with rich, accurate colors and barely a hint of blur. AVCHD Progressive, which uses the original and is available in the Mark II, is also excellent. What really helps them both is the five-axis image stabilization system. Our pans were as smooth as can be, almost as good as using a quality tripod. We like that you can review the system’s operation by pressing the trigger halfway. It’s a winner, whether you shoot photos or movies. We noticed that the shutter is a little noisy, but it doesn’t sound as clunky as those in DSLRs.
The A7 Mark II takes great photos, but video quality is really good with rich, accurate colors and minimal blur.
According to Sony, the five-axis image stabilization “corrects camera shake along five axes during shooting, including angular shake (tilt and yaw) that typically occurs with telephoto lenses, movement shake (X and Y axes) that becomes visible as magnification increases, and rotational shake (rolling) which often affects footage at night or during video recording.” Five-axis systems are nothing new (Olympus and Panasonic use them), but what Sony has achieved is that it has managed to fit such a system into a small full-frame camera body. Sony told us that it had to call in many of the company’s engineers to build it from the ground up.
For comparison, we pitted the Sony SLT-A99V DSLR against it – another full-frame camera with a 24.3MP sensor – with built-in IS but no 5-axis system. We shot similar scenes using AVCHD Progressive in auto mode at 50mm just to get an idea if there was much of a difference. The test was quite difficult, because we shot the clips while chasing the boat. Even though we bounced around, the A7 Mark II’s videos made the bumpy ride seem almost like glass. The A99V’s videos weren’t nearly as smooth, although color quality was up to par. This wasn’t a super scientific test, but we could see the difference and that’s what mattered.
DT accessory package
Step up your game and get the most out of your gear with the following accessories hand-picked by our editors:
32GB Leef Pro UHS-1 SDXC ($17)
64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-1/U3 SDXC ($79) To take full advantage of the A7 Mark II’s video capabilities, you should get a fast, high-capacity card. Check out our current favorites from Leef and SanDisk.
Flash Sony HVLF20M ($148) The A7 Mark II does not have a built-in flash, which is sometimes useful in certain lighting conditions.
A-Mount to E-Mount Adapter ($348) Sony’s selection of full-frame E-Mount lenses is limited, but this adapter opens up lens possibilities, making A-Mount lenses compatible with the A7 Mark II.
The A7 Mark II has an ISO range of 50-25,600, with plenty of incremental stops. For our test subject, the shutter speed was 1/4 second at f/3.5 at the lowest setting, rising to 1/2000 at 25600. Even with the slow shutter speed, there was almost no blur when shooting handheld; again the five-axis stabilization worked like a charm. In terms of noise and color shift, 25,600 isn’t what you want, but you can get away with 6,400, even 10,000, if you’re not zooming the image to 100 percent. In other words, the Sony is pretty good in low light, especially if you have a brighter lens. The results weren’t as good as the Samsung NX1, but there are big differences between the two.
Conclusion
We highly recommend the Sony A7 Mark II. While you can now get a great deal on the original model and get just as pleasing photos, it’s worth spending that extra $400 for better video capture and an excellent five-axis stabilization system. The newer model also has better ergonomics. The camera as a whole is worth the money for a long-term investment. However, we must add a bit of a caveat: cameras have come a long way since the A7 was introduced in 2013, with the likes of Samsung’s NX1 and Nikon’s D750 impressing. They’re not direct comparisons, but if you’re spending close to two grand, they’re really worth considering because each has points that exceed the A7 Mark II. Still, you won’t go wrong with the latest member of the A7 series.
Tall
- Full-frame image quality in a compact body
- Stable five-point stabilization
- XAVC-S video format
Falls
- Slow burst modes are not ideal for action
- It does not have a built-in flash
Editor’s recommendations
Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn