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Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S Comparison

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Sony A7S II

12 MP | Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A7S II
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Sony A7S

12 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony A7S
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Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing A7S II and A7S, two Pro Mirrorless cameras by Sony. Both Sony A7S II and Sony A7S cameras have 12.0MP Full frame sensors. Sony A7S II was introduced to market in October 2015 and Sony A7S was launched in April 2014. There is 18 months difference between A7S II and A7S so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger A7S II, especially in sensor tech.

A7S II and A7S are members of Sony's A7S series of cameras. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Sony A7S Series History
Model Release Date Sensor Max FPS Dimensions Weight
Sony A7S III
  
2020 12.0MP - Full frame 10.0 fps 129 x 97 x 81mm 699g
Sony A7S II
2015 12.0MP - Full frame 5.0 fps 127 x 96 x 60mm 627g
Sony A7S
2014 12.0MP - Full frame 5.0 fps 127 x 94 x 48mm 489g

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A7S II and Sony A7S before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7S II Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-10-12
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 102400 ( expands to 50-409600)
  • Sony E (NEX) Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3 Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 627g. 127 x 96 x 60 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Sony Alpha 7S Compare

Sony A7S Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-06
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 409600
  • Sony E Mount
  • 3 Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 489g. 127 x 94 x 48 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Sony A7S II was replaced by Sony Alpha 7S III. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha 7S III vs Sony Alpha A7S II
Sony Alpha 7S III vs Sony Alpha A7S

Sony A7S was replaced by Sony Alpha 7S II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Sony Alpha A7S
Sony Alpha 7S II vs Sony Alpha A7S II

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A7S II and Sony A7S compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7S II over Sony Alpha A7S
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Viewfinder Magnification
0.78x vs 0.71x Larger Viewfinder
Number of Focus Points
169 vs 25 144 more focus points
Battery Life
370 shots vs 360 shots 10 more frames with a single charge
Dynamic Range
13.3 vs 13.2 higher dynamic range
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Eye Tracking Focus
Yes vs No Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject


Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7S over Sony Alpha A7S II
Max ISO
409.600 vs 102.400 300% higher Max ISO
Weight
489 g vs 627 g 138 g lighter
Color Depth
23.9 vs 23.6 higher color depth
Low Light ISO
3702 vs 2993 better High ISO performance

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7S II and Sony Alpha A7S
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Tilting Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution
1.229k dots vs 1.230k dots High resolution screens
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs Yes better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
With Optional App vs With Optional App creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs Yes Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Dual-axis Electronic Level
Yes vs Yes Level the camera easily in two axis
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Webcam Function
Yes vs Yes Use your camera as a Webcam
Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7S II and Sony Alpha A7S
Built-in Flash
No vs No Require external flash
Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Sony A7S II and Sony A7S side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A7S II has external dimensions of 127 x 96 x 60 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.36″) and weighs 627 g (1.38 lb / 22.12 oz) (including batteries). Sony A7S has external dimensions of 127 x 94 x 48 mm (5 x 3.7 x 1.89″) and weighs 489 g (1.08 lb / 17.25 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A7S II and Sony A7S.

Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Sony A7S II and Sony A7S Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A7S II and Sony A7S.

Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Sony A7S II and Sony A7S Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7S II and Sony A7S.
Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Sony A7S II and Sony A7S Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7S is significantly lighter (138g ) than the Sony A7S II which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Sony A7S II and Sony A7S have the same Sony E (NEX) lens mount and Full frame sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7S II
A7S
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7S II
A7S
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both A7S II and A7S have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7S II and Sony A7S's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.

Both cameras feature Tilting screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels.
Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony A7S II and Sony A7S have Full frame sized 12.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the A7S II and A7S sensor size comparison.

Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7S II and Sony A7S Cameras


Sony A7S II and Sony A7S have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Sony A7S II and Sony A7S sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that A7S has a better overall score of 87, 2 points higher compared to A7S II's score of 85.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Sony A7S II 85 23.6 bits 13.3 Evs 2993 ISO
Sony A7S 87 23.9 bits 13.2 Evs 3702 ISO
Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. In this case, both Sony A7S II and Sony A7S have the same Sony E (NEX) lens mount so have 142 native lenses available. All of these lenses cover Full frame sensor.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Sony A7S II has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization (IS) which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. On the other hand, Sony A7S doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 32 lenses for Sony E mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Sony A7S II Lenses # of Sony A7S Lenses
Standard Zoom 13 (10 Full Frame) 13 (10 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 23 (13 Full Frame) 23 (13 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 8 (7 Full Frame) 8 (7 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 46 (30 Full Frame) 46 (30 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 10 (8 Full Frame) 10 (8 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 19 (15 Full Frame) 19 (15 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 9 (2 Full Frame) 9 (2 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 2 (0 Full Frame) 2 (0 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 8 (7 Full Frame) 8 (7 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime 2 (2 Full Frame) 2 (2 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 142 (94 Full Frame) 142 (94 Full Frame)

What types of Photography are Sony A7S II and Sony A7S Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7S II and Sony A7S for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony A7S II for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony A7S for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A7S II for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7S for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A7S II for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony A7S for Sports Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
169 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Read the details
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A7S II for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7S for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
627g
Body Thickness 60mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
489g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details

Sony A7S II for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A7S for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details

Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony A7S II and Sony A7S, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony A7S II and Sony A7S scores compare:

Sony A7S II
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #31 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #46 out of 1226 in all Cameras
Sony A7S
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #42 out of 88 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #74 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Sony A7S II has a higher Overall Score than the Sony A7S and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Sony A7S II
Sony A7S II
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Sony A7S
Sony A7S
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Sony A7S vs Sony A7S II Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Alpha A7S II Sony Alpha A7S
Brand Sony Sony
Announced 2015-10-12 2014-04-06
Body Type SLR-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 35.6 x 23.8 mm 35.8 x 23.9 mm
Area 847.28mm2 855.62mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4240 x 2832 4240 x 2832
Max Native Light sensitivity 102,400 ISO 409,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 409600 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 50 ISO -
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 169 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Sony E (NEX) Sony E
Number of Available Lenses 142 142
Screen
Type Tilting Tilting
Size 3 3
Resolution 1,229k dots 1,230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots 2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 0.71x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Sensor-shift No
Built-in Flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 5.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 627g 489g
Dimensions 127 x 96 x 60mm 127 x 94 x 48mm
Battery Life 370 shots 360 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording With Downloadable App With Downloadable App
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 85 87
DxO Color Depth 23.6 23.9
DxO Dynamic Range 13.3 13.2
DxO Low Light ISO 2993 3702
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