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

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Sony A7S

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

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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
	Report a correction	Report a correction