Sony A7 II vs Sony A7 Comparison

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Sony A7 II

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

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Sony A7

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

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Sony A7 II vs Sony A7 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the Sony A7 II with the camera that it replaced, the Sony A7, list out what is new, its advantages over its predecessor and finally try to conclude if the A7 II is a worthy upgrade to the A7. Sony A7 II was introduced to the market in November 2014 and Sony A7 was launched in January 2014 so it will be interesting to see how much difference this 10 months between the two cameras make.

A7 II and A7 are members of Sony's A7 series of cameras. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Sony A7 Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Dimensions	Weight
Sony A7R V	2022	61.0MP - Full frame	131 x 97 x 82mm	723g
Sony A7 IV	2021	33.0MP - Full frame	129 x 97 x 81mm	659g
Sony A7 III	2018	24.0MP - Full frame	127 x 96 x 74mm	650g
Sony A7 II	2014	24.0MP - Full frame	127 x 96 x 60mm	599g
Sony A7	2014	24.0MP - Full frame	127 x 94 x 48mm	474g

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Sony A7 II and Sony A7 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A7 II Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-11-20

24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 25600 ( expands to 50 - 51200)

Sony E Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Tilting Screen

2359k dot Electronic viewfinder

5.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

599g. 127 x 96 x 60 mm

Weather-sealed Body

Replaced Sony Alpha 7 Compare

Sony A7 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-01-22

24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

ISO 50 - 25600

Sony E Mount

3.00" Tilting Screen

2359k dot Electronic viewfinder

5.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

474g. 127 x 94 x 48 mm

Weather-sealed Body

Sony A7 II was replaced by Sony Alpha A7 III. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha A7 III vs Sony Alpha A7 II
Sony Alpha A7 III vs Sony Alpha A7

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Sony A7 II and Sony A7 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha A7 II over Sony Alpha 7

In-built Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Battery Life	350 shots vs 340 shots	10 more frames with a single charge
Color Depth	24.9 vs 24.8	higher color depth
Low Light ISO	2449 vs 2248	better High ISO performance
UHS Card Support	UHS-I vs none	Read/Write in High Speeds
Webcam Function	Yes vs No	Use your camera as a Webcam

CHECK A7 II PRICE

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha 7 over Sony Alpha A7 II

Weight	474 g vs 599 g	125 g lighter
Dynamic Range	14.2 vs 13.6	higher dynamic range

CHECK A7 PRICE

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha A7 II and Sony Alpha 7

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
Max Resolution	24 MP vs 24 MP	Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution	1.230k 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

Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha A7 II and Sony Alpha 7

Built-in Flash	No vs No	Require external flash

Sony A7 II vs Sony A7: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Sony A7 II and Sony A7 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A7 II has external dimensions of 127 x 96 x 60 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.36″) and weighs 599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz) (including batteries). Sony A7 has external dimensions of 127 x 94 x 48 mm (5 x 3.7 x 1.89″) and weighs 474 g (1.04 lb / 16.72 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Sony A7 II and the Sony A7.

Comparison image of the Sony A7 II and the Sony A7 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Sony A7 II and Sony A7.

Comparison image of the Sony A7 II and the Sony A7 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A7 II and Sony A7.

Top View Comparison image of the Sony A7 II and the the Sony A7 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A7 is significantly lighter (125g ) than the Sony A7 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 also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Sony A7 II and Sony A7 have the same Sony E lens mount and Full frame sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7 II

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

A7 II

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Both the A7 II and the A7 have weather sealings in their bodies, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony A7 II and Sony A7's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

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 A7 II vs Sony A7: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony A7 II and Sony A7 have Full frame sized 24.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the A7 II and A7 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A7 II and Sony A7 Cameras

Sony A7 II and Sony A7 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores
At Camera Decision, we also look at Dxo Mark sensors when available as we think it is a good indicator of image quality.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Sony A7 II	90	24.9 bits	13.6 Evs	2449 ISO
Sony A7	90	24.8 bits	14.2 Evs	2248 ISO

Sony A7 II vs Sony A7 Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. In this case, both Sony A7 II and Sony A7 have the same Sony E lens mount so have 191 native lenses available. All of these lenses cover Full frame sensor.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Sony A7 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. A7 II's built-in Image stabilization system is effective for compensating vibration up to 4.5-stops according to CIPA standards.
On the other hand, Sony A7 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 38 lenses for Sony E mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type	# of Sony A7 II Lenses	# of Sony A7 Lenses
Standard Zoom	19 (14 Full Frame)	19 (14 Full Frame)
Standard Prime	34 (21 Full Frame)	34 (21 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom	14 (11 Full Frame)	14 (11 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime	57 (39 Full Frame)	57 (39 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom	17 (15 Full Frame)	17 (15 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime	26 (20 Full Frame)	26 (20 Full Frame)
SuperZoom	10 (2 Full Frame)	10 (2 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	2 (0 Full Frame)	2 (0 Full Frame)
Macro Prime	9 (8 Full Frame)	9 (8 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime	2 (2 Full Frame)	2 (2 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime	n/a	n/a
TOTAL	191 (132 Full Frame)	191 (132 Full Frame)

Here are some of the most popular Sony E Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Sony E Mount Lenses for the A7 II and the A7

	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS	35mm FF	663gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS	35mm FF	602gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM	35mm FF	886gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 G OSS	35mm FF	2115gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 50mm F1.8	35mm FF	186gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM	35mm FF	680gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE	35mm FF	772gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Sony FE 35mm F1.8	35mm FF	280gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Sony A7 II and Sony A7 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Sony A7 II and Sony A7 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 A7 II for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Sony A7 for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A7 II for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7 for Street Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 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 A7 II for Sports Photography

GOOD

Sony A7 for Sports Photography

GOOD

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

Sony A7 II for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony A7 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
599g
Body Thickness 60mm
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
474g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details

Sony A7 II for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony A7 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Sony A7 II vs Sony A7: 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 A7 II and Sony A7, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 A7 II and Sony A7 scores compare:

Sony A7 II

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #49 out of 111 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #73 out of 1260 in all Cameras

Sony A7

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #66 out of 111 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #105 out of 1260 in all Cameras

Sony A7 II is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Sony A7 in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Sony A7 II.

Sony A7 II

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Sony A7

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Sony A7 vs Sony A7 II Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Sony Alpha A7 II	Sony Alpha 7
Brand	Sony	Sony
Announced	2014-11-20	2014-01-22
Body Type	SLR-style mirrorless	SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CMOS
Size	Full frame	Full frame
Dimensions	35.8 x 23.9 mm	35.8 x 23.9 mm
Area	855.62mm²	855.62mm²
Megapixels	24 megapixels	24 megapixels
Max Resolution	6000 x 4000	6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity	25,600 ISO	25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	51200 ISO	-
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	50 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	117	117
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Sony E	Sony E
Number of Available Lenses	191	191
Screen
Type	Tilting	Tilting
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	1,230k dots	1,230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	2,359k dots	2,359k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.71x	0.71x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/8000s	1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync	n/a	1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	5.0 fps	5.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	599g	474g
Dimensions	127 x 96 x 60mm	127 x 94 x 48mm
Battery Life	350 shots	340 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording	With Downloadable App	With Downloadable App
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	90	90
DxO Color Depth	24.9	24.8
DxO Dynamic Range	13.6	14.2
DxO Low Light ISO	2449	2248
	Report a correction	Report a correction