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Sony A7 II Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Sony A7 II

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    Main Features

    • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
    • ISO 100 - 25600( expands to 50-51200)
    • 5-axis Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
    • 3 Tilting Screen
    • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
    • 5.0 fps continuous shooting
    • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video
    • Built-in Wireless
    • 599g. 127 x 96 x 60 mm
    • Weather Sealed Body
    • Replaced Sony A7
    • Replaced by Sony A7 III
    CHECK PRICE
    CHECK PRICE

    Sony A7 II Overview

    First introduced in November 2014 , Sony Alpha A7 II is a 24.0MP Pro Mirrorless camera with a Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor, built-in Image Stabilization , Tilting screen and Sony E lens mount. Sony replaced the older Sony A7 with this model and later A7 II was replaced with Sony A7 III. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
    Compare Sony Alpha A7 II vs Sony A7
    Compare Sony Alpha A7 II vs Sony A7 III

    Sony A7 II Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Lens Mount and Lenses
    4. Sensor and Photography Features
    5. Physical Specs
    6. LCD and Viewfinder
    7. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    8. Video
    9. Other Features
    10. Photography Type Scores
    11. Alternatives
    12. Popular Comparisons
    13. Frequently Asked Questions
    14. Detailed Specifications

    Sony A7 II is a member of Sony's A7 series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

    Sony A7 Series History
    Model Release Date Sensor Max FPS Dimensions Weight
    Sony A7 III
    Compare
    2018 24.0MP - Full frame 10.0 fps 127 x 96 x 74mm 650g
    Sony A7 II
    2014 24.0MP - Full frame 5.0 fps 127 x 96 x 60mm 599g
    Sony A7
    Compare
    2014 24.0MP - Full frame 5.0 fps 127 x 94 x 48mm 474g

    Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
    Sony A7 III vs A7 II vs A7

    Sony A7 II has an Overall Score of 80/100 and ranked #33 out of 212 in Mirrorless cameras (Top 10 Mirrorless), and ranked #45 out of 1221 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.



    Sony A7 II Physical Specs
    Sony A7 II weighs 599 g (1.32 lb / 21.13 oz) and has external dimensions of 127 x 96 x 60 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.36″). Considering that the average weight of Mirrorless type cameras is 443g, Sony A7 II is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 60mm, it has an average thickness.
    Weight Comparison

    Mirrorless Cameras

    Sony A7 II
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    Thickness Comparison

    Mirrorless Cameras

    Sony A7 II
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    Here is the front and top view image of Sony A7 II with the dimensions:

    Sony A7 II Body Size Dimensions
    Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Sony A7 II Camera Body

    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Sony A7 II, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Sony A7 II Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Sony A7 II Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

    Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Sony A7 II with its main competitors:

    Sony A7 II Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs A7 II Thickness vs A7 II
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A7 III
    Compare
    650g 51g heavier 74mm 14mm thicker
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A7
    Compare
    474g 125g lighter 48mm 12mm thinner
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A7R II
    Compare
    625g 26g heavier 60mm equal thickness
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A6400
    Compare
    403g 196g lighter 50mm 10mm thinner
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Canon RP
    Compare
    485g 114g lighter 70mm 10mm thicker
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A6000
    Compare
    344g 255g lighter 45mm 15mm thinner
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Nikon D750
    Compare
    840g 241g heavier 78mm 18mm thicker
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A7R
    Compare
    465g 134g lighter 48mm 12mm thinner

    Weather Sealing

    Sony A7 II has environmental sealings on its body which makes it a weather resistant camera, providing resistance against the water and dust getting in to the camera. If you like outdoors photography and want to be able to use your camera in extreme conditions, Sony A7 II will serve you well. If you attach one of these Sony A7 II weather Sealed lenses to your camera, you will have a great all weather kit.

    Sony A7 II Sensor and Photography Features

    Sony A7 II has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 6000 x 4000 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9. A7 II has a native ISO range of 100 - 25600 which can be boosted to 50-51200 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

    Sony A7 II is not the highest resolution Full frame camera. Sony A7R IV with its 61.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Sony A7 II vs Sony A7R IV or take a look at Highest resolution Mirrorless cameras list.

    Sony A7 II DxOMark Sensor Scores

    DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Sony A7 II sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 90 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Sony A7 II here.

    Let's look at how the size of the Sony A7 II's Full frame sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Sony A7 II Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Sony A7 II Sensor Size with other standard sensors

    Sony A7 II Lens Mount and Lenses

    Sony A7 II has a Sony E lens mount and currently there are 128 native lenses available for this mount. Sony keeps on adding new lenses to its E and FE mount selection and third party lens manufacturers also offer lot of good options. Thanks to its very short flange focal distance, choices of adapting lenses from other mounts are almost limitless. Sony also sells an adapter (Sony LA-EA4) which lets A mount lenses to be used with functionality including AF with E mount cameras. Metabones and Fotodiox also offers adapters which makes use of full range of Canon EF lenses with Auto Focus on E mount cameras.

    A7 II also has a Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization system which means that all of these lenses will be stabilized when used on A7 II. Sony claims that the image stabilization of A7 II is effective up to 4.5 stops. Sensor based image stabilization is one of the most useful features that you can have in an ILC. There are also 52 lenses with weather sealing for A7 II that you can couple with its weather sealed body.

    Here are some of the most popular Sony A7 II Lenses on Camera Decision:

    Popular Sony E Mount Lenses for Sony A7 II
    Model Focal Length on A7 II Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
    Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS Lens Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS
    24-240mm 35mm FF 780gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T Lens Sony FE 24-70mm F4 ZA OSS Carl Zeiss Vario Tessar T
    24-70mm 35mm FF 426gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS Lens Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS
    70-200mm 35mm FF 840gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Lens Sony FE 35mm F2.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T
    35mm 35mm FF 120gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS Lens Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS
    70-300mm 35mm FF 854gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 50mm F1.8 Lens Sony FE 50mm F1.8
    50mm 35mm FF 186gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS Lens Sony FE 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 OSS
    28-70mm 35mm FF 426gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
    Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS Lens Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
    90mm 35mm FF 602gr AF Amazon B&H Photo

    Check our Sony A7 II Lenses page for more detailed lens search.



    Sony A7 II LCD and Viewfinder

    Sony A7 II has a Tilting 3 LCD screen with a resolution of 1,230k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.



    Sony A7 II back view and LCD

    A7 II has a built-in Electronic viewfinder, making it easier to shoot in direct sunlight and in other situations where it might be difficult to view the LCD monitor. The viewfinder has a resolution of 2,359kdots and coverage of 100%. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later. The magnification ratio of the viewfinder is 0.71x (35mm equivalent).

    Sony A7 II Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    Sony A7 II features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( with NFC and wireless control via PlayMemories Mobile app) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection. With its NFC feature, A7 II can communicate with devices such as smartphones which are also equipped with this technology by simply touching each other.One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our A7 II. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

    You can connect A7 II to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

    Battery

    Sony A7 II is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 350 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Mirrorless type cameras is 369 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

    Battery Life Comparison in Pro Mirrorless Cameras

    Sony A7 II
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Olympus E-M1X with its 870shots is the model with longest battery life among Pro Mirrorless cameras. Check the comparison of Sony A7 II vs Olympus E-M1X or take a look at Longest Battery Life Mirrorless cameras list.

    Sony A7 II Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A7 III
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 610shots Yes Yes Yes
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A7
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 340shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A7R II
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 290shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A6400
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 410shots Yes Yes Yes
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Canon RP
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 250shots Yes Yes No
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A6000
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 360shots Yes No Yes
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Nikon D750
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 1230shots Yes No No
    Sony Alpha A7 II Camera Sony A7R
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 340shots Yes No Yes

    Sony A7 II Video Features

    With Sony A7 II, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60p,60i,24p fps with bit rates up to 50 Mpbs mbps and save in MPEG-4, AVCHD and XAVC S formats. Full HD resolution of Sony A7 II will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.
    You can also consider its successor, the Sony A7 III which features 4K video recording.

    A7 II has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker. Sony A7 II also has a port for an external microphone and a headphone port for connecting external headphones which make Sony A7 II a very suitable camera high quality videography.

    Sony A7 II Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Sony A7 II can shoot continuously at max speed of 5.0 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/8000 sec.

    Flash

    Unfortunately A7 II doesn't have a built-in flash but it has a flash shoe for mounting external flashes.

    Focusing

    Sony A7 II features both Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus (AF) systems which ensures speed and accuracy of focusing in most situations. The AF system has 117 points to choose from.

    Sony A7 II also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

    Sony A7 II PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Sony A7 II review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

    PROs
    Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)
    NFC Connectivity
    5-axis Image Stabilization
    Articulating Screen
    Full HD Video
    Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
    Face Detection Focusing
    24.0MP - High Resolution Sensor
    25.600 Max ISO
    117 Focus Points
    1.230k dots LCD Resolution
    1/8000s High Shutter Speed
    599g Light Body
    External Microphone Port
    External Headphone Port
    Environmental Sealing
    Timelapse with optional downloadable app
    2359kdot Viewfinder Resolution
    0.71x magnification - Large Viewfinder
    Good Low Light ISO - 2449
    Wide AE Bracketing Range: ±5 EV
    Flash Sync Port
    Dual-axis Electronic Level
    Remote control with a smartphone
    Compatible with fast UHS-I cards
    Report a correction

    Buy Sony A7 II from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Touch Screen
    Low Battery Life: 350 shots
    Report a correction
    What type of Photography is Sony A7 II Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Sony A7 II in 5 different photography areas.

    Sony A7 II for Portrait Photography

    Sony A7 II has a score of 78 for Portrait Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Portrait Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Portrait Photography list.
    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 of how we scored Sony A7 II for Portrait Photography

    Sony A7 II for Street Photography

    Sony A7 II has a score of 95 for Street Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.
    Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
    Live-view
    Face-Detection Focusing
    Tilting LCD Screen
    Image Stabilization
    Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
    Medium sized Body

    Read the details of how we scored Sony A7 II for Street Photography

    Sony A7 II for Sports Photography

    Sony A7 II has a score of 73 for Sports Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Sports Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Sports Photography list.
    Environmental Sealings
    Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
    117 Focus Points
    Good Low Light ISO
    Wireless Connection
    Good Ergonomics&Handling
    Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
    Image Stabilization
    Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps

    Read the details of how we scored Sony A7 II for Sports Photography

    Sony A7 II for Daily Photography

    Sony A7 II has a score of 91 for Daily Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.
    Environmental Sealings
    Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
    Medium size Body
    599g
    Body Thickness 60mm

    Read the details of how we scored Sony A7 II for Daily Photography

    Sony A7 II for Landscape Photography

    Sony A7 II has a score of 51 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Landscape Photography list.
    Live-view
    Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
    Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
    Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Sony A7 II for Landscape Photography
    Sony A7 II Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Sony A7 II compares with other Mirrorless cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Sony A7 II alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Sony A7 II

    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Sony A7 II amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Sony A7 III
    Sony A7 III
    Compare
    Sony A7
    Sony A7
    Compare
    Sony A7R II
    Sony A7R II
    Compare
    Sony A6400
    Sony A6400
    Compare
    Canon RP
    Canon RP
    Compare
    Sony A6000
    Sony A6000
    Compare
    Nikon D750
    Nikon D750
    Compare
    Sony A7R
    Sony A7R
    Compare

    Sony A7 II Alternatives in DSLR Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Sony A7 II with DSLR Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked DSLR cameras in Sony A7 II's price range.

    Nikon D850
    Nikon D850
    Compare
    Pentax K-1
    Pentax K-1
    Compare
    Pentax K-1 II
    Pentax K-1 II
    Compare
    Nikon D750
    Nikon D750
    Compare
    Nikon D810
    Nikon D810
    Compare
    Nikon D500
    Nikon D500
    Compare
    Canon 90D
    Canon 90D
    Compare
    Canon 6D MII
    Canon 6D MII
    Compare
    Frequently Asked Questions about Sony A7 II
    Does the Sony A7 II have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Sony A7 II have RAW support?
    Does the Sony A7 II have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Sony A7 II have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Sony A7 II?
    What is the Sensor Size of Sony A7 II?
    is the Sony A7 II a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Sony A7 II have Touch Screen?
    Does the Sony A7 II have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Sony A7 II?
    What is the Weight of Sony A7 II?
    What are the Dimensions of Sony A7 II?
    Sony Alpha A7 II Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Sony
    Model Sony Alpha A7 II
    Announced 2014-11-20
    Body Type SLR-style mirrorless
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount Sony E
    Number of Lenses 128
    Focal Length Multiplier 1x
    Macro Focus Range n/a
    Screen
    Screen Type Tilting
    Screen Size 3
    Screen Resolution 1,230k dots
    Live View
    Touch Screen
    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder Electronic
    Viewfinder Resolution 2,359k dots
    Viewfinder Coverage 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x
    Photography Features
    Min Shutter Speed 30s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation Yes
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range no built-in flash
    Flash Modes no built-in flash
    External Flash
    AE Bracketing
    WB Bracketing
    Exposure Modes
    Multi-Segment
    Average
    Spot
    Partial
    AF-Area
    Center Weighted
    DxO Sensor Scores
    DxO Overall Score 90
    DxO Color Depth 24.9
    DxO Dynamic Range 13.6
    DxO Low Light ISO 2449
    Report a correction

    Sensor
    Sensor Type CMOS
    Sensor Size Full frame
    Sensor Dimensions 35.8 x 23.9 mm
    Sensor Area 855.62mm2
    Sensor Resolution 24 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 6000 x 4000
    Max Native ISO 25,600
    Max Boosted ISO 51200
    Min Native ISO 100
    Min Boosted ISO 50
    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
    Number of Cross Focus Points Unknown
    Video Features
    Video Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 24p), 1440 x 1080 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p)
    Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080
    Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity Built-In
    HDMI
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 599g
    Physical Dimensions 127 x 96 x 60mm
    Battery Life 350 shots
    Battery Type Battery Pack
    Battery Model NP-FW50
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (2 or 10 sec; continuous (3 or 5 exposures))
    Timelapse Recording With downloadable app
    GPS None
    Storage Type SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
    Storage Slots 1


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