Hello everybody and thanks for checking in once again! Today I wanted to breakdown the New Sony A7II (ILCE7M2), so you have a good understanding of what is new and just how awesome it is or is not 😉
The major breakthrough that Sony has come out with is the New 5-Axis Sensor stabilization technology and we really need to go over this first! This is flat out amazing technology the Olympus has had for some time on their killer M4/3 sensor sized range finder style cameras. Well, Sony figured out a way to use this technology and scale it up to the much larger full frame sensor found in the A7II. Clearly Sony worked with Olympus on this, so I gather they will get some sensor technology from Sony in return. I could be wrong, but that would make sense to me.
So, in order to fit this 5-axis IBIS technology inside the small mirrorless camera body it had to get a bit larger. I personally don’t mind this at all, because I did complain a bit about the ergonomics of the original A7-series bodies and pointed out several areas that could be improved in the next generation body. It really needed to be refined and that is exactly what Sony did!
5-axis Image Stabilization
The a7 II dramatically expands your range of expression by compensating for five types of camera shake during handheld shooting of still images and movies. The highly effective 4.5-step* compensation lets you confidently zoom in on faraway subjects, snap detailed close-ups, capture night scenes and more — all with minimal camera shake blur.
* Based on CIPA standard. Pitch/yaw shake only. With Sonnar T* FE 55 mm F1.8 ZA lens mounted. Long exposure NR off.
Automatic optimization for every Alpha lens
Confidently use your favorite E-mount and A-mount lenses, knowing the a7 II will analyze information from the lens to optimize depiction performance and 5-axis image stabilization for the particular lens you mount. When using E-mount lenses with optical stabilization (OSS), the a7 II combines the best of in-lens and in-camera image stabilization.
First, take a quick look at the camera size comparison courtesy of CameraSize.com
Sony A7II VS A7
Now lets take a look at some High Resolution photos for a much closer look at the goods!
A7M2 WxHxD = 5.0 x 3.8 x 2.4″ / 126.9 x 95.7 x 59.7 mm
A7 WxHxD = 5.0 x 3.7 x 1.9″ / 126.9 x 94.4 x 48.2 mm
Click Photos for ~1000px High Res Versions!
From the top side we can see huge improvements in the grip design, shutter positioning, and custom buttons! The original Sony A7 was a modified RX1 camera body and it really showed in my opinion, especially when compared to this well refined model.
The shutter button includes the ON\Off toggle just like the original A7 design. The Hot Shoe and Shutter Release Button are also black in color which I prefer 😉 You can also see the new and improved angled back from the top now which holds the Menu Button and C3/ Magnify.
The remarkably compact and lightweight body is solidly built to withstand the rigors of shooting in the field. It’s the ideal blend of light weight, solid reliability and steady handling, thanks to a top cover, front cover and internal structure constructed of rigid magnesium alloy.
From the back side we can see several improvements and overall differences. First, note that angled lip where the Menu and C3 buttons are located. This used to be a chunky flat notch design and it was harder than it needed to be for sure! Sony also made the top rear adjustment wheel much thinner, and it has a more aggressive grove pattern for the thumb. The memory card door is also refined and is no longer part of the thumb resting support area. I think this will resolve any accidental memory card door openings users have complained about.
Really well done Sony on all accounts, and thanks for addressing all of our ergonomic complaints!
The A7II has a Higher Resolution TFT (1,228,800) w/ WhiteMagic Technology! This allows for much better viewing in daylight conditions and a more accurate representations of the whites in various scenes.
[quote]The LCD screen tilts upward approx. 107 degrees and downward approx. 41 degrees to accommodate wide-ranging shooting angles. This flexibility combines with compact mobility to greatly expand your shooting options. Viewing is also clear under direct sunlight thanks to WhiteMagic™ technology that nearly doubles the brightness of the display.[/quote]
The grip on the New Sony A7II has been improved leaps and bounds in my opinion. Much deeper which was critical, but even more important was the re positioning of the shutter button and adjustment wheel. This design is way more efficient, ergonomic, and user friendly in my opinion. Not eh much smaller memory card door as well!
You can really see just how far the grip sticks out past the e-mount flange from this left side view in particular. Note the new HDMI and USB port locations and improved door design. They now open downward and
New Specs and Features
Well, the 24mp sensor is the same, but Sony claims a 30% speed improvement in AF, so this is great in my opinion. Clearly not as good as the new A6000 second generation hybrid AF, but still good enough for most photography that we would encounter. High speed sports photography will obviously not be the best with this camera, but you certainly get some good shots regardless in my opinion if you know how to use the camera to it’s potential.
A new higher resolution touch LCD screen is a welcomed improvement and upgrade for sure.
5 fps AF/AE shooting with accurate tracking
When your subject is moving fast, you can beautifully capture the decisive moment with sharp, well-exposed results via 5fps continuous AF/AE shooting. A dramatically improved algorithm accurately predicts subject movement so you can steadfastly track the subject even when shooting continuously.
Robust magnesium alloy body
The remarkably compact and lightweight body is solidly built to withstand the rigors of shooting in the field. It’s the ideal blend of light weight, solid reliability and steady handling, thanks to a top cover, front cover and internal structure constructed of rigid magnesium alloy.
Video Capabilities
Like the powerful Sony A7s which I recently reviewed here, the New A7II features very powerful video recording and clean HDMI output capabilities!
Pro-quality XAVC S format
For extremely high image quality and minimal noise, record movies in the high-bit-rate XAVC S format, which was developed based on the professional XAVC 4K/HD format. It enables Full HD (1920 x 1080) image recording at 50Mbps (60p/50p, 30p/25p, 24p)* and employs linear PCM sound for high-quality sound recording.
* NTSC/PAL
S-Log2 gamma setting
This proprietary Sony gamma setting, featured in professional camcorders, creates a 1300% wider dynamic range for smooth expression of gradation with reduced whiteout and blackout. Through color grading in post-production, you can make the most of the low-noise image and super-rich detail to achieve various types of image expression.
Clean HDMI output
An HDMI terminal makes it easy to transfer Full HD movie signals in real-time to an external monitor for accurate, large-screen viewing and listening. This feature supports uncompressed movie recording on external recording equipment and lets you output uncompressed movies with the shooting info display function off.
Time code/User bit
This function provides a “Record Run” setting that only advances the time code while recording, a “Free Run” setting that advances the time code whether recording or not, a drop frame method and a non-drop frame method. The ?7 II can also output an embedded time code when the clean HDMI output setting is in use.
Initial Reviews and Breakdowns
Tony Northrup and What Digital Camera, did some nice video style breakdowns that are worth checking out in my opinion 😉
Sony A7 II SteadyShot In Action:
Courtesy of Sean Ellwood
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBElKMY8xrk
New A7II Conclusions
This next generation full frame mirrorless camera from Sony is awesome and I highly recommend it based on the initial reports and killer specs/ features. The 5-Axis Sensor Stabilization will work with ALL third party lenses as reported on SonyAlphaRumors (Click Here) Oh yeah, that is awesome and amazing to say the least guys!! What we have all been waiting for and dreaming about since the very first e-mount camera that was capable of using old school lenses via lens adapters. Remember back when that first happened?
Only a few short years later, and now we have a 5-axis stabilized full frame sensor e-mount camera!
Sony continues to push the limits of technology and is clearly leading this mirrorless evolution on several fronts. Sensor technology, camera features and power, plus value for the dollar can not be beat in my opinion. Even more A7 info on the Sony Global Website (Click Here)
The New Sony A7II is expected to start shipping as early as December 9th I have heard, and is going for only $1698 US!! Pre-ordrs now being accepted @ BHPhoto (Click Here)
That is about it for now guys, but please feel free to ask questions and chime in with your thoughts on this new mirrorless monster 😉
Jay
