I loved every bit of my A7 II. Currently on the A7R III and it’s been a well deserved upgrade but the A7 II was a great first step into the mirrorless full frame life
I recommend this camera too - bought it last November (new), after being disappointed with a Nikon dslr.... I use this camera for landscape photography mainly, and I am very happy with its performance. Best value for money
@@KeeganRobin However, I can't explain why it is said to be an awful camera. Many adviced me not to buy it, and prefer a Nikon D7200 or a Sony 5100 insted, for instance
I have the A7ii. Only got it in September last year. It's superb at it's price. I'll upgrade to the a7iii at some point in future though as I'd really like 4k video but if you don't care about video this is a superb camera.
Agreed 100%. I did realize that I needed a bit more power for video but still, the video that comes from it isn't bad considering the price. And as I mention 60p is nice to have too.
@@HeroShotz If you can afford it and can wait, sure. If you can't afford it or you need a camera this instant, a7ii or a7iii depending on what you can afford.
@@KingJvpes What type of videos do you typically shoot. I use the A7ii for real estate videography and I hate it. I cant get crisp clear video for the life of me!
I’ve had my a7ii for about a year now and it’s been everything I’ve needed to photograph camping, fly fishing trips, kids sports and days at the beach.
Keegan Boulineau I still use the 28-70 kit lens but added the Sony 85mm 1.8 to my inventory. That essentially has very base covered me as an enthusiast/hobbyist just wanting to document family memories and the weekend adventures. There’s a lot better out there, sure but unless you’re a professional photographer, this covers 99% of what I want to capture. Paying an extra grand or two just doesn’t make any sense for the rare occasion when this gear just won’t suffice.
@@Miguel_Garibay yeah for sure, that kit lens is really nice and covers everyday stuff. Also the 85 is nice for when you want to up the photo game a bit or do some portraits. Nice combo you got there.
I picked up one used with 1K clicks on it a few weeks back for $500, sold the 28-70 kit lens for $125 so now its my backup to the A7rii i use now for $375. 👍
how about the focus? iirc the R2 is the oldest to bring eye af and good af compared to newer models, a7ii is bad compared to it right? I own x-h1, it's not perfect but still solid as autofocus, and I was thinking to A7II but I lose one SD slot and also iso performance seems not so much better compared to my Fuji, speaking of noise artifacts and IQ in general. What's your opinion guys?
nerd Mike the R2 has very competent AF and continuous eye AF. Biggest downside is the slower burst rate, and tiny buffer of 14 frames. It’s an amazing budget friendly landscape/portrait/incidental action camera.
@@CharlieVN 📸 thanks, that was my thinking, but still 1600€ new and just a single slot with a tiny battery. I was considering entering Sony FF but I already own D610 which was still good than A7ii as sensor IQ according to Dxo, then I have Fuji XH1 and is good in low light. The total budget with lens is around 1500€ but I find only the A7ii new in budget but very behind in tech compared to my fuji even if FullFrame camera. Need more budget maybe 😞
As someone who has owned one since 2016, used it pretty extensively, I have to say it is a great camera. It's not flawless, but it's really solid. Built is quite good, despite being an early version of IBIS the stabilisation is still very effective, and the sensor resolution is still very competitive. The A7III is a step up with shooting speed, autofocus and eye af, but if you aren't planning on shooting a lot of moving subjects, the A7II is a really nice option. ISO is clean up to 6400 where it starts to become noisy. I also think 24mp's is a good amount, i still crop in on photos, and my file sizes arent gigantic like on larger megapixel cameras (A7RIV for example has a file size of about 139mb per photo which is ludicrous). I shoot portraits and this camera is really nice, and despite the fact i plan on upgrading soon, im going to keep this camera as my back up body. If you're choosing between getting the a7ii and a lens, OR a newer camera body without a lens, I can confidently say you will be happier with the A7II, as these cameras need good glass to really get the most out of their sensors! For portraits, the samyang 85 1.4 umc is a nice budget option, produces pleasing results and is easily adapted onto this camera (another benefit of mirrorless).
I agree. The mic jack is so useful. Mic Jack + centre autofocus, you can vlog. You could connect a boom mic and monitor the audio signal with the headphone jack. More advanced: you could also connect a timecode signal and sync external audio to the footage you shoot. So many possibilities.
A recently bought an A7R2 after the price drop and it’s an OUTSTANDING camera! 42mp goodness and I love the colors! The Sony 85mm 1.8 is a SHARP and excellent affordable lens btw!
I was a previous owner of the A7R mark iii and I got it as a gift with sony’s 24-105 G OSS lens to use in coherent with 3D modeling. I lost all my stuff from a house break in, so I got this camera as a temporary backup (cheaper) while I build my pc again, but now I’m starting to enjoy this camera more than it’s big brother, it’s more than enough to suffice my needs. Thanks for video made me appreciate it more
Is eye autofocus basically unusable on your a7ii? I noticed that it worked significantly better on my a6000. In fact, all focusing was better on the a6000.
Thanks for this, really nice video. You've got a great, relaxed, presentation style - a nice change from all the guys who think they have to be hyper to cut through. I just bought a used A7ii with a zeiss f4 24-70 lens, really looking forward to trying it out. Thanks.
@@AvisionC it's not good for video (like really bad). The bitrate for 1080p os really low and it uses a really old, bad codec so the footage looks kinda shit. For video, I video recommend the Panasonic G7, it's cheap and had amazing video quality (4K!). I had a G7 because I was into videography but I switched to the Sony A7 and sold the G7 because I started to like photography more.
I have an a7ii, the main reason I bought it was how well it adapts vintage lenses. You can use cheap lenses that are very sharp for nearly nothing. The IBIS helps with stability and it has focus peaking and zoom. Currently all my lenses are manual focus. And I love it
There are several good old lenses. My favorite ones are: SMC takumars 50mm f1.4 Canon FD 35-105mm f3.5 macro (excellent walk around lens) Mir-1b 37mm f2.8 (nice for video it comes with a declicked aperture) SMC takumar 28mm f3.5 I think you can get all of them for less than 100 bucks on e bay
@@LZAce I'm going to look into those! The biggest reason I kept my a7ii as my secondary camera to my new EOS R is because I can adapt many of the same lenses to both cameras, including FD and probably a lot more.
@@KeeganRobin if you have an FD camera you can save a little with adapters. If you buy an FD to E mount and an m42 To FD you can use all your lenses on all cameras with 2 adapters instead of 3. I think you can do something similar with Pentax k mount and Nikon F
this video made me more comfortable to buy the Sony A7ii, I just spent two hours making a list of what else I should get for the camera. So by next summer, I will have more than enough money for the Sony A7ii, which will give me the options to get the accessories. From there I will be able to continue my little youtube journey and blast myself into the huge career, which I really want.
Great video! I have mine for over a year now, switched from Canon 60D and that was a hyper jump 💫 With Canon I've been using 24105L on a daily basis as an enthusiast and family shooter with a neck pain 😉 Sony took me to the heavens with its IQ, ISO and dynamic range being able to "resurrect" dark photos.... and the lightness . I agree with all your comments, IMO its a great money friendly camera especially if you are more towards photography. I've been trying different lenses with my A7II, sony fe 24-240 (heavy beast), kit (ok''ish to start but definitely not enough for A7II capabilities), canon 24-105 L with arapter (IQ superb but heavy), Sony 50 1.8 (always good to have) and lastly zeiss 35 2.8 and the last one wins all way dawn. It's my never take off lens. A7II with zeiss 35 2.8 is the best match ever. Set is so lightweight and compact that you can have it always with you, literally always. My suggestion for all looking to change and are thinking about new camera. and the budget is not in your favour, take the A7II and buy some good lens for the rest of the money. You can have both used a7ii + zs 35 2.8 for about 1200 eur and its still much cheaper than a7iii body only. Don't afraid to have only 50 1.8 for the start, FF and nifty fifty will do the magic... Greetings
Thanks for the input! I full agree with you there. My friend uses that 35mm Zeiss with an a7 (the first one) and swears by it. You've got a good setup there too, if you have an adapter you can use any EF lens you have on the a7ii. That's what I'm doing now, EOS R and the a7ii with an adapter if I ever need that camera for secondary stuff. Strange combo now but that's what I've got and I don't feel like spending any more money right now
Does the a7ii work well for night photography, specifically astrophotography such as for northern lights? What I hear is that Sony is the market leader generally when it comes to dynamic range and retaining details in dark areas of the picture, but should I bet on it for astrophotography?
@@Mustafa-xm4uf this was 2yr ago and ive updated a few times since, but as far as i remember it was very good to me byt my comparison was vs old Canon 60D. Technology moved foward a lot since. Depending on your budget i would really suggest A7III at this stage (its the king of low light), or surprise surprise APS-C A6600 paired with sigma 1.4 lens... In Ireland you can get used A7III for as low as 1100 like new (if you are not in rush to buy and patient) and A6600 as low as 900e
@@MC-yk4wl Thanks for the recommendations! Perhaps I should wait a bit more and finally get an a7iii, since I am only looking to buy a full frame sensor. Would be interesting to study the a6600 a bit more. Thanks again!
@@Mustafa-xm4uf no problem Mate... its all about money after all, i know... but in IRL a7II is ~800e and a7III only +200/300 so it is no brainer, espalecually that a7III is cosmic miles away from a7II , its the edge of the future. I was more pleasantly surprised a7iii improvements over a7ii that a7ii to Canon 60D A6600 is more advanced, kind of IV gen gear but with APS-C sensor. Combined with fast lens 1.4 or fasted can produce stunning low light images with much improved AF system over A7III. Currently i have A7RIV 61Mpx beast, with 26Mpx in APS-C mode, sweet...😉😉
I was debating these too also. Some things to consider are that the a6400 has the newer processor (faster auto focus including eye auto focus and better color science), lots more picture profiles for video, 120 frames per second slow mo vs 60 frames, unlimited video recording in 4k, and a flip up touch screen to name a few.
I am also confused between the two. I like to shoot low light short films most of the times but sony a6400 captures noise in low light despite having a 50mm 1.8 lens. I am looking to buy sony a7ii because i think it is full frame and will capture lesser noise. Is it a good choice?
I got it last week with the Tamron 28-75mm for substantially less than a MkIII body. I'm still getting the hang of it mapping the buttons and trying profiles but I'll get there eventually. The MkIII is on my upgrade path once it gets cheaper because I like to shoot in difficult situations where quick focus tracking and low light performance needs to happen. Or if by that time the a9 gets cheaper and budget permits it.
I just bought one, and I'm happy with it except for one thing that no one has mentioned. There is no silent mode. That is, you can't turn off the sound of the shutter, which is possible with some Sony cameras. So it makes it less useful for street photography or other kinds of photography like "behind the scenes on a film" shoots where the photography must be absolutely silent. Fortunately I have a Sony a6500 that I can use in those situations.
@@KeeganRobin Thanks a lot. Your video was really the deciding factor. Everyone was telling me to go with the a6400 because the AF was so much better but I wanted to get into the full frame arena and I'm glad I did. I'm able to get a lot more out of the raw files and I'm actually wowed by the photos. The AF is taking some getting use to when I'm taking pictures in low light but I think that's more of me not really knowing what I'm doing with all the settings. Thanks again for the video.
@@nickcrawley5960 I'm really glad I could help! Even if you find you're really loving photography and start to outgrow the a7ii, you'll be able to sell it for a good price and upgrade to the a7iii or a7R or something.
I just got it last week! I feel the same way too, I'd rather invest on good lenses. I'm getting the Sony 55mm F1.8 Zeiss soon and probably the sony 35mm f1.8
Nice Vid Keegan. I just bought an a7sii because I'm a cinematographer and rarely do photos but I would agree that if you do both photo and video, the a7ii would be a fantastic option if you're on more of a budget and want some extra money for nice lenses instead of blowing all your money on the body and having to settle for crappy lenses. Here's my extra .02 pro tip for anyone interested in getting their hands on some cheap Zeiss lenses. Zeiss lenses (for anyone new to the world of lenses) are arguably the best lenses money can buy. They generally sell for thousands of dollars. Zeiss lenses go way back to ancient photography times and were expensive even way back in the day before DSLR cameras. Back then they made lenses for older cameras but still incredibly sharp well built lenses that even today still cost $300-$700 dollars. This is significant because most other vintage lenses of other brands are like $50-$300. Why are people willing to pay so much for these vintage lenses? Because they are still amazing and allow you to get crazy good tac sharp pictures and beautiful video footage and as a result are still to this day in high demand. I just bought a couple of the "Contax" Zeiss lenses on eBay in mint condition for a song. $439 for a 24mm prime lens and $249 for a 200mm prime lens. One made in Japan and the other made in Germany. You just need a lens adapter to mount them to the Sony E-mount cameras. I just bought a "Metabones Contax/Yashica Lens to Sony E-Mount Camera T Adapter" which you can get for $99. you can get cheaper adapters but Metabones is one of the best brands and they're just built better and allow you to mount directly to the tripod or gimbal to take the pressure off the camera mount when using heavier lenses. The only downside is if you rely on the lenses automatic functions such as autofocus and electronic aperture control which will not be supported. I don't rely on that stuff so it didn't bother me at all. Everyone is different and has their own unique needs so it all depends on what you need. Anyway sorry for the long post. Just figured I'd share for those who are serious about getting fantastic deals on good solid high quality gear.
Your input is super valuable, thanks! I fully agree the Zeiss lenses are known to be quite amazing. And if you're looking to up for photography or videos, spending on lenses is the first step rather than upgrading your body.
I've used nex 5, nex 6 and a6000... Not much difference between them regarding picture quality. It mostly depends on lens quality and photographic talent. I assumed same goes for Sony full frame so I bought a7II and couldn't be happier. Just like you said... Better to invest in glass.
I’ve got mine for two years and I think back then and even today at a7ii price point you still get the most for your £££££ 😉 and with super cheap, small and handy fe28/2 I can do everyday shooting, landscape, street and even events - singlehanded with a pint of ale in other hand 🤪🤪🤪 I LOVE THIS CAMERA
Another point to consider is whether you really need a full-frame camera. I love my Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. The good lenses are so much cheaper, smaller, and lighter. And you can always use a speedbooster if you need something closer to that full-frame aesthetic. If you're going to buy a full-frame camera, you're sort of negating its advantages if you just get the kit lens. A good, affordable lens for Sony FE is the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 or, for a little more, the even better Sigma 24-70mm f2.8. If you do get a used a7 II, spend the money you saved on one of those lenses instead of the kit lens.
Bodies expire faster than most politicians promises. I bought a7ii to let someone else take the beating on the new camera price. I bought used because yeah, it is cheap. Mine included the 28mm-70mm for $824.00! Smokes my Canons I had too. I am saving for more glass and bought a battery grip and more batteries. The 3 is better than the 2. But this one works fine for me. I love my composition is what I expect since full frame and no crop. The low light may not be an a7iii but expose right and you are fine. Also know your camera performance and adjust your expectations accordingly. The a7ii was never about gimmicks, I bought it because it is not full of gimmicks. I bought this mostly for video and light pictures. I bought mine from a brick and mortar business so a warranty came with. No fleece bay for me, thank you. Some tech I do buy on the bay, but this one was important, so I wanted it right. I want an a7iii but way way way too expensive and not blowing that kind of money on any camera body. Not happening. I want the glass to get the investment.
a7ii surprisingly kicks butt in low light. A7ii is a serious camera that was pushing boundaries when it came out. Still holds up today. good call, the body upgrade comes when you absolutely need it, after you buy lenses
As an owner of the camera I respect the video BUT, for less money you can go with the a6500 especially for video. If you want it for stills go for it. If you want it for video, consider one of the other a6000 series ones that are cheaper. If you want a full frame for that filmic look, keep in mind that most films are shot on super 35 which is (almost) the same field of view as a cropped sensor camera.
Currently have the d3300, it was used, But there was no scratches on it at all, just a dead pixel in the screen. It’s safe to buy used cameras just don’t go for the ones that are really cheap, go for the ones that are $300 less than the new one, and read the description to see what condition it’s in because I bought a used lens off of eBay for $70 and it was originally $160, and there was no marks or scratches on it
If you're a beginner, I would recommend a crop sensor camera rather than full frame. You can get a lot more bang for your buck with lenses and save your back, especially if you do more telephoto work. Only go full frame if you're running into the limitations of a crop sensor camera. You can still get pro-level results from APS-C or even Micro Four Thirds like I use. Now, would I LIKE to add a full-frame camera to my collection? Sure. And the a7 II is a good buy in that regard. But I don't NEED it. Sony has several great APS-C models that can take the same lenses, albeit with a crop. If you're just a beginner, the a6000 is a great option. And if your needs are somewhat more advanced (especially for video), go with the a6300 or a6500.
Thanks Keegan, I just bought my a7ii brand new with 85mm F1.8 directly from Sony cny promo Jan2020. Watched your video and reassuring that I've made the right decision, thanks for the vid.
Having an a7ii and a6300, my advice is to go APS-C (preferably with ISS) if you are a non-professional on a budget. The reason is uncompromised full access to the entire line of E/EF lenses - you can buy MORE lenses, cheaper lenses, lighter and smaller lenses. My a7ii sits a home alot - not just because its bigger and heavier, but because I dont have, and cannot afford, the lenses I want for it while my APS-C lenses are well stocked. Its no wonder Sony sells these cameras at $1000 - they will make it up on astronomical EF lens prices.
A7ii is a great camera. A majority of media content ends up being viewed on a small smartphone anyways. Take the older unit and save tons! Only reason to go with the newer camera models is for video and large prints.
Idk man, on black friday u could get it with the Kit lens for less than 900$, brand new. So u could buy a second and even a third battery and still be below 1000$. That's almost unbeatable for a quality full frame camera with image stabilisation.
For me, there are two deal-breaking problems with the a7 II. 1) Only a single SD card slot. If it weren't for that, it would totally make sense for weddings. Even though the burst rate is similar and the 4K crop renders it all but unusable that way, at least the Nikon Z5 has dual card slots and good battery life. 2) Soft 1080p video. It's not just that it's 1080p. 1080p can look fantastic. But the 1080p coming out of this camera does not. It doesn't capture much detail. It looks muddy, and the moiré can be severe. Could I use this camera in a pinch? Sure. More than a pinch even. But, add in the poor battery life, the low burst rate, and the iffy autofocus, and l just couldn't rely on it. If you already have another full-frame camera like the a7 III and are invested in Sony glass, then the a7 II does make a lot of sense as a secondary or fallback camera.
Why you don't have 1 million followers is crazzy fantastic video keep going on this camera PLEASE. Anyone buying it will show up,on the Sony 3 way to many people trying to tell you it's king.now off to see more vids from you thanks.
wrong, Shutter count matters as it is a counter for the actuations of the mechanical equipment in a camera that is the Shutter. *Mechanical devices are prone to failure than electronic ones *Keep in mind though that if you're talking about electrical shutter, then its really no use
A7ii as my first full frame camera.. I know the "cons" of this camera but I'm just getting into photography and don't want to spend 2-4k on one. On the plus side my friends got Sony A7riii and A7iii so I have access to use their lenses to practice n learn with.
The a7 II is not a bad video camera. XAVC S is nice to have. But the video quality for the a7 III is just leaps and bounds better than the a7 II based on what I've seen. That's not just because of 4K vs 1080p. I'd be fine with an oversampled 1080p camera. But the a7 II uses line skipping, and that leads to a lot of moiré and aliasing in video. The a7 III takes a 6K sensor and downsamples it to 4K. That leads to a LOT more detail in the images with far less aliasing and moiré, even when viewed at 1080p. Compare the "cinematic" RUclips videos from the a7 II and a7 III. There is a massive difference in terms of detail retention, even when you view them all at 1080p or 720p. Again, that's not to say the a7 II is BAD at video, but the video from the a7 III is sooooo much better.
Very stupid question for you....with the eye AF that this has, if you’re using a manual focus lens, I’m assuming the eye AF no longer applies, correct?
Keegan Robin okay, i knew it was a stupid question, and that sounded right, but I’m new to cameras lol. I want an a6100, but the few lenses I’ve found to buy, are all manual focus, so all the fancy autofocus stuff from the a6100 basically means nothing to me, and the a7ii might be the better buy for me.
Do not forget to add the extra 3-4 batteries to the budget if you wanna shot a whole day. That alone made me switch to A7III. But on a budget it is a fantastic camera. I do not see any difference in image quality in A7, A7II or A7III having own all of them. Only AF speed and battery made me switch.
Hi I got mine at 31.12.2019 it was around 1000 euro, down from 1400€ and I am very happy with it. I found a sigma 24 F1.4 and the Sony 24-240 both second hand for very good price, so I joined the Sony world. Extremely happy with this camera.
the a7 II is not a bad deal for about 1,000 bucks if you can get it on sale. i have one but i upgraded to the a7 III lately. the only major downside is no real time eye autofocus which is a HUGE plus with the 3 plus no 4k video. but if you want full frame on a budget go for it!
Hey Keegan. Great update. I bought my A7II specifically to use my Canon FD legacy lenses via a Metabones adaptor. Also the Sony hand grip comes in really handy when shooting portraits and adding another Sony battery to your repertoire.
Definitely! I always had that in mind but never got around to buying an FD lens. Maybe I will for my EOS R. And it's true, that hand grip saved my life for shooting events essentially doubling my battery life
upgraded my a6000 to A7ii last year and i think i'll just gonna use it until it breaks down. this thing is a beast for photo but i'd take newer a6xxx series for video tho
It's a great camera for photography that's for sure. If it's all you for for video then it'll pull through but definitely use a better tool if you own one. But if you could only carry one camera with you (travelling for instance) and you wanted to shoot both photos and videos, which one would you take?
@@KeeganRobin i'd still take the A7ii all day, it could take more beating than apsc bodies and low light capability is much better. Plus i don't mind it being heavier
@@polymerasiecondens6857 my suggestion is if you can afford it go for the better camera because you have the money. The a7iii is a better camera of course. If you want some lenses too then you could save, buy the A7ii and a nice lens. Practice with that camera and when you're ready (or have the money) upgrade to the iii
I’ve been looking to get into video and I’ve only looked at 4K cameras. But I’m thinking why do I “need” 4K when absolutely nothing my videos would be viewed on even support 4K....???
4K is useful when you need to crop a frame and not to lose quality. If you are a youtuber or your footage will be cropped or zoomed you'll find it useful. That's the main reason to get a 4K camera, but there are so many things besides that to keep in mind (sensor size, fps/slowmotion, stabilization, low light performance, etc).
Nice video! Very entertaining too :) So here's my situation and why I find your video helpful. I've been shooting on an Olympus MFT camera (E-M10 model, entry-level) which has been fantastic for learning with, and actually takes incredible photos for its price point. I'm about $1200 into the MFT system so far, as I got the body for $400 refurbished, and a collection of used "mid-level" lenses for it, a mix of Olympus and Panasonic. It will always serve a great backup role -- but backup to what, is my dilemma. I want to move into semi-pro work this year and need something better than an entry level camera. The size and weight of MFT are fantastic for all the hiking and traveling I like to do, but for portraits, 16 Mpix is pretty small these days. I like the prices of MFT gear too, with the excellent professional lenses being half or less the cost of full-frame (and probably 1/4 the size and heft!). But there's no getting around the crappy IQ at ISO above 1600. Straight-up limitation of the sensor size. But apart from that, the high end MFT cameras are really nice in their own right. So, for about $1000 today I could get the following: Olympus E-M1 Mark II used -- great performer, very compact, can use all the gear I already own Lumix G9 new -- also a great performer, in its own right a real competitor to Nikon or Sony in many ways, a bit large for MFT but still also uses the gear I already have Sony a7ii -- all the advantages you just described -- though I expect it probably lags Olympus and Panasonic's newer cameras in autofocus, etc. simply because it's 6 years old and those cameras are newer The last one gets me FF ISO performance, great portraiture with shallow DOF (another "sometimes drawback" of MFT -- you effectively double the DOF for a given aperture, great when you want it, crappy when you don't). I'd have to invest in some new lenses, but I have to do that for the others anyway to get into higher quality optics. I just don't know, man...just don't know... I like the design and practically everything about the Lumix better than most other cameras, but the A7ii gets me a super capable FF body at a bargain price. (Hell, for the cost of an a7iii I can buy one of each of the above! ) :)
Wow this is a really tough decision you're trying to make! The benefit I see you having is that you're already a photographer so you know your style and what you need to compliment it. Just think a little more (maybe list it side by side) the pros and cons of each system. Then put a check mark on the things that will affect the current way that you do photography. You might find a few things will not be worth it if you upgrade to FF, or on the flip side, you might find a ton of things that you want in FF. For sure though, if you're used to newer tech, you might not like going back in time with the a7ii. So that's a huge drawback especially if you rely on good continuous eye-af a lot.
Congrats! Good deal there. Unfortunately yes the battery life sucks. I had 5 batteries total for shooting events with it. And the lenses are expensive sadly, but the new Canon RF mount lenses are no different, it's more a mirrorless thing than a Sony thing, since there is a lot of R&D going in for these new lenses.
Well, both good. What kind of photography would you do? If you mainly shoot portraits or landscape then I would choose full frame. If you are often far away from your subject and want to get closeup shots, then APS-C can help because of the crop factor. I don't know if you understand this, if not, a lens with 100mm focal length acts truly 100mm on a full frame camera, but on APS-C it would be 150mm or 160mm (crop factor for canons is 1.6x, the rest has 1.5x).
I come form Hong Kong. I have buy one A7ii. In last month with second hand around 660$us only body and I buy a kit lens the photo is very great A7ii is  Fascinating  Support u Keegan 👍🏻👍🏻💪💪
Hi Keegan. This was helpful..👍🏼 I’m thinking of buying this camera for my movie and short films production. Do you recommend it for use for a professional movie shoot?
I just copped the A7 for $200 on eBay was thinking about getting the ii but wasn’t for sure ... Since this is my first camera don’t wanna get ahead of myself
i wouldnt be to concerned with shutter count on a mirroless cam by design they dont have that big old mirror flopping around which whats usually what wares out not the sensor
Sorry Brochacho, but the A7III was likely the biggest jump in camera history and literally threw down the gauntlet to the whole industry. The mark 3 is why so many pro's finally went to mirrorless, and now that an A7III can be had new for $1700-$1800 there's little reason outside of saving a few bucks to get the mark 2.
Nah you're right dude. The a7iii is in all senses better than the a7ii (I would hope so, it's the successor). If you can afford it, get it. But this video is made for people on a budget and to confirm that the a7ii still holds up fine if that's all you can afford.
@@KeeganRobin This particular camera was made more out of labour of love than profit. The then Samsung CEO was a keen photographer and dying of cancer so he decided to make the Nikola Tesla of cameras back then. Still very relevant today :)
Also worth noting that I picked up a A7 ii camera bundle at Costco for $999 and it came with SD card and 2 batteries but also claims to have eye AF which I can only assume is the latest firmware update? Also love your channel, thanks for breaking it down for us! 💜
likewise :D I love it. it might not have the most amazing specs on paper but the image it produces is incredible!! if you have tons of sony lenses that would make it a tough transition but if you don't, I believe Canon will be killing it soon in the mirrorless world. I chose the eos r over the a7iii 3 months ago and I really don't regret it!
Hi! I’m wedding photographer and videographer, and i m still using my a7ii ! It’s a great body .. ibis,1080p 60p/s.... that’s enought... Spend money for the lenses !
Amazon is selling it for $998 right now - brand new! (Amazon: geni.us/kr-a7ii)
Keegan Boulineau Best Buy $999
Looks like now it's even cheaper than I mentioned in the video then.
@@KeeganRobin 898 on amazon now ;-) about to pull trigger.
@@demetriusgonzalez awesome!!
got mine on cyber Monday on Amazon, paid $998 which also included the kit lens!
I loved every bit of my A7 II. Currently on the A7R III and it’s been a well deserved upgrade but the A7 II was a great first step into the mirrorless full frame life
Absolutely. It was my first step too, never regret it
My A7ii is arriving tomorrow! It's my first venture into mirrorless photography and I'm so excited. Also your videos are awesome and I'm subscribing!
Amazing. Have fun with it! I appreciate the sub 😁
Don't buy this camera
@@imkongimchen7385 Just love when people write that you shouldn't buy this camera, and then explain why you shouldn't buy it... hmmm
There's something about the way you talk that makes this video interesting... Subscribed
Has a tone of coolness + knowledge. That's why.
Same
Reminds me of the series version of Barry Allen , but a cooler vibe.
If my video helped you out at all, it would mean the world if you could help me back with a good ol' LIKE!
I recommend this camera too - bought it last November (new), after being disappointed with a Nikon dslr.... I use this camera for landscape photography mainly, and I am very happy with its performance.
Best value for money
Nice! It's definitely great for landscape. I took it to Iceland and took some amazing shots.
@@KeeganRobin However, I can't explain why it is said to be an awful camera. Many adviced me not to buy it, and prefer a Nikon D7200 or a Sony 5100 insted, for instance
I have the A7ii. Only got it in September last year. It's superb at it's price. I'll upgrade to the a7iii at some point in future though as I'd really like 4k video but if you don't care about video this is a superb camera.
Agreed 100%. I did realize that I needed a bit more power for video but still, the video that comes from it isn't bad considering the price. And as I mention 60p is nice to have too.
Been using the a7ii for video for about two years now. It’s not bad at all!
Wait for the a74
@@HeroShotz If you can afford it and can wait, sure. If you can't afford it or you need a camera this instant, a7ii or a7iii depending on what you can afford.
@@KingJvpes What type of videos do you typically shoot. I use the A7ii for real estate videography and I hate it. I cant get crisp clear video for the life of me!
I’ve had my a7ii for about a year now and it’s been everything I’ve needed to photograph camping, fly fishing trips, kids sports and days at the beach.
Awesome! Yeah it's a perfect carry everyday camera. Which lenses do you use? lightweight ones for carrying around?
Keegan Boulineau I still use the 28-70 kit lens but added the Sony 85mm 1.8 to my inventory. That essentially has very base covered me as an enthusiast/hobbyist just wanting to document family memories and the weekend adventures. There’s a lot better out there, sure but unless you’re a professional photographer, this covers 99% of what I want to capture. Paying an extra grand or two just doesn’t make any sense for the rare occasion when this gear just won’t suffice.
@@Miguel_Garibay yeah for sure, that kit lens is really nice and covers everyday stuff. Also the 85 is nice for when you want to up the photo game a bit or do some portraits. Nice combo you got there.
I picked up one used with 1K clicks on it a few weeks back for $500, sold the 28-70 kit lens for $125 so now its my backup to the A7rii i use now for $375. 👍
Wow, you really scored a nice deal on that one.
epic deal
how about the focus? iirc the R2 is the oldest to bring eye af and good af compared to newer models, a7ii is bad compared to it right? I own x-h1, it's not perfect but still solid as autofocus, and I was thinking to A7II but I lose one SD slot and also iso performance seems not so much better compared to my Fuji, speaking of noise artifacts and IQ in general. What's your opinion guys?
nerd Mike the R2 has very competent AF and continuous eye AF. Biggest downside is the slower burst rate, and tiny buffer of 14 frames. It’s an amazing budget friendly landscape/portrait/incidental action camera.
@@CharlieVN 📸 thanks, that was my thinking, but still 1600€ new and just a single slot with a tiny battery. I was considering entering Sony FF but I already own D610 which was still good than A7ii as sensor IQ according to Dxo, then I have Fuji XH1 and is good in low light. The total budget with lens is around 1500€ but I find only the A7ii new in budget but very behind in tech compared to my fuji even if FullFrame camera. Need more budget maybe 😞
Man, you've explained very well, and your calm voice makes this video more engaging!
As someone who has owned one since 2016, used it pretty extensively, I have to say it is a great camera. It's not flawless, but it's really solid. Built is quite good, despite being an early version of IBIS the stabilisation is still very effective, and the sensor resolution is still very competitive. The A7III is a step up with shooting speed, autofocus and eye af, but if you aren't planning on shooting a lot of moving subjects, the A7II is a really nice option. ISO is clean up to 6400 where it starts to become noisy. I also think 24mp's is a good amount, i still crop in on photos, and my file sizes arent gigantic like on larger megapixel cameras (A7RIV for example has a file size of about 139mb per photo which is ludicrous). I shoot portraits and this camera is really nice, and despite the fact i plan on upgrading soon, im going to keep this camera as my back up body. If you're choosing between getting the a7ii and a lens, OR a newer camera body without a lens, I can confidently say you will be happier with the A7II, as these cameras need good glass to really get the most out of their sensors! For portraits, the samyang 85 1.4 umc is a nice budget option, produces pleasing results and is easily adapted onto this camera (another benefit of mirrorless).
Agreed! Thanks for your thoughts.
I used the FE Samyang 85mm AF on this camera and it was a serious portrait powerhouse. I miss my 85mm :(
Just bought my a7ii today and looking up for guides on using the camera. I've learned something new today from your video. Thanks!
Glad I could help!
I have the Sony a7ii and am really happy with it, the other thing ppl dont talk about is the mic and headphone Jack that also comes with it.
I agree. The mic jack is so useful. Mic Jack + centre autofocus, you can vlog. You could connect a boom mic and monitor the audio signal with the headphone jack. More advanced: you could also connect a timecode signal and sync external audio to the footage you shoot. So many possibilities.
A recently bought an A7R2 after the price drop and it’s an OUTSTANDING camera! 42mp goodness and I love the colors! The Sony 85mm 1.8 is a SHARP and excellent affordable lens btw!
I was a previous owner of the A7R mark iii and I got it as a gift with sony’s 24-105 G OSS lens to use in coherent with 3D modeling. I lost all my stuff from a house break in, so I got this camera as a temporary backup (cheaper) while I build my pc again, but now I’m starting to enjoy this camera more than it’s big brother, it’s more than enough to suffice my needs. Thanks for video made me appreciate it more
I'm sorry to hear about the break in... that sucks! glad you're liking the new camera though!
I use my a7 ii for 3 years now and it's still absolutely amazing even when I'm not beginner now
Is eye autofocus basically unusable on your a7ii? I noticed that it worked significantly better on my a6000. In fact, all focusing was better on the a6000.
Did you shoot any low light films with it? At what ISO does it start capturing noise?
@@armandorivas4331 true
@@crookedfilms4190 from somewhere about 2000-3000
Thanks for this, really nice video. You've got a great, relaxed, presentation style - a nice change from all the guys who think they have to be hyper to cut through. I just bought a used A7ii with a zeiss f4 24-70 lens, really looking forward to trying it out. Thanks.
I still use the original Sony A7 from 2013 ;)
No way! That's also a great camera. A good buddy of mine still uses one too
Joran what u think about it for videos?
@@AvisionC it's not good for video (like really bad). The bitrate for 1080p os really low and it uses a really old, bad codec so the footage looks kinda shit. For video, I video recommend the Panasonic G7, it's cheap and had amazing video quality (4K!). I had a G7 because I was into videography but I switched to the Sony A7 and sold the G7 because I started to like photography more.
@@joranvancoillie8133 i bought it now sadly...
I have a7 too, and a7r3 and a6000
I have an a7ii, the main reason I bought it was how well it adapts vintage lenses. You can use cheap lenses that are very sharp for nearly nothing. The IBIS helps with stability and it has focus peaking and zoom. Currently all my lenses are manual focus. And I love it
agree! i used smc takumar 50mm f1.4 for paid gigs until i bought the fe 85mm f1.8
Good point!!! Some Canon FD lenses can be dirt cheap and the adaptors cost hardly anything
There are several good old lenses. My favorite ones are: SMC takumars 50mm f1.4
Canon FD 35-105mm f3.5 macro (excellent walk around lens)
Mir-1b 37mm f2.8 (nice for video it comes with a declicked aperture)
SMC takumar 28mm f3.5
I think you can get all of them for less than 100 bucks on e bay
@@LZAce I'm going to look into those! The biggest reason I kept my a7ii as my secondary camera to my new EOS R is because I can adapt many of the same lenses to both cameras, including FD and probably a lot more.
@@KeeganRobin if you have an FD camera you can save a little with adapters. If you buy an FD to E mount and an m42 To FD you can use all your lenses on all cameras with 2 adapters instead of 3. I think you can do something similar with Pentax k mount and Nikon F
Thx for giving the arguments i am gonna get this as my first camera in a few weeks cant wait
Fantastic! I'm really happy I could help out :)
this video made me more comfortable to buy the Sony A7ii, I just spent two hours making a list of what else I should get for the camera. So by next summer, I will have more than enough money for the Sony A7ii, which will give me the options to get the accessories. From there I will be able to continue my little youtube journey and blast myself into the huge career, which I really want.
Great video!
I have mine for over a year now, switched from Canon 60D and that was a hyper jump 💫
With Canon I've been using 24105L on a daily basis as an enthusiast and family shooter with a neck pain 😉
Sony took me to the heavens with its IQ, ISO and dynamic range being able to "resurrect" dark photos.... and the lightness .
I agree with all your comments, IMO its a great money friendly camera especially if you are more towards photography.
I've been trying different lenses with my A7II, sony fe 24-240 (heavy beast), kit (ok''ish to start but definitely not enough for A7II capabilities), canon 24-105 L with arapter (IQ superb but heavy), Sony 50 1.8 (always good to have) and lastly zeiss 35 2.8 and the last one wins all way dawn. It's my never take off lens.
A7II with zeiss 35 2.8 is the best match ever. Set is so lightweight and compact that you can have it always with you, literally always.
My suggestion for all looking to change and are thinking about new camera. and the budget is not in your favour, take the A7II and buy some good lens for the rest of the money.
You can have both used a7ii + zs 35 2.8 for about 1200 eur and its still much cheaper than a7iii body only.
Don't afraid to have only 50 1.8 for the start, FF and nifty fifty will do the magic...
Greetings
Thanks for the input! I full agree with you there. My friend uses that 35mm Zeiss with an a7 (the first one) and swears by it. You've got a good setup there too, if you have an adapter you can use any EF lens you have on the a7ii. That's what I'm doing now, EOS R and the a7ii with an adapter if I ever need that camera for secondary stuff. Strange combo now but that's what I've got and I don't feel like spending any more money right now
Does the a7ii work well for night photography, specifically astrophotography such as for northern lights? What I hear is that Sony is the market leader generally when it comes to dynamic range and retaining details in dark areas of the picture, but should I bet on it for astrophotography?
@@Mustafa-xm4uf this was 2yr ago and ive updated a few times since, but as far as i remember it was very good to me byt my comparison was vs old Canon 60D. Technology moved foward a lot since.
Depending on your budget i would really suggest A7III at this stage (its the king of low light), or surprise surprise APS-C A6600 paired with sigma 1.4 lens...
In Ireland you can get used A7III for as low as 1100 like new (if you are not in rush to buy and patient) and A6600 as low as 900e
@@MC-yk4wl Thanks for the recommendations! Perhaps I should wait a bit more and finally get an a7iii, since I am only looking to buy a full frame sensor. Would be interesting to study the a6600 a bit more.
Thanks again!
@@Mustafa-xm4uf no problem Mate... its all about money after all, i know... but in IRL a7II is ~800e and a7III only +200/300 so it is no brainer, espalecually that a7III is cosmic miles away from a7II , its the edge of the future.
I was more pleasantly surprised a7iii improvements over a7ii that a7ii to Canon 60D
A6600 is more advanced, kind of IV gen gear but with APS-C sensor. Combined with fast lens 1.4 or fasted can produce stunning low light images with much improved AF system over A7III.
Currently i have A7RIV 61Mpx beast, with 26Mpx in APS-C mode, sweet...😉😉
I like your style bro. Keep at it
Thanks dude I really appreciate it. Will do my friend!
I was debating whether to go for A6400 or the A7 II, looks like I'm getting the latter 😅
I was debating these too also. Some things to consider are that the a6400 has the newer processor (faster auto focus including eye auto focus and better color science), lots more picture profiles for video, 120 frames per second slow mo vs 60 frames, unlimited video recording in 4k, and a flip up touch screen to name a few.
Great camera and having the ibis is a plus. Definitely love having more lens options, not having to worry about the
lack of oss.
@@ianmichael9224 remember now you have the a6600 which has Ibis!
I am also confused between the two. I like to shoot low light short films most of the times but sony a6400 captures noise in low light despite having a 50mm 1.8 lens. I am looking to buy sony a7ii because i think it is full frame and will capture lesser noise. Is it a good choice?
just got it last january i love it.
Well, I did it! I got an A7ii with the kit lens and a sigma 16mm for 980.00 with 240 on the shutter count. I’m so excited!
Nice! Great deal especially with that lens. Have fun 😀
I got it last week with the Tamron 28-75mm for substantially less than a MkIII body. I'm still getting the hang of it mapping the buttons and trying profiles but I'll get there eventually.
The MkIII is on my upgrade path once it gets cheaper because I like to shoot in difficult situations where quick focus tracking and low light performance needs to happen. Or if by that time the a9 gets cheaper and budget permits it.
Nice. You'll feel it when you outgrow this one but it won't be for a while
I just bought one, and I'm happy with it except for one thing that no one has mentioned. There is no silent mode. That is, you can't turn off the sound of the shutter, which is possible with some Sony cameras. So it makes it less useful for street photography or other kinds of photography like "behind the scenes on a film" shoots where the photography must be absolutely silent. Fortunately I have a Sony a6500 that I can use in those situations.
That's great of you to point out. If you need a silent shutter, you should definitely upgrade to the A7iii at least
Got mine yesterday. It’s intimidating. But this video makes me feel a lot better about my purchase. Thanks for that.
Congrats on the purchase. Enjoy it!
@@KeeganRobin Thanks a lot. Your video was really the deciding factor. Everyone was telling me to go with the a6400 because the AF was so much better but I wanted to get into the full frame arena and I'm glad I did. I'm able to get a lot more out of the raw files and I'm actually wowed by the photos. The AF is taking some getting use to when I'm taking pictures in low light but I think that's more of me not really knowing what I'm doing with all the settings. Thanks again for the video.
@@nickcrawley5960 I'm really glad I could help! Even if you find you're really loving photography and start to outgrow the a7ii, you'll be able to sell it for a good price and upgrade to the a7iii or a7R or something.
I just got it last week! I feel the same way too, I'd rather invest on good lenses. I'm getting the Sony 55mm F1.8 Zeiss soon and probably the sony 35mm f1.8
Awesome! Those are both great lenses that will serve you incredibly well. Have fun!
Don't sleep on the 85mm f1.8 🤤
@@sschwartz1510 You know I've always wanted to use that one!
Keegan Boulineau it's my favorite focal length and the bokeh it produces is beautiful
Can confirm on the Zeiss 55mm. Absolutely stunning lens. Pairs extremely well with my A7ii.
My husband bought me a7ii last week for my upcoming birthday and our anniversary.. i love it 😍😍😍😍
I'm not even a photographer and I'm convinced lol
Nice Vid Keegan. I just bought an a7sii because I'm a cinematographer and rarely do photos but I would agree that if you do both photo and video, the a7ii would be a fantastic option if you're on more of a budget and want some extra money for nice lenses instead of blowing all your money on the body and having to settle for crappy lenses. Here's my extra .02 pro tip for anyone interested in getting their hands on some cheap Zeiss lenses. Zeiss lenses (for anyone new to the world of lenses) are arguably the best lenses money can buy. They generally sell for thousands of dollars. Zeiss lenses go way back to ancient photography times and were expensive even way back in the day before DSLR cameras. Back then they made lenses for older cameras but still incredibly sharp well built lenses that even today still cost $300-$700 dollars. This is significant because most other vintage lenses of other brands are like $50-$300. Why are people willing to pay so much for these vintage lenses? Because they are still amazing and allow you to get crazy good tac sharp pictures and beautiful video footage and as a result are still to this day in high demand. I just bought a couple of the "Contax" Zeiss lenses on eBay in mint condition for a song. $439 for a 24mm prime lens and $249 for a 200mm prime lens. One made in Japan and the other made in Germany. You just need a lens adapter to mount them to the Sony E-mount cameras. I just bought a "Metabones Contax/Yashica Lens to Sony E-Mount Camera T Adapter" which you can get for $99. you can get cheaper adapters but Metabones is one of the best brands and they're just built better and allow you to mount directly to the tripod or gimbal to take the pressure off the camera mount when using heavier lenses. The only downside is if you rely on the lenses automatic functions such as autofocus and electronic aperture control which will not be supported. I don't rely on that stuff so it didn't bother me at all. Everyone is different and has their own unique needs so it all depends on what you need. Anyway sorry for the long post. Just figured I'd share for those who are serious about getting fantastic deals on good solid high quality gear.
Your input is super valuable, thanks! I fully agree the Zeiss lenses are known to be quite amazing. And if you're looking to up for photography or videos, spending on lenses is the first step rather than upgrading your body.
I've used nex 5, nex 6 and a6000... Not much difference between them regarding picture quality. It mostly depends on lens quality and photographic talent. I assumed same goes for Sony full frame so I bought a7II and couldn't be happier. Just like you said... Better to invest in glass.
Yup, glass is waaaaaay more important. It's definitely how you use it more than the piece of gear itself
Great video man. You’re going to grow soon enough. Keep up the good work!
Thank you dude!
I’ve got mine for two years and I think back then and even today at a7ii price point you still get the most for your £££££ 😉 and with super cheap, small and handy fe28/2 I can do everyday shooting, landscape, street and even events - singlehanded with a pint of ale in other hand 🤪🤪🤪 I LOVE THIS CAMERA
Landscape photography and a good brew... Can't think of a better match.
Keegan Boulineau I can 😛
Another point to consider is whether you really need a full-frame camera. I love my Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. The good lenses are so much cheaper, smaller, and lighter. And you can always use a speedbooster if you need something closer to that full-frame aesthetic.
If you're going to buy a full-frame camera, you're sort of negating its advantages if you just get the kit lens. A good, affordable lens for Sony FE is the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 or, for a little more, the even better Sigma 24-70mm f2.8. If you do get a used a7 II, spend the money you saved on one of those lenses instead of the kit lens.
Bodies expire faster than most politicians promises. I bought a7ii to let someone else take the beating on the new camera price. I bought used because yeah, it is cheap. Mine included the 28mm-70mm for $824.00! Smokes my Canons I had too. I am saving for more glass and bought a battery grip and more batteries. The 3 is better than the 2. But this one works fine for me. I love my composition is what I expect since full frame and no crop. The low light may not be an a7iii but expose right and you are fine. Also know your camera performance and adjust your expectations accordingly. The a7ii was never about gimmicks, I bought it because it is not full of gimmicks. I bought this mostly for video and light pictures. I bought mine from a brick and mortar business so a warranty came with. No fleece bay for me, thank you. Some tech I do buy on the bay, but this one was important, so I wanted it right. I want an a7iii but way way way too expensive and not blowing that kind of money on any camera body. Not happening. I want the glass to get the investment.
a7ii surprisingly kicks butt in low light. A7ii is a serious camera that was pushing boundaries when it came out. Still holds up today. good call, the body upgrade comes when you absolutely need it, after you buy lenses
Two weeks ago I went with the a6000 used like new for 250 with kit lens. That's a steal for what it's capable. Came from the RX100
that is also a great cam, can't go wrong with any of them!
I Went From Canon 5D ii To The Sony A7ii In January 2020 And I Love It
Nice upgrade!
As an owner of the camera I respect the video BUT, for less money you can go with the a6500 especially for video. If you want it for stills go for it. If you want it for video, consider one of the other a6000 series ones that are cheaper. If you want a full frame for that filmic look, keep in mind that most films are shot on super 35 which is (almost) the same field of view as a cropped sensor camera.
if you're going for JUST video I would also say that an a6000 series camera would be a great starter.
Currently have the d3300, it was used,
But there was no scratches on it at all, just a dead pixel in the screen. It’s safe to buy used cameras just don’t go for the ones that are really cheap, go for the ones that are $300 less than the new one, and read the description to see what condition it’s in because I bought a used lens off of eBay for $70 and it was originally $160, and there was no marks or scratches on it
If you're a beginner, I would recommend a crop sensor camera rather than full frame. You can get a lot more bang for your buck with lenses and save your back, especially if you do more telephoto work. Only go full frame if you're running into the limitations of a crop sensor camera. You can still get pro-level results from APS-C or even Micro Four Thirds like I use.
Now, would I LIKE to add a full-frame camera to my collection? Sure. And the a7 II is a good buy in that regard. But I don't NEED it.
Sony has several great APS-C models that can take the same lenses, albeit with a crop. If you're just a beginner, the a6000 is a great option. And if your needs are somewhat more advanced (especially for video), go with the a6300 or a6500.
Thanks Keegan, I just bought my a7ii brand new with 85mm F1.8 directly from Sony cny promo Jan2020. Watched your video and reassuring that I've made the right decision, thanks for the vid.
The A7 II is my dream crush. Maybe I'll finally get her this year. I parted with the gx85 already.
Don't, g85 is much better, if weight and video is your concern....full frame is wallet breaker, so think twice 🤔
Having an a7ii and a6300, my advice is to go APS-C (preferably with ISS) if you are a non-professional on a budget. The reason is uncompromised full access to the entire line of E/EF lenses - you can buy MORE lenses, cheaper lenses, lighter and smaller lenses. My a7ii sits a home alot - not just because its bigger and heavier, but because I dont have, and cannot afford, the lenses I want for it while my APS-C lenses are well stocked. Its no wonder Sony sells these cameras at $1000 - they will make it up on astronomical EF lens prices.
A7ii is a great camera. A majority of media content ends up being viewed on a small smartphone anyways. Take the older unit and save tons! Only reason to go with the newer camera models is for video and large prints.
That's a really great point John, thanks!
Subbed , really underrated channel
the awesomeness of Z batteries in newer models beat any argument here
I would agree, battery life is a downer. As always I say if you can afford it of course buy a newer model.
Idk man, on black friday u could get it with the Kit lens for less than 900$, brand new. So u could buy a second and even a third battery and still be below 1000$. That's almost unbeatable for a quality full frame camera with image stabilisation.
For me, there are two deal-breaking problems with the a7 II.
1) Only a single SD card slot. If it weren't for that, it would totally make sense for weddings.
Even though the burst rate is similar and the 4K crop renders it all but unusable that way, at least the Nikon Z5 has dual card slots and good battery life.
2) Soft 1080p video. It's not just that it's 1080p. 1080p can look fantastic. But the 1080p coming out of this camera does not. It doesn't capture much detail. It looks muddy, and the moiré can be severe.
Could I use this camera in a pinch? Sure. More than a pinch even. But, add in the poor battery life, the low burst rate, and the iffy autofocus, and l just couldn't rely on it.
If you already have another full-frame camera like the a7 III and are invested in Sony glass, then the a7 II does make a lot of sense as a secondary or fallback camera.
Why you don't have 1 million followers is crazzy fantastic video keep going on this camera PLEASE. Anyone buying it will show up,on the Sony 3 way to many people trying to tell you it's king.now off to see more vids from you thanks.
Thanks Mike that means a lot! Definitely gonna keep it up!
6:49 Shuttercount dont really matter
Lets say someone used it on VIdeo, theres not much count on SC but the sensor is slowly getting burnt
wrong, Shutter count matters as it is a counter for the actuations of the mechanical equipment in a camera that is the Shutter.
*Mechanical devices are prone to failure than electronic ones
*Keep in mind though that if you're talking about electrical shutter, then its really no use
What camera did you use in this video? this video was shot with the EOS R? I like the quality.
I picked this up with the lens kit on sale for $1000 brand new! Was around Christmas time on sale at Best Buy. My first camera and learning on it!
Certainly a great purchase ;)
nice analysis sir,thanks lot
Always welcome!
A7ii as my first full frame camera.. I know the "cons" of this camera but I'm just getting into photography and don't want to spend 2-4k on one. On the plus side my friends got Sony A7riii and A7iii so I have access to use their lenses to practice n learn with.
i think the crop sensor mirrorless is the way for all purposes
Looking forward to buying a a7II. You really helped me
Awesome! (Use my link if you're buying from amazon ;) (shameless plug lol)
I still use my two A7II bodies. Love the results and have not felt the need to upgrade.
Nice! They really do age well.
The a7 II is not a bad video camera. XAVC S is nice to have. But the video quality for the a7 III is just leaps and bounds better than the a7 II based on what I've seen. That's not just because of 4K vs 1080p. I'd be fine with an oversampled 1080p camera. But the a7 II uses line skipping, and that leads to a lot of moiré and aliasing in video. The a7 III takes a 6K sensor and downsamples it to 4K. That leads to a LOT more detail in the images with far less aliasing and moiré, even when viewed at 1080p.
Compare the "cinematic" RUclips videos from the a7 II and a7 III. There is a massive difference in terms of detail retention, even when you view them all at 1080p or 720p.
Again, that's not to say the a7 II is BAD at video, but the video from the a7 III is sooooo much better.
i am gonna get this in a few weeks can't wait. loves from Turkey..
good stuff! You'll enjoy it :)
Very stupid question for you....with the eye AF that this has, if you’re using a manual focus lens, I’m assuming the eye AF no longer applies, correct?
Exactly. You need to have an autofocusing lens to use eyeAF
Keegan Robin okay, i knew it was a stupid question, and that sounded right, but I’m new to cameras lol. I want an a6100, but the few lenses I’ve found to buy, are all manual focus, so all the fancy autofocus stuff from the a6100 basically means nothing to me, and the a7ii might be the better buy for me.
With your recommendation : I decided to purchase a brand new A 7 II.... worth it... as I am starting into mirrorless camera.
awesome. you'll love it 😀
Do not forget to add the extra 3-4 batteries to the budget if you wanna shot a whole day. That alone made me switch to A7III. But on a budget it is a fantastic camera. I do not see any difference in image quality in A7, A7II or A7III having own all of them. Only AF speed and battery made me switch.
Yeah not gonna lie the battery life is bad. I had 5 batteries for the a7ii.
Hi I got mine at 31.12.2019 it was around 1000 euro, down from 1400€ and I am very happy with it. I found a sigma 24 F1.4 and the Sony 24-240 both second hand for very good price, so I joined the Sony world. Extremely happy with this camera.
Awesome. Can't go wrong with a good Sigma f1.4!
Awesome video!! And thank you for the buying tips!
Any time!
Dude you should be a sales man. You are a great talker!
Thanks! I suppose I'm a youTube salesman haha
Got the old a390 instead. CCD is kinda retro now. Love it
the a7 II is not a bad deal for about 1,000 bucks if you can get it on sale. i have one but i upgraded to the a7 III lately. the only major downside is no real time eye autofocus which is a HUGE plus with the 3 plus no 4k video. but if you want full frame on a budget go for it!
Exactly what I've been saying! Go with what you can afford. If it's the A7ii, you won't be disappointed
Hey Keegan. Great update. I bought my A7II specifically to use my Canon FD legacy lenses via a Metabones adaptor. Also the Sony hand grip comes in really handy when shooting portraits and adding another Sony battery to your repertoire.
Definitely! I always had that in mind but never got around to buying an FD lens. Maybe I will for my EOS R. And it's true, that hand grip saved my life for shooting events essentially doubling my battery life
I love mine. Got it back in December for $898 brand new from Best Buy . I shoot mainly portrait photography.
Very nice! It's pretty amazing. Honestly I would still be using mine had I not ruined the LCD screen with some Icelandic salt water 😭😂😂
Your videos are super clean, you earned another sub✌
I appreciate that dude!
upgraded my a6000 to A7ii last year and i think i'll just gonna use it until it breaks down. this thing is a beast for photo but i'd take newer a6xxx series for video tho
It's a great camera for photography that's for sure. If it's all you for for video then it'll pull through but definitely use a better tool if you own one.
But if you could only carry one camera with you (travelling for instance) and you wanted to shoot both photos and videos, which one would you take?
@@KeeganRobin i'd still take the A7ii all day, it could take more beating than apsc bodies and low light capability is much better. Plus i don't mind it being heavier
Nice video dude !
great video. i have this camera for 3 yrs now. still my go to camera. 👍. best bang for the buck you're just a hobbyist photographer.
Amazing! I'd probably still be using it if I didn't break my LCD screen on it 😭
There might be deals flying around in local camera shop, I got a7 iii last summer for a bit under 1500$.
Yep, local camera shops are a safer bet as opposed to used on craigslist.
@@KeeganRobin what camera do you think its better for the price, the a7ii for €1400 or the a7iii for €2200
@@polymerasiecondens6857 my suggestion is if you can afford it go for the better camera because you have the money. The a7iii is a better camera of course. If you want some lenses too then you could save, buy the A7ii and a nice lens. Practice with that camera and when you're ready (or have the money) upgrade to the iii
@@KeeganRobin oke thanks!
This was excellent - thanks for making this video, brilliant :)
I’ve been looking to get into video and I’ve only looked at 4K cameras. But I’m thinking why do I “need” 4K when absolutely nothing my videos would be viewed on even support 4K....???
4K is useful when you need to crop a frame and not to lose quality. If you are a youtuber or your footage will be cropped or zoomed you'll find it useful. That's the main reason to get a 4K camera, but there are so many things besides that to keep in mind (sensor size, fps/slowmotion, stabilization, low light performance, etc).
Nice video! Very entertaining too :) So here's my situation and why I find your video helpful. I've been shooting on an Olympus MFT camera (E-M10 model, entry-level) which has been fantastic for learning with, and actually takes incredible photos for its price point. I'm about $1200 into the MFT system so far, as I got the body for $400 refurbished, and a collection of used "mid-level" lenses for it, a mix of Olympus and Panasonic. It will always serve a great backup role -- but backup to what, is my dilemma. I want to move into semi-pro work this year and need something better than an entry level camera. The size and weight of MFT are fantastic for all the hiking and traveling I like to do, but for portraits, 16 Mpix is pretty small these days. I like the prices of MFT gear too, with the excellent professional lenses being half or less the cost of full-frame (and probably 1/4 the size and heft!). But there's no getting around the crappy IQ at ISO above 1600. Straight-up limitation of the sensor size. But apart from that, the high end MFT cameras are really nice in their own right. So, for about $1000 today I could get the following:
Olympus E-M1 Mark II used -- great performer, very compact, can use all the gear I already own
Lumix G9 new -- also a great performer, in its own right a real competitor to Nikon or Sony in many ways, a bit large for MFT but still also uses the gear I already have
Sony a7ii -- all the advantages you just described -- though I expect it probably lags Olympus and Panasonic's newer cameras in autofocus, etc. simply because it's 6 years old and those cameras are newer
The last one gets me FF ISO performance, great portraiture with shallow DOF (another "sometimes drawback" of MFT -- you effectively double the DOF for a given aperture, great when you want it, crappy when you don't). I'd have to invest in some new lenses, but I have to do that for the others anyway to get into higher quality optics.
I just don't know, man...just don't know...
I like the design and practically everything about the Lumix better than most other cameras, but the A7ii gets me a super capable FF body at a bargain price. (Hell, for the cost of an a7iii I can buy one of each of the above! ) :)
Wow this is a really tough decision you're trying to make! The benefit I see you having is that you're already a photographer so you know your style and what you need to compliment it. Just think a little more (maybe list it side by side) the pros and cons of each system. Then put a check mark on the things that will affect the current way that you do photography. You might find a few things will not be worth it if you upgrade to FF, or on the flip side, you might find a ton of things that you want in FF.
For sure though, if you're used to newer tech, you might not like going back in time with the a7ii. So that's a huge drawback especially if you rely on good continuous eye-af a lot.
Bravo Keegan, très belle vidéo ! Tu m'as beaucoup aidé dans mon choix ! :)
I find this video very positive and well presented. Good job
I managed to get a used one for around £600, Its a amazing camera but the only thing i hate about it is the lens prices and battery life
Congrats! Good deal there. Unfortunately yes the battery life sucks. I had 5 batteries total for shooting events with it. And the lenses are expensive sadly, but the new Canon RF mount lenses are no different, it's more a mirrorless thing than a Sony thing, since there is a lot of R&D going in for these new lenses.
I appreciate that homie 🤞🏾📸🎬
i got the camera on January on Amazon.de for 1000 dollars with kit lens.
Sony a6400 or a7ii, what would you suggest? I'm solely interested in photography rn.
Well, both good. What kind of photography would you do? If you mainly shoot portraits or landscape then I would choose full frame. If you are often far away from your subject and want to get closeup shots, then APS-C can help because of the crop factor. I don't know if you understand this, if not, a lens with 100mm focal length acts truly 100mm on a full frame camera, but on APS-C it would be 150mm or 160mm (crop factor for canons is 1.6x, the rest has 1.5x).
I come form Hong Kong.
I have buy one A7ii. In last month with second hand around 660$us only body and I buy a kit lens the photo is very great
A7ii is  Fascinating 
Support u Keegan 👍🏻👍🏻💪💪
That's great!! Enjoy it 😁
i Think this convinced me very much... sick video mate...
Hi Keegan.
This was helpful..👍🏼
I’m thinking of buying this camera for my movie and short films production.
Do you recommend it for use for a professional movie shoot?
I just copped the A7 for $200 on eBay was thinking about getting the ii but wasn’t for sure ... Since this is my first camera don’t wanna get ahead of myself
Good call! That's a freaking great deal too considering the quality you're getting out of the i. Enjoy!
I ordered mine 2 days ago, waiting for it to arrive. It will be my first full frame camera.
Congrats!! You'll be really happy with it.
How much did you pay?
i wouldnt be to concerned with shutter count on a mirroless cam by design they dont have that big old mirror flopping around which whats usually what wares out not the sensor
Sorry Brochacho, but the A7III was likely the biggest jump in camera history and literally threw down the gauntlet to the whole industry. The mark 3 is why so many pro's finally went to mirrorless, and now that an A7III can be had new for $1700-$1800 there's little reason outside of saving a few bucks to get the mark 2.
Nah you're right dude. The a7iii is in all senses better than the a7ii (I would hope so, it's the successor). If you can afford it, get it. But this video is made for people on a budget and to confirm that the a7ii still holds up fine if that's all you can afford.
That's been a really dope video 👌🔥
And that's why I still have and use my late 2014 Samsung NX1.
Something about older gear. Lasts forever
@@KeeganRobin This particular camera was made more out of labour of love than profit. The then Samsung CEO was a keen photographer and dying of cancer so he decided to make the Nikola Tesla of cameras back then. Still very relevant today :)
Also worth noting that I picked up a A7 ii camera bundle at Costco for $999 and it came with SD card and 2 batteries but also claims to have eye AF which I can only assume is the latest firmware update?
Also love your channel, thanks for breaking it down for us! 💜
Eye af is actually something you have to assign in the settings I believe. It's a little bit complicated if I recall
@@KeeganRobin I'll let you know as soon as I test it out!
Did that bundle come with a lens?
Great video, you've earned a subscriber, keep it up!
Great name 👌🏼 what do you like about the EOS R? I have the A7ii and am thinking of an upgrade and am wondering about the A7iii or the EOS R.
likewise :D
I love it. it might not have the most amazing specs on paper but the image it produces is incredible!! if you have tons of sony lenses that would make it a tough transition but if you don't, I believe Canon will be killing it soon in the mirrorless world. I chose the eos r over the a7iii 3 months ago and I really don't regret it!
Yes I am convinced now to buy this camera thanks keegan lol you should be the spokesperson for this
I just ordered my Sony A7 ii camera online. Definitely gonna make great use of it
Good stuff man, have fun!
@@KeeganRobin Much appreciated
Hi! I’m wedding photographer and videographer, and i m still using my a7ii !
It’s a great body .. ibis,1080p 60p/s.... that’s enought...
Spend money for the lenses !
That's awesome, you're proof that the A7ii still holds up!
I got it a couple months ago for 1000. Ended up buying a sigma 85mm 1.4 for another 1k lol. Love it. But will be upgrading to the r series soon
It's 998$ with a lens now at Best buy and Amazon.