I orderd this camera a few days ago and, before that, watched literally hundreds of videos about it. No surprise, this video is the most informative and straight to the point of all. Thanks you! I do mainly RUclips videos, which lens would you recommend?
Excellent review... thank you! I recently started submitting my photos to stock image companies using a 2003 Canon digital Rebel, but all 3 were rejected due to "soft or lacking definition." Some bloggers said they didn't know what this means. My photos were in focus and looked great to me, but what do I know. Another reason for their rejection was cited as "lacking metadata." I've seen metadata in Photoshop using my old Canon, but also read that it can disappear with editing. And what about the sensor in an old camera? Could this translate into photo rejections as well? To summarize, do you think my 2003 Canon digital Rebel is too old to use for stock image companies? Thank you for reading this!
Great review. I still use the A7ii. It's a brilliant camera. I also use the A7Rii which is amazing. I know they have been out a few years now but they still do everything I want. Thanks for sharing 👍👍👍
The burst rate should have been 12fps with af and exposure not locked like the sony a6000. I guess we will have to wait for next year's model for obe of those features
Don't count on that. A Full Frame 24MP at 12FPS is way too difficult at this price point. Files sizes are large. D4s and 1DX are the few that can push Full frame that fast, cost thousands more.
What are the benefits of using an optical viewfinder apparat from a longer battery life? I use EVF only and would like to know more about the alternative.
To first clarify, there is not any optical viewfinder option for the Sony A7 cameras. What Larry was speaking about in this video when he mentioned about optical viewfinders, was in reference to DSLR's and other older series of cameras which feature the optical viewfinders built in. The thing about Electronic Viewfinders, is when looking into the finder, you are literally looking at a live video feed. But because it is a video feed, there is a slight delay. Older digital cameras which first utilized EVF's had a rather noticeable lag however most people made due once they got used to it. But the lag is an issue for more serious shooters who are trying to capture exactly what they see the moment they see it (crucial for sports/wedding shooters). The EVF's have come a long way, and the lag is almost imperceivable, however it exists, and we are talking micro-seconds here. These types of viewfinders had commonly been used in camcorders prior to digital photography, but with video recording the lag is not an issue, since you are recording motion clips which encompass all the activity of the subject nothing is neglected or left uncaptured. I am one that was never crazy about EVF's, I personally felt there was always a difference in colors represented in them vs. what exists and what is captured by the camera. I would also say that the Sony's and other brands current EVF's are quite effective and have shown users like myself that they are capable of capturing the moment for most applications, however that being said, if you're shooting sports or weddings and dependant on your income from those shoots, a DSLR would be a more appropriate tool for those applications. - Yossi
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - November 03, 2015) - B&H Photo would like to share the announcement of a new firmware update for the Sony Alpha a7 II Mirrorless digital camera, which is scheduled for release on November 18. This update brings the uncompressed raw option -- first seen in the a7S II and a7R II -- to the a7 II, and provides users with the choice between smaller file sizes via compression or the retention of as much image data as possible for advanced raw file development. Along with this, the camera's AF system sees a massive boost in performance with the 117-point on-sensor phase detection AF array now supporting adapted lenses, such as those from Sony's A-mount line. This is similar to what we have already seen with the a7R II, and ensures fast, accurate autofocus performance with a vast variety of glass, making the move to mirrorless much easier. Additionally, Sony is adding more customization options to the camera, allowing movie recording to be assigned to a custom key.
What are opinions of this camera (Sony A7 Version 2) for sports or live music. Additionally lighting could be low for either previously mentioned scenario. thank you :)
It's a great camera, but as a tool for an application, its not the most appropriate for sports and music. Lens-wise Canon and Nikon have much more appropriate lenses for professional sports purposes, and using an optical viewfinder for sports shooting is key to capturing the exact moment, as great as Electronic Viewfinders are, there is still a slight delay between what you see and what you get inside. For that an optical viewfinder is better. Plus with a top ISO of only 25,600, there are other models which have much higher ISO ranges to opt for which would outperform the camera in my opinion. This is a place where the Canon 5D MK III, 7D MK II, and Nikon D750 type cameras would be better tools for the trade. - Yossi
Catherine Rosario Cabalan f/4 is the largest aperture available for Sony's E-mount full frame lenses. I believe this was done in order to keep the size and weight down on the E-mount line. That being said, if you might look at the Sony FE 24-70mm f/4. It would be a great standard zoom to start out with for the a7II. *Christina* askbh@bandh.com bhpho.to/1JCeUC3
Since Sony has 24/7 live-view on viewfinder or no LCD screen, how do you get live-view tethered to a laptop? Sony software can not do it nor can Adobe Lightroom.
From my research it can be done via Capture One Pro 8.1 software. Below is a link to a useful website I found on the topic, and the writer goes into detail how to set up the camera to shoot Live/Tethered. See the link below for details. ? Yossi bit.ly/1yTCKBP
B and H Sony really screwed up, SLT-A99 is their top-of-the line & all their cameras can not do tethered still/tethered live-view while many Canon & Nikon can. Don't know why Capture One Pro 8.1 doesn't support SLT-A99 on live-view tethered which many pros need & use for shooting stills & videos. Thank you, Yossi.
Sony's Enhanced Fast Hybrid AF with 117 Phase Detection AF points is very reliable and its Lock-on AF tracking feature analyzes more information from the scene to provide dramatically improved accuracy and stability. Eye AF is also available which will prioritize a subject's pupil for excellent portraits even with a shallow depth of field. >Mark
The A7 II will come with the AC-UUD11 AC Battery Charging Adaptor. The Battery charges in the camera which is connected to the AC adapter via the included USB cord. The AC adapter will have a standard 2-prong US plug. There are external battery chargers, like the Sony BC-TRW W Series Battery Charger (Black) B&H # SOBCTRW, available additionally should you prefer.
Which to go with would depend upon what you would be shooting. The a7 II has the clear advantage for any type of action, including sports and wildlife. It could also have an advantage for events and street photography. However, If you will be doing much low light photography, the a7S would likely be the better option. *Christina* AskRUclips@bhphoto.com
+emir y. If you do not already own lenses for either system and are starting fresh, then as long as you can find the focal lengths that you need, the Sony Alpha a7 II Mirrorless Digital Camera would have a slight edge over the Canon EOS 6D as it has more color depth and dynamic range, and slightly better low light performance if you have to use a higher ISO setting. Otherwise, both cameras would be a good choice and would work well for your needs, and Canon has a large library of wide angle and tilt/shift lenses that would be beneficial for landscape/architectural photography.
+B and H many thanks for your answering. i know that canon tilt shift lenses are manual focus and sony mirrorless can work with canon lenses via metabones adapters am i wrong? so this can open a huge world for me i think.. grettings ..
+emir Yes, with the Metabones MK IV adapter, both metering and autofocus are actually supported for Canon EOS lenses, (not including ones such as their Tilt/Shift options etc) and you could effectively use them on a Canon A7 series body. See the link below for the recommended Metabones adapter to use. - Yossi bhpho.to/1U2HHsk
I always see this kind of comments. Coming from Nikon, I absolutely adore the customization from Sony in their menues, and they're actually quite easy to understand. I don't really know if this is a matter of DSLR users hating on Sony because they crashed the bussiness by actually being innovators and giving us real upgrades in cameras or what, but the joke is already old mate. Maybe you're finding, honestly, the menues hard to follow, that's a fair point, but considering THE AMOUNT of features they have, they don't seem convoluted to me. You have to organize everything for god's sake. And I always ask the same, how would you do it? The people at Sony are constantly reading forums and stuff, maybe commenting how would you improve them you can actually help, but even with that, you have the My Menu tab in recent cameras so... Anyway, cheers.
I print large and the A7r was a huge disappointment with no uncompressed raw file capability. The largest file it could save in compressed raw is 36 meg. The lower resolution 24 mp A7ii can after a firmware update now save 48 meg uncompressed raw files. Shame on Sony for dumping the A7r buyers with less information saving ability than the next gen 24 mp camera of a step down model. I don't care about Sony's marketing strategy. There is no excuse for Sony not to support the first gen A7 and A7r with uncompressed raw files. This Sony could easily do with a firmware update like it did when the A7ii buyers demanded it. Almost all serious photographers that bought the A7r did so to get maximum resolution only to find out that uncompressed raw files were not possible with the existing firmware. So if that buyer wanted to print large he/she has to sell the A7r and buy an A7ii or A7rii. What a scam Sony!! I sold my A7r and will not deal with Sony again. I'm dumping all my Sony gear.
Best Sony A7 II review on RUclips so far!
Glad it was helpful, Sebastian!
I orderd this camera a few days ago and, before that, watched literally hundreds of videos about it. No surprise, this video is the most informative and straight to the point of all. Thanks you! I do mainly RUclips videos, which lens would you recommend?
Excellent review... thank you! I recently started submitting my photos to stock image companies using a 2003 Canon digital Rebel, but all 3 were rejected due to "soft or lacking definition." Some bloggers said they didn't know what this means. My photos were in focus and looked great to me, but what do I know. Another reason for their rejection was cited as "lacking metadata." I've seen metadata in Photoshop using my old Canon, but also read that it can disappear with editing. And what about the sensor in an old camera? Could this translate into photo rejections as well? To summarize, do you think my 2003 Canon digital Rebel is too old to use for stock image companies? Thank you for reading this!
Great review. I still use the A7ii. It's a brilliant camera. I also use the A7Rii which is amazing. I know they have been out a few years now but they still do everything I want. Thanks for sharing 👍👍👍
Some full frame lenses are not marked FE but just E.
The burst rate should have been 12fps with af and exposure not locked like the sony a6000. I guess we will have to wait for next year's model for obe of those features
Don't count on that. A Full Frame 24MP at 12FPS is way too difficult at this price point. Files sizes are large. D4s and 1DX are the few that can push Full frame that fast, cost thousands more.
A Rivera File size is same as a6000
What are the benefits of using an optical viewfinder apparat from a longer battery life? I use EVF only and would like to know more about the alternative.
To first clarify, there is not any optical viewfinder option for the Sony A7 cameras. What Larry was speaking about in this video when he mentioned about optical viewfinders, was in reference to DSLR's and other older series of cameras which feature the optical viewfinders built in.
The thing about Electronic Viewfinders, is when looking into the finder, you are literally looking at a live video feed. But because it is a video feed, there is a slight delay. Older digital cameras which first utilized EVF's had a rather noticeable lag however most people made due once they got used to it. But the lag is an issue for more serious shooters who are trying to capture exactly what they see the moment they see it (crucial for sports/wedding shooters). The EVF's have come a long way, and the lag is almost imperceivable, however it exists, and we are talking micro-seconds here. These types of viewfinders had commonly been used in camcorders prior to digital photography, but with video recording the lag is not an issue, since you are recording motion clips which encompass all the activity of the subject nothing is neglected or left uncaptured.
I am one that was never crazy about EVF's, I personally felt there was always a difference in colors represented in them vs. what exists and what is captured by the camera. I would also say that the Sony's and other brands current EVF's are quite effective and have shown users like myself that they are capable of capturing the moment for most applications, however that being said, if you're shooting sports or weddings and dependant on your income from those shoots, a DSLR would be a more appropriate tool for those applications. - Yossi
Thank you so much. What a great review
Great review!
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - November 03, 2015) - B&H Photo would like to share the announcement of a new firmware update for the Sony Alpha a7 II Mirrorless digital camera, which is scheduled for release on November 18. This update brings the uncompressed raw option -- first seen in the a7S II and a7R II -- to the a7 II, and provides users with the choice between smaller file sizes via compression or the retention of as much image data as possible for advanced raw file development. Along with this, the camera's AF system sees a massive boost in performance with the 117-point on-sensor phase detection AF array now supporting adapted lenses, such as those from Sony's A-mount line. This is similar to what we have already seen with the a7R II, and ensures fast, accurate autofocus performance with a vast variety of glass, making the move to mirrorless much easier. Additionally, Sony is adding more customization options to the camera, allowing movie recording to be assigned to a custom key.
What are opinions of this camera (Sony A7 Version 2) for sports or live music. Additionally lighting could be low for either previously mentioned scenario. thank you :)
It's a great camera, but as a tool for an application, its not the most appropriate for sports and music. Lens-wise Canon and Nikon have much more appropriate lenses for professional sports purposes, and using an optical viewfinder for sports shooting is key to capturing the exact moment, as great as Electronic Viewfinders are, there is still a slight delay between what you see and what you get inside. For that an optical viewfinder is better. Plus with a top ISO of only 25,600, there are other models which have much higher ISO ranges to opt for which would outperform the camera in my opinion. This is a place where the Canon 5D MK III, 7D MK II, and Nikon D750 type cameras would be better tools for the trade. - Yossi
need? no. the a7 is just fine. all the a72 has is the ibis. thats about it
Great Video on Sony Alpha 7 family....which the SONY catalogue does not really explain very well.
ok thank , i need a E-mount full frame zoom lens F2.8 for my A7ii can you recommend to me a great one please ?
Catherine Rosario Cabalan f/4 is the largest aperture available for Sony's E-mount full frame lenses. I believe this was done in order to keep the size and weight down on the E-mount line. That being said, if you might look at the Sony FE 24-70mm f/4. It would be a great standard zoom to start out with for the a7II. *Christina* askbh@bandh.com
bhpho.to/1JCeUC3
cant wait for a7II s
I wish the screen the came out to the left side to the front
Since Sony has 24/7 live-view on viewfinder or no LCD screen, how do you get live-view tethered to a laptop?
Sony software can not do it nor can Adobe Lightroom.
From my research it can be done via Capture One Pro 8.1 software. Below is a link to a useful website I found on the topic, and the writer goes into detail how to set up the camera to shoot Live/Tethered. See the link below for details. ? Yossi
bit.ly/1yTCKBP
B and H
Sony really screwed up, SLT-A99 is their top-of-the line & all their cameras can not do tethered still/tethered live-view while many Canon & Nikon can.
Don't know why Capture One Pro 8.1 doesn't support SLT-A99 on live-view tethered which many pros need & use for shooting stills & videos.
Thank you, Yossi.
What do you think about the autofocus of this camera ? It is something that can relied on ?
Sony's Enhanced Fast Hybrid AF with 117 Phase Detection AF points is very reliable and its Lock-on AF tracking feature analyzes more information from the scene to provide dramatically improved accuracy and stability. Eye AF is also available which will prioritize a subject's pupil for excellent portraits even with a shallow depth of field. >Mark
Does it comes with 2 and 3 pin plug and dedicated battery charger ?
The A7 II will come with the AC-UUD11 AC Battery Charging Adaptor. The Battery charges in the camera which is connected to the AC adapter via the included USB cord. The AC adapter will have a standard 2-prong US plug. There are external battery chargers, like the Sony BC-TRW W Series Battery Charger (Black) B&H # SOBCTRW, available additionally should you prefer.
I can only film at 1080p 25fps or 50fps, how exactly do you get it to 30 or 60fps??
Your video settings must be on PAL Video standards. NTSC is 30/60fps. Set from the MENU. >Mark
this or the a7s for stills?
Which to go with would depend upon what you would be shooting. The a7 II has the clear advantage for any type of action, including sports and wildlife. It could also have an advantage for events and street photography. However, If you will be doing much low light photography, the a7S would likely be the better option. *Christina* AskRUclips@bhphoto.com
+B and H okay thank you! I like shooting at night quite a bit so I'll go with the a7s
is it good in low light conditions for photography?
which camera body you suggest for arcihtectural and landscape photography; canon eos 6d or sony a7ii ?
+emir y. If you do not already own lenses for either system and are starting fresh, then as long as you can find the focal lengths that you need, the Sony Alpha a7 II Mirrorless Digital Camera would have a slight edge over the Canon EOS 6D as it has more color depth and dynamic range, and slightly better low light performance if you have to use a higher ISO setting. Otherwise, both cameras would be a good choice and would work well for your needs, and Canon has a large library of wide angle and tilt/shift lenses that would be beneficial for landscape/architectural photography.
+B and H many thanks for your answering. i know that canon tilt shift lenses are manual focus and sony mirrorless can work with canon lenses via metabones adapters am i wrong? so this can open a huge world for me i think..
grettings ..
+emir Yes, with the Metabones MK IV adapter, both metering and autofocus are actually supported for Canon EOS lenses, (not including ones such as their Tilt/Shift options etc) and you could effectively use them on a Canon A7 series body. See the link below for the recommended Metabones adapter to use. - Yossi
bhpho.to/1U2HHsk
хорошая камера, но снимать ей в темноте проблематично!
Sony menus are easy to nevigate? That's not true man! It's easily one of the most convoluted menus in the market.
I always see this kind of comments. Coming from Nikon, I absolutely adore the customization from Sony in their menues, and they're actually quite easy to understand.
I don't really know if this is a matter of DSLR users hating on Sony because they crashed the bussiness by actually being innovators and giving us real upgrades in cameras or what, but the joke is already old mate. Maybe you're finding, honestly, the menues hard to follow, that's a fair point, but considering THE AMOUNT of features they have, they don't seem convoluted to me. You have to organize everything for god's sake.
And I always ask the same, how would you do it? The people at Sony are constantly reading forums and stuff, maybe commenting how would you improve them you can actually help, but even with that, you have the My Menu tab in recent cameras so...
Anyway, cheers.
Today if Sony a 7 mark ii best buy to only home use only-----.?
I print large and the A7r was a huge disappointment with no uncompressed raw file capability. The largest file it could save in compressed raw is 36 meg. The lower resolution 24 mp A7ii can after a firmware update now save 48 meg uncompressed raw files. Shame on Sony for dumping the A7r buyers with less information saving ability than the next gen 24 mp camera of a step down model.
I don't care about Sony's marketing strategy. There is no excuse for Sony not to support the first gen A7 and A7r with uncompressed raw files. This Sony could easily do with a firmware update like it did when the A7ii buyers demanded it. Almost all serious photographers that bought the A7r did so to get maximum resolution only to find out that uncompressed raw files were not possible with the existing firmware. So if that buyer wanted to print large he/she has to sell the A7r and buy an A7ii or A7rii. What a scam Sony!! I sold my A7r and will not deal with Sony again. I'm dumping all my Sony gear.
filming? its not 1977.
Ich Ich habe