Sony Alpha A7 II Detailed Review

In additional Alpha A7 II was introduced by Sony in December 2014. It belongs to the Mirrorless Cameras category.

Sony is well-known and shouldn’t require further introduction, please see our manufacturer’s page for more digital cameras by Sony.

Also Alpha A7 II has a Full frame CMOS sensor with size of 36 x 24 mm² (1.41″ x 0.94″).

Picture of Alpha A7 II’s sensor compared to popular format.

The 1-Euro coin has a diameter of 23.25mm.

The Alpha A7 II’s sensor has resolution of 24 megapixel.

The Sony supports taking images in RAW. RAW images are stored as they come from the sensor, without any in-camera processing or sharpening. Converting to JPEG or other formats takes place on the computer, using software like Adobe Lightroom or Sony’s RAW converter. This involves one extra processing step but almost always results in superior image quality. Some filters, like converting to monochrome (black and white) will only yield decent results when used with RAW images.

The Alpha A7 II features a mechanism for automatic sensor cleaning.

The Alpha A7 II uses an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2.36 megapixel, an excellent value for a viewfinder like this which makes the camera a joy to use.

The magnifcation is c. 0.71x, an above average value for an electronic viewfinder.

The Alpha A7 II’s shutter speed varies from 1/8000s to 30s.

The Alpha A7 II’s sensitivity goes from 50 ISO und 25600 ISO, a very useful and practical range.

The Alpha A7 II supports all general exposure modes.

The Sony allows spot exposure for the difficult occasion.

The Alpha A7 II’s auto focus processor uses 117 AF points (or sensors). A basic rule of thumb says that the more AF points you have, the better. More AF points mean a better chance to have a point at the location of interest in a scene, a big plus in challenging situations (e.g. when panning the camera).

Manual focus is also possible with the Sony, a plus in tricky situations or for some creative freedom.

The Alpha A7 II doesn’t feature a built-in flash. That is not unsusual in this camera category.

A flash or a trigger for remote flashes can be attached to the Sony’s hotshoe.

The Alpha A7 II features a monitor with a diagonal of 76.00mm (3.0 in.) and a resolution of c. 1.23 megapixel. That’s about average.

The camera’s display is articulated, a plus for selfies and other challenging situations.

The Alpha A7 II does not feature a touch screen.

Display characteristics at a glance:

Alpha A7 II video supported the resolution with 1920 x 1080 pixel.

Also the camera is equipped with an external microphone.

Sony Alpha A7 II Video parameters:

The Alpha A7 II has Wifi connectivity already built-in. Use Wifi to transfer images to a smartphone or computer and to remote control the camera. With NFC, camera and smartphone can be paired without the need for passwords.

Eventually, if the wifi connection is disabled the wired connection may be used.

Connect the Sony to a monitor or TV set over HDMI.

The Sony supports USB 2.0.

Connection parameters:

The camera will accept all common SD HC and SD XC cards. Sony MemorySticks can be used, too.

Memory cards characteristics:

The Sony Alpha A7 II has a NP-FW50 LiIon battery. The battery provides a shooting life of 350 shots. It`s enough for one day or more.

The battery can be charged over USB while in camera. Very useful, especially on vacation when most people bring a USB charger for their smartphone anyway.

The Alpha A7 II’s battery battery parameters:

The Sony Alpha A7 II’s size is 126.9 x 95.7 x 59.7mm³. (5.0″ x 3.8″ x 2.4″). That dimensions are without lens. The weight of camera is 5.0″ x 3.8″ x 2.4″ grams (600 oz.) without lens weight.

Here is front and top view of the Alpha A7 II:

For a better idea of the size of the camera, takes a look off camera and ID card comparison image.