Sony A7 II reviews roundup: Should you buy it in 2021?
Here’s a roundup of all the Sony A7II reviews, ratings and impressions from the web. Discover its strengths and weaknesses here!
Released in septembre 2015, the Sony a7 II features a 24.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor with a Bionz X image processor, a 5-axis sensor-based image stabilization, a hybrid autofocus system with 25 contrast-detect and 117 phase-detect points, a 3” 1.23M dots tilting LCD screen and a 2.36M dots OLED viewfinder.
The camera shoots photos in RAW and JPG formats with a 5fps burst in continuous mode. It records videos in 1080p at up to 50fps. Data is saved on a single SDHC/SDXC card slot. The a7 II is Wi-Fi and NFC enabled to allow for remote control operations. The battery will last between 270 and 340 shots. Altogether, the camera weighs 556g with the battery and memory card included.
So what do the critics think of the Sony A7II?
Overall most reviews say that the Sony A7 II is still an interesting full-frame mirrorless camera for photographers years after its release. The image quality is great overall, despite some visible noise in high ISO. The stabilization system works really well, and the autofocus is of good value. The build quality is top tier, with a solid body and a nice but small dial layout. As time passed, some of its features became outdated. That’s the case for the HD only video format that won’t impress videographers. The RAW compression is not the best and the shutter can be noisy at times. You also won’t find any touchscreen. Despite some issues, the a7 II is sold for a very good price that keeps it relevant on the market.
- World’s first 5 axis in body image stabilization in a full frame camera.Power requirements: AC 100 V to 240 V, 50 Hz/60 Hz, 70 mA. Output voltage: DC 5 V, 1.5 A
- Use your favorite lenses without blur from camera shake; High 50 Mbps bit rate XAVC S21 format recording of Full HD movies
- Capture stunning images with full frame, 24.3MP resolution. Lens Compensation: Peripheral shading, chromatic aberration, distortion
Most reviews like…
- overall build quality
- decent price tag
- stabilization and autofocus
- viewfinder
- connectivity
Most reviews don’t like…
- battery life
- noise in high ISO
- shutter noise
- lack of 4K video mode
- RAW compression issues
For more infos about the positive and negatives sides of the Sony A7 Mark II, check out the selection of reviews below:
Websites Reviews
Dpreview.com – 82% (Silver Award) – ‘The Alpha 7 II continues to push Sony’s full frame mirrorless line of cameras into ground-breaking territory. It is the only full frame mirrorless camera to offer in-body image stabilization systems and its performance is excellent. The body is comfortable to shoot with and offers a broad set of features that should appeal to both still and video shooters. Unfortunately the a7 II’s high ISO image quality is not as good as other full framers. Raw files are also less malleable than the competition and JPEGs tend to suffer from aggressive noise reduction.’
Digitalcameraworld.com – ★★★★★ (Gold Award) – ‘As well as having a high-quality feel, a durable build and generally excellent control layout out (apart from the irritating video record button), the Alpha 7 II produces superb-quality images. And while its autofocus system isn’t up to the standard demanded by professional sports photographers, it’s fast and accurate in decent lighting conditions. The in-camera stabilisation system is also useful, enabling sharp images to be taken at shutter speeds that would not normally be possible when hand-holding a camera. It all adds up to make the Sony Alpha 7 II an extremely attractive camera at current prices.’
Ephotozine.com – ★★★★½ (Highly Recommended) – ‘The A7 Mark II improves on the A7, with improved handling and controls, and the camera feels comfortable in use, although the additional weight could put some people off, along with the higher price. The finish on the weather-sealed magnesium alloy body has been updated to include a design and style more similar to a Digital SLR, and the larger hand-grip will help when using the camera with larger lenses. The 24.3 megapixel full-frame sensor delivers excellent results, the improved resolution tilting screen looks great, and built in Wi-Fi and NFC makes transferring images easy. ‘
Expertreviews.co.uk – ★★★★★
Pcmag.com – ★★★★★ (Excellent) – ‘The mirrorless, full-frame Sony Alpha 7 II improves on its predecessor with in-body stabilization, faster autofocus, and a better ergonomic design, and earns Editors’ Choice honors in the process.’
Photographyblog.com – ★★★★★ (Essential) – ‘The A7 II does unfortunately inherit some of the A7’s flaws, most notably the still slightly sluggish auto-focusing, poor battery life and in-camera charging, the loud mechanical shutter release, and the rather limited range of FE lenses, although Sony are gradually addressing that with a trickle of new optics.’
Photoreview.com.au – 9/10 (Editor’s Choice)
Trustedreviews.com – ★★★★½ – ‘The one disappointment is something closer to the basics: battery life. It is not good… For serious photographers looking for a camera to use on long shooting trips, this sort of stamina may tarnish the benefits of the smaller size of the body.’
Techradar.com – ★★★★½ – ‘The Sony Alpha A7 II is a superb camera that has all the benefits of a full-frame sensor without the bulk. It has good AF, superb image stabilization and produces very high quality images in a wide range of conditions.’
Theverge.com – 7.8/10
Lesnumeriques.com – ★★★★★
Amazon users reviews
- World’s first 5 axis in body image stabilization in a full frame camera.Power requirements: AC 100 V to 240 V, 50 Hz/60 Hz, 70 mA. Output voltage: DC 5 V, 1.5 A
- Use your favorite lenses without blur from camera shake; High 50 Mbps bit rate XAVC S21 format recording of Full HD movies
- Capture stunning images with full frame, 24.3MP resolution. Lens Compensation: Peripheral shading, chromatic aberration, distortion
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