Alpha a7II Mirrorless Digital Camera with 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens

To preface this review, I think the time for purchasing this particular camera is when it is being sold for under 1000 dollars. This tends to happen frequently throughout the year, especially around the holiday season. In fact, one could also find the body for ~900 new on black friday/cyber monday deals on amazon or other camera stores. If you already have invested in one system, say Canon or Nikon,or even already own a Sony APS-C camera, I would not recommend the a7II. The a7II is a gateway product that provides the most value to those who have not yet experienced the mirrorless movement of cameras, or even cameras in general. I will also not recommend this camera to those who are looking into seeking photography as a career. You would probably be better investing in a camera which is 'competitive' to offer top results to clients. So to begin, who is the Sony a7II perfect for? This camera is perfect for those who are interested in full frame photography and not so much interested in shooting video. This is the camera for the amateur or the casual shooter who want to reap the rewards that mirrorless designs offer. While the camera is fairly old, around 4 years as of 2019, do not mistake it as a bad camera. Even in 2019, the image quality and sensor performance is quite impressive. The IBIS, a feature seldom found on cameras of this price range, allows you to take very sharp images in low light situations. Auto focus on this camera is fairly quick and will get you sharp focus in most, if not all, situations. Just know, that high action or high movement subjects will not be easy to focus on using this body. Dynamic range on this camera is also very impressive. Aside from the built in features, the E-Mount system is the most mature mount system on the market. Since Sony adopted mirrorless designs early, there is a large selection of high quality lenses that can fit almost any budget. The current high value lenses to be looking out for are: - Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 which runs for just under 900 dollars MSRP. It is the most bang for you buck zoom lens on the market for the E-Mount system and potentially a lens you will never take off. - Sigma Art Primes come in various focal lengths and sizes. Again, these lenses are razor sharp and don't break the bank. One could get the a7II kit for 1000 dollars and the Sigma Art 35mm F1.4 and that would still be cheaper than buying an a7III body. - Samyang/Rokinon lenses. For every Sony lens on the market, there is a Samyang/Rokinon of similar design at a small fraction of the Sony price. This glass is cheap, but quality for what you pay for. Some would even reckon that these lenses surpass some of the available Sony options. Of course many will be purchasing the a7II Kit which comes with the 28-70mm lens. This kit lens is about the epitome of the 'jack of all trades and master of none' title. It gives access to a pretty standard zoom range, the sharpness is pretty solid even at its wide open aperture of 3.5. It is small and light weight as well, meaning you could easily carry this lens around with you in a bag. But that's about it. You can take very good pictures with this lens, but you'll always be wanting for more in terms of sharpness and aperture options.

I have now had this camera for about 6 weeks. I have used it for vacations shots, landscape photos, portraits, astrophotography, sports photos and even low light photos in a cavern. I guess you could think of this camera as a world class decathlete. It is very good at everything but not the very best at anything. I think the three things that makes this camera so good is the image stabilization, the small size and lightness, and the small price for such a high end camera. Even though the high ISO performance isn't the absolute best it is still good and with image stabilization it allows you to shoot at much slower shutter speeds with any lens than nearly any other camera. I took usable photos with the ISO at 6400 and the shutter speed between .5 and one second. These were hand held shots and only one out of four photos were sharp enough but I doubt I could have done that with any other camera. It is not as fast at focusing as my A77m2 nor does it have as many pixels as the A7rII but it takes incredible shots and raw photos have so much depth of information I can pull a lot of detail and contrast and color out of photos that seem too dark and drab at first glance. So far I am very impressed with this camera. I think it is well worth the price. The only downside is the lack of affordable full frame lenses for the E mount cameras. Sony has decided to market very high end lenses with high end prices. You can either buy expensive Zeiss lenses, expensive Leica lenses or expensive Sony lenses. I think Sony calls them G master or something like that. At least the kit lens seems to be a good lens especially for a kit lens. I have taken some pretty difficult photos with that lens and I have not been disappointed. eica

I love this camera. Sold my a6000 when I got this and it's a massive upgrade. My first full frame digital. The difference is noticeable, but it's not a silver bullet - it doesn't make everything magically better. I am keeping my other crop cameras for both the reach and at least in the case of the a77ii, for its great AF system. The a7ii is primarily for using manual lenses, though the AF works great. Pros: * Image quality is great. * Improved high ISO\low-light performance (over my prior cameras) * I like the size\weight\handling. Many don't, but I've had 0 issues with it. * Customizability. Coming from another system it's probably confusing. No problems here, familiar. * AF system is good. Not the best, but for most it's perfectly fine. * I'm able to use all my old a-mount FF lenses w\AF on LAEA4 adapter * Focus peaking, magnification, zebra all very effective and useful for manual focusing * IBIS for the vintage lenses (as long as you set it properly each time) can be a huge advantage in low-light, especially in conjunction with all the other capabilities. Cons: * APSC mode is only 10MP. This is really the only sore point that has me second guessing whether I should have sprung for an a7RII instead. But realistically the price point was beyond my reach atm. * AF system isn't as good as the newest A7 models or the best DSLR's * AF on LAEA4 adapter is passable for static subjects, but it's too slow for any sort of action. * FE lenses can be expensive. I've had it for about 2 months now, and I really don't have a lot of complaints about this camera at this time. Some of the cons I listed are a bit of a stretch and not specific to the camera. What you get for what you pay is an outstanding value and I don't see that changing. Depending on your needs this may not be the best option for you, the a7 might be sufficient in a more stripped down and compact package, or maybe having the best AF possible is more important than the full frame, etc. There's all sorts of options across many systems. Just think carefully about what you need and avoid an expensive impulse buy.

Firstly I I have no prior experience in cameras besides Point&Shoots. I have been using a Cannon S90 for the last 4 years honing my skill in composition and exposures before making the investment in the big leagues. My friend who is a professional residential photographer who uses DSLRs recommended me to go with Mirrorless. I mainly wanted a camera for night photography/exploring/traveling. He pointed me to Mirrorless cameras as it is more compact & light weight, yet having specs that rivals DSLRs. For the kit lens I went with online reviews that all said it was a fair lens for the cost. I fell in love as soon as I shot for the first time & realized what I've been missing out on all these years. This camera has allowed me to explore a different style of photography as I can do things that I previously couldn't. I have taken some amazing shots with this relatively intuitive camera. You can see some of my Sony A7ii Kit Lens pics on my Instagram account --> @Parker.Chan Although the kit lens is pretty decent for low light as the INTERNAL STABILIZER in the body helps a lot, if low light photography is what you are into you should invest in a better lens - as I feel like I have already outgrown the lens (though not taking anything away from it. Just look at my low light shots 'Lightroom Edited.') Overall the A7II is a YES. - Light weight yet solid feel - Sleek - Relatively intuitive to use, yet highly customizable functions - Pricing: well worth every penny if you enjoy photography The kit lens is a YES for beginners. - Good lens to start for beginners who have no idea where to start. Very versatile range for both landscape & portraits. - Paired with Internal Stablizing function of the A7ii, you can pull of fairly low shutter speed shots by hand @ 1/25 maybe 1/20. - I really enjoy it and will continue using it for daytime photography.

The image quality is stunning. The camera produces amazing image quality especially when used in high ISO speed at night. I have also enjoyed shooting with the 28-70mm kit lens. The lens is reasonably sharp. I love the camera and the kit lens from its optical performance. However, I really miss the ease of use of my Canon system. I think most of the reviews here do the justice for the camera's optical performance, so I am going to share a bit about my critiques on the all around usability. - The viewfinder battery usage is substantial. One battery lasts around 5-6 hours for me. This kind of isn't too big of a deal because I am ok with carrying around 5 extra batteries. - The settings menu contains nonsense items that god knows what it is controlling. Like what do you expect the phrase "Audio signal" to mean? Well, let me tell you. It controls whether the camera beeps when it autofocuses. - The camera viewfinder is automatically enabled (while turning off the LCD) with the forehead proximity sensor. However, it's extremely annoying when you need to use the LCD but holding the camera close to your body. That distance is obviously not close enough if you want to use the viewfinder. - The video button is not at a favorable location. It should go to where the manual focus button is. - All the canon lenses I have have AF/MF physical switches. They are extremely handy. However this doesn't exist for the 2 Sony lenses I have purchased so far (the other is a 28mm f/2).

I was very let down when I first used this camera out of the box but then I popped a prime lens on it and it was AMAZING! Normally I think kit lenses are underrated and take too much abuse but this camera's kit lens is just horrible. Once I put a $198 50mm lens on the camera is was incredible. So this is one of the few times I found recommend you go for the body without the kit lens and buy yourself a good prime instead. The menu on Sony is terrible and I can't get used to it. It's completely upside down to me coming from Nikon but all that said the camera is just amazing. It's fast and lightweight. It's smaller and lighter than my Nikon DX crop sensor. It's incredible to have what feels like a micro four thirds but is a full frame camera! The 50 and 85mm f1 8 lenses are super affordable and are incredible paired with this camera. I got a 35mm f2 Rokinon pancake lens ($200) to keep on this camera between shoots and with that tiny lens I can carry this camera with me everyday everywhere I go and have a full frame mirrorless on me all the time! Incredible that after all these years as a photographer I finally got a full frame digital camera and it was only $900! You can't beat the price. It's such a great deal. In body image stabalization is so valuable by itself. I remember when VR lenses were new and that seemed crazy but now any lens I out on this camera gets an extra 2 stops handheld! For video it makes everything looks so smooth. You can literally shoot at 3200 ISO if you have to and it works. At 1600 ISO it's not even something I have to worry about. I never used to go over 400 ISO on a digital camera, 800 for black and white street stuff but now I will shoot at 800 just to be able to stop down more because it's honestly not an issue. Oh BATTERY LIFE, not nearly as bad as what I exoected! I think that it's fine. It lasts me all day on one battery without a problem. Also the batteries are super cheap. I got 2 extra batteries and a double charger for them for $35 (in total) with that I have 3 batteries at all times if I need them. If you are really paranoid spent $30 more and get 6 batteries. I'd rather have a small battery and camera and be able to just swap in these cheap tiny batteries as needed. I found that a full day of regular life use can easily last on 1 charge. Amazing camera!

This is one of the best cameras on the market as of December 2018, value-per-dollar, and here's why: 1 - Look up some of the prices on the original FX (full frame) DSLRs. As of today, used, they are selling for the same price and feature half the resolution. 2 - It includes amazing features at this price, including image stabilization built into the camera. Yes, many of the lenses have it built in, but now you can adapt your old lenses from other camera models and take advantage of everything the A7II has to offer, including the 5-Axis stabilization and focus magnification. 3 - It is considered a professional mirrorless body. This means it's built in a way and has certain "high quality" parts that are often valued because they won't be seen in "consumer models" with cost-cutting efforts in mind. This may not be the camera for you if: A - You want the latest, greatest and newest model with the most impressive printed specifications. This includes the latest focus and metering technologies. B - You have specialty needs for your type of photography or preferences. This is something that you have to know ahead of time, and there are plenty of resources online to find out what options you should be looking at instead. C - You need a more conventional camera and aren't looking to go mirrorless. Last but not least, I am impressed with this camera. Sony did a great job, no-contest. I still grab a different camera if I need something that powers on instantly so I don't miss a shot, or if I'm shooting a chaotic social event using a speedlight. If not for any other reason, the larger camera lets a group of people know what they should be looking at. (Sony somehow manages to do okay with portraits and direct flash for casual-events, I'm not sure how they managed this...) Not so long ago it was common to use film, light meters, strobe lights and manually-focused lenses for anything you'd photograph in this image format. Images with superior image quality required professional slide film. Image previews didn't happen until you had film developed, and there was always a cost - which was always a restriction to a hobby. This is undoubtedly an amazing price for a new full-frame camera and it's image quality exceeds what many could achieve with film in difficult environments and poor technique. Although, to be fair, it's not the only camera on the market and the variety of choices also include cameras that may be better suited for certain people. That aside, I'm obviously impressed.

As a cinematographer, the tools I use are essential in translating my vision onto the screen, and the Sony Alpha a7 IIK has been a valuable addition to my gear. While I mostly use manual focus, especially with my Rokinon lenses, I've tested the auto focus of the a7 IIK, and it’s fairly impressive. However, with my style of shooting, the manual focus ring of the Rokinon lenses combined with the focus peaking feature of the camera has been a game-changer. The image stabilization on this camera is phenomenal. Even when shooting handheld or in situations where I can't use a gimbal, the Sony Alpha a7 IIK keeps the footage smooth, ensuring that the viewer stays immersed in the story, not distracted by shaky footage. The picture quality, particularly when paired with Rokinon lenses, is astounding. The full-frame sensor captures scenes with a cinematic richness that is hard to match. The dynamic range ensures that both shadows and highlights retain detail, making color grading in post-production a dream. For those in the world of film and video, whether you're shooting a short film, documentary, or even a feature, the combination of the Sony Alpha a7 IIK with Rokinon lenses offers a potent blend of performance and artistry. It's been instrumental in bringing my visions to life on the big screen.

Nice

Sony has very nice cameras; this model, I think, is a good deal for photographers, not videographers... I wasn't sure that I want to switch from Nikon, but I like the concept of using same lenses for a6000 series and A7 series :-)

Still learning how to use all the options. I was able to buy some old glass lenses for about $30 (28mm, 50mm) and take some outstanding portraits and landscapes. Very versatile.

Parfait, vendeur sérieux !

Excellent camera, I’ve really grown to love it. Keep in mind the battery life isn’t the best I would suggest a battery grip for anyone that is more then occasional shooter.