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Sony a7S II ILCE7SM2/B 12.2 MP E-mount Camera with Full-Frame Sensor, Black

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 131 ratings

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About this item

  • full-frame camera with 5-axis image stabilization
  • fast and effective, enhanced fast hybrid af
  • 12.2 megapixels 10 35mm full-frame exmor cmos sensor lens compatibility - sony e-mount lenses
  • bionz x image processing engine ; clear image zoom :still/movie: approx. 2x
  • in the box: rechargeable battery np-fw50; cable protector; ac adaptor ac-uud11; battery charger bc-vw1; shoulder strap; body cap; accessory shoe cap; eyepiece cup; micro usb cable
  • Mounting type: Bayonet
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Sony a7S II ILCE7SM2/B 12.2 MP E-mount Camera with Full-Frame Sensor, Black
Sony a7S II ILCE7SM2/B 12.2 MP E-mount Camera with Full-Frame Sensor, Black
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Price$788.00$2,198.00$2,998.00$1,408.23$1,798.00-17% $748.00
List:$899.99
Delivery
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Get it Mar 20 - 28
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Customer Ratings
Picture quality
4.2
5.0
5.0
4.7
5.0
4.6
Auto focus
3.5
5.0
5.0
4.5
5.0
4.6
Image stabilization
3.9
5.0
4.5
4.6
3.9
Sold By
HOTOTRONICS
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
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Amazon.com
Amazon.com
display type
LCD
LCD
LCD
LCD
LCD
LCD
display size
3 inches
3 inches
3 inches
2.95 inches
3 inches
3 inches
lens type
Fisheye
Wide Angle
Wide Angle
Zoom
Zoom
zoom type
optical
Optical Zoom
Optical Zoom
Automatic
Digital Zoom
shooting modes
Portrait, sports action, macro, landscape and more
Movie
Single shooting, Continuous shooting (Hi+/Hi/Mid/Lo selectable), Self-timer, Self-timer (Cont.), Bracketing (Cont., Single, White Balance, DRO)
Single Shooting, Continuous shooting (Hi+/Hi/Mid/Lo selectable), Self-timer, Self-timer (Cont.), Bracket: Single, Bracket: Cont., White Balance bracket, DRO bracket
connectivity tech
NFC, HDMI, USB
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
NFC, HDMI, USB
HDMI, Wi-Fi, USB, NFC
Wireless
video resolution
FHD 1080p
2160p
2160p
4K UHD 2160p
2160p, 1080p
2160p, 1080p
optical zoom
1 multiplier x
1 multiplier x
3 multiplier x
2 multiplier x

What's in the box

  • Camera
  • Rechargeable Battery NP-FW50
  • Cable Protector
  • AC Adapter AC-UUD1
  • Battery Charger BC-VW1
  • Shoulder strap
  • Body cap
  • Accessory shoe cap
  • Eyepiece cup
  • Micro USB cable

  • From the manufacturer

    Sony α7S II Full-frame Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera

    The α7S II has evolved in both Stills and Movies adding internal 4K video recording (1), uncompressed 14-bit RAW, 5-axis image stabilization, High-speed AF while maintaining its legendary low-light capability.

    Features

    12.2 MP full-frame sensor for low light & wide dynamic range

    The innovative α7S II features a 12.2 effective megapixel full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor paired with a powerful BIONZ X image processor, allowing it to shoot at a sensitivity range of ISO 50 – 4096004(2) with unprecedented dynamic range. The extra-large pixels on the α7S II collects dramatically more light than traditional cameras to produce beautifully detailed low-noise images in even the most challenging lighting situations.

    World’s first5 Full-frame 4K movie recording1

    The α7S II is the world’s first5 camera to offer internal 4K movie recording1 in the full-frame format with full pixel readout and no line skipping or pixel binning - resulting in images that exhibit higher resolution and less moiré and jaggies than typical 4K movies. It also provides you the option of shooting 4k in the super 35mm format and the ability to capture uncompressed 4:2:2 Full HD or 4K QFHD output via HDMI to optional 3rd party external recorders6. Enjoy the improved autofocus with 169 AF points and let every lens benefit from the 5-ais SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization.

    Fast precise focusing in light as low as EV -4

    The α7S II has been upgraded from the α7S and now offers 169 AF points for fast, precise focusing with greater accuracy compared to the original α7S. The low signal-to-noise ratio produced by the image sensor of the α7S II enables the Fast Intelligent AF to detect contrast more easily and react speedily even in low-light situations (as low as EV-4), when it’s even tough to check focus with the naked eye. The AF performance on the α7S II is also twice as fast as the α7S during video shooting.

    5-axis in-body image stabilization benefits every lens

    The 5-axis SteadyShot inside image stabilization system is fine-tuned for 4k video capture. It accurately compensates for blur caused by camera shake from five different directions—vertical, horizontal, pitch, yaw and roll—as opposed to only two in previous systems. The 5-axis image stabilizing system excels during video recording and even compensates for blur caused by the user walking or running. It’s a true marvel of engineering. You can even monitor the stabilizing effects of camera shake compensation in the viewfinder or LCD screen while shooting still images by pressing the shutter button halfway or magnifying the image, and while shooting movies by entering movie mode.

    Features

    User selectable compressed or uncompressed 14-bit RAW still

    The α7S II offers the option of user selectable compressed or uncompressed 14-bit RAW still image. Uncompressed 14-bit RAW maximizes the benefit of the image sensor's wide dynamic range, delivering the smoothest, richest color quality and tonal gradation while compressed RAW offers more convenient file sizes.

    120P Full HD 1920x1080 high-frame rate video3

    For the first time ever in the Sony α7 series camera, the α7S II can support high frame rate 120fps shooting in full-HD resolution (1920x1080) using the entire full frame sensor. Video can be saved in Full HD resolution as 1920x1080/120p at 100Mbps3 or as a convenient slow motion footage as 5x 24p at 12mbps or 4x 30p at 16mbps.

    Supports Picture Profiles, S-Gamut3.Cine/S-Log3

    The α7S II boasts numerous features, common to Sony’s range of professional video cameras that enhance a cinematographer’s ability to capture breathtaking video while benefiting their workflow. Video functionality has been enhanced with new picture profile settings; S-Gamut3, Cine/S-Log3 and S-Gamut3/S-Log3, simplifying color correction and delivering wide dynamic range (up to 1300%). The α7S II even offers impressive 14-stop latitude in the S-Log3 gamma setting, while also supporting other popular profiles for cinematographers including S-Gamut/S-Log2 that can adjust settings like gamma, black, level and color adjustment, and can be saved for use in a multi-camera shoot. Other enhancements include the addition of Gamma Display Assist, a new function that allows users to pre-visualize the post-graded video when recording S-Log movies, and the improvement of the Zebra function for even greater control.

    2.4-million dot XGA OLED Tru-Finder w/ ZEISS T coating

    The XGA OLED Tru-Finder in the α7S II has been upgraded with the world’s highest viewfinder magnification (7) of 0.78x (roughly 38.5 degrees in diagonal field of view) and shows clear images across the entire display area. The use of ZEISS T Coating ensures sharp reduction of reflections on the viewfinder. Unlike an optical viewfinder, the OLED Tru-Finder can be used to instantly show how exposure compensation, white balance and other selected settings are affecting the displayed image.

    Features

    Durable reduced-vibration shutter

    The α7S II ‘s shutter includes a new braking mechanism which cuts mechanical front/rear curtain vibration by about 50% (2). Additionally, you can use the electronic front curtain shutter mode for even less vibration. This not only minimizes camera shake that can blur details and also reduces noise. Silent shutter mode eliminates shutter activation entirely for completely silent shooting. The new shutter mechanism on the α7S II is extremely durable having being tested to 500,000 cycles8.

    Simple connectivity to smartphones via Wi-Fi/NFC (9).

    Thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, you can easily connect to a compatible iOS or Android smartphone or tablet with the free PlayMemories Mobile App. From there you can control your camera, preview and frame using your mobile device and trigger the camera shutter or movie button. Then instantly transfer a photo or MP4 movie to your device. NFC (Near Field Communication) provides 'one-touch connection' convenience to Android smartphones and tablets with NFC. Simply touch devices to connect. Setting up your mobile device is as simple as downloading a free PlayMemories Mobile app.

    Personalize your camera with PlayMemories Camera Apps (4).

    Add new features to your α7S II with PlayMemories Camera Apps4. Find apps to fit your shooting style - with everything from time lapse, motion shot and more. Use apps that shoot, share and save photos to your smartphone using Wi-Fi, making it easy to post photos directly to your favorite social media site or backup images to the cloud without connecting to a computer.

    Wider lens compatibility

    Directly compatible with the growing family of E-mount lenses, the α7S II can also be used with Sony’s A-mount and others lens systems with optional adapters10. Sony’s complete α lens system includes several premium offerings from Carl Zeiss and G Series Lenses. Sony’s E-mount lens system is particularly well-suited for video shooting, with a variety of models containing 'movie-friendly' features like smooth focusing, powered zoom control, and silent iris/aperture control. 5-axis image stabilization lets you enjoy unparalleled handheld shooting freedom with more of your favorite mountable lenses.

    Disclaimers

    Logos

    - Alpha logo is a registered symbol of Sony Corporation.

    - BIONZ X is a registered symbol of Sony Corporation.

    - Exmor R is a registered symbol of Sony Corporation.

    - World’s No. 1 is a registered symbol of Sony Corporation.

    - XGA-OLED Trufinder is a registered symbol of Sony Corporation.

    - PlayMemories Camera Apps is a registered symbol of Sony Corporation.

    - PlayMemories Mobile is a registered symbol of Sony Corporation.

    - Wi-Fi certified

    - NFC

    Legal and Footnotes

    2015 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony is not responsible for typographical and photographic errors. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

    Footnotes (at least 8 point font):

    1. Movie recording is possible for approximately 29 minutes.

    2. Standard ISO range: Still 100 – 102400, Movie 200-102400; Expandable ISO range: Still 50-409600, Movie 200-409600.

    3. A class 10 or higher SDXC memory card is required to record movies in the XAVC S format. UHS Speed Class 3 is also required for recording at 100Mbps.

    4. Requires a valid Sony Entertainment Network account. Some apps require a fee.

    5. Among digital cameras with a 35mm full-frame image sensor at the time of September 11, 2015 press release, based on Sony research.

    6. Requires compatible recorder. 4K movie recording requires a 4K-compatible recorder

    7. Among digital still camera viewfinders at the time of September 2015 press release. Full-display diagonal field of view: approx. 38.5 degrees; live-view-display diagonal field of view: approx. 37.2 degrees. The viewfinder magnification is approx. 0.78x (with 50 mm lens at infinity, -1m-1). As of September 2015 based on Sony research.

    8. According to Sony internal testing, with the electronic front curtain shutter activated.

    9. Requires PlayMemories Mobile app installed on compatible Android or iOS device or an active 802.11 Wi-Fi network (802.11n recommended). PlayMemories camera apps require download with existing Sony Entertainment Network account. Download available in all countries/areas where Sony Entertainment Network is available.

    10. Requires optional LA-EA3 or LA-EA4 lens adaptor with Sony A-mount lens. Compatibility with lenses other than Sony E-mount requires optional adaptors. Function is not guaranteed and may vary by adaptor.

    11. Linear PCM in XAVC S recording mode.

    12. Some functions can only be assigned to certain buttons.

    Symbols

    Sony, BIONZ X, Exmor, PlayMemories Home, PlayMemories Mobile, PlayMemories Camera Apps, PlayMemories Online, SteadyShot INSIDE, Xtra Fine LCD and the Sony logo are symbol of Sony Corporation. AVCHD is a symbol of Panasonic Corporation and Sony Corporation. Windows is a symbol of Microsoft Corporation. Mac OS and iMovie are symbols of Apple Computers, Inc. HDMI are a symbols of HDMI Licensing LLC. All other symbols are symbols of their respective owners.

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    Product information

    Warranty & Support

    Amazon.com Return Policy:Amazon.com Voluntary 30-Day Return Guarantee: You can return many items you have purchased within 30 days following delivery of the item to you. Our Voluntary 30-Day Return Guarantee does not affect your legal right of withdrawal in any way. You can find out more about the exceptions and conditions here.
    Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please click here. [PDF ]

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    Product guides and documents

    Product Description

    The α7S II has evolved in both Stills and Movies adding internal 4K video recording, 5-axis image stabilization and High-speed AF with enhanced accuracy - while maintaining its legendary low-light/ low noise capability for extraordinary high sensitivity of up to ISO 409,6002. Additional updates include; S-Gamut. Cine/S-Log Picture Profiles and 120P Full HD 1920x1080 high-frame rate video for 5x slow motion. An evolution of a low-light legend is here!


    Read about our customers' top-rated cameras and lenses on our review pages: Compact System Cameras, Lenses

    Customer reviews

    4.1 out of 5 stars
    4.1 out of 5
    131 global ratings

    Customers say

    Customers like the quality, image quality, and light of the digital camera. They mention that it's an awesome product for professional videographers, an indie filmmaker, and great for video and stills. They say that the picture looks sharp and cleaner, and that it can shoot in the dark. They appreciate the stabilizer, saying that it does a great job at stabilizing their image. Customers also appreciate the size. However, some customers have issues with ease of use. Customers differ on noise, and processing.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    24 customers mention19 positive5 negative

    Customers like the image quality of the camera. They say that the picture is sharp, the quality of photos and video is amazing, and the 4K video looks awesome. They also mention that the image looks cleaner and crisper than Canon cameras, and that the 5 axis IS is stunning.

    "...With 4K resolution, the stills should be high quality enough, and I shouldn't have to worry so much about keeping my figure near the shutter...." Read more

    "Pros: The a7s ii can do anything! It shoots great stills and has crazy features such as silent shooting that is actually silent...." Read more

    "...The picture is sharp the quality of photos and video is amazing. BUT!..." Read more

    "...Less shakiness!- Image QualityImage quality is great for photos..." Read more

    22 customers mention18 positive4 negative

    Customers like the quality of the camera. They say it's an amazing product for professional videographers, an indie filmmaker, and great for video and stills. They mention that it has good image quality, and holds up surprisingly well to grading.

    "...though the video is only 8 bit 4:2:0 color, it still holds up surprisingly well to grading...." Read more

    "...The Sony A7SII in particular, is an amazing camera and one that has changed the way I take photos and video." Read more

    "...good image quality - Sony is a quality, established brand...etc.. It SOUNDS perfect. It really isn't...." Read more

    "...Other than that it’s a pretty good camera" Read more

    21 customers mention18 positive3 negative

    Customers generally like the light of the camera. They mention that it can see better in low light than most cameras, and can even see the northern lights. They also appreciate the camera's nighttime photography capabilities, with the ability to increase ISO levels without any noise.

    "...Increasing ISO levels only got brighter, with no hint of noise. At about 1000 ISO, Luna started getting overexposed...." Read more

    "...the autofocus of the A7sii feels slightly snappier and better and finding focus in the dark. The A7s and A7sii are contrast detection focus cameras...." Read more

    "...Hmmm... what would i recommend this for.... oh. Low light. It can shoot in the dark...." Read more

    "...Obviously low light performance is amazing... but to be honest I really don't shoot enough low light stuff to even care......" Read more

    7 customers mention7 positive0 negative

    Customers are satisfied with the stabilizer built into the camera. They mention that it works well and improves image quality. Some customers also appreciate the 5 axis stabilization, which helps reduce shakiness while shooting handheld.

    "...The a7s2 has it built in, and supposedly leverages the stabilization in the lens, if available, to improve even more...." Read more

    "...The 5-axis sensor stabilization really does work very well...." Read more

    "...Less shakiness!- Image Quality..." Read more

    "...and less with a gimbal because this thing does such a great job at stabilizing my image while shooting handheld...." Read more

    6 customers mention6 positive0 negative

    Customers are satisfied with the size of the camera. They mention that the small size and durable construction are an engineering marvel, and that the a7s2 has a big advantage in the small file size.

    "...You can even install apps on it to allow more capabilities! The small size and durable construction are an engineering marvel...." Read more

    "...Not that the GH4 was huge or anything but the A7S is smaller and more compact.There are some bad elements...." Read more

    "...Where stills work is concerned, this a7s2 has a BIG advantage in the small file size as compared to my 24mp a6000...." Read more

    "I was excited to get this camera to use in our video kit. It's small, it does low light nicely... FPS overcranking, 4k res...." Read more

    9 customers mention5 positive4 negative

    Customers are divided about the noise of the digital camera. Some mention that it only got brighter, while others say that the noise is there.

    "...Increasing ISO levels only got brighter, with no hint of noise. At about 1000 ISO, Luna started getting overexposed...." Read more

    "...- There is definite noise that shows up near the 10,000 range, which sounds incredibly spoiled of me, but that's how this camera was hyped up to the..." Read more

    "...The secret of the A7s's low light shooting is clean ISO noise even at ridiculously high ISOs...." Read more

    "...It shoots great stills and has crazy features such as silent shooting that is actually silent...." Read more

    6 customers mention4 positive2 negative

    Customers are mixed about the processing of the camera. Some mention that the Pros-4K is stunning, the 120 fps is stunning and the 5 axis IS is stunning. Others say that there are so many flaws that the apps lag, the buttons aren't where they should be, and there is so much stutter and jitter and flickering.

    "...light and the A7sii makes it an even more competent camera with better processing and IBIS.I shot the A7s for photography stills...." Read more

    "...The Apps lag, buttons aren't where they should be . To call this camera professional is an insult ...." Read more

    "...Ability to shoot high frame rate video is super nice at this price point. The 5-axis sensor stabilization really does work very well...." Read more

    "...It's small, it does low light nicely... FPS overcranking, 4k res...." Read more

    5 customers mention0 positive5 negative

    Customers find the ease of use of the digital camera to be difficult. They mention that the menu is not intuitive, and the functionality is not as easy to use as the GH4.

    "...FunctionalityNot as easy to use as the GH4. Button placement, menu system, etc...." Read more

    "...while deep and highly thorough... are counter-intuitive and difficult to master. A total PITA, actually. And the manual is horrible...." Read more

    "...The menus are pretty confusing...." Read more

    "...The menu isn't that intuitive. You might be hunting through it a bit more than Canon or Nikon...." Read more

    The most light sensitive camera in the world!
    5 Stars
    The most light sensitive camera in the world!
    I've owned the original A7s before upgrading to the A7sii. The A7s was already one of the most amazing cameras to shoot in low light and the A7sii makes it an even more competent camera with better processing and IBIS.I shot the A7s for photography stills. I understand it's mainly made for a video shooter however I needed something for natural light photos (no flash) in low light. Flash can be amazing if used right, however there is a certain loveliness to natural light photos without artificial light - natural shadows and purposeful darkness can help enhance the moody look of photos that feels genuine. Plus it's not always convenient to walk around several pounds of lighting equipment - off camera flash, flash stand, diffusers, reflectors, etc. For this purpose there's no better camera than the Sony A7s series. I loved my A7s as it could capture photos that other cameras simply weren't capable of capturing. A7s photos had a unique look because they were taken in a situation that no other camera could produce.The A7sii upgrade was an immensely helpful refinement of the original A7s:1. THE SENSOR - the sensor has remained the same. There's no new silicon for image quality capture, but additional image processing sorcery by Sony has made it slightly more competent at low light. Most online reviews and tests agree that noise improved about one stop over the predecessor. So ISO 12800 shots look like ISO 6400 shots which is a great improvement!2. AUTOFOCUS - the autofocus of the A7sii feels slightly snappier and better and finding focus in the dark. The A7s and A7sii are contrast detection focus cameras. While this might seem like a hindrance, my experience with the AF of these cameras is that they do surprisingly well because the camera's low light performance is so good. It would acquire focus in areas to dark for any other camera to acquire focus. The A7sii improves on this with slightly more consistent AF. Again, I think this is due to better processing of the camera rather than a sensor redesign. (AF points are on the sensor itself). Despite the improvements in AF, contrast detection AF does have its limitations. CD AF simply can't do tracking and continuous AF as well as PDAF. While my A7riii and A7iii can do continuous eye AF tracking, the A7sii simply can't continuously track subjects if they move. Using continuous AF gives you a constant jittery AF shake. This has to do with how CDAF works, it needs to move the focus above and past the target AF and measure the best contrast creating "AF shake" and it simply won't work with continuous AF. The A7sii is strictly an AF-S lock -and-recompose camera.3. Speaking of Eye AF, contrary to what many may believe, Eye-AF IS POSSIBLE with this camera. However it does not function like, or is as well refined as the eye AF in the A7r/A7/A9 series. You can do eye AF in AF-S where the camera simply finds the eye and locks focus on it. If the subject moves or if your hands move then the focus is thrown off as you're already locked. You would have to recompose and find the eye again. The behavior is more akin to DSLRs where you press the shutter down at the location of your desired focus, lock, and recompose for proper framing. To combat hand shake or subject movement, you will have to use your body to rock back and forth while burst shooting to ensure you will get a shot with the best focus. It's not as efficient as the newer A7 series but most DSLR shooters will be familiar with this method.4. SHUTTER - the A7sii has a redesigned shutter that feels softer and less violent than the previous gen 1 shutter. The original A7s shutter was never bad but the A7sii is more dampened with less sliding shock which may contribute to camera shake during hand-held shoots. In addition I've read at many review sites that the new shutter mechanism should also prolong the life of the shutter so less shutter replacements in the future.5. BODY AND ERGNOMICS. The body is significantly better than the original A7s body. The gen 1 cameras were very small and slim but were generally barebones. The grip of the gen 1 bodies were often to small and uncomfortable and many complained about comfort. The gen 2 bodies have a wider girth in the grip and is more comfortable to hold. Furthermore there are extra programmable buttons that you can assign to your needs. The body is slightly larger, however it makes the camera seem more like a serious professional camera than a hobby camera. The new magnesium body and matte paint finish is also less prone to chipping like the older gen 1 A7 series and less resistant to the ugly finger oils smudges.6. IBIS. IBIS is by far the best improvement for the A7sii and all of the gen 2 bodies. IBIS was added to the A7ii, A7rii, and A7sii and it is an amazing killer feature. The secret of the A7s's low light shooting is clean ISO noise even at ridiculously high ISOs. However no matter how high your ISO is, shutter speed makes the difference between a grainy high ISO shot and a highly detail rich high ISO shot. The addition of IBIS makes hand held shooting at speeds of 1/30 (usually my limit for handheld) clean and sharp. I can even get handheld shots of 1/15 or slower. The IBIS also have the added benefit for smoother video shooting. Normally video shooters need a gimbal which are normally huge, heavy, and the electronic ones can be quite expensive. While no replacement for a real gimbal, the IBIS makes smooth handheld video shooting a possibility. Used alongside a gimbal or weighted stabilizer, the two systems work together for smooth beautifully stabilized video.7. BATTERY LIFE. Battery life in all of the the A7 series are not great. Compared to DSLRs, the batteries drain many times quicker. The A7sii doesn't seem to change much either. However this can be easily alleviated by getting extra batteries. The W series batteries for the A7 series are quiet cheap these days and there's lots of third party brands from Wasabi that are much cheaper and operate well enough for the price. Bringing an extra 2-3 batteries doesn't add too much space or weight. Additionally you can charge these cameras while shooting with a simple battery bank and a micro USB cable.8. Image quality. Overall the sensor is super sensitive. The only downside to the camera is the low resolution. Again, I realize this is mainly geared towards video and not made for photography and the resolution is good enough for 1080p and 4k recording. However for photography 12mp is not enough to pick up fine details, textures, and cropping. While shooting you can crop maybe 10% but any more and you get a super low resolution photo which for professional shoots may not be suitable. If you don't nail the composition in your shot, you don't have much leeway in post processing to make it better. It really requires an experienced photographer as the resolution is not forgiving for mistakes.Overall this camera is the real deal. Even though it's an older camera, in 2019 there's still no challenger for a low light king. The only thing that may come close would be an A7siii which is supposed to be releasing soon. This camera allowed me to take shots simply not possible with other setups. When went to Iceland, I brought an A7sii and A7rii. When trying to capture the northern lights with the A7rii I had to do a lot of post processing trickery in order to make the green northern lights visible. With the A7sii, every shot of the northern lights had bright green lights! No editing was needed to make the lights visible. The camera can see the northern lights even when my eyes could not. It was there that I realized just how sensitive the A7sii sensor was, it could see spectrum that were not visible to human eyes. That's the best compliment I can make.***If this was helpful for you, please give me a helpful vote! Thanks!***
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    Top reviews from the United States

    Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2015
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great camera for an indie filmmaker/cat blogger!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2015
    This is my first interchangeable lens camera, after a year and a half of heavy experience with an RX100M3. I was pleasantly surprised to feel like a fish in water when swimming through the familiar menus and features, also found in its smaller cousin. I'm getting used to the new features, such as uncompressed RAW, more video settings, and the instructions actually couldn't tell me what "AEL" meant. This camera is still barely out of preorder, so I'll start seeing support from Sony, but right now, Sony's website gives a collective shrug when you check for available firmware upgrades/software. It's just not set up.

    One thing that I'm still getting used to with this camera... the controls change based on the lens you attach. I went for Sony E-mount Full Frame lenses. I figured out that's what "FE" means. E-mount is the type of lenses that this camera can natively support, but if you want to use the full sensor, rather than just a part of it, you need "full frame" ones. There are not many options. I wanted a fast 35mm prime and an 85mm prime. The 35mm prime...NO PROBLEM. There's a $1600 f/1.4 beast that is available. I robbed a jewelry store to pay for that one. But the 85mm options aren't so obvious. The closest FE lens currently available is a 90mm Macro f/2.8 lens. Not as fast as I wanted, but still pretty good, and... it's got rave reviews about it's sharpness. That plus opening up a pathway into macro photography while still giving me the bokeh I'm looking for... I piped down and bought it (for $1000... only had to rob a small jewelry store for that one). I saw a few rumors of more lenses coming out, but you should figure out what lenses you want BEFORE buying this camera. If you're not sure, well, I took the option of renting a camera from a rental website (I used lensrentals.com) with lenses I wanted, and, if you like em, you can apply the rental price toward the price of "keeping it". Or just return it and..now you know what the lens is like.

    One motivation for buying this camera... the main motivation... is my filmmaking. I like low-light cinematography, and I want it available to me. I had the confidence that this would open up that avenue for me, with 4K footage. I've used RED cameras for short films before, and although I don't think this is going to approach that quality, it lets me still compete in film festivals keeping to the same genre. I decided to go ahead and use the very fast 35mm f/1.4 lens to test the low light video, recorded at the highest quality 24p 100Mbps, with panning over my cat on a bed, with varying levels of light. (testing in a 10x10 room with a small lighting kit, 200/500/750, plus a lamp with a small CFL bulb... I think 40-60W) I left the aperture open all the way at f/1.4.

    The results? The small bulb was certainly not going to sufficiently light anything. You can still see everything once you start to crank the ISO into the thousands, but there's banding/noise galore. However, the 200W light was actually plenty enough to see everything at 100 ISO (min for video). I attached a screenshot from that test. It's still a bit dark, but it's clean. I didn't see any noise on my 27 inch computer monitor as I panned over the cat. Increasing ISO levels only got brighter, with no hint of noise. At about 1000 ISO, Luna started getting overexposed.

    So this certainly gives me the creative freedom to work wonders, film festival-wise.

    You see the sleepy cat there? My other motivation for upgrading my camera, you'll be disappointed to know, is cat pictures. I run my blog at littlechomper.com, and I want more action pics. If you haven't tried, taking fast-shutter pics of a cat jumping around while indoors... it's a tall order. I've had to be very creative with my RX100M3, hanging out near windows during the hours with the strongest light. Well, I'm sad to report that the A7s2 is no magic cure for my woes. While I definitely don't have to stay so close to windows, an interchangeable lens camera is a lot heavier, and I'm finding it's a pain in the ass to try to aim the camera and throw the cat treat. I take the precaution of always wearing my neck strap, and... I insured the camera too. But still, I'll have to get more creative with strategies to overcome this. I'm going to try to leverage the 4K slow motion video. With 4K resolution, the stills should be high quality enough, and I shouldn't have to worry so much about keeping my figure near the shutter. Focus will be the main concern. But I'm sure the camera is capable of getting the shots I want once I figure out the right strategy.

    On a relevant note, I think the 5-axis stabilization is working for me. The 90mm lens I have has built-in stabilization, and the 35mm doesn't, but I don't think it matters. The a7s2 has it built in, and supposedly leverages the stabilization in the lens, if available, to improve even more. I certainly can't do macro photography very well without the camera being mounted or resting on a surface, but I certainly feel more at ease exhaling slowly with arms in and trusting my own steadiness at 1/60 shutter speed.

    Speaking of macro, is it relevant to this review to say I added my 58mm Canon 250D close-up lens to my 90mm macro and got a pretty nice close-up of a penny? I'll add that picture. When you zoom in, you see some strange colors in there... reds and greens... I figure this is related to taking pictures of scratched up metal, or maybe it's just not enough light yet... I'm relying on exposure time instead. I'll include the penny picture.

    What other things can I comment on? I definitely like the shooting mode being locked into place, unlike on cheaper cameras (like the RX100M3 and most point n' shoots). Although sometimes you wish you can change it with one hand. There's lots of configurability. I see a "C1, C2, C3, and C4"... all user-customizable. I'll deal with that when I have time.

    And lastly, I use Capture One, rather than Lightroom for my images. Capture One provides custom profiles for each camera based on hands-on testing of each camera through the different ISO levels, so I think that helps improve its handling of RAW images. There's a super-cheap version for Sony only, so it let me stick with that. Originally, the RAW images coming out of the A7S2 wasn't supported by Capture One, but they've already released an upgrade... version 8.3.4 I believe, which supports the RAW images seamlessly. I'm back to my old workflow, only a couple days after receiving my camera from pre-order.
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    Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2019
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    5.0 out of 5 stars The most light sensitive camera in the world!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2019
    I've owned the original A7s before upgrading to the A7sii. The A7s was already one of the most amazing cameras to shoot in low light and the A7sii makes it an even more competent camera with better processing and IBIS.

    I shot the A7s for photography stills. I understand it's mainly made for a video shooter however I needed something for natural light photos (no flash) in low light. Flash can be amazing if used right, however there is a certain loveliness to natural light photos without artificial light - natural shadows and purposeful darkness can help enhance the moody look of photos that feels genuine. Plus it's not always convenient to walk around several pounds of lighting equipment - off camera flash, flash stand, diffusers, reflectors, etc. For this purpose there's no better camera than the Sony A7s series. I loved my A7s as it could capture photos that other cameras simply weren't capable of capturing. A7s photos had a unique look because they were taken in a situation that no other camera could produce.

    The A7sii upgrade was an immensely helpful refinement of the original A7s:

    1. THE SENSOR - the sensor has remained the same. There's no new silicon for image quality capture, but additional image processing sorcery by Sony has made it slightly more competent at low light. Most online reviews and tests agree that noise improved about one stop over the predecessor. So ISO 12800 shots look like ISO 6400 shots which is a great improvement!

    2. AUTOFOCUS - the autofocus of the A7sii feels slightly snappier and better and finding focus in the dark. The A7s and A7sii are contrast detection focus cameras. While this might seem like a hindrance, my experience with the AF of these cameras is that they do surprisingly well because the camera's low light performance is so good. It would acquire focus in areas to dark for any other camera to acquire focus. The A7sii improves on this with slightly more consistent AF. Again, I think this is due to better processing of the camera rather than a sensor redesign. (AF points are on the sensor itself). Despite the improvements in AF, contrast detection AF does have its limitations. CD AF simply can't do tracking and continuous AF as well as PDAF. While my A7riii and A7iii can do continuous eye AF tracking, the A7sii simply can't continuously track subjects if they move. Using continuous AF gives you a constant jittery AF shake. This has to do with how CDAF works, it needs to move the focus above and past the target AF and measure the best contrast creating "AF shake" and it simply won't work with continuous AF. The A7sii is strictly an AF-S lock -and-recompose camera.

    3. Speaking of Eye AF, contrary to what many may believe, Eye-AF IS POSSIBLE with this camera. However it does not function like, or is as well refined as the eye AF in the A7r/A7/A9 series. You can do eye AF in AF-S where the camera simply finds the eye and locks focus on it. If the subject moves or if your hands move then the focus is thrown off as you're already locked. You would have to recompose and find the eye again. The behavior is more akin to DSLRs where you press the shutter down at the location of your desired focus, lock, and recompose for proper framing. To combat hand shake or subject movement, you will have to use your body to rock back and forth while burst shooting to ensure you will get a shot with the best focus. It's not as efficient as the newer A7 series but most DSLR shooters will be familiar with this method.

    4. SHUTTER - the A7sii has a redesigned shutter that feels softer and less violent than the previous gen 1 shutter. The original A7s shutter was never bad but the A7sii is more dampened with less sliding shock which may contribute to camera shake during hand-held shoots. In addition I've read at many review sites that the new shutter mechanism should also prolong the life of the shutter so less shutter replacements in the future.

    5. BODY AND ERGNOMICS. The body is significantly better than the original A7s body. The gen 1 cameras were very small and slim but were generally barebones. The grip of the gen 1 bodies were often to small and uncomfortable and many complained about comfort. The gen 2 bodies have a wider girth in the grip and is more comfortable to hold. Furthermore there are extra programmable buttons that you can assign to your needs. The body is slightly larger, however it makes the camera seem more like a serious professional camera than a hobby camera. The new magnesium body and matte paint finish is also less prone to chipping like the older gen 1 A7 series and less resistant to the ugly finger oils smudges.

    6. IBIS. IBIS is by far the best improvement for the A7sii and all of the gen 2 bodies. IBIS was added to the A7ii, A7rii, and A7sii and it is an amazing killer feature. The secret of the A7s's low light shooting is clean ISO noise even at ridiculously high ISOs. However no matter how high your ISO is, shutter speed makes the difference between a grainy high ISO shot and a highly detail rich high ISO shot. The addition of IBIS makes hand held shooting at speeds of 1/30 (usually my limit for handheld) clean and sharp. I can even get handheld shots of 1/15 or slower. The IBIS also have the added benefit for smoother video shooting. Normally video shooters need a gimbal which are normally huge, heavy, and the electronic ones can be quite expensive. While no replacement for a real gimbal, the IBIS makes smooth handheld video shooting a possibility. Used alongside a gimbal or weighted stabilizer, the two systems work together for smooth beautifully stabilized video.

    7. BATTERY LIFE. Battery life in all of the the A7 series are not great. Compared to DSLRs, the batteries drain many times quicker. The A7sii doesn't seem to change much either. However this can be easily alleviated by getting extra batteries. The W series batteries for the A7 series are quiet cheap these days and there's lots of third party brands from Wasabi that are much cheaper and operate well enough for the price. Bringing an extra 2-3 batteries doesn't add too much space or weight. Additionally you can charge these cameras while shooting with a simple battery bank and a micro USB cable.

    8. Image quality. Overall the sensor is super sensitive. The only downside to the camera is the low resolution. Again, I realize this is mainly geared towards video and not made for photography and the resolution is good enough for 1080p and 4k recording. However for photography 12mp is not enough to pick up fine details, textures, and cropping. While shooting you can crop maybe 10% but any more and you get a super low resolution photo which for professional shoots may not be suitable. If you don't nail the composition in your shot, you don't have much leeway in post processing to make it better. It really requires an experienced photographer as the resolution is not forgiving for mistakes.

    Overall this camera is the real deal. Even though it's an older camera, in 2019 there's still no challenger for a low light king. The only thing that may come close would be an A7siii which is supposed to be releasing soon. This camera allowed me to take shots simply not possible with other setups. When went to Iceland, I brought an A7sii and A7rii. When trying to capture the northern lights with the A7rii I had to do a lot of post processing trickery in order to make the green northern lights visible. With the A7sii, every shot of the northern lights had bright green lights! No editing was needed to make the lights visible. The camera can see the northern lights even when my eyes could not. It was there that I realized just how sensitive the A7sii sensor was, it could see spectrum that were not visible to human eyes. That's the best compliment I can make.

    ***If this was helpful for you, please give me a helpful vote! Thanks!***
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