In summary
Like its siblings, the Sony is designed for experienced photographers and its price tag dictates that most potential purchasers will be well-heeled enthusiasts and professional photographers who are attracted by the compact body size, high resolution and large image sensor.
Full review
Announced roughly a year after the original Alpha 7 (α7), Sony’s Alpha 7 Mark II (α7 II) is the fourth in a line of Compact System Cameras (CSCs) with 36 x 24 mm sensors and features some significant improvements on the α7. The most important is in-camera stabilisation, provided by a new sensor-shift mechanism with 5-axis compensation. It can detect and correct camera shake along five axes for still images and video, covering pitch and yaw, roll and shift shake on two axes and provide up to 4.5 EV of compensation, depending on the lens.
Angled view of the Sony α7 II with the Zeiss Vario-Tessar FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS lens supplied for this review. (Source: Sony.)
Styled like its predecessor but with modifications to improve usability, the α7 II incorporates a number of important technological enhancements that upgrade its capabilities and performance. These are listed below.
Who’s it for?
Like its siblings, the Sony is designed for experienced photographers and its price tag dictates that most potential purchasers will be well-heeled enthusiasts and professional photographers who are attracted by the compact body size, high resolution and large image sensor. The table below compares the four models in the range.
|
|
α7 II |
α7 |
α7R |
α7S |
|
Sensor dimensions |
35.8 x 23.9 mm |
35.9 x 24mm |
35.8 x 23.9 mm |
|
|
Effective resolution |
24.3 megapixels |
36.4 megapixels |
12.2 megapixels |
|
|
Max. image size |
6000 x 4000 pixels |
7360 x 4912 pixels |
4240 x 2832 pixels |
|
|
Body materials |
Magnesium alloy |
Magnesium alloy and polycarbonate |
Magnesium alloy |
|
|
Stabilisation |
5-axis sensor-shift |
Lens based |
||
|
Autofocusing |
25-point contrast detection plus 117-point phase detection |
25-point contrast detection |
||
|
Predictive AF tracking |
Yes |
No |
||
|
Full ISO range – stills / movies |
50-25600 / 200-25600 |
50-409600 / 200- 409600 |
||
|
Flash synch speed |
1/250 second |
1/160 second |
1/250 second |
|
|
Max. continuous shooting speed |
5.0 fps |
2.5 fps (5 fps in Speed Priority mode) |
1.5 fps |
2.5 fps |
|
Movie recording formats |
XAVC S, AVCHD Ver. 2.0 compliant, MP4 |
AVCHD Ver. 2.0 compliant, MP4 |
XAVC S, AVCHD Ver. 2.0 compliant, MP4 |
|
|
Max video resolution |
1920 x 1080 pixels |
3840 x 2160 pixels |
||
|
Viewfinder resolution |
2,359,296 dots |
|||
|
Monitor resolution |
1,228,800 dots |
921,600 dots |
||
|
Wi-Fi / NFC |
Yes / Yes |
No / No |
Yes / Yes |
|
|
Battery |
NP-FW50 |
|||
|
Battery capacity (CIPA) |
Approx. 270 shots (EVF)/ Approx. 350 shots (LCD) |
Approx. 340 shots |
Approx. 320 shots (EVF)/ Approx. 380 shots (LCD) |
|
|
Dimensions (wxhxd) |
126.9 x 95.7 x 59.7 mm |
126.9 x 94.4 x 48.2 mm |
||
|
Weight (body only) |
556 grams |
416 grams |
407 grams |
446 grams |
|
RRP (AU$) body only |
$2299 |
$1799 |
$2899 |
$3299 |
Interestingly, the α7 II is 140 grams heavier and slightly wider and taller than the other α7 cameras. But it’s still smaller and lighter than most ‘full frame’ DSLRs, including the entry-level models.
Lens options remain the real issue potential buyers must consider as these cameras are designed for Sony’s E-mount system. When this review was published there were only 11 lenses listed on the E-mount Full Frame page on Sony’s website, one tagged ‘coming soon’. Price tags ranged from AU$699 to $3399, the latter for a fast FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS lens designed for 4K movie shooting.
New Features
The addition of five-axis sensor-shift stabilisation is the big news for this camera as it’s the first time this technology has been used with a ‘full frame’ sensor. Sony has included sensor-shift stabilisation in previous Alpha cameras for several years but, to date, all have had smaller, APS-C sized sensors. So upsizing the technology is a significant step.
The diagram above shows the directions in which the sensor in the α7 II can be moved to correct camera shake. (Source: Sony.)
Detectors in the camera can identify and compensate for the following movements (shown in the diagram above):
– angular shake (pitch and yaw), which often occurs when shooting with a telephoto lens;
– shift shake along the X and Y axes, a common form of camera shake that affects images that are magnified in close-up shots, particularly with macro lenses:
– rotational shake (roll), which can affect shots taken at night with relatively slow shutter speeds and often occurs when recording movies.
In-body stabilisation is a genuinely attractive feature in this camera because of the lack of purpose-designed, stabilised lenses for Alpha 7 cameras. Because it works with every lens that can be fitted to the camera, it allows lenses from other manufacturers and older Sony lenses with different mounts to be fitted to the α7 II and benefit from the exposure gains and steadier viewfinder image.
Sony claims shake compensation of up to 4.5 EV steps, which is pretty good and extends the photographer’s ability to shoot with the camera hand-held in low light levels. It also makes images easier to frame in the OLED viewfinder or on the camera’s monitor screen, both of which provide real-time feedback of camera shake.
The other main improvement has been to the camera’s video capabilities, which have been upgraded to support a more professional movie workflow. Most of the improvements have been ported across from the α7S model, which was developed for recording video in addition to shooting stills.
However, where the α7S included 4K video recording, the α7 II is limited to Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels). Nevertheless, it supports the high-bit-rate XAVC-S recording format introduced with the α7S, in addition to the normal AVCHD and MP4 formats provided in all Sony’s movie-capable cameras.
XAVC-S has been derived from Sony’s professional XAVC system, which was introduced late in 2012 to support higher resolutions (up to 4K at 4096 x 2160 pixels) and frame rates. Both XAVC S and AVCHD have been designed for consumer level workflows and the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec is common to both.
But, whereas XAVC uses an MXF OP1a container, which is standard across broadcast platforms, XAVC S uses the MPEG-4 container, which is also used by AVCHD. According to the online manual for the α7 II, you need an SDXC memory card with a capacity of at least 64 GB (Class 10 or faster), a UHS-I compatible SDXC memory card with at least 64 GB (U1 or faster), or a Memory Stick XC-HG Duo card to record XAVC S movie clips. Movies recorded in this format are not compatible with Sony’s PlayMemories Home software.
You can record AVCHD and MP4 movies on SHDC or SD cards and create a Blu-ray Disc, an AVCHD recording disc, or a DVD-Video disc using Sony’s PlayMemories Home software. According to Sony’s online manual movies recorded in MP4 format are set up for direct uploading to websites. They can’t be transferred to disk with PlayMemories Home.
Like the α7S, the α7 II supports frame rates of 60 fps (for NTSC) and 50 fps (for PAL) with options for interlaced (i) or progressive (p) scanning as well as 24p and 25p frame rates for AVCHD movies and lower-resolution MP4 clips. Soundtracks are recorded using linear PCM audio. The table below shows the options available for movie recording in PAL format countries.
|
Movie format |
Record setting |
Bit-rate |
||
|
PAL |
NTSC |
|||
|
XAVC S |
50p 50M |
60p 50M |
Approx. 50Mbps |
|
|
25p 50M |
30p 50M |
|||
|
n.a. |
24p 50M |
|||
|
AVCHD |
FX |
50i 24M |
60i 24M |
Approx. 24Mbps |
|
FH |
50i 17M |
60i 17M |
Approx. 17Mbps |
|
|
PS |
50p 28M |
60p 28M |
Approx. 28Mbps |
|
|
FX |
25p 24M |
24p 24M |
Approx. 24Mbps |
|
|
FH |
25p 17M |
24p 17M |
Approx. 17Mbps |
|
|
MP4 |
1440 x 1080 12M |
Approx. 12Mbps |
||
|
VGA 3M |
Approx. 3Mbps |
|||
The α7 II also includes support for the S-Log2 gamma function, which preserves a wide dynamic range (up to 1300%) as well as offering a wide S-Gamut mode. Other features include User Bit (useful in editing), Rec Control (for synced recording with compatible external recorders), marker display/settings and dual video recording.
Several time code recording options are available to meet different workflows, among them the standard ‘Record Run’ mode that only advances the time code when recording, along with ‘Free Run’ time code that advances the time code even when not recording. (The latter is used to synch multiple cameras at live events.) Both drop frame and non-drop frame time code modes are supported and the camera can output time code via HDMI to an external recording device when recording internally.
Build and Ergonomics
Sony has made some refinements to the body design of the new camera. The α7 II’s body has a magnesium alloy top cover, front cover, and internal structure, a step up from the original α7, in which the front and top panels were made from a composite material, which felt less solid.
A redesign of the grip has resulted in the shutter button being shifted forwards into a more readily accessible position and an enlargement of the grip itself to make it more comfortable. The front dial has been moved down to the top of the grip and the second Custom button has been moved to the top panel.
Top views of the α7 II (upper) and original α7 (lower) camera bodies, showing the differences in design, layout and body depth. (Source: Sony.)
Aside from shifting the front dial onto the grip, the main changes to the front panel have been the relocation of the AF illuminator/self-timer lamp to the right and the raising of the Wi-Fi antenna in the grip. The lens release button is also slightly larger on the new camera.
Front views of the α7 II (upper) and original α7 (lower) camera bodies. (Source: Sony.)
Changes to the rear panel are also minor and consist primarily of re-numbering the remaining Custom function buttons to allow for the new button on the top panel. The rear dial is a little shorter with more widely spaced ribbing. The dedicated movie button has been shifted back a millimetre or so but it’s still difficult to use when you need to start and stop recordings.
Rear views of the α7 II (upper) and original α7 (lower) camera bodies. (Source: Sony.)
The eyepiece for the OLED EVF also appears to be slightly larger. Otherwise, the XGA OLED Tru-Finder viewfinder has the same 2.36 million dot resolution as the other α7 cameras EVFs and provides the same advantages of being able to display camera settings and playback recorded images and video clips without the user having to take their eye from the scene. It can also display the entire view when APS-C lenses are used.
The resolution of the tilting White Magic LCD monitor has been increased from 921,600 dots in the other three models to 1,228,800 dots. It can be tilted up through 107 degrees and down by just over 40 degrees and provides five steps of brightness control plus a Sunny Weather mode to facilitate outdoor viewing.
The Multi-Interface Shoe is of a proprietary design, offering compatibility with Sony’s accessory microphones and flashguns. It is mechanically compatible with ISO 518-based accessories but the camera may not be able to control third-party accessories electronically.
The memory card compartment is located low on the right hand side panel beneath a slide-and-lift hard plastic cover. Like other Alpha cameras, the α7 II accepts all ‘flavours’ of Memory Stick PRO Duo and Secure Digital (SD) cards. (It’s not compatible with the latest UHS-II cards.)
Interface terminals can be found beneath two lift-up covers on the left hand side panel, the front one containing 3.5mm sockets for attaching an external microphone and headphone, while the rear houses the Multi/Micro USB (v. 2.0 only) and HDMI micro jacks. A metal-lined tripod socket is situated in this plate, in line with the optical axis.
The battery is located below a lift-up cover in the base plate. The battery is charged via a supplied Micro USB cable and AC adaptor. It takes two-and-a-half hours for a full charge.
Other Improvements
Most of the features from the original α7 have been replicated in the α7 II. Customisation options have been increased from nine buttons to ten, with the number of assignable functions rising from 46 to 56 in the new camera.
The Fast Hybrid AF system sports the same combination of 117-point focal plane phase-detection AF sensor and 25 contrast detection AF points as the previous camera. But Sony claims a more advanced algorithm is used to detect the subject position, providing a 30% increase in AF speed and 1.5 times the tracking ability of previous cameras.
Continuous shooting at five frames/second (fps) is supported with AF and AE tracking via ‘lock-on AF’, a feature that analyses data from the scene and optimises focusing on the subject according to its size to provide dramatically improved accuracy and stability. Eye AF can focus upon a subject’s pupil for portraits with a shallow depth of field. The camera’s start-up time has also been improved by 40%.
Unchanged
The α7 II retains the built-in NFC and Wi-Fi connectivity features of the original α7. NFC supports easy pairing of the camera with a smart device by simply bringing them into contact. You can then use the integrated Wi-Fi function to share images and movie clips or display a live view image on the smart device’s screen using Sony’s PlayMemories Mobile app.
This app enables remote control of the camera’s shutter from the smart device’s screen. Sony provides other downloadable apps that add extra features to the camera, some free of charge, others attracting a fee.
No changes have been made to the Picture Effects, Creative Style and Scene Selection modes. The colour space options are also unchanged, as is the D-range Optimiser (DRO) mode.
The multi-frame capture modes have been ported across unchanged and include a noise reduction setting that captures four frames and combines them to reduce noise at high sensitivity settings and Auto HDR, which records three frames when the shutter is released and composites the best details from the highlights, mid-tones and shadows. The digital zoom functions are also unchanged.
Performance
The only lens we received with the review camera was the Sony Vario Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS (SEL1635Z), which is reviewed separately. Its limited angle-of-view coverage restricted the range of subjects we could photograph, although we were able to carry out most of our standard tests.
Test shots were similar in character to images from the pre-production α7 camera we reviewed in October 2013. They contained plenty of detail and showed accurate colour reproduction with well-managed saturation in the default camera settings.
Imatest showed some improvements in colour accuracy and a reduction in saturation levels, leading to more natural-looking colours in photographs. Resolution wasn’t quite as high as we found with the α7, which was reviewed with the Zeiss Sonnar T FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA lens.
Nonetheless, the best JPEG images in our tests came close to meeting expectations for the camera’s 24-megapixel sensor, while ARW.RAW files converted with the latest version of Adobe Camera Raw (our preferred converter) were slightly above the expected resolution. The graph below shows the results of our tests across the camera’s default sensitivity range.
Long exposures at night showed no evidence of noise right up to ISO 3200 and very little noise at ISO 6400. The two higher sensitivity settings were obviously noise-affected, with the ISO 25600 setting adding noticeable colour blotchiness. Colour reproduction was excellent throughout the sensitivity range and we found only slight image softening at the highest sensitivities.
Auto white balance performance was better than other Sony cameras we’ve tested, particularly under incandescent lighting, where most of the warm cast was corrected. Shots taken under fluorescent lighting were virtually cast-free.
For both lighting types, the pre-sets slightly over-corrected but manual measurement delivered a neutral colour balance. In-camera micro-adjustment of 15 steps along each colour axis (G/M and A/B) enables users to tweak image colours on-the-fly. White balance bracketing across three frames is available.
We can’t quantify differences in AF speed between the α7 II and its predecessor without having both cameras to compare. Suffice it to say autofocusing was very fast and remained accurate even after dark. There were no instances of hunting in our tests.
We were unable to test the camera’s XAVC S performance through lack of a suitable memory card and having no software to decode clips. However, clips recorded in the AVCHD and MP4 modes were as good as we had expected (on the basis of previous Sony cameras), although their inherent contrast was a little high.
With the formats we were able to record, movie clips were sharp and clear, although bright highlights were often burned out. Colours were realistically recorded and exposures were accurate in most situations but struggled with subjects that had a very wide brightness range. This was probably associated with the wide angle of view of the lens supplied with the camera.
The AF system was able to keep track with both camera movements during panning and subject movement within the scene. Such delays that occurred would be easy to edit out. Soundtracks were clear with a decent stereo presence from the built-in microphones.
Our timing tests were conducted with the same 16GB Panasonic SDHC Class 10 UHS-1card as we used when testing the original α7. The review camera was slightly faster to power up ready for shooting, taking approximately one second. We measured an average capture lag of 0.1 seconds when the viewfinder was used for shot composition, and 0.2 seconds in with Live View mode. This lag was eliminated when shots were pre-focused with both viewing modes. Shot-to-shot times averaged 0.8 seconds.
High-resolution JPEGs took 2.6 seconds to process on average, while ARW.RAW files were processed in 3.3 seconds and RAW+JPEG pairs in 3.8 seconds. In the regular continuous shooting mode the review camera recorded 52 Large/Fine JPEG frames in 12.5 seconds, which represents a little over four frames/second. Processing was completed within six seconds of the last frame.
Swapping to raw file capture, the camera recorded 23 ARW.RAW files in 4.1 seconds and took 14.7 seconds to complete processing this burst. With RAW+JPEG capture, the buffer memory accommodated 22 pairs. It took just over 20 seconds to process this burst.
Conclusion
Sony’s α7 cameras use FE lenses, a variation on the E mount, designed for 36 x 24mm sensors. Although you can fit regular E-mount lenses, most of these don’t cover the full frame sensor, so frames are cropped and/or vignetted. This situation limits the range of lenses users of these cameras can choose.
The recent release of three lenses announced at CP+ in February increased the number of FE lenses to 11 and there are also two wide converter lenses (one a fisheye). Five of the lenses are primes and six are zooms, covering a focal length range from 16mm to 240mm. Superficially this looks OK; but it’s sub-optimal for photographers looking for versatility.
Available lenses include a fast (f/2.8) 90mm macro lens and a couple of fast (f/1.4 and f/1.8) standard primes. There’s also a ‘convenience’ zoom, the FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS, which weighs 780 grams. But many of those lenses (including the 16-35mm f/4 supplied for our review) are relatively large and heavy.
In addition, coverage isn’t even; the only way to get a 24mm focal length is via one of three zoom lenses and the closest to a ‘classic’ 50mm prime is a 55mm f/1.8. The fastest telephoto lenses have maximum apertures of f/4 or f/6.3. Sigma recently announced plans to make lenses for Sony FE mount but, even with third-party additions, Sony can’t match the more than 53 lenses already available for the Micro Four Thirds format.
As far as the camera is concerned, the improvements to the grip and control layout are very welcome. However, the location of the control dials and buttons requires them to be adjusted with the right hand, which won’t suit some users. Furthermore, if you have to turn a dial while pressing a button it’s difficult with your eye at the viewfinder, even when you can view the menu in the EVF.
The built-in NFC and Wi-Fi could be convenient for some potential buyers. But they don’t do anything special or unique and posting images and movies on sharing sites is no easier than it is for most cameras.
But you can’t fault the degree to which the camera can be customised; Sony’s system both easy to use and very comprehensive. In addition, the EVF and monitor have high enough resolution to display all the detail you need ““ and the refresh rate of the EVF is fast enough for sports photography, if not absolutely instantaneous. Battery life is pretty much as you would expect from a mirrorless camera.
You need a fast memory card to keep pace with the top continuous shooting mode and an SDXC card if you want to record XAVC-S video. And while the dynamic range we captured in the movie clips we recorded wasn’t great, it certainly was in still shots, particularly in the ARW.RAW files.
We don’t ‘get’ the sizeable difference between the local RRP on Sony’s website and US pricing for this camera. But if you shop around you should find it priced between about AU$1800 and $1900 for the body alone. That’s about $400 more than the current α7 price tag. The camera is commonly bundled with the Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens, a combo currently selling for around AU$2000 (or a little less) at reputable specialist retailers.
SPECS
Image sensor: 23.5 x 15.6mm Exmor CMOS sensor with 24.7 million photosites (approx. 24.3 megapixels effective)
Image processor: BIONZ X
Lens mount: Sony FE-mount
Focal length crop factor: 1x
Digital zoom: 4x digital plus 2x Clear Image zoom, up to 2x Smart Zoom, up to 4x digital zoom
Image formats: Stills ““ JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver.2.3), ARW.RAW 2.3 (14-bit), RAW+JPEG; Movies ““ XAVC S / AVCHD format Ver. 2.0 compliant / MP4
Image Sizes: Stills ““ 3:2 aspect: 6000 x 4000, 3936 x 2624, 3008 x 2000; APS-C: 3936 x 2624, 3008 x 2000, 1968 x 1312; 16:9 aspect: 6000 x 3376, 3936 x 2216, 3008 x 1688; APS-C: 3936 x 2216, 3008 x 1688, 1968 x 1112; Sweep Panorama: Wide: horizontal 12,416 x 1856, vertical 5536 x 2160, Standard: horizontal 8192 x 1856, vertical 3872 x 2160; Movies ““ XAVC S: 1920 x 1080 at 50p/30p/25p/24p all at 50Mbps, AVCHD: 1920 x 1080 at 50p/28 Mbps, 50i/24 Mbps or 17 Mbps, 25p/24p at 24 Mbps or 17 Mbps; MP4: 1440 x 1080 at 30/25 fps/12 Mbps, 640 x 480 30/25 fps/3Mbps;
Image Stabilisation: Image Sensor-Shift mechanism with 5-axis compensation (depends on lens); up to 4.5 steps compensation
Dust removal: Yes; charge protection coating on optical filter and image sensor shift mechanism
Shutter (speed range): Still images:1/8000 to 30 sec, Bulb (stills); 1/8000 to 1/4 sec. (movies); flash synch at 1/250 sec
Exposure Compensation: +/- 5.0 EV (1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps selectable)
Exposure bracketing: Bracket: Cont./Bracket: Single, with 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1.0 EV, 2.0 EV, 3.0 EV increments, 3/5 frames selectable
Other bracketing options: WB – 3 frames, H/L selectable; Flash – 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 EV steps, 3/5 frames selectable
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay; 10 sec delay 3/5 frames selectable
Focus system: Fast Hybrid AF with 179 points (phase-detection AF), 25 points (contrast-detection AF)
Focus modes: AF-S (Single-shot AF), AF-C ( Continuous AF), DMF (Direct Manual Focus), Manual Focus; Predictive control, Focus lock
Exposure metering: 1200-zone evaluative metering with Multi-segment, Centre-weighted and Spot metering patterns
Shooting modes: AUTO(iAuto/Superior Auto), Programmed AE(P), Aperture priority(A), Shutter-speed priority(S), Manual(M); Movie (P, A, S, M); Sweep Panorama, Scene Selection (Portrait, Sports Action, Macro, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Hand-held Twilight, Night Portrait, Anti Motion Blur)
Picture Effects: Posterisation (Colour / B&W), Pop Colour, Retro Photo, Partial Colour (R/G/B/Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera (Normal/Cool/Warm/Green/Magenta), Soft High-key, Soft Focus (High/Mid/Low), HDR Painting (High/Mid/Low), Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature (Auto/Top/Middle(H)/Bottom/Right/Middle(V)/Left), Watercolour, Illustration (High/Mid/ Low)
Picture Profile Modes: Off / PP1-PP7; Parameters: Black level, Gamma (Movie, Still, Cine1-4, ITU709, ITU709 [800%], S-Log2), Black Gamma, Knee, Colour Mode, Saturation, Colour Phase, Colour Depth, Detail, Copy, Reset
Colour space options: sRGB standard (with sYCC gamut) and Adobe RGB standard compatible with TRILUMINOS Colour
ISO range: Auto (ISO 100-25600, selectable lower limit and upper limit), ISO 100-25600 in 1/3 EV steps; ISO 100-12800 for movies
White balance: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent (Warm White/ Cool White/ Day White/ Daylight), Flash, Underwater, Colour Temperature & colour filter, Custom
Flash: External only, Multi Interface Shoe compatible with Sony α System Flash
Flash modes: Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Red-eye reduction (on/off selectable), Wireless, Hi-speed sync.
Flash exposure adjustment: +/- 3.0 EV (switchable between 1/3 and 1/2 EV steps)
Sequence shooting: Max. 5 shots/sec.
Buffer capacity: Max. 50 Large/Fine JPEGs, 25 RAW files or 23 RAW+JPEG pairs
Storage Media: Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick XC-HG Duo, SD memory card, SDHC memory card, SDXC memory card (UHS-I compliant)
Viewfinder: 1.3 cm EVF with 2,359,296 dots; 100% FOV coverage, eye point: 22mm from the eyepiece frame at -1m-1 (CIPA standard), approx. 0.71x magnification; -4.0 to +3.0m-1 dioptre adjustment
LCD monitor: Tilting 3-inch wide type TFT screen with 1,228,800 dots dots (adjustable up by 107 degrees, down by 41 degrees)
Playback functions: Single (with or without shooting information Y RGB histogram & highlight/shadow warning), 9/25-frame index view, Enlarged display mode (L: 18.8x, M: 12.3x, S: 9.4x, Panorama (Standard): 25.6x, Panorama (Wide): 38.8x); Auto Review (10/5/2 sec, Off), Image orientation (Auto/Manual/Off selectable), Slideshow, Panorama scrolling, Folder selection (Date/ Still/ MP4/ AVCHD/XAVC S), Forward/Rewind (movie), Delete, Protect
Interface terminals: Multi / Micro USB Terminal, HDMI micro connector (Type-D), Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b/g/n, 2.4GHz band), NFC forum Type 3 Tag compatible, 3.5 mm Stereo mini jacks (mic & headphone), terminal for optional RMT-DSLR2 remote control, Multi Interface Shoe
Power supply: NP-FW50 rechargeable Li-ion battery pack; CIPA rated for approx. 270 shots/charge (Viewfinder) or 350 shots (LCD monitor)
Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 126.9 x 95.7 x 59.7 mm (excluding protrusions)
Weight: Approx. 556 grams (body only); 599 grams with battery and card
TESTS
Based on JPEG files straight from the camera.
Based on ARW.RAW files converted with Adobe Camera Raw.
SAMPLES
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
30 second exposure at ISO 50; 35mm focal length, f/6.3.
13 second exposure at ISO 400; 35mm focal length, f/9.
6 second exposure at ISO 1600; 35mm focal length, f/11.
2 second exposure at ISO 6400; 35mm focal length, f/11.
1.3 second exposure at ISO 12800; 35mm focal length, f/11.
1.3 second exposure at ISO 25600; 35mm focal length, f/16.
DRO switched off; 16mm focal length, ISO 50, 1/400 second at f/9.
DRO Auto; 16mm focal length, ISO 50, 1/400 second at f/9.
DRO Auto; 35mm focal length, ISO 50, 1/400 second at f/9.
28mm focal length, ISO 640, 1/30 second at f/5.6.
30mm focal length, ISO 800, 1/60 second at f/4.
35mm focal length, ISO 250, 1/100 second at f/4.5.
18mm focal length, ISO 2000, 1/30 second at f/4.5.
16mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/20 second at f/5.
16mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/60 second at f/4.5.
16mm focal length, ISO 2000, 1/60 second at f/8.
Still frame from AVCHD movie clip recorded with the FX 50i 24M setting.
Still frame from AVCHD movie clip recorded with the FH 50i 17M setting.
Still frame from AVCHD movie clip recorded with the PS 50p 28M setting.
Still frame from AVCHD movie clip recorded with the FX 24p 24M setting.
Still frame from AVCHD movie clip recorded with the FH 25p 17M setting.
Still frame from MP4 movie clip recorded with 1440 x 1080 pixel resolution.
Still frame from MP4 movie clip recorded with 640 x 480 pixel resolution.
Additional image samples can be found with our review of the Sony Vario Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS lens.
Rating
RRP: AU$2299; US$1700 (body only)
- Build: 8.8
- Ease of use: 8.8
- Autofocusing: 8.8
- Still image quality JPEG: 8.8
- Still image quality RAW: 9.0
- Video quality: 9.0
