Sony Alpha 7 II
Price £1,199 (body only)
SONY currently offers three models within its full-frame Alpha 7 range. The 24.3MP Alpha 7 II is best thought of as an all-rounder and delivers a balanced combination of resolution, flexibility and customisation.
Released in 2015, the Alpha 7 II succeeds the first- generation Alpha 7 model that came out in 2014. While the original was hailed as something of a technological breakthrough on account of being the first mirrorless camera to incorporate a full-frame sensor, it did suffer from some handling issues. The A7 II sets out to address these. To this end, it’s an unqualified success; the handgrip is more pronounced, and the button layout is rearranged to make operating the camera much more intuitive.
Internally the A7 II shares the same 24MP full-frame sensor and BIONZ X image processor of its predecessor, which provides a native sensitivity rage of ISO 100-25,600, along with a continuous shooting speed of 5fps. In addition, the A7 II also uses the same 124-point Hybrid AF system as the original that employs 99 phase- detection points alongside 25 contrast- detect points for impressively hasty focus acquisition. While there’s no 4K video support, the A7 II does provide an impressive array of 1080p Full HD and 720p HD video capture options.
One new feature for the A7 II is the addition of built-in Sony SteadyShot 5-axis image stabilisation technology. This provides up to 4.5 stops of compensation, which is extremely useful for shooting handheld at slower shutter speeds or with long telephoto lenses.