Sony USA Announces Alpha 7 II Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera, 70-300mm Lens

Following Sony Japan’s announcement last week, Sony USA has now officially announced the Alpha a7II Mirrorless Digital Camera and the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM II Lens for A-mount cameras. Impressively, the a7II features 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE in-body image stabilization, a first for a full-frame interchangeable-lens camera. The E-mount camera also boasts a redesigned grip and control set, faster autofocus, enhanced weather sealing, and the inclusion of the XAVC S video format along with the S-Log2 gamma. Additionally, the newly designed 70-300mm A-mount lens improves upon its predecessor with multiple optical refinements and vastly improved AF performance.

Alpha a7II Mirrorless Digital Camera

Sony is yet again pushing the boundaries of mirrorless-camera development with the inclusion of 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE sensor-shift image stabilization in the E-mount a7II. Photographers and filmmakers alike can now benefit from 4.5 steps of stabilization, regardless of which lens they use. And, by using a 5-axis system, the camera compensates for pitch and yaw, horizontal and vertical shift, and roll. This allows shooters to capture subject matter more easily with longer focal lengths; shoot sharp, detailed close-ups; and minimize overall camera blur with slower shutter speeds.

SteadyShot INSIDE functions with any lens, even when using adapters that do not transmit data to the camera or lenses with their own optical stabilization system. Users will be able to select the focal length in the camera in order to optimize the system’s operation for their lens. So, you can use anything from the latest third-party lens releases to classic rangefinder glass and benefit from this stabilization system. Also, a half press of the shutter-release button or magnification of the image will activate the system for preview in the viewfinder or on the LCD screen.

At the a7II’s core is a 24.3-megapixel full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor and the BIONZ X image processing engine. These components work together to produce highly detailed imagery with a wide dynamic range, subtle gradations, and low noise throughout the ISO 100-25600 range. It accomplishes this by using detail reproduction and diffraction-reducing technologies, which will more accurately resolve fine details. The a7II also utilizes area-specific noise reduction, which will selectively choose which noise-reduction techniques to apply to different areas of the image. And, it features 16-bit image processing with 14-bit raw output in Sony’s ARW format.

In addition to better processing speed, the Fast Hybrid AF system has also seen an improvement with a speed approximately 30% faster than the original a7. It utilizes 117 phase-detection and 25 contrast-detection AF points with a wide area of coverage to accurately track objects nearly anywhere in the frame. This new algorithm also benefits working in burst mode with 5 fps continuous shooting while using AF and automatic exposure. The system also has 1.5x more accurate tracking performance and it can utilize lock-on AF tracking, as well as Eye AF, when needed.

Video shooters can rejoice over a plethora of features added to the a7II, the most important being the high-bit-rate XAVC S format. Recording at 50Mbps, compared to the 28/24Mbps of AVCHD, will result in images with less artifacting and minimal noise. Audio also sees a benefit from the use of linear PCM sound recording. Perhaps as notable an addition is the ability to utilize picture profiles, including the S-Log2 gamma setting, which creates a drastically wider dynamic range—about 1,300% greater than standard settings. These options can be adjusted and fine-tuned to optimize the look of the video for your productions.

Timecode and user bit functions are available for those who need it, including Record Run and Free Run settings. This timecode can even be embedded when using the clean HDMI output for uncompressed recording. The a7II does retain many of the video capabilities of its predecessor with full HD 1920 x 1080p video at up to 60 fps, focus peaking, zebras, full manual controls, and audio levels with 32 steps of adjustment. And, while it did gain many of the video options found on the a7S, it is not able to output 4K video over HDMI.

Handling and ergonomics have been refined with a new body, grip, and control scheme. Optimized for comfort and operability, the grip is larger and has a new shape for a secure hold on the camera, and the shutter-release button has been relocated to a tilted, more forward location for more ergonomic accuracy. The dials have been slightly repositioned and updated for better control and feel. Additionally, there are 10 customizable buttons that can be assigned any of 56 functions for more direct access to commonly used settings.

The body itself now uses a magnesium-alloy top cover, front cover, and internal structure for a balance of durability and weight. The lens mount has also seen an upgrade, with a more robust design that will better handle larger, heavier lenses. Dust and moisture resistance has been boosted with sealing around buttons and dials, as well as a dual-layer structure that interlocks panels and the components. The sensor’s optical filter has an anti-static coating for dust prevention and there is a Cleaning Mode available to help dislodge any particles that manage to cling to the sensor.

Updated for the a7II, the 3.0" tilting LCD screen has an increased 1,228.8k-dot resolution and tilts upward 107° and downward 41° for working with a wide variety of shooting angles. It also uses WhiteMagic technology to increase the brightness of the screen for viewing in bright daylight. The XGA OLED Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder is the same 2.36m-dot model found on the original a7 with 100% coverage and a 3-lens optical system. Also, the a7II now starts up about 40% faster, for an almost instant power-on.

Many other features have been carried over to the a7II, including the Multi-Interface Shoe, mic and headphone jacks, built-in Wi-Fi with NFC, and the NP-FW50 battery pack. However, a new VG-C2EM Vertical Grip with dust and moisture protection was designed for this model. The a7II will be available as a body only or in a kit with the FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens.

70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM II Lens

Alongside the announcement of the E-mount a7II, Sony is showing continuing support for its A-mount DSLT series with the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM II Lens. This updated telephoto zoom utilizes a dramatically improved AF algorithm that improves focusing performance with the Super Sonic Wave Motor (SSM) by approximately four times, and it has moisture and dust resistance for working in less-than-ideal weather conditions. Also, lens elements now feature a Nano AR coating that better reduces flare and ghosting for improved clarity and contrast.

The lens construction shares many features of its predecessor with a single extra-low dispersion glass element to reduce chromatic aberrations and control distortion throughout the zoom range. It also will focus as close as 4' and has a rounded 9-blade diaphragm for smooth, out-of-focus areas. The lens is designed to work natively on A-mount cameras and with the use of an adapter it will function on E-mount cameras. However, it is not compatible with Sony’s teleconverter options.