New Sony A7RII announcement

[Guy Mancuso]

Found the spec on low-light focusing on the Sony site:

A7rII = -2 EV!
A7r & A7 = 0 EV
A7II = -1 EV
A7s = -4 EV

Good to see it'll be even better than the A7II!

So I read this thinking the piss poor 24-70 f4 in low light might actually focus now and not hunt. Hmmm

Might have to rethink this lens instead of the Sigma 24-70 2.8 A with adapter. I just need a 24-70 for PR crap.

 

[Uaiomex]

Hi Stefan, What makes you think it will easily reach 15 stops of DR?

If this uberbabe flaunt'em, I'm selling my kids and my wife!
Wait a minute. It will only cost $3.2K. I won't have to!
:facesmack:
Eduardo

Guy - closer to MF ? I can only guess this sensor will surpass the 15 stops easily, will reach ISO´s you have never dreamed of on MF and that 5x a second.......

Take that old dried tear and wipe it off. Here comes the future !

 

[tmh]

Well this ticks a lot of boxes for me too and I wonder with this new back-lit sensor if it’ll be a good candidate for stitching…?

I have an entry-level MF Tech cam kit with a Cambo WRS, 22mp back and a 45mm Rodenstock with huge image circle for stitching. My next steps were to head toward a P45+ which at 39mp wouldn’t overstretch the slightly older lens I have currently, and allow me to get more into long-exposure which is something I miss with the Leaf. The P45+ is well under $10k on the used market now which fits my budget.

And now this 42mp Sony comes along!

I was tempted with an A7RII, a 24TSE, a Metabones, and the Zork adapter for fixed lens shifting (camera moves, not lens). This would be a small neat kit and I’ve seen several hiking landscape photographers (my types) select this.

However the Canon TSE doesn’t offer rise/fall at the same time as shift left/right do they? Most of my images on the Cambo involve setting rise/fall for verticals correction then left right stitch for angle of view at the same time. Nice and straight forward.

So perhaps I should look at the Cambo Actus? An A7RII, a Cambo Actus for shifting and what 45mm (or thereabouts) lens? I’d have to wait for people to test shifting with the Hassy lenses that are popular with the current 36mp Sony and Actus combos.

Thanks Sony… let the research begin!

 

[tray271]

well done sony ,I just wish canon could do what sony are doing but that isn't goin to happen..the oled view finder will be a great help and sooooo big like the fugi xt1..4k fantastic ,42 mega pixels just spot on I think and 5 axis wow ,all those old lenses I have in boxes may have to come out lol..still think nothing touches foveon sensor but sony have im sure made all the other camera manufactures realise they cant just keep milking us with rubbish high priced products..your doing well sony just get the price nice for people who cant afford it and you have a winning combo

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

This is a nice camera for sure, and one I will consider. I wonder if IBIS works shooting 4K video. In that case, Sony has found a solution to heat problems. The demo video that demonstrates AF used on a go-kart indicates that they have fixed the viewfinder lag. It will be interesting to see if this is reality or something they have manipulated in the video.

The only serious remaining issue in my eyes is the tiny battery. All this new technology obviously sucks it empty even faster than with the old model. With the A7R II, it's rated for 290 shots rather than the 340 shots of the old one. Why they didn't include a larger battery in the Mark II models is very difficult to understand. I look forward to try this out though.

 

[lambert]

This is a nice camera for sure, and one I will consider. I wonder if IBIS works shooting 4K video. In that case, Sony has found a solution to heat problems. The demo video that demonstrates AF used on a go-kart indicates that they have fixed the viewfinder lag. It will be interesting to see if this is reality or something they have manipulated in the video.

The only serious remaining issue in my eyes is the tiny battery. All this new technology obviously sucks it empty even faster than with the old model. With the A7R II, it's rated for 290 shots rather than the 340 shots of the old one. Why they didn't include a larger battery in the Mark II models is very difficult to understand. I look forward to try this out though.

Yeah ... spare batteries are really expensive

 

[k-hawinkler]

It's a none issue for me as I already have several Sony cameras that use the same batteries.

 

[Stefan Steib]

Hi Stefan, What makes you think it will easily reach 15 stops of DR?

If this uberbabe flaunt'em, I'm selling my kids and my wife!
Wait a minute. It will only cost $3.2K. I won't have to!
:facesmack:
Eduardo

Just a logical conclusion. DXO measured the A7r with 14,1 stops of DR.
The Nikon D800/e with the same sensor but a better signal processing reached 14,4 Stops. The Nikon 810 still with the same sensor, but further improved Processing reached 14,8 Stops.
Now the A7rII has a massively improved BSI sensor (2 stops higher sensitivity) plus a new BIONZ processing.
That should do the trick. We will soon (august) see how it works.

Greetings from Germany
Stefan

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Yeah ... spare batteries are really expensive

It's not about money, it's about logistics and weight. I travel a lot, and often to areas where access to electricity is scarce. Carrying 8-10 batteries instead of the 2 I need for my current camera ads weight and space to what is supposed to be a lightweight camera. It would also mean carrying at least 2 chargers, unless I want to babysit the batteries while charging in the evening.

Video is another challenge. 4K uses a lot of power, and professional video cameras typically use large batteries to get around this. Sony obviously knows that, since they make some of those cameras. If a cameras is out of juice in the middle of a shot, it's back to square one, if square one still exists.

 

[ohnri]

I think I will pre-order this one.

I have been waiting for the A9 but I am not sure it will make it to market in my lifetime.

My Samsung NX1 also has BSI and it is a terrific sensor.

I am hoping that I can do everything with the Sony and Samsung systems and sell off all my Nikon gear.

Fun times.

-Bill

 

[Guy Mancuso]

It's not about money, it's about logistics and weight. I travel a lot, and often to areas where access to electricity is scarce. Carrying 8-10 batteries instead of the 2 I need for my current camera ads weight and space to what is supposed to be a lightweight camera. It would also mean carrying at least 2 chargers, unless I want to babysit the batteries while charging in the evening.

Video is another challenge. 4K uses a lot of power, and professional video cameras typically use large batteries to get around this. Sony obviously knows that, since they make some of those cameras. If a cameras is out of juice in the middle of a shot, it's back to square one, if square one still exists.

I heard the USB port acts as AC adapter which my help some folks

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

I heard the USB port acts as AC adapter which my help some folks

If the USB port can be used with an external power bank, that may be a solution in some cases if there's a crisis, but it's still something that Sony has to work on. A9?

 

[jaree]

"Additionally, the focal plane phase-detection AF system on the α7R II works well with Sony A-mount lenses when they are mounted on the camera using an LA-EA3 or LA-EA1 mount adapter."

Is LA-EA4 not supported? Or it is because it has phase detect AF, hence special mention of the other two that do not have this?

 

[jfirneno]

Absolutely but at the end of the day the pictures tell more than the subjective words they state. I have no doubt though that the usual suspects will praise it and the others will bash it... As usual.

I feel the same way. Wait for the pictures to judge the sensor and maybe rent it to test out the performance (AF and low light capability). But maybe I'll ignore the drama. We're all grown-ups. Whether the A7R II is exactly what I need or not shouldn't be a reason for irrational exuberance or despair. The camera won't be perfect and it won't be terrible. For Sony FE users it's one more option available to us and one more step toward a mature mirrorless system. But drama drives web traffic so bring on the puppet theater. This time I'll wait patiently on the sideline until this camera has been thoroughly vetted. But I'll have to admit it's fun going to the Sony Circus. The clowns aren't my favorite act but they are good for laughs.

 

[uhoh7]

I wait to see the new sensor real world with M glass.

I've fallen to Sony hype in the past and am wary now

As noted above, the battery is beyond stupid, and it's another sign of incomplete work that it has not been replaced. Of course an extra can be carried, but invariably, real world, you find yourself without one. Not to mention the charging rituals the camera demands.

But I like it anyway

 

[k-hawinkler]

I like that the battery is unchanged from my other ones!
I already have 6 batteries and 2 chargers.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Bigger battery means bigger body. Look at Leicas battery it's the same size. I have 7 I rarely get past two a day. Battery drain over the Internet sounds like running water. Hardly the case when in use and aware of saving battery time.

 

[GrahamWelland]

Takes the A7II vertical grip folks. SO same body as the A7II

:thumbs:

No brainer upgrade for me. I love the fact that the batteries are the same and that they've kept with the superior ergonomics of the A7II series. I've been using my A7II almost exclusively since I got it and much prefer the layout and handling compared to my A7r and A7s. Heck, if they come out with an A7SII I'll get that too.

I was going to upgrade my Phase One DF+ body but to be honest I won't bother now. For DSLR work I've been using the Canon TS-E lenses on the Sony system and it's been great.

Time to send the A7r off for an IR conversion me thinks. August is just around the corner.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Bigger battery means bigger body. Look at Leicas battery it's the same size. I have 7 I rarely get past two a day. Battery drain over the Internet sounds like running water. Hardly the case when in use and aware of saving battery time.

I'm sure it works well for most. It's things like travelling in remote areas that kills it, and sports photography. I do both.

 

[GrahamWelland]

I'm sure it works well for most. It's things like travelling in remote areas that kills it, and sports photography. I do both.

Get yourself a car battery and this ... :grin: (just kidding, I travel with 6 batteries, two chargers and still charge the A7 series cameras via USB if I need to charge more that two at once)