The Sony A7II

[sloppywmu]

Yes, Lloyd Chambers shows this very well. A pity Sony didn't take the opportunity to change the RAW recording. I have seen the negative effects in just a few images. I think RAW should be as unaltered and uncompressed as possible. I like to return to older files for re-development as software improves.

Exactly. If I wanted compressed files I wouldn't be shooting RAW on a $1700 camera.

I would even be OK with it if they had to compress the files for some technical reason. But it must be easier and quicker to not compress files. It seems like an engineer was let loose to show their technical prowess. But it actually harms the user.

 

[mbroomfield]

I'm no in the US. Almost everyone sell to the US .. I think the LB-A7 is the grip, but we are speaking of L plate here. A cheap L plate cositing 15$

LB-A7 is indeed the L plate. That's why I post the suggestion to use Google, Amazon or other suppliers in ebay as there are many of them. One of them may be able to ship to you.

 

[Vivek]

Fuji just announced a huge new firmware upgrade for the X-T1. Rather than making us all buy new cameras, Fuji keeps adding value to the one we bought. Bravo Fuji!

Good strategy.

Leica increases the prices to add value. Also, good strategy.

 

[Arne Hvaring]

Exactly. If I wanted compressed files I wouldn't be shooting RAW on a $1700 camera.

I would even be OK with it if they had to compress the files for some technical reason. But it must be easier and quicker to not compress files. It seems like an engineer was let loose to show their technical prowess. But it actually harms the user.

Indeed. Still, for me it isn't quite a deal breaker. The improved handgrip and position of the shutter release look promising. Maybe I can mount a wrist strap on this body, is impossible on my A7r, gets in the way for the shutter button.
Ibis works in enlarged mode, should make precise handheld manual focusing much easier; real progress.

 

[ggibson]

Wow the A7II has a lot of upgrades that I hoped for after my A7. Better grip, shutter moved forward, more reachable custom buttons... they look to have improved the ergonomics quite a bit. With 5-axis added, and faster AF, this is very tempting. I told myself to wait for a rangefinder-body upgrade to the A7, but...

I wonder if they have improved the Auto-ISO/Shutter speed behavior beyond the dumb logic in the A7 of "decrease shutter speed until 1/60s, then increase ISO". Certainly, they'll have had to rethink how the IBIS affects things.

Also, I wonder if they will add silent shutter?

 

[sloppywmu]

Indeed. Still, for me it isn't quite a deal breaker. The improved handgrip and position of the shutter release look promising. Maybe I can mount a wrist strap on this body, is impossible on my A7r, gets in the way for the shutter button.
Ibis works in enlarged mode, should make precise handheld manual focusing much easier; real progress.

Yeah hopefully Sony release some more PRO type firmware changes.

I can't wait for this time next year when I'm complaining that my a7II only has 5 stops of in body stabilization.

 

[Vivek]

Any guesses on how loud the IBIS will be when it is fully active?

 

[Stefan Steib]

I am really astonished about the replies here about the new A7 II.

Is it really so difficult to see what kind of a Milestone that 5 axis image stabilisation is ? Using the chip and allowing it for all 3rd party lenses as well ?

Hello - Good morning ? For that feature alone some other people would probably kill, respectively pay thousands of $ just to get their one important lens stabilized 4,5 stops !

α7 Ⅱ 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE from Sony: Official Video Release - YouTube

And probably that is only the beginning, I am pretty sure an A7R II with same specs will follow.

Firmware update...... people you are funny sometimes.:facesmack:

Greetings from Germany
Stefan

 

[k-hawinkler]

Any guesses on how loud the IBIS will be when it is fully active?

IBIS seems very quite in my E-M5 and E-M1.
I can tell it's doing its thing when the image in the EVF stops jerking around.
Presumably the A7II will behave similarly.
But maybe my hearing is not the best anymore.

It certainly doesn't sound off the annoying music in the Sony video!

 

[Vivek]

Then it should be very silent for me, K-H.

 

[sloppywmu]

I am really astonished about the replies here about the new A7 II.

Is it really so difficult to see what kind of a Milestone that 5 axis image stabilisation is ? Using the chip and allowing it for all 3rd party lenses as well ?

Hello - Good morning ? For that feature alone some other people would probably kill, respectively pay thousands of $ just to get their one important lens stabilized 4,5 stops !

α7 Ⅱ 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE from Sony: Official Video Release - YouTube

And probably that is only the beginning, I am pretty sure an A7R II with same specs will follow.

Firmware update...... people you are funny sometimes.:facesmack:

Greetings from Germany
Stefan

All good points Stefan.

I worry about where they are headed if anywhere. Why make all these nice expensive lenses with OSS then release cameras with IBIS? Shouldn't the lenses have been made smaller and lighter without OSS. Wasn't there some management of the product line from the start?

Essentially we all paid for the development of the II version with all of our A7(x) purchases. I understand that is exactly how business should work. I'm just spoiled by Apple constantly updating and maintaining software on phones and computers, that are years old, for free.

So if I buy the a7II will it be replaced in a year with a camera with one truly new feature and some firmware updates? Will the a7III be the size of a D610 and only just be able to track focus as well as the latter?

In the end I just need to go out and take photos instead of complaining about new technology being released.

It is awfully fun watching all this technology advance the art of taking photos.

 

[turtle]

.....and good on them for improving the shutter release location and some of the controls without punching existing users in the face. Its not just about new adopters, but those who bought into the existing generation. We can't be left confused and struggling to interchange the cameras. I'm so glad they did not do a Windows 8 LOL.

Its rare that a manufacturer makes me thrilled by the next generation but equally thrilled I bought into the last!

Honestly, I have no idea whatsoever how Canon and Nikon are going to respond to this. I personally believe M43 remains largely unaffected (I still love mine), but DSLR territory is dwindling and I'm particularly worried for Canon. They don't have the sensors or the platform and, while they are doing just great in terms of DSLR sales (relative to the competition), the DSLR enclave is going to collapse to a fraction of its current size within 5 years.

 

[iiiNelson]

Exactly. If I wanted compressed files I wouldn't be shooting RAW on a $1700 camera.

I would even be OK with it if they had to compress the files for some technical reason. But it must be easier and quicker to not compress files. It seems like an engineer was let loose to show their technical prowess. But it actually harms the user.

Let's be honest though... Compressed RAW hasn't made the difference of whether or not a great picture you took was a great picture.

I wouldn't file that under "deal breaker." We were all enamored by the IQ that the A7 and A7r COULD produce way before someone with too much time on their hands sat down to figure out if the RAW's remained 14-bit or were compressed to 11-bit.

 

[Stefan Steib]

I can only guess: after reading the specs of the Stabilization it may be that a full 5 axis stabilization will only work simultaniously with OSS lenses. The 3 axis feature will do on non stabilized and 3rd party lenses.

And then all this perfectly makes sense !

Regards
Stefan

 

[Vivek]

Tre, The "famous" names come out whenever there is a new Sony cam. Don't take the bait.

Let's be honest though... Compressed RAW hasn't made the difference of whether or not a great picture you took was a great picture.

I wouldn't file that under "deal breaker." We were all enamored by the IQ that the A7 and A7r COULD produce way before someone with too much time on their hands sat down to figure out if the RAW's remained 14-bit or were compressed to 11-bit.

 

[Vivek]

I can only guess: after reading the specs of the Stabilization it may be that a full 5 axis stabilization will only work simultaniously with OSS lenses. The 3 axis feature will do on non stabilized and 3rd party lenses.

And then all this perfectly makes sense !

Regards
Stefan

Exactly the opposite, Stefan. Look at the diagram again!

 

[sloppywmu]

Let's be honest though... Compressed RAW hasn't made the difference of whether or not a great picture you took was a great picture.

I wouldn't file that under "deal breaker." We were all enamored by the IQ that the A7 and A7r COULD produce way before someone with too much time on their hands sat down to figure out if the RAW's remained 14-bit or were compressed to 11-bit.

Certainly not a "deal breaker". So why do it? Is anyone hurting for extra hard drive space? I can fit over 1000 raws on a 32gb card. I would be more than OK with half of that if I knew I was capturing every last bit of information from the sensor for my later use.

I guess I should point out that I'm taking these photos for myself and I do everything I can to make sure I capture the best file I can. Then Sony compresses it? Why? I bought $800 and $1000 dollar lenses to grab fleeting personal moments as best I can. Then Sony compresses them. It's just an unnecessary interjection into the process.

If I remember correctly the a99 stores uncompressed RAWs. So Sony knows how to do this already.

 

[Chuck Jones]

Bottom line, including the IS this update is HUGE! My only concern is the top ISO is only 25k. I would have been a whole lot happier to see something like 100k, so it isn't going to be a replacement for my A7S or A7R.

 

[Knorp]

Any word about the shutter ? Is it still loud ? Does it still induce vibration ?

 

[horshack]

Any word about the shutter ? Is it still loud ? Does it still induce vibration ?

The A7 doesn't have any shutter vibration issues, even when EFCS is not used. The A7r had vibration issues.