Samsung ST95 vs Sony A7 II – An In-Depth Look Across the Photography Spectrum

In our camera world, every new model brings its own blend of innovation, tradition, compromises, and surprises. Here, we dive deep into two cameras that couldn’t be more different at first glance: the Samsung ST95, an ultracompact fixed-lens point-and-shoot from 2011, and the Sony Alpha A7 II, a 2014 flagship full-frame mirrorless powerhouse aimed squarely at professionals and enthusiasts.

Why compare these vastly different tools? Because photography needs and budgets vary wildly, and sometimes a tiny brisk compact can be fit for purpose, while in other cases, you need the kind of comprehensive capabilities only a pro-level mirrorless camera can deliver. Our side-by-side exploration is designed to showcase key technical aspects, real-world handling, and practical applicability across genres to help you understand where each camera could form a meaningful part of your photographic journey.

Let’s get started with a quick physical and ergonomic comparison before moving into deeper tech and performance assessments.

First Impressions: Handling and Ergonomics

Physically, these two cameras tell very different stories.

The Samsung ST95 is a pocketable ultracompact, measuring a diminutive 92x53x17 mm, designed for maximum portability - your typical grab-and-go camera that fits in a jacket pocket or small purse. It’s light, inconspicuous, and intended for casual users who want simple operation rather than manual control.

On the flip side, the Sony A7 II is a much larger SLR-style mirrorless system, with dimensions of 127x96x60 mm and a solid 599 grams of weight. While compact compared to DSLRs, its form factor screams professional intent: a substantial grip, thoughtfully arranged buttons, and a robust build.

Ergonomically, the A7 II offers far superior handling for extended shoots or manual intervention. Its grip is deep and textured, placing controls within natural thumb and forefinger reach. The ST95’s flat, button-sparse body is charmingly minimalist but can feel cramped for users wanting to tweak settings or shoot in varied conditions.

Looking down (quite literally) on their controls:

The A7 II’s top deck reveals dedicated dials for shutter speed, exposure compensation, and shooting modes, fulfilling the expectations of professional workflows where rapid adjustments are routine. The ST95, by contrast, has a very basic layout: a shutter button and zoom rocker, no dials, no customizable shortcuts.

If you’re a photographer used to comprehensive controls, the ST95 will feel like a toy; for someone prioritizing simplicity and portability, it ticks the right boxes.

Sensor and Image Quality – The Real Heart of the Matter

Let’s pivot to the underlying technology that dictates image quality - the sensor.

The A7 II boasts a 35.8x23.9 mm full-frame CMOS sensor, packing 24MP resolution. This large sensor size offers excellent light gathering, wider dynamic range, and more shallow depth of field control. It also supports shooting in raw format, essential for professionals who demand full post-processing flexibility.

The ST95 houses a small 1/2.3" CCD sensor (6.16x4.62 mm) with 16MP resolution. While its pixel count seems close on paper, the sensor's tiny physical size severely restricts image quality capabilities, particularly in low light or complex lighting situations.

Indeed, full-frame sensors have roughly 30 times the surface area of the ST95’s sensor, granting vast gains in noise performance and color depth. For example, DXOMark rates the A7 II’s color depth at 24.9 bits and dynamic range at 13.6 EV - metrics simply unattainable for the modest CCD sensor, which, as expected, was never tested by DXO for these metrics.

This difference profoundly affects all photography styles - where high-res, clean files and beautiful tonal rendition are vital, the A7 II dominates.

Viewing, Focusing, and Interface: Crafting the Photographer’s Experience

Handling a camera isn’t just how it feels in the hand but also how you compose and interact with it.

The Samsung ST95 features a fixed 3-inch LCD with 460k dots resolution. This low-resolution screen offers a basic view for framing but lacks touch responsiveness, tilting, or any kind of eye-level viewfinder. Outdoors, the screen can get washed out, and reliance on LCD only limits compositional precision and low-light usability.

The Sony A7 II counters this with a 3-inch tilting LCD boasting 1.23 million dots - nearly three times the resolution - plus a bright 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 100% coverage and 0.71x magnification. The EVF alone revolutionizes framing accuracy, especially in strong sunlight or critical manual focus scenarios.

Autofocus further separates the two in usability:

• ST95 autofocus is rudimentary at best - no face detection, no continuous or tracking AF, no phase detection - just basic contrast detection that struggles in low light or on moving subjects.

• A7 II’s autofocus system includes hybrid phase/contrast detection with 117 focus points, face detection, continuous AF tracking, and selective area modes. This AF system enables confident tracking of moving subjects - imperative for sports, wildlife, and candid shooting.

Given this, the A7 II supports every type of photographer from cautious beginner to seasoned pro seeking precise focus. The ST95 serves purely casual snapshots and should not be expected to perform beyond static subjects.

Image Sample Comparisons: Real-World Shooting Results

Nothing beats looking at actual sample images to ground technical talk.

Samsung ST95 front Samsung ST95 screen back Sony A7 II front Sony A7 II screen back

Here we have side-by-side shots capturing a natural landscape scene in late afternoon light, a close-up vibrant flower, and an indoor portrait.

• The A7 II’s images reveal luscious detail, smooth tonal gradations, vibrant but realistic colors, and excellent depth with subject-background separation owing to larger sensor and lens control.

• The ST95’s shots, while fine for online sharing or casual prints, show limited dynamic range (loss of highlight detail), higher noise in indoor shots, and a generally flatter, less nuanced rendition.

In portraits, skin tones rendered on the A7 II shine with subtle color shifts and creamy bokeh from fast lenses; the ST95 struggles with uniformity and background blur nearly nonexistent.

Taking a Closer Look: Genre-by-Genre Performance

To really understand which camera fits which field, we analyzed their performance across major photography disciplines:

Portrait Photography:

• Samsung ST95: Mediocre at best. Fixed lens limits aperture control, no eye detection AF means missed focus on critical areas like eyes. Skin tones are modest but lack depth.
• Sony A7 II: Excellent. Fast lenses with wide apertures, 117-point AF system with face detection, and full-frame sensor produce beautiful bokeh and crisp details.

Landscape Photography:

• Samsung ST95: Useful for casual snapshots; dynamic range and resolution inadequate for large prints or complex scenes with shadows/highlights. No weather sealing.
• Sony A7 II: A landscape powerhouse - large sensor delivers dramatic dynamic range, wide native ISO and aperture ranges, and robust weather sealing for outdoor adventures.

Wildlife Photography:

• Samsung ST95: Slow AF, no tracking, limited zoom range, and fixed lens hurt usability.
• Sony A7 II: Decent burst speed (5fps), responsive AF, and lens ecosystem offers superb telephoto options for wildlife. Sensor stabilizer also aids sharper shots.

Sports Photography:

• Samsung ST95: Not feasible given lack of AF tracking and slow shutter characteristics.
• Sony A7 II: Solid mid-tier sports shooter; 5fps rate and continuous AF tracking help, but newer cameras surpass this.

Street Photography:

• Samsung ST95: Advantageous in portability and discretion; small size and silent operation ideal for candid shots.
• Sony A7 II: Bulkier and more attention-grabbing; however, its silent electronic shutter mode offers stealth options.

Macro Photography:

• Samsung ST95: No dedicated macro mode or stabilization; limited focusing ability close-up.
• Sony A7 II: Benefits from numerous macro lenses and sensor-based 5-axis stabilization for handheld macro work.

Night/Astrophotography:

• Samsung ST95: High noise, restricted ISO control, and poor long exposure options limit night shooting.
• Sony A7 II: Excellent with high-ISO capability and long exposures; sensor stabilization critical for sharp starscape captures.

Video Capabilities:

• Samsung ST95: 720p video, no mic input, or advanced codecs. Barebones and not vlog-friendly.
• Sony A7 II: Full HD 1080p with multiple frame rates, mic/headphone jacks, and modern codecs - suitable for serious video work.

Travel Photography:

• Samsung ST95: Favorable for lightweight travel when minimal gear is desired.
• Sony A7 II: Offering professional quality, but larger and requires investment in lenses and accessories.

Professional Work:

• Samsung ST95: Unsuitable due to lack of raw support, manual controls, and file flexibility.
• Sony A7 II: Designed for professionals - raw shooting, reliable AF, and extensive lens ecosystem.

Technical Tidbits That Matter Most

We’ve touched on many specs so far, but some key technical comparisons deserve emphasis.

• Lens Ecosystem:
  The fixed lens ST95 is locked into a single focal length zoom, limiting creativity and specialization. The A7 II’s Sony E-mount system boasts over 120 lenses covering nearly every photographic niche, including prime, zoom, macro, tilt-shift, and third-party options.

• Image Stabilization:
  The A7 II’s sensor-based 5-axis stabilization is a game-changer, stabilizing handheld shots across focal lengths and shutter speeds. The ST95 offers no stabilization, making blur more common, especially in low light.

• Battery Life:
  Sony claims about 350 shots per charge for the A7 II, which is average for mirrorless cameras. The ST95’s battery life isn’t specified, but ultracompacts typically last hundreds of shots before recharge or change due to simpler electronics and smaller screen.

• Connectivity:
  A distinct tech gap exists - the A7 II includes WIFI and NFC for remote control and wireless transfer; the ST95 offers no wireless features. Also, USB 2.0 on the A7 II offers faster transfers compared to the absence of USB or HDMI on the ST95.

• Build Quality & Sealing:
  The A7 II offers some weather resistance in its magnesium alloy body, valid for outdoor use in moderate conditions. The ST95 lacks any environmental sealing and is strictly suited for gentle use.

Overall Performance Snapshot

Let’s summarize their overall capabilities from a holistic perspective.

The Sony A7 II scores highly across nearly all metrics: excellent image quality, autofocus performance, video features, and professional workflow compatibility. The Samsung ST95, inevitably, lags behind, constrained by entry-level hardware and design.

Who Should Buy Which?

This is the million-dollar question. Both cameras can serve different photographers but with clearly separate value propositions.

• Consider the Samsung ST95 if:

  • You want a pocket-friendly camera primarily for casual snapshots and family/friends moments.
  • You are on a very tight budget and care little about manual controls or image quality.
  • Ultra-portability and ease of use outweigh professional features.
  • You don’t intend to do heavy post-processing or print large images.

• Consider the Sony A7 II if:

  • You are a serious enthusiast or professional demanding top-tier image quality and manual control.
  • You shoot a variety of genres including portraits, landscapes, and events.
  • You need a versatile system with extensive lens options and solid video capabilities.
  • You prioritize durability, autofocus reliability, and future upgrade potential.

Final Thoughts: A Study in Contrast from a Veteran Tester

After years of testing everything from toy cameras to cinema rigs, the Samsung ST95 feels like a relic from the early smartphone-era compact class, perfect for snapshots but quickly outpaced by modern mobile phone cameras and certainly by mirrorless systems like the Sony A7 II.

The Sony A7 II remains a benchmark entry in the full-frame mirrorless arena and still holds value for photographers unwilling to compromise image quality and control. It’s a well-rounded performer that balances advanced technology with manageable size - a hall of fame candidate in its category.

In other words: one is a simple escape hatch for memories; the other is a creative companion capable of crafting art. Knowing where you stand in that spectrum is the key to choosing wisely.

If you want to explore further camera options tailored to specific photography genres or compare newer models, I always recommend hands-on trials and checking recent user feedback to ensure your choice matches your evolving needs.

Happy shooting!

If you’ve enjoyed this deep dive, do check more of my reviews where I apply rigorous testing and professional experience to shed light on the cameras shaping photographers’ visions.

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