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Sony A7S II

 
Sony Alpha A7S II front
 
  • 12MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 102400 (Boost to 409600)
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • Sony E Mount
  • 627g - 127 x 96 x 60mm
  • Released October 2015
  • Older Model is Sony A7S
  • Updated by Sony A7S III
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
68
Imaging
61
Features
76
Overall
67

Sony A7S II overview

Sony A7S II is Sony's Pro Mirrorless digital camera initially announced on October of 2015. The camera features a 12MP, CMOS Full frame sized sensor and has a maximum resolution of 4240 x 2832.

Sony introduced this model to improve the previous Sony A7S (Read Full Comparison) and afterwards launched the fresher Sony A7S III (Read Full Comparison) to improve this camera.

The A7S II is ranked #57 out of 70 in Pro Mirrorless cameras and all round #195 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. Remember to use our Advanced camera finder to get camera ratings based on your custom criteria.

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The following is a chart of different criteria used in the scoring system.

Sony A7S II history

The Sony A7S II comes with a history of related cameras. Here, you can take a look at all older and latest models as well as main specs.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Sony-Alpha-A7R-V front thumbnailSony A7R V
A7S II vs A7R V
61MPFull frame10.0 fps2022
Sony-Alpha-A7-IV front thumbnailSony A7 IV
A7S II vs A7 IV
33MPFull frame10.0 fps2021
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Sony-Alpha-a1 front thumbnailSony a1
A7S II vs a1
50MPFull frame30.0 fps2021
Sony-Alpha-A7S-III front thumbnailSony A7S III
A7S II vs A7S III
12MPFull frame10.0 fps2020
Sony-Alpha-A9-Mark-II front thumbnailSony A9 II
A7S II vs A9 II
24MPFull frame20.0 fps2019
Sony-Alpha-A7R-IV front thumbnailSony A7R IV
A7S II vs A7R IV
61MPFull frame10.0 fps2019
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Sony-Alpha-A7-III front thumbnailSony A7 III
A7S II vs A7 III
24MPFull frame10.0 fps2018
Sony-Alpha-A7R-III front thumbnailSony A7R III
A7S II vs A7R III
42MPFull frame10.0 fps2017
Sony-Alpha-A9 front thumbnailSony A9
A7S II vs A9
24MPFull frame20.0 fps2017
Sony-Alpha-A7S-II front thumbnailSony A7S II12MPFull frame5.0 fps2015
Sony-Alpha-A7R-II front thumbnailSony A7R II
A7S II vs A7R II
42MPFull frame5.0 fps2015
Photography Glossary
Sony-Alpha-A7-II front thumbnailSony A7 II
A7S II vs A7 II
24MPFull frame5.0 fps2014
Sony-Alpha-A7S front thumbnailSony A7S
A7S II vs A7S
12MPFull frame5.0 fps2014
Sony-Alpha-A7R front thumbnailSony A7R
A7S II vs A7R
36MPFull frame4.0 fps2014
Sony-Alpha-A7 front thumbnailSony A7
A7S II vs A7
24MPFull frame5.0 fps2014

Sony A7S II Pros and Cons

Below is a selection of upsides and downsides of the Sony A7S II based on aspects that are generally viewed as essential in a digital camera.

change lenses (Sony E mount)
comes with face detect focusing
comes with tracking focus
decent sized screen (3 inch)
environment proof
good resolution screen (1,229 thousand dots)
great high ISO (102,400)
great min ISO (100)
has image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
has manual focus
includes HDMI out
includes headphone support
includes mic support
maximum shutter speed is high (1/8,000 seconds)
NFC connectivity
saves RAW formats
screen tilts
sensor size is large (Full frame)
video res high (3840 x 2160 resolution)
lack of phase detect AF
max frames per second low (5.0 frames/s)
screen is not selfie friendly
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
terrible battery (370 per charge)
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Sony A7S II Sensor info

The Sony A7S II is run by the Bionz X processor chip. The spec of the sensor on the Sony A7S II is 35.6mm x 23.8mm (Full frame). The 847 mm² sensor has the capability to resolve 4240 x 2832 pixels at aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9. The camera boasts Image Stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis). Sensor stabilization is better than digital stabilization since the latter may cause cropping.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 12MP and includes a standard ISO range of 100 to 102400. This ISO can also be increased electronically to 50 to 409600. RAW format is saved which means that the user has wider margin for error.

The image below shows the A7S II's sensor dimensions compared to other popular sizes. The A7S II sensor comes with a crop factor of 1 and is highlighted in green.

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To get an idea of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony A7S II dimensions

Sony A7S II has a weight of 1.38 pounds (627 grams / 22.12 ounces) and features outer dimensions of 127mm x 96mm x 60mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.4"). The weight of normal Pro Mirrorless camera is 722 grams and the Sony A7S II is lighter compared with its competitors.

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The following is a photo of the Sony A7S II besides a soda so you're able to have a sense of its scale.

Sony Alpha A7S II dimensions scale

The top view here will show the button design on the A7S II.

Sony Alpha A7S II topview buttons dials

Sony A7S II Lens info

The A7S II uses the Sony E mount and has 170 lenses available in the market. Below is a small number of the lenses we have in our collection which will fit the A7S II.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Tamron-35mm-F2.8-Di-III-OSD-M1-2-Sony-FE lensTamron 35mm F2.8 Di III OSD M1:235mmf/2.8210g
Samyang-AF-50mm-F1.4-FE lensSamyang 50mm F1.4 FE50mmf/1.4 585g
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Samyang-35mm-F1.4-AS-UMC-Sony-E-NEX lensSamyang 35mm F1.4 AS UMC35mmf/1.4 660g
Zeiss-Loxia-85mm-F2.4-Sony-FE lensZeiss Loxia 85mm F2.485mmf/2.4594g
Sigma-24mm-F3.5-DG-E-Mount lensSigma 24mm F3.5 DG24mmf/3.5 225g
Tokina-atx-m-23mm-F1.4-E-Mount lensTokina atx-m 23mm F1.4 E23mmf/1.4276g
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7artisans-35mm-F1.2-Sony-E lens7artisans 35mm F1.235mmf/1.2150g
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Sony A7S II Connectivity

The A7S II has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • NFC Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that have NFC and Bluetooth connectivity are able to be controlled wirelessly through smartphones. You are able to copy images and in some cases change settings without connecting directly to the camera.

Several applications even allow a Liveview and click the shutter if you aren't near the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI out, it can easily be connected to an external monitor. Nearly all cameras will allow you to recharge the battery using the USB port.

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Sony A7S II Video info

The maximum video quality on the Sony A7S II is 3840 x 2160 and it can capture in MPEG-4, AVCHD and XAVC S file format. 2160p will provide a fantastic quality for video. You will be able to crop to Full HD to get improved video. Beware of the large file sizes and ensure you get high quality SD cards that have fast write speeds. The body does have both headphone and mic support making it incredibly valuable whilst capturing sound.

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Sony A7S II Weather Sealing

Sony A7S II has environment sealing which makes it a excellent pick to use for challenging climates. This can be especially valuable whenever you are not sure about the conditions you may face for outdoor photography.

Sony A7S II Screen and Viewfinder

The Sony A7S II features a 3 inch tilting display screen boasting a resolution of 1,229 thousand dots.

Please be aware that the display offers no touch support.

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The ViewFinder specs regarding Sony A7S II are below:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • Resolution 2,359 thousand dots
  • Coverage 100%
  • Magnification 0.78x

Viewfinders can be very beneficial for bright outdoor conditions which can easily make the camera screen washed out and difficult to view.

Sony A7S II Shutter info

Sony A7S II continuous shooting speed is 5.0 frames/s. The maximum shutter speed is 1/8000 sec.

Photography Glossary

Sony A7S II Flash and Hot shoe info

Sony A7S II boasts external flash ability but is without integrated flash.

Sony A7S II Autofocus info

Sony A7S II boasts just Contrast Based Auto Focus and lacks Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is more snappier & accurate compared with Contrast Based focusing. The camera features Face detection making it valuable for portraits.

The Sensor features 169 focus points to pick from. It also has Tracking Auto Focus for objects on the move. Sony A7S II has the ability to use manual focusing when needed for low light scenarios or you want to have more accurate control on focusing.

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Sony A7S II Battery life

The battery (NP-FW50) in the Sony A7S II is built to last for 370 shots according to the CIPA benchmarks which is less as compared with its rivals. The general Pro Mirrorless camera battery life is 460. Olympus E-M1X has the highest possible (870) battery life for this range of cameras.

Underneath is a number of Pro Mirrorless cameras having the strongest battery life:

Sony A7S II for different categories of photography

The following chart shows a overview of the Sony A7S II for different categories of photography. To read more, check out the specific section below.

Sony A7S II Portrait photography highlights

The Sony A7S II has a points tally of 68 which is very good, and means the camera is a fine option for portraits. Taking portraits leans greatly towards sensor dimensions, support for RAW photos plus the potential to use off-camera lighting.

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you can focus manually
large sensor size (Full frame)
features face detect focusing
supports RAW formats
low MP (12MP)

Sony A7S II Street photography highlights

Getting a great score of 78, the Sony A7S II is a outstanding option to buy for street photography. A decent street photography camera gives a perfect balance of image quality plus portability.

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has a tilting screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
delivers RAW files
weather proof
great high ISO (102,400)

Sony A7S II Sports photography info

A average sports photography points tally of 58 suggests the Sony A7S II is reasonably appropriate for shooting sports. A camera should have good focusing and shutter speeds for sports photography.

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great max shutter speed (1/8,000s)
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
supports tracking autofocus
weather sealing
low frames per second (5.0 frames/s)
MP count low (12 megapixels)
bad battery life (370 shots)
lack of phase detect auto focus

Sony A7S II Travel photography highlights

Weight is super critical in selecting a travel camera. In general, the Sony A7S II gets a average 49 for a travel camera which makes it somewhat adequate for your vacations.

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weather proofing
low battery life (370 shots)
low MP (12 megapixels)
does not have selfie friendly display

Sony A7S II Landscape photography factors

If you're planning to choose a digital camera for landscape photos, the most significant factor is going to be image quality. The Sony A7S II and it's above average rating of 71 for a landscape camera is a fine pick among it's competition.

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manual focus
change lenses (Sony E mount)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
sensor size is big (Full frame)
very good ISO range (102,400)
exports RAW files
environment sealing
megapixel count low (12MP)
low battery power (370 CIPA)

Vlogging with Sony A7S II

A camera for vlogging should really posses a articulating display screen, mic input and preferably image stabilization. Considering every thing, the Sony A7S II is not acceptable as a vlog camera as it delivers a horrible score of 35.

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image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
supports face detect focusing
high res video (3840 x 2160 resolution)
comes with microphone support
does not posses selfie friendly display

Sony A7S II Alternatives

If you want replacements to the A7S II, below is a range of the top rated cameras which fall within the class of Pro Mirrorless.

The graph just below shows you a summary of the A7S II vs it's highest scoring competitors listed earlier.

Following are additional cameras you might consider as alternate options. To read through a complete comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Sony
Model type
Sony Alpha A7S II
Class
Pro Mirrorless
Released
2015-10-12
Physical type
SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Processor
Bionz X
Sensor size
Full frame
Sensor dimensions
35.6 x 23.8mm
Sensor surface area
847.3mm²
Sensor resolution
12 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution
4240 x 2832
RAW photos
Highest native ISO
102400
Highest boosted ISO
409600
Min native ISO
100
Min boosted ISO
50
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points
169
Lens
Lens support
Sony E
Available lenses
121
Focal length multiplier
1
Screen
Type of screen
Tilting
Screen diagonal
3 inch
Resolution of screen
1,229 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
2,359 thousand dots
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.78x
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
85
DXO Color Depth rating
23.6
DXO Dynamic range rating
13.3
DXO Low light rating
2993
Features
Slowest shutter speed
30s
Maximum shutter speed
1/8000s
Continuous shooting rate
5.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation
Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance
no built-in flash
Flash options
no built-in flash
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions
4K (3840 x 2160 @ 30p/24p [60-100Mbps]), Full HD (1920 x 1080 @ 120p/60p/60i/30p/24p [50-100Mbps]), 720p (30p [16Mbps])
Highest video resolution
3840x2160
Video file format
MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
627 gr (1.38 lb)
Dimensions
127 x 96 x 60mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.4")
Other
Battery life
370 shots
Battery style
Battery Pack
Battery ID
NP-FW50
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec; continuous (3 or 5 exposures))
Time lapse feature
With downloadable app
Storage type
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo
Card slots
1
Cost at launch
$2,767