# Announcement: Sony A7S II Camera Body



## Canon Rumors Guy (Sep 11, 2015)

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<em>Out of darkness cometh light</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Ultra-high sensitivity up to 409600i with low noise across the whole range</li>
<li>Wide dynamic range across entire ISO range delivering smooth tonal gradation from dark to bright conditions</li>
<li>In-camera 5-axis optical image stabilisation for expanded shooting possibilities</li>
<li>Internal 4K movie recording featuring full pixel readout without pixel binning in full-frame format</li>
<li>Wide range of professional movie functionality including S-Gamut3.Cine/S-Log3, new Gamma Assist Display, enhanced Zebra Function, Full HD 120fps recording and 4x/5x slow motion recording and full pixel readout without pixel binning in full-frame format</li>
<li>High-speed AF with enhanced accuracy in wide ranging scenes and advanced shooting functions</li>
</ul>
<p>Sony today announced the latest addition to its award winning series of compact, full-frame α7 cameras with the introduction of the α7S II. Offering ultra-high sensitivity and wide dynamic range across the entire ISO range and 5-axis image stabilisation for greater shooting control, the α7S II delivers stunning image quality for photographers who shoot in the most challenging light conditions. Be it the brightest of mornings or darkest of nights, the α7S II enables new levels of photographic expression at whatever shutter speed you wish to deploy. The α7SII also incorporates a host of pro-style movie functions including the ability to shoot 4K video with full pixel readout and no pixel binning in full-frame format, making it an extremely appealing proposition for photographers and videographers alike.The α7S II delivers an awe-inspiring sensitivity range of ISO 50-409600[i], thanks to the combination of its 35mm full-frame 12.2 megapixel[ii] image sensor and BIONZ X image processing engine. The sensor optimises the dynamic range across the entire ISO range and broadens the range of tonal gradation in bright environments and minimises noise in dark scenes meaning that it delivers impressive results even in the most extreme conditions. The upgraded image processing algorithm of BIONZ X maximises the sensor’s capabilities and improves depiction throughout the full sensitivity range with particular emphasis on the mid-to-high range. This means that the resulting stills and movies demonstrate extra-fine detail with minimal noise.</p>
<p><strong>Preorder the Sony A7S II: <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1186034-REG/sony_ilce7sm2_b_alpha_a7sii_mirrorless_digital.html/bi/2466/kbid/3296" target="_blank">B&H Photo</a> | Adorama | Amazon</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Video Master

</strong>The α7S II can record 4K[iii] movies internally in the XAVC S format[iv] meaning that content is wonderfully detailed. Because information from all pixels is utilised without line skipping or pixel binning, the camera can maximise the expanded power of the full-frame image sensor and produce 4K movies with higher image clarity and negligible moiré. Full pixel readout without pixel binning is also employed when shooting Full HD[v] movies which means that it collects information from approximately five times as many pixels that are required to generate Full HD[vi] and condenses the information to produce extremely high quality movies.</p>
<p>In a first for the α7 series, the α7S IIcan record 120fps at 100Mbps[vii] with full pixel readout without pixel binning in full frame format which can be edited into wonderful 4x/5x slow motion footage[viii] in Full HD. The α7S II also has the ability to shoot 4x/5x slow motion footage internally which can be immediately reviewed on the camera screen.</p>
<p>Video functionality has been further enhanced with new profiles; S-Gamut3.Cine/S-Log3 and S-Gamut3/S-Log3. These new profiles deliver wide dynamic range and colour correction is easier to perform. The α7S ll even offers impressive 14-stop latitude in the S-Log3 gamma setting. The camera also supports S-Gamut/S-Log2 which is very popular among cinematographers and videographers. Gamma Display Assist is a new function that allows users to monitor images or check focus when recording S-Log movies and the Zebra function has been improved for even greater control.</p>
<p><strong>5-Axis Image Stabilisation

</strong>The new α7S II is equipped with the innovative 5-axis image stabilisation system that is proving extremely popular in the α7 II and α7R II cameras. The system corrects camera shake along five axes during shooting, including angular shake (pitch and yaw) which has the greatest impact on image quality and tends to occur with a telephoto lens, shift shake (X and Y axes) which becomes noticeable as magnification increases, and rotational shake (roll) that often affects night shooting or video recording.</p>
<p><strong>Autofocus accuracy

</strong>The autofocus system on the α7S II has been upgraded and now offers 169 AF points for fast, precise focusing with greater accuracy.[ix] The power of the image sensor means that the absence of noise in images generated, enables the Fast Intelligent AF to detect contrast more easily and react speedily even in low-light situations (as low as EV-4), when it’s even tough to check with the naked eye. When shooting video, the AF performance is twice as fast as the predecessor model.[x]</p>
<p><strong>Electronic Viewfinder

</strong>The XGA OLED Tru-Finder in the α7S II has been upgraded and offers the world’s highest viewfinder magnification[xi] of 0.78x (roughly 38.5 degrees in diagonal field of view) and shows clear images across the entire display area. The use of ZEISS T* Coating ensures sharp reduction of reflections on the viewfinder and unlike an optical viewfinder, the OLED Tru-Finder can be used to instantly show how exposure compensation, white balance and other selected settings are affecting the displayed image.</p>
<p><strong>User upgrades

</strong>A number of enhancements have been made to the look and feel of the α7S II to make it more user friendly, reliable and intuitive. Its magnesium-alloy body is both light and highly robust and the grip and shutter buttons have been re-designed so that the camera feels more natural in the hand. For situations when you just want to blend into the background, silent shooting mode can be activated for 5fps continuous shooting[xii] and reliability has been enhanced with reduced-vibration shutter movement.[xiii] The lens mount has been further reinforced to ensure greater resilience, particularly when attaching third party lenses and users can now charge the camera via a USB power supply whilst the camera is in operation, thus extending battery life. For greater comfort and safety, Sony is also launching the LCS-EBF; a new premium leather body case for the α7S II which is also compatible with the α7R II and α7 II.</p>
<p>The α7S II is also Wi-Fi® and NFC compatible and fully functional with Sony’s PlayMemories Mobile application available for Android™ and iOS™ platforms, as well as Sony’s growing range of PlayMemories Camera Apps, which add a range of fun creative capabilities to the camera. Learn more atwww.sony.net/pmca.</p>
<p>The new α7S II full-frame interchangeable lens digital camera from Sony will be available in Europe in November 2015, priced at approximately €3,400.</p>
<p>[i]Standard ISO 100 – 102400, Expandable to ISO 50-409600</p>
<p>[ii] Approximate effective megapixels</p>
<p>[iii] QFHD: 3840 x 2160. Internal recording and HDMI output, both at 4K resolution, are available in full-frame</p>
<p>[iv]SDXC memory card higher than Class 10 is required for movie recording in XAVC S format</p>
<p>[v]In 24p/30p</p>
<p>[vi] 1920 x 1080</p>
<p>[vii] UHS Class 3 memory card is required for recording at 100Mbps</p>
<p>[viii] 30p (25p) or 24p</p>
<p>[ix] Compared to α7S</p>
<p>[x]Compared to the α7S, when shooting Full HD movies.</p>
<p>[xi]Amongst digital cameras. The viewfinder magnification is approx. 0.78x (with 50mm lens at infinity, -1m-1). As of date of press release, based on Sony research.</p>
<p>[xii]Speed Priority Continuous mode. Focus and exposure settings fixed at first shot.</p>
<p>[xiii] 500,000-cycle durability. According to Sony internal testing, with the electronic front curtain shutter activated.</p>
<p> </p>
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## Chaitanya (Sep 11, 2015)

Canon needs to rethink the features on their cameras.


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## brad-man (Sep 11, 2015)

Impressive. This along with the a7R II make for a pretty potent pair. I'm sure Sony is working on more lenses, so if they can improve their flashes and customer service they will truly be a force to be reckoned with. Add some weather sealing, improved ergonomics and software and it could be game changing. Can't say it often enough, competition is good...


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## Adelino (Sep 11, 2015)

If Canon came out with these specs it would be one of the best selling SLRs in history. Come on Canon please impress us with the 5DIV and the 6DII.


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## privatebydesign (Sep 11, 2015)

brad-man said:


> Impressive. This along with the a7R II make for a pretty potent pair. I'm sure Sony is working on more lenses, so if they can improve their flashes and customer service they will truly be a force to be reckoned with. Add some weather sealing, improved ergonomics and software and it could be game changing. Can't say it often enough, competition is good...



So if they bring out lenses they haven't announced but you feel are coming, if they also improve their flashes, and create a viable customer service network, improve build (weathersealing), ergonomics (design), and software, they might start to be a serious rival. :

In an ideal world how much of that do you think Sony will actually focus on? I'd guess they are only interested in one, the A7S III.



Adelino said:


> If Canon came out with these specs it would be one of the best selling SLRs in history. Come on Canon please impress us with the 5DIV and the 6DII.



I don't believe so, but if Canon did they'd make one, but it won't be the 5D MkIV or the 6D MkII, they are both photographer centric cameras.


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## ahsanford (Sep 11, 2015)

I'm *not* seeing references to the the sensor being backside illuminated. Interesting. You'd expect they'd put that on everything. 

- A


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## mkabi (Sep 11, 2015)

Ah well.... about 3 months too late for the announcement... if they announced this around the same time as the a7rII, I would have gladly waited...

Anyway, I will probably get one sometime in the future....


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## benperrin (Sep 11, 2015)

Bit of a boring announcement from Sony. Just an a7s with features already implemented in the a7r2/a72. No mention of fixing the battery and the video will probably overheat just like the a7r2.


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## CarlMillerPhoto (Sep 11, 2015)

benperrin said:


> Bit of a boring announcement from Sony. Just an a7s with features already implemented in the a7r2/a72. No mention of fixing the battery and the video will probably overheat just like the a7r2.



My thoughts exactly. I heard a rumor it was going to abandon the current physical design and have a form factor similar to the XC10, in which case they could've addressed all those faults and had a stellar release. Unfortunately, there's little reason to choose this over the A7rII, which already has pretty amazing low light capabilities and a clean S35 image. 

The FS5 certainly approaches that C100 form factor, and it looks really appealing. But why leave out IBIS?


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## andrewflo (Sep 11, 2015)

benperrin said:


> Bit of a boring announcement from Sony. Just an a7s with features already implemented in the a7r2/a72. No mention of fixing the battery and the video will probably overheat just like the a7r2.



I know a lot of people also took issue with the recording button placement on the a7s, it seems like the a7s II left it in the same awkward position.

The a7s II doesn't seem like as big of an upgrade (subjective of course) as the a7r to the a7r II, maybe because it's inheriting much of what we already expected, but it still is an AMAZING camera with all things considered. 5-axis IBIS, internal 4K, and 1080p120 are still fantastic upgrades, far exceeding what Canon has to offer in anything less than the C300 Mark II.

But you're right, if the overheating issues carried over from the a7r II, that would make this camera quite a bummer.

I see they did add support for USB charging while in use, that might be a very accessible option for improving battery life. The real question is, paired with a decently outputting USB battery, will the camera still eventually deplete itself over a few hours?


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## StudentOfLight (Sep 11, 2015)

Wasn't A7R-II all about full sensor readout? 

42MP is a lot of data to process at video frame rates... With only 12MP to read and subsequently process, wouldn't that possibly lead to reduced heat generation?


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## unfocused (Sep 11, 2015)

Adelino said:


> If Canon came out with these specs it would be one of the best selling SLRs in history.



No, if Canon came out with these specs, we would see page after page of people saying Canon doesn't innovate and "how dare Canon make a camera that doesn't match my personal needs."

These specs looks like a big Meh to me.


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## privatebydesign (Sep 11, 2015)

unfocused said:


> Adelino said:
> 
> 
> > If Canon came out with these specs it would be one of the best selling SLRs in history.
> ...



It seems to me Sony are using the buyers as beta testers, in some cases alpha testers and this A7S II is really what most people thought the A7S could actually do, but couldn't. I wonder how long the threads of disappointment and realisation will be on the Sony forums.

It is funny because it is a 100% reversal of what we get with Canon releases, people hate the announced specs, say it is 'dead in the water', Canon are crap, they can't innovate, it's overpriced etc etc, then the actual product is used and nearly universally liked.

Personally I'd rather get a modest product that outperforms my expectations rather than a cutting edge spec hyped underperforming lemon, but then I take pictures not collect _"tomorrows fishwrapper"_.


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## brad-man (Sep 12, 2015)

privatebydesign said:


> brad-man said:
> 
> 
> > Impressive. This along with the a7R II make for a pretty potent pair. I'm sure Sony is working on more lenses, so if they can improve their flashes and customer service they will truly be a force to be reckoned with. Add some weather sealing, improved ergonomics and software and it could be game changing. Can't say it often enough, competition is good...
> ...


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## sdsr (Sep 12, 2015)

unfocused said:


> These specs looks like a big Meh to me.



Me too - the only new thing it has that the a7s doesn't and that I want is IBIS, which it arguably needs less than the a7rII anyway (I don't have the slightest interest in video). For my purposes it doesn't offer the significant improvements provided by the a7rII vs a7r.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 12, 2015)

I was expecting more of a upgrade, maybe uncompressed raws and 16 mp? If Canon came out with these specs, the Camera would be sitting on shelves unsold just as the A7S was here locally.


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## Dylan777 (Sep 12, 2015)

My wishes for A7s II were:
1. 18MP to 20MP, back-illuminated sensor
2. 1-2stops better than current a7s in high ISO
3. More advance AF system than A7rII
4. 7-8fps

With thicker, bigger and heavier body style, I feel Sony starts losing the mirrorless fundamental.


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## davidmurray (Sep 12, 2015)

Is it just me, or is this new Sony camera very ugly?
Nice specs on paper, but so ugly!


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 12, 2015)

davidmurray said:


> Is it just me, or is this new Sony camera very ugly?
> Nice specs on paper, but so ugly!



Is it supposed to make a fashion statement, or does ergonomics and ease of use come first?


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