Sony A7ii Still Worth Buying 2020

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If y’all oasis’t noticed, I’ve been highlighting a few used cameras in the past couple of weeks that I think still part wonderfully in 2021.

And, I retrieve it’southward a shame I haven’t covered the Sony a7 Two withal because it is one of the best used cameras for bargain hunters.

The Sony a7 II came out in 2015, making it five years former. It’due south a full frame mirrorless photographic camera with wonderful image-stabilization. It has since been replaced with the much more expensive Sony a7 III. And then, if you lot’re a professional lensman who needs all of the latest and greatest specs, you tin cheque that out.

The Sony a7 2 features a really great 24MP sensor, 5-axis paradigm stabilization, and a phenomenal AF system. So, I would recommend the Sony a7 Ii for professional photographers who are looking to venture into mirrorless territory for the first time, merely I would also recommend the Sony a7 2 to enthusiasts who love mirrorless set ups.

In this Sony a7 II review, you can expect a full breakdown of all of the Sony a7 II specs, the Sony a7 2 handling, and the Sony a7 II video operation. Permit’southward get started.

Sony a7 II Specs

We tin’t talk much nigh the Sony a7 II without start talking about its specs. As I mentioned, this photographic camera comes with a 24MP full frame CMOS sensor, a 5-axis sensor-based image stabilization, and an AF system with 117 phase-detect points.

Additionally, the Sony a7 II features Full Hd video capabilities (it’s just a piddling too sometime to include 4K) and a hefty torso that actually makes yous feel like you’re using a professional camera.

Other Sony a7 II Specs Include:

24MP full frame CMOS sensor
5-axis image stabilization
ISO range of l-25,600
AF system with 117-phase detection points and 25-contrast detection points
5fps burst mode
3” tilting LCD with 1.23m-dots
0.5” electronic viewfinder with 2.4m-dots
Full HD video capabilities at upward to 60fps
1.22 lbs
270-shot battery life

Sony a7 Ii Torso & Design

The Sony a7 Two build is incredibly similar to any of the other cameras in the Sony a7 series. It is reminiscent of more traditional cameras, is made of magnesium alloy (a lot of it), and features conditions-proofing to foreclose dust or h2o damage.

It measures v.0” x 3.8” x 2.6” and weighs 1.22 lbs.

If you have shot with its predecessor, so y’all’ll know that the a7 Two is actually a lot bigger than the a7. The shutter button is likewise no longer located on the meridian of the camera, but rather is located on the angle attached to the grip. I think this change was for ergonomic purposes, although I’m not sure I treat it.

The layout of the buttons is incredibly similar, though, especially on the elevation plate. Other than the shutter button, not much has changed. You tin still find the ii custom buttons and the mode dial in the same place. Notwithstanding, the mode dial, like the rest of the camera, did go slightly bigger.

I think nigh of these changes were likely to make it easier to shoot with gloves.

Learn More:

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Sony a7 II Build & Handling

One frustrating aspect of the Sony a7 II handling is the fact that the shutter is annoyingly loud. If y’all’ve been in the photography industry for as long as I have, you could mistake this camera with an SLR because of just how noisy information technology is. To me, this is nostalgic, but to others, I’thou sure it’s quite frustrating.

You can utilise this camera right out of the box, but I don’t recommend it because the Sony a7 Ii is made to be customized. Likewise the three customizable buttons on the pinnacle plate, all of the menu can exist customized. You get 12 slots with this customizable menu and 32 features. It took me a while to play around with it to effigy out exactly what I wanted.

The tilting LCD screen is a nice feature, although I wouldn’t exactly call information technology a selling point since there are so many cameras on the marketplace with fully articulating touchscreens.

Sony a7 2 Video Performance

The Sony a7 2 unfortunately doesn’t come with 4K video, and so it shouldn’t be considered for serious videographers who need this capability. Yet, as you can see in the footage by Tony Tran higher up, this camera can notwithstanding handle itself when it comes to its video performance.

You tin shoot Full HD video at up to 60fps with the Sony a7 Ii. It tin record in XAVC South, AVCHD or MP4 formats.

Importantly, the battery life of the Sony a7 Two will allow you to shoot around an hour of footage, uninterrupted.

Y’all’ll as well find that the handheld footage y’all get out of this photographic camera is extraordinary, thank you to its image stabilization. For instance, all of the footage in the video test above is handheld footage.

Sony a7 Ii Cost

The Sony a7 II price when it starting time came out dorsum in 2015 was $1,700. Now, evidently you shouldn’t expect to pay anywhere near that cost anymore, especially considering Sony no longer actually manufactures the Sony a7 II since it has long since been replaced.

As such, if yous’re on the chase for a Sony a7 II, then y’all’re on a bargain chase considering y’all’ll only be able to pick one upward if it’southward used.

Thankfully, this doesn’t mean you’re going to have to use eBay or Craigslist, since most photographers accept decided these sites aren’t worth the trouble they crusade. You tin actually go deal hunting for a used Sony a7 II on MPB.

If y’all haven’t heard of MPB before, which would be surprising since we talk about them quite a lot hither, they are a used camera retailer. They basically deed as the middleman betwixt y’all and other photographers looking to sell their used gear.

So, they receive hundreds of different used cameras and used lenses everyday. They then utilize their in-house professional photographers to give each piece of equipment a class, ranging from “like new” to “well used.” What’south bully near MPB is yous can actually expect your equipment to exist in any condition is listed.

A lot of the equipment that MPB sells is in either “like new” or “fantabulous” status, and you can fifty-fifty pretty frequently find used cameras with their original packaging.

As for the Sony a7 II, MPB currently has a dozen of them available. They range from “similar new” condition to “excellent” condition and you can pick i up from anywhere betwixt $780 to $830, which is about half the price of purchasing the Sony a7 Two make new a few years ago.

You tin can utilize that actress $800 to purchase a few awesome lenses to pair with your Sony a7 II. It doesn’t get any amend.