Sony Alpha a7R II Review
Full Frame Mirrorless Digital Camera
- BIONZ X Image Processor
- 3.0" 1,228.8k-Dot Tilting LCD Monitor
- 0.5" 2.36M-Dot XGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF
- Durable Reduced-Vibration Shutter Design
- 5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization
- Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
- ISO 102,400 and Silent Shutter Mode
- 399 Phase-Detect AF Points & 5 fps Burst
- 42MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor
- Internal UHD 4K Video & S-Log2 Gamma
Introduction
In this article, we delve into a detailed analysis of 14,220 user reviews from various languages worldwide to examine the Sony Alpha a7R II. This analysis is performed by the RR artificial intelligence and updated daily with newly submitted reviews. The RR AI utilizes a complex algorithm to first scrutinize user reviews for credibility, filtering out unreliable ones. It then proceeds to dissect and evaluate the valuable insights within these reviews, providing users with ratings regarding the features of this product. Based on these assessments, users can make informed decisions about whether this product is suitable for them or not.
Ratings Based on Features
These results are a summary of user reviews of the Sony Alpha a7R II. For example, 96% of 993 users who have commented on the Picture quality of the Sony Alpha a7R II have given positive feedback.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 21 to 40 of 517 Reviews
Fataly Flawed
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
I've been a professional photographer for 50 years, and have used DSLRs for the last 12 years. I own an A7R, and had high hopes that the A7RII would fix that camera's slow auto focusing issues. Well, the focusing is much faster, but now it is frequently inaccurate. The A7RII only achieves critical focus 80% of the time with Sony FE lenses. This might be OK for amateur applications, but as a pro I cannot constantly throw out 20% of my images. I'm not talking about pixel peeping at 100% magnification, but simply images viewed on a 30 monitor. The problem is more pronounced indoors, but at least 10% of my outdoor shots are not critically sharp either. If you have the time and inclination to manually focus, your success rate will probably be much better. For me, accurate autofocusing should be a given. My Canon 5DIII and 1DX autofocus perfectly 99.9% of the time. This camera has some other quirks, like a poor menu system and odd button placement. I could live with those, but there is no excuse for a camera in this price range to have such a poor autofocusing system. ... More
Amazingly disappointed
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Docjoque on B&H Photo Video
I've tried....not switching, but adding the Sony A7r II to my quiver. I've been to Sony workshops and shot with it, and there were a few things that I didn't like, but I figured that was just a getting used to phase. My car was broken into and I lost one of my cameras, so I ended up buying the Sony. Twice. Basically I wanted a lower profile rig for travel, so that was the main usage I was going for. However, I took it on a portrait shoot and was sorely disappointed. I was using an adapter with canon glass, and I really wanted to use the 85mm 1.2/ Out of the first two hundred shots, about 6 came out sharp. Not the body's fault, I'm sure, but if I can't use my all my glass with it, then that's a CON. I switched to two Sony lenses with much better results sharpness wise, but the speed of the thing was abysmal! So entirely disappointed. I usually shoot with a Canon 1Dx, so I'm a bit spoiled, but even when I shoot with my 5DIII there is not that much appreciable difference in speed, lag, and write speed. When I shoot with my 7D, no appreciable difference either. With the Sony, I felt like I was on dial-up! Additionally, the thing started to feel like I was carrying a lava rock. Needless to say, I thought I got a lemon, so I returned it and bought another one. My main photographic love is landscapes, specifically long exposures and nocturnalscapes....stars, Milky Way, etc. So I got the new camera and I was off on my first 3-day adventure in the Sierras, mostly photographing nocturnalscapes. CAN WE SAY OVERHEATING?!!! Again!! I thought the thing was going to explode or melt! It at least kept functioning. And my longest exposure during this time was 30 seconds. And the write time? Freaking forget it!! Maybe it was the cold, because it was about 6 degrees, but I've never had this problem before with any of my other cameras, other than the point and shoots. Well, I guess it makes a good hand warmer on those winter nights in the elements. Then I tried some long exp. with ND filters. Now, it overheated and completely shut itself down for 20-30 minutes. And not just once, but repeatedly. I went online to see if maybe I was doing something wrong, but this seems to be an issue with this model. Hopefully they will fix it. I gave up. I wanted to like it and use it as a travel rig, but I guess I'll be lugging the big stuff around. BEWARE! Just make sure that wherever you buy it has a good return policy. ... More
Best Full frame Camera
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Ok. I been working with this camera for around 3 months and I'm still very happy with the performance of this little gem. I am a profesional fashion and still life photographer. I work with Sony since 2008 when they launch the a700. since that time I keep working with sony because it is just great for me. I already have the a850/a900/a99. all of them full frame 24 mp, and great cameras. still being great cameras with great image quality. I was very close to switch to Nikon because sony doesn't launch any A mount high end camera. And i'm still waiting for the a99 replacement. They should launch new flagships every two years, but the a99 was launched more that 3 or maybe 4 years ago. i was not sure to buy the a7RII because work with a converter (LA ea4 or LA es3) it was like mmm I don't know. Ok I not going to buy any e-mount lens yet. Working with the adaptor it is not a problem. I use the LA-EA4. I think that maybe the LA-EA3 could be better because use the AF of the camera, but, ok it works great this way too. The Image quality is Stunning. Control and speed is more than enough for my work. I don't shoot sports or events with burst or that kind of photography, so I really don't know if is suitable for that. I love the cable saver that comes with the camera to prevent usb port damage. Working with uncompressed RAW and tethering with a 10 feet cable gives you 10 continuous shoots before slow down the shots. Great for me. With compressed RAW gives you the double. But I prefer keep Full quality to my clients.I use capture one pro for sony to tether. So many people complains about speed or review speed. Not problems here. maybe some people test it with a very slow sd card. Another thing is Before people try to make a review of this camera should read the manual and apply everything before say things as I read on a review. The guy say that it was not possible use flexible spot AF in this camera but if you set the controls and buttons right, you gonna have a great experience with this camera. I'm still learning how to get the best results for me. overall This is the best camera I ever have. Sony is more than ready to be the leader in digital image. It is not easy because the competition it is in people minds as the unique option, but sony sell sensor to the best brands , even the new 100 mp phase one it have a sony sensor.Hasselblad, phase one, leica, Nikon uses Sony sensors in their best cameras. I did not try any third party lens instead sigma that I already have. But I really want to buy converters and work with canon, zeiss, leica and any lens that you can plug to this gem. I highly recommend the vertical grip to more feel and control if you work everyday as me as a photographer. Battery life is shot. Obvious. If you want an small camera you have to understand that the space for battery should be small. buy more batteries, chargers. usb chargers. I don't know, but that is not really a problem. Let's wait the a99 replacement that sure it will be again, the best camera in the world. Check dxoMark ratings and convince yourself. It would be difficult in the beginning work with a new small body, but it worth. ... More
Love it BUT this is the 2nd one and it goes back for good.
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by tonyk on B&H Photo Video
I really love this camera. Many many images are unbelievable: fantastic IQ, giant files with real meat on them, rich and deep colors and a bunch, with more on the way, of great (90mm f2.8), excellent (24-70 & 18-105 G )and very very good (24-240 and 28) lenses. Size is about right and it is well built. The EVF is a thing of beauty. ISO 6,400 and below are great. It eats batteries but that isn't a big deal, just keep lots in your pocket - they're cheap. The menu system is aggravating, to say the least, but Sony's have always been. So, why two stars. The big beautiful sensor doesn't like highlights. This isn't just the occasional purple blooming on a backlit leaf or tree limb, or the green tinge on the leading edge of a white gutter (BTW neither of which are acceptable on a camera at this price point but if it is occasional it is forgivable) it is an all out mayhem of purple, blue and green pixels on a black dog in sunlight or in shade. This is not ISO noise because it happens just as easily at 100 as 2,000. Nor is it pixel peeping as you can see it easily at full size, it is that prominent, no need to go to 50% or 100%. This, for lack of a better word, mayhem of pixels, renders the image unsaleable and unprintable. It would take a good PS retoucher hours and hours to clean up a single pic, forget about a whole take. Granted not everyone shots black dogs but it also happens when shooting silverware, or a glass against a dark back ground or even a shiny bowl. Its not CA as it happens when using any and all of the aforementioned lenses. I thought I had a bad sensor so I sent the A7rii back and bought a replacement unit. Still is happening. I was about to build a new system around the camera, it is so great. But if you can't trust it to shoot any situation, the camera is worthless. I guess I will have to wait until next year and the A7riii. ... More
Great camera but has a serious overheating problem
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Jonathan C on B&H Photo Video
The camera feels great in my hands (feels more solid that my a7s and rx10 mkii) and the image quality is excellent all round. On the first day I shot with it functioned great. With the flawed Metabones Canon to Sony E mount adaptor I had to repeatedly remove and reconnect the canon lens from the body to re establish the electronic aperture connection. I don't think this is a Sony problem, but Metabones users be aware that the same problem translates onto this camera. The BIG BUT is overheating. On it's second day's use I was filming and interview for 1 hour straight in 4K. Every 10 mins the temperature warning came on and the camera shut down. The camera felt hot and I put a fan on it to cool down. The room I was shooting in was warm, but spending over 3K on a camera should be a guarantee that this would not happen. it was just as hot outside in NY. Multiply this by 6, and I came off looking unprofessional to the client. Is my camera a one-off lemon? I don't know. If your intended use of this is to filming for long periods 4K uninterrupted, this camera has a major overheating flaw. I would suggest investigation this matter further before making the purchase. I have the Sony RX10 mkii. No problems whatsoever or long periods of recording 4K. ... More
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Bad Reviews for All the Wrong Reasons
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by JohnBarr on B&H Photo Video
People are negatively reviewing the A7RII for all the wrong reasons, but understandably so. I, much like other people who bought this camera, figured that this could replace the need for a separate video camera and photography camera. With 4K video and 42 MP stills, you're not entirely wrong assuming that. However, we need to get one thing straight: This is a photographer's camera that happens to shoot 4K video and not the other way around. Many people complain about the overheating issues. Think about it for a second, this is THE most advanced camera in the world right now. Every bit of technology that we have developed towards cameras is in here and then some! Not only that, but the thing is TINY compared to other cameras that even come close to what this beast can do. If you need the camera for extended recording times you should to purchase an external recorder. Sure, that's more money but still a hell of a deal considering most good 4K cameras are upwards of $5,000 anyways. It requires a lot of processing and power to record UHD video. The fact that you can record such high quality to such a small device is incredible itself. Side note: My 4K Blackmagic got so hot on a production shoot once that it actually burned our media managers hands when he went to grab the SSD. That camera costs $3,000 and it cant take pictures. All things considered, this camera is a bargain at $. ... More
Not ready
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Pkcpga on B&H Photo Video
I rented this camera with the Sony zeiss 35 f1.4 and spent a couple days comparing to my d810 with the 35 f1.4. Right off the bat, the Sony should have been smaller and lighter but unfortunately the main lens I use 35 f1.4 was the size of my 70-200 f2.8 Nikon lens. This lens made the Sony very hard to hold and very front heavy. It also looked absurd on the front of the camera. Next the lens was extremely slow to focus in low light, main reason for such a low apature in a wider lens. The Sony, zeiss lens combo had many missed shots that the d810 had no issue capturing. Next looking at the photos in Lightroom, the Sony in good natural light had great dynamic range, definetly better than the d810. Only problem is about a quarter of the shots were soft and not nearly as sharp as the d810. Both cameras were on a tripod for landscape and nature shots. Next was shot taken with the Sony zeiss combo into the sun of harsh lighting, the Sony photos suffered with purple fringing and weird off tone colors. The d810 had no issue recovering dark areas and blown areas, no off coloring at edges or fine detail areas. This might be something Sony can fix with a firmware update but for me this camera is way too expensive for a good lighting only camera. And the prime lenses are not small or light in weight. I also tried this camera for chasing around my kids to get a few nice photos but unfortunately the tracking is garbage and the camera takes to long to focus on anything moving. The d810 is no miracle speed demon but can keep up with a 3 and 6 year old, my Fuji xe2 can keep up much better as well. I find it very surprising since on stationary objects the camera can be lightning fast but a little movement throws it off. Although I was told the zoom lenses for Sony are much better at tracking, not sure if it's true since I never tried them. It does have poor battery life but batteries are small and can be shoved in a pocket. Just not ready in my opinion. ... More
A big bang in a little body
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Olivia on B&H Photo Video
I've been shooting the large DSLRs professionally for nearly two decades, and have been very happy with them and all the advances they have made. My only issues has been size (they are heavy to carry and I always carry two plus glass) and longing for better performance at higher ISOs (noise and I are not friends). After researching the mirrorless systems and then seeing another friend and pro in action with her Sony I was ready to make the move. I love the compact size, the silent shutter, the better quality at higher ISOs, the AF system took some getting used to but I really think with constant use, it will become as intuitive as the AF on my Canons. Using the LCD screen versus the viewfinder has its pros and cons, but looking through the mirrorless-viewfinder is like looking into a video game, it's just ugly. The LCD adjusts and moves so waist-level shooting is super easy and stealth combined with silent shutter mode. All in all, I'm really happy with it. Take note, it eats through battery life very quickly, so having a few extra charged and ready is key. I'm not quite ready to sell all my Canon gear yet and make the full switch, but it is definitely being added to my gear bag and going on jobs as well as fast becoming my go-to camera for personal work. ... More
Great Camera
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Coloradotom123 on B&H Photo Video
I will begin by saying that I have not owned a camera that has had an interchangable lense since the Canon EOS 300D (Digital Rebel). I owned it for about 6 years before it broke. I only had the kit lense and a cheap 70-300mm lens that got sand inside it while at the Great Sand Dunes NP. With that being said, it would be easy for any camera to be a great improvement from my last. You Might ask why did I choose the Sony A7R II out of all the other cameras? When I owned the Digital Rebel I wanted to make the switch to full frame, and there are plenty of choices out there for that. I would even go as far as saying that whatever camera that I chose would've been a great choice. However, for me since I didn't have any lenses that would hold me to a specific camera line my options were wide open That is except for my budget was limited to the $3000-$4000 range. So as any good consumer would do, I did my research and read as many reviews as possible, and I will say it again there are a lot of good cameras out there. Nonetheless, there are a few reasons that I chose the A7R II. Reason 1, It has 42 MP sensor. It is currently the only camera in this price range with that size of sensor. Many will say megapixels don't really matter much anymore unless you plan to prent large. Well I want the option to be able to. Who doesn't like the sight of a nice large photograph hanging on the wall? Reason 2, The low light ability. This is the one area that other cameras might match or beat the A7R II. However, from my research, I have read if you reduce the A7R II's image to the same MP as those cameras it either matches or beats the other cameras in low light. Reason 3, It's high ranking as a versatile camera. My research showed that it was a good camera no matter if you are shooting landscapes, portraits, or wildlife. The final reason Is that feel this camera is going to be a contender for many years to come. I think this camera has features in it that will be common for many more years. ... More
great camera other than the lossy RAW files
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by jj on B&H Photo Video
I have read complaints about video overheating which makes me wonder if they are referring to this camera. The older 7 models use alum wiring which does overheat quickly. This model uses copper wiring which should not. For long videos I would suggest pulling the LCD away from the camera so air can get back there to help cool (ventilation) it off. That should buy you a little extra time. A complaint from me and over 2000 others*: The raw is not a true RAW, it is compressed causing missing info and occasional artifacts. Hopefully, someday Sony will give us the option for true RAW files. So 4 rather than 5 stars due to this firmware fixable problem. * A petition exist with over 2000 signatures addressing the lossy RAW problem that Sony is aware of. you're welcome! ... More
For macro photographers
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Steve R on B&H Photo Video
I am reviewing this for high magnification macro photography. The A7rII has several very enticing features for high magnification photography. Mainly a fully electronic shutter, and electronic first curtain shutter(EFCS) with flash. Both of these work pretty well, with the caveat that silent shutter mode only captures 12 bit raw files. The image quality was good. Battery life for my usage was much better than specified. There are however two main down sides. First, the Sony FE mount. The inner diameter of it is 41.6mm. The diagonal of the sensor is 43.3. The flange distance is only 18mm. Geometrically, this causes a problem. If the apparent position of the lens's aperture is far away, as is the case when using bellows or extension tubes, critical light rays will hit the side of the mount. This causes either strong internal reflections, or vignetting. I created a diagram of this issue, which you can see here imgur.com/a/ip7A6 (BH says not to include links, but they do not allow you to upload more than two images. So an external link is my only option _ )The second issue is dust. The shutter does not go down when a lens is disconnected, so dust accumulates very quickly. After changing the lens a couple times noticeable dust spots began to appear. I should add this camera was only used in a clean studio. If you are shooting with effective apertures over f11-f16, you may want to consider how fast dust accumulates on a mirrorless like this. Minor considerations, the menus are not well organized. The ergonomics are poor compared with a dSLR. If you are mounting the camera on something like I, this is not likely to be a problem. Over all, the sony E / FE mount with a full frame sensor is not a good fit for high magnification photography. Either go for a crop sensor, or a brand who's mount is wider, or with a longer flange distance. ... More
AWSOME !!!
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Steve on B&H Photo Video
I am a professional photographer and I was a true Nikon die hard plain and simple. Ever since mirrowless cameras hit the market I was a skeptic. I read many many reviews and watched many many reviews as well. When Sony introduced the A7 line of cameras I followed them very closely and was seeing to many cons and not enough pros to convince me to try them. I finally ordered the Sony A6000 shortly after its introduction and I was blowed away by its size and features but still not convinced that mirrowless was the way to go. Fast forward to the introduction of the Sony A7RII.... I did not jump on board until the new wore off of the hype surrounding this camera. I ordered the A7RII and put it through it paces plus I learned what every button and every menu setting meant and how to best utilize them. It was a daunting task but well worth the effort. I am not one of the super geeky techno photographers and I will not get into all of that stuff because if you are reading this you already know that this camera is awesome. Once again fast forward to the last couple of days of use of this crazy camera and I was sold. I shot a local two and a half day outdoor festival and the camera never missed a beat. The lighting was ideal sometimes, OK sometimes, terrible sometimes & horrible quite a bit and every thing in between and the Sony A7RII stood tall and came through. The dynamic range and resolving power this camera has is truly unbelievable !!! If you are struggling with your present camera system and don't know which direction to go, give this camera a try ! You can rent this camera and try it. You don't have to buy it and feel that you are stuck with it. The features of this camera are unbelievable and you can't go wrong...... ... More
Love this Body
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Matthew on B&H Photo Video
After switching to Canon 10 years ago, I'm back on board with Sony. I shot just about every Canon lens on just about every Canon body over the last decade (up to the 5DmkIII) and this a7rii and the new Sony glass are exactly what I've been waiting for. Shooting at 6400 ISO is nothing, AF is AMAZING...399 phase detect focus points are you kidding me? Eye AF means I nail the eye, like EVERY time! Focus peaking, Direct Manual Focus, Customizable buttons everywhere...this body rocks Don't forget the 40 some odd MP's. he only thing that bothers me is the dials, I have a hard time finding them while looking through the viewfinder...Oh, but the viewfinder, only the biggest magnification (.78) of any DSLR/Mirrorless body. I sold all my canon gear (3 bodies, 9 lenses, 3 flashes and accessories and jumped ship. It's a beast, get one. ... More
Great Camera when used with native lenses!!
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Navnit on B&H Photo Video
First off I won't repeat what others have said already, but here's the most useful features that made me upgrade from A7R to A7Rii. 1) ibis - this is just a great feature since the keeper rate has gone up tremendously for all hand held shots. I can't ever go back to non ibis camera. 2) Auto Focus accuracy - It never misfocuses if you have taken the time and do careful execution. Somehow with Nikon I never got that consistency, misfocused images were always among nicely focused shots. 3) No shutter slap and no mirror slap!!! 4) Electronic first curtain and ability to turn off ibis is a dream come true when doing tripod shots. If you are planning to use non native lens you may not want to jump in right away. It becomes a top (or rather front) heavy setup and not very practical if you use camera for extended period. In my opinion when you use this non native lens setup the camera just begs to have a native lens. It works, but leaves a lot to be desired. The best two features of this camera by far are: 5) Eye Focus - It just looks for an eye in the frame and nails focus every time!!! Its just unbelievable. 6) Quality of EVF. For manual focus this trumps optical view finder in every way. Final comment - buy this but only if you are prepared to dump non native lenses. Otherwise stay with your DSLR. ... More
This is the Tesla of cameras
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by NOLA Pete -iii-( on B&H Photo Video
I'm a retired musician/audio engineer so I photograph mostly musicians in vivo. THE number one feature that made this a must have is silent shooting. And Oh does it silent shoot. I'll be able to use this at any intimate or theatrical event, or even in a recording studio - during the recording.(BTW - it's a bit confusing, but you can turn off the focus acquired alert beep which means the only thing you'll hear from the photographer is his/her breathing. With manual focus assist I can get rid of distracting focusing lights as well. Man, if you do this kind of work, you've got to get this camera - no need any more to anger audiences and ruin recordings with click, click, click. I don't know how many images I can upload to this review but you might check out: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t2du6s718o6ho7n/AADGAI1sYf4Gy9N1Zhl6o52ba?dl=0 These were from my very first outing with this camera. I haven't even moved to raw yet. I can't afford a Tesla, but this is just as good and saved me $68,000. One small ergonomic gripe - the function wheel is now almost impossible to turn with one hand due to the addition of a lock down button. This means time consuming, buzz killing delays to switch modes. Wish it was gone. I'll have more to say when I have more to say. One comment on an earlier review. 29'29 is the stated max video clip length. To fend off overheating and premature shutdown, may I suggest pulling the LED Screen slightly away from the body to allow ventilation to the outer rear body wall. I have not tried this on the A7RII, but it used to work on my old Canon 70D - worth a try. ... More
Nothing but a headache
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Stickman on B&H Photo Video
I purchased this camera because it had such great reviews and I wanted to have a full frame unit that was lighter than my Nikon. I took it on a trip to India. According to the manual it is dust proof. Unless one knows that the small area in the top of the viewer has to be kept clean, your rear screen will go blank. Other problems: My camera also got so hot that I could not hold it. Each time I turned the camera on it would reset to manual. I sent the camera to Sony. Impossible to get an answer from them. Not likely to ever purchase a Sony product again. ... More
Major issues cropping up with this camera
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Disambiguous on B&H Photo Video
This camera can do amazing things, but there's a lot of technology that needs to work perfectly in order for that to happen. When it does the images and videos are spectacular, but when it doesn't the whole camera simply can't be used. I purchased the body new in November of 2015 from B&H. One issue cropped up with my brand new Sony FE 70-200 f4, purchased about a month after I got the camera. After a few weeks, it wouldn't communicate with the camera. The lens would not focus, and there would be no f-number showing on the display. This would be intermittent, and extremely frustrating. Sometimes it would work after I turned it off and on a few times, sometimes it would never work that day, but work the next. The lens didn't have any problems working with my Sony FS700. I mentioned the problem on a user forum, and several other owners of the a7RII sounded off about their experiences with the exact same issue, but with other lenses. So it appears to be either a problem with the camera or with the system that the Sony system uses to communicate between the components. Yes, all of us said we had cleaned the contacts on the lens mount. The lens was sent to Precision Camera, which said they repaired it and it was now up to factory specs. It still had the same problem. I sent it back and they asked me to send them the camera, which I did. I'm still waiting for them to be returned. I'm not optimistic about whether or not the problem can be resolved, but we'll see. If it is fixed, I'll update this review. Also, the sensor of the a7RII is a dust magnet. I've never had problems with other digital cameras getting major dust specs on their sensors like with the Sony. I now make sure I use a blower on the sensor every time I change lenses. The sensor cleaning function in the camera is useless. On the plus side, the five-axis image stabilization is amazing. However, it does not work when the camera is mounted directly to a car. If you need a super-reliable camera, you might want to consider another system altogether. I'm a professional and I still have my Nikon system, which has performed flawlessly over the years. I'll use the Sony for studio work, where I have a back-up, and video work, where I also have a back-up, but I would never use it for weddings as it is just not that tough and reliable. ... More
Sony A7RII malfunctions in Iceland/extreme weather condition
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Smile maker on B&H Photo Video
I just got back from an Iceland trip shooting in Ice Caves and Glacier Lagoons, this past week January 12.2016. The weather in Iceland was extremely cold around 10-20 degrees F but with 30-40 mph winds...but manageable. Everybody was prepared for the weather. But unfortunately, some of our camera equipments did not fair so well. I brought my Sony A7Rii camera body which completely failed in the cold weather. The sensors went all wacky on me and completely stopped working all together. I brought it indoors where it warmed up and started working again. Then I brought it back out to see if it was just an aberration, but only to fail when exposed to extreme cold. I heard about problems with the Sony bodies not being weathered sealed, but I was hoping it would not apply to mine. I was truly disappointed with it. The camera at one point stopped working until I brought it to warmer climates. The sensor would not properly work in manual setting and started acting like it was in AV or TV mode. There was no problems with the camera getting slightly damp or wet, we had a blizzard condition with the snow pelting the camera body and with it getting damp...it was the cold temperature that was the cause. There were some guys that had difficulty with their Nikon bodies too getting frozen or buttons getting stuck because of the cold. Even the Canon 5D Mark II had its own problems malfunctioning for awhile until it warmed up. The true winner seems to be the Canon 5D Mark III body and above models like the Canon 5DSR. I will probably keep my Sony, but I know that it cannot handle the elements. I ended up borrowing a Canon 5D Mark III from our tour photoguide ...who I thank for saving this trip. for me. Rather disappointed, but still like the Sony A7rii but not in extreme cold weather. Make sure you bring a backup camera that can handle the cold temperatures. ... More
Very Disappointed with Long Exposure Performance
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
This is great camera if you shoot normal shots, the limitations and problems start if you're using it for long e:- Astrophotography (shooting the milky way, etc...)- Night cityscapes- Landscapes with longer than 30sec exposuresI'm not sure a $$camera body is justified with the above limitations. The camera switches from 14 to 12bit beyond 30sec exposures. As far as astrophotography, the shots show excessive amount of hot pixels that aren't even workable using LR or Capture One. It's certainly an amazing camera for shooting landscapes during normal situations but loses it's luster the minute you slap on a ND filter and begin shooting long exposure to get smooth water in lakes/rivers, etc...The bottom line is that unless the above are resolved via a firmware, this camera is a very expensive paper weight for me. If you're a wedding, events, studio or portrait photographer; you'll find this camera to be an outstanding tool so as a lot of other cheaper options. If you're trying to convert from Nikon or Canon systems, I recommend you stick to those systems for the time being since they're much better performers of the situations described above. There are other problems, which I'll list in the Cons section. To be honest, I wish I'm still able to return it... Very disappointed!!!! ... More
Great lightweight, Pro caliber camera
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by chaps2chapsII on B&H Photo Video
I bought the A7rII after using the A7 body and found it to be an exceptional upgrade. I've been hearing some excellent reviews and some not so good. I didn't buy this camera for the video work, although it has 4k. I purchased it mainly to shoot stills and am not disappointed, so I can't comment of the video side. The images coming out of this camera is stellar, no question. The autofocus is very good, but the auto-tracking can be improved better. The in-body stabilization is good and I haven't had much to say about it. If you can hand hold and shoot at 1/15 second, I'd say that is in itself, a feat. I come from the old school where manual focus and film were the only way to go. This camera with it's 42mpics produces just beautiful photos and I'm just blown away by what kind of images it can produce. Again, this body is small compared to a Dslr. It's very light and would be a dream for someone taking it out for a days shoot or hike. Some of the lenses are stellar too, like the Zeiss 35f2.8/55f1.8/16-35f4 and the Sony 70-200Gf4.I've taken many photos and haven't had to delete many. It's that good, and you know everyone deletes there bad photos. I can't say enough about it. I've noticed that many reviewers has come from Canon and Nikon and may not have gotten use to the EVF and small form factor with smaller buttons, knobs and grip. This then, is not for you and there are many other great equipment out there that you can feel more comfortable with.I believe once you have accepted these factors, there's no going back, but only forward. Features like Eye focus, zebra, focus peaking, face detection and 5-axis IBIS is way ahead of the game. To view into the finder and select your options and see it happening right in front of your eyes is a beautiful thing to behold, no question in my mind. Sony, I believe has done this right. No camera is perfect and they will improve like all camera manufacturers do. Camera's like Nikon and Canon are the top camera's today and are stellar performers and I've used many of them. But Sony, Fuji,and Olympus, with there mirrorless camera's are reaching for the stars now, and the A7rII is one of them. Watch what comes next. ... More
