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 141 to 160 of 517 Reviews
Light weight camera
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by John on B&H Photo Video
I bought this camera to lighten my load when hiking. It is a small camera and at first sight it seems like a toy, but that is far from the reality of this camera. It has many advanced features such and a super manual focusing system that I prefer to use in my landscape work. I like to do long exposures with a -16 ND filter and sad to say this camera as well as most mega pixel cameras does a poor job. It is good up to one minute without noise or hot pixels but after that the image is unuseable. If the in camera noise reduction filter is used during the exposure the problem goes away and you can easily take an eight minute exposure If you don't mind waiting the time it takes the camera to re-write the file. The battery life is horrible so I have four of them. They are no bigger than a 9v battery so they are easy to carry. I bought the Metabones IV adapter to go with my Canon lenses and it works fine on all of my lenses. This is a great camera and it has a big learning curve that come with it. The owner manual is worthless so go to the web to learn how to set it up for use. ... More
Incredible Camera & Continuous Eye Autofocus
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Shawn C on B&H Photo Video
Blown away by the image quality when using high quality lenses like the Zeiss Batis. Incredible dynamic range and 42mp sensor make pro-processing so much easier. Continuous eye autofocus is a killer feature. I rarely miss a shot of my kid now. Price is high, but to me, the precise moments and fabulous photos I have captured for my family have already paid off. Just love this camera.
You're looking at the right product here
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Thom on B&H Photo Video
A7r ii? There's a reason they're so popular- spectacular little camera with awe-inspiring potential at one of the best bang-for-your-buck price points of any full-frame digital cameras out there. The catch is that it only gives you fantastic results after a long and exceptionally annoying set-up due to the lack of intuitive controls and a menu system that will have you pulling your hair out. Get past that though and you can't go wrong! The 24-70 lens is a fantastic lens too in many respects, but it is an absolute cannon and it's size and weight makes it a pain to use, completely stepping on the point of having the A7r ii so lightweight and compact. The grip extension has to be removed every time you need to change the batteries (which is often if you shoot even a medium amount as the A7r ii is a charge sucker in the highest degree) but for someone with large hands, it makes handling the A7r ii a dream in comparison to using it without it and well worth that minor inconvenience. All in all, great package, I'd just choose a different lens for what I use it for. ... More
Best small camera for landscapes
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Kenneth on B&H Photo Video
I own the Sony A7R and I use it to capture landscape images. The new A7RM2 drastically improves upon this amazing camera. The dynamic range on this camera is unmatched by any current SLR on the market. I can easily, using the shape optics of Sony and Zeiss, enlarge image 40x50.
my god........
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Ive been in the canon game for about 8 years now and i always stuck true to them because of the glass, but i bought this camera about 6 months ago mostly because of the ability to adapt canon glass to it. let me tell you.....I did my first editorial shoot with this body and a canon 50mm 1.2 and was shocked when i pulled them into lightroom. the resolution and dynamic range is untouchable (at least in full frame) in body image stabilization is a godsend as well. if you do work where youre giving your pictures to graphic designers who are inevitably going to crop the heck out of them, have no worries with this little guy. the only cons i can say are that it really isnt too much smaller than my old 5diii, especially once you star adding adapters and lenses, but for the price you really are almost bridgin the gap between medium format and full frame. One more con is that photography is my main source of income, and having one card slot can be a little worrysome. The low light is nothing to scoff at, but if thats what you are needing go with the a7sii. Overall the best camera ive used to date. ... More
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It overheats because it has too many features
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by JohnSquire8 on B&H Photo Video
I purchased the a7R II as an interview/documentary camera and was amazed with the feature rich capabilities, esp the 5 axis in camera stabilization and ability to shoot 4k internally. Incredible image, and amazing low light capabilities. To be honest, I could not fathom how they could put all those features in a small form factor. Now I do. It OVERHEATS. After about 7 minutes of shooting in 4K in a well lit hot 95 degree summer day, the camera literally shut down. It took about 20 minutes to start up again, and we had to go with a B camera to finish. I kept the camera, but wished I hadn't. I thought that shooting shorter 10 sec to 1 minute clips for commercial work wouldn't heat up the camera as much, but it eventually shuts off as well. Bummer.. ... More
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS CAMERA!
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Shoot professional landscape and portrait. Live in Hawaii, I still have yet had it overheat! MUST.. Update the firmware update to fix this issue and Walla ... flawless. NO overheating.I purchased the battery grip, doubles the battery time and makes the camera easy to carry for my big hands.. After using for a month, I decided to sell my 5dmiii on @, keep the canon-70-200 to use on the sony with a Metabones adaptor.SUPER SHARP and twice the megapixels of the canon. About same speed.So happy I invested in this camera. Too many positives to mention, best to search Youtube and type in sony a7rii watch the positives yourself. ... More
BEST CAMERA
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Rodrigo on B&H Photo Video
This is the best camera I've ever had... It has the image quality that I need and its small and compact so I can take it easily with me to everywhere I go. I never thought it was going to be this good of a camera but it is beyond what I expected. I sold all my canon equipment for this and I couldn't be more happy about it. I went for bulky and lots of weight to a light, compact, tough and amazing camera.
So happy with it!!!
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera with 24-70mm f/2.8 Lens and Adobe CC Photo Plan Kit
Reviewed by Ryan on B&H Photo Video
I purchased this camera new near the end of 2020, and since have been incredibly impressed. The camera even today holds up so well, even allowing me to take 8k timelapse's, beautiful 4k footage in log (even straight out of camera it's beautiful), impressing people and clients with my photos, a solid 10/10. Using it together with other photographers and videographers, I can use this camera with their R5's and other comparable cameras (leica sl2, sony a1), and still get just as great results. For build quality, I am also very satisfied. I personally have never dropped it, however someone did knock over it while it was sitting on a gimbal, and it fell right onto the side with wires connected to it. The wire did bend, and I was worried the port would be broken, however the port is perfectly stiff as it was before, and works just as well with every function. I have heard some had weather sealing issues, however I've used this camera countless times during inclement weather, and it still is just fine. This camera allowed me to make an income from my passion, and express what I see in a creative way. I am incredibly thankful for this camera, and even after using it for a while, I am not looking to replace it any time soon. Thank you Sony for making such an amazing and professional piece of equipment. ... More
Better than I could have hoped for
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Tom on B&H Photo Video
First of all, thanks to reviewer IanM who reminds me that shooting at 60 mbps rather than 100 mbps can make the difference between staying cool and overheating when shooting UHD. Likewise for his feedback regarding shooting Super 35 rather than full frame. I shoot still and video for a living; this one camera is shaping up as the tool that for me, could do it all. I've had to reinvent my approach to flash since I relied on the Canon 600 series when using the 5DkIII. But Sony E and A mount lenses and most of my Canon L series work incredibly well with this camera. For my style of shooting, I've always relied on AFS rather than AFC (continuous auto focus), but with faster Sony E-mount lenses, the Eye AF feature is astonishing -- not 100 percent reliable -- but good enough to where I try to use this feature when circumstances permit. It's that good. No camera is perfect. To me the greatest single annoyance of the A7 series is how the cameras sometimes seem to decide for themselves to switch from manual to autofocus. I have to keep an eye on this, so to speak. Regardless, this latest iteration of the A7 series is a stunner. Get one. ... More
Best full frame camera
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Greg on B&H Photo Video
To be honest it was either the a7rii or the 5Diii and after holding both the Canon just felt like a dinosaur. The Sony is lighter and much less cumbersome after shooting for awhile. I know a lot of people are on the fence about switching to mirrorless but you will be happy if you do. I love my a7rii!!!!
Still relevant 5 years after release
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Brandon on B&H Photo Video
I love my Sony's (I have two A7rII's now) for the incredible image quality. Wide dynamic range, high pixel count, but mostly the low noise. Noise is what has really pushed me away from my Olympus EM1's (mki and mkii's). It started last year (2019) as I was shooting more images where I was running into the noise floor pretty easily. I even purchased Topaz Denoise to cope with it (and it is very good BTW) but I didn't want to to have to always worry about it. I had been toying with getting a medium format camera (Pentax 645Z) but didn't want to support two separate systems. Plus I could get two A7rII bodies for less than the price of a single 645Z. The Sony's are light enough to carry around but the lenses are much larger than M43 so my kit is heavier now for sure. I will say that while the image quality is great, the A7rII does not handle anywhere near as well as the EM1 (mkI or mkII). Not only are the Olympus cameras more comfortable to hold but the buttons and dials have a much better feel. Also the EM1 mkII is much snappier and responsive. Of course keep in mind the A7rII is from 2015 so it is expected to be slower. I'm sure the newer A7r cameras are much faster but for the difference in price I can afford (literally) to take my time. ... More
Amazing Camera!
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by scott56 on B&H Photo Video
This camera is amazing. I just upgraded from the a6000 which was amazing, but isn't a fair comparison to the A7Rii. This camera is very sharp and the pictures came out amazing! The full frame really does make a difference when enlarging photos. The 4K video was very clear and sharp too. I highly recommend this camera!
Movin' On Up
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Jean-Pierre on B&H Photo Video
I waited a long time before purchasing this pricey beauty. My progression has been 20+ years of Nikons, the Nex7, the A7R and the A6300. Because of the last two, the learning curve on the ARII 7 was easy and the programs logical (yes it takes awhile if new to the Sony E's). The feel of this body is both solid and lovely. The controls and their location are a big improvement over all of my previous E's... in fact I find them to be perfect. Yes it is a beefier body and with large lenses it gets heavy but the grip remains very good. I'm really on my first serious shoot with the A7RII so my opinions are likely to evolve. What I find for now is that I'm having much more fun shooting in Aperture, Speed or Full Manual settings than in the programmed ones. The exception being night and dark setting shots, where the programmed ones are simply fabulous. Glad to have made the leap. ... More
Awesome Full Frame Camera
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by John on B&H Photo Video
Have used now a few weeks and can say that I have enjoyed a lot. I thought that with less bulk, heavy lenses like the one I got would be awkward, but that is not the case. I like the fact that what you see in the live view is what you get. My only complaints are the batteries (too weak) and in brighter son, it can be difficult to see the live view. Love the lens and feel the 2.8 is just right for about anything. Since I do mostly landscapes, the 24mm on the zoom gets used a lot. Had a Nikon. So glad I switched to mirrorless. The big sensor does its work well. ... More
A question of quality. It's a practical solution.
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Todd on B&H Photo Video
So, I pondered and queried and scoured the internet to try and figure out what was going to be the best bang for my buck for high res images. B&H was offering a great mark down to the a7Rii PLUS a year's subscription to Photo Suite CC. I own the a7iii and that is my go to for most needs, but I wanted something that would capture even more detail. Since this is more for my learning curve (I primarily shoot real estate but am moving into other areas) I couldn't justify another grand for the a7Riii--same megapixels, but obviously great upgrades in that model. I owned the first a7 and I have several batteries AND the Sony AC adapter for that camera. So, although the a7Riii uses the same (better) battery as the a7iii, I opted to go with the ii because I was getting a lot for my money. If my learning curve gets me to the point of the next best, then I'll be investing in the R4 or wherever the excitement is at that time. Rich, lovely photographs. Lots of wiggle room for cropping. I've been playing around with he Sony 24mm 1.8, trying different apertures, shutter speeds, iso's and cropping small areas in Lightroom. Lovely. But just beginning. ... More
Fantastic Camera
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by shooter50 on B&H Photo Video
The A7RII has completely won me over. Size and weight are great and the output is spectacular. After using this camera for a few weeks, I sold all my Nikon gear (D4, D810 and lenses) and bought a second A7RII as a backup. All of my work is on location portraiture and this camera is excellent for what I do. The menus take some getting used to, but alot customization is available. Battery life has been better than I expected after reading some reviews. I get approx 450 images per charge.
Great Camera,somany functionalities
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Sergey of Field Guide on B&H Photo Video
Just got this a few weeks go,and its incredible! user interface is very easy to navigate. Photos come out really crisp and have a lot of detail, lot more detail than my previous camera(Canon 5dMark3). The wifi feature is really nice. You can access and control your camera from your phone. Serious game changer. Filming on the camera is great! never thought i would like the digital viewfinder, but its amazing and helps make handheld filming very stable. some downsides: i wish that the movable screen was more flexible and could move around more than the scope that its been built with., ... More
Can't tell you to quit Canon for this
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Maxime on B&H Photo Video
It's strange. I'm happy with the A7R II, but not 100% happy so i can't recommend this camera to a friend. Too expensive to be recommanded. The overheating issue is.. unacceptable for the price. Like a lot of people, I sold some major parts of my Canon equipment, to go with Sony. Because video is important for me while photography remains the most important thing. So let's face it. Perhaps like me, you bought a A7R II to take wonderful photographies, but also to have the luxury of the 4K internal feature. Unfortunately, for professional sport photography, the A7R II is not good enough, end of the discussion. For the 4K video capture, the A7R II is barely acceptable since it overtheats. Debate is over. The expensive way (but the professional way) is to stay with Canon by buying a 5DS and wait for the A7S II for video capture. Like i said, it's not the cheap option, but it's the professional way. I'm sad and happy at the time. That's not the kind of feeling that you looking for, my friend. ... More
Excellent Full-Frame Mirrorless Option to Replace DSLR Body
Sony Alpha a7R II Mirrorless Digital Camera Body Professional Kit
Reviewed by Stephen on B&H Photo Video
Although this camera has been superseded with newer Sony models that offer specific improvements, the performance of the A7R ii camera is very strong. It was purchased to use in place of my Canon EOS 6D in order to take specific advantage of its silent shutter feature while maintaining an equivalent/better performance. The noise level at high ISO seems generally on par with the Canon 6D performance, but the large increase in sensor megapixels (42 vs. 20) and the higher dynamic range offers a significant benefit. The $1500 price with the Sony 28-70mm kit lens and accessories package made the purchase a very decent deal. I also purchased, at the same time, a Vello battery grip, A Sigma MC-11 lens adapter (Canon EF mount to Sony E mount) and several additional batteries. In using the A7R ii with my Canon EF lenses (L and other) via the Sigma MC-11 adapter, the autofocus works well for the most part and the other lens communications (auto aperture and IS) work perfectly. In spite of its limitations (such as the menu system, relatively low capacity battery) compared to the newer Sony full-frame models , I do give the A7R ii a strong recommendation. ... More
