Camera Review: Sony A7 II

Camera Review: Sony A7 II

JULY 14, 2015

By Greg Scoblete

Chances are you've seen the classic illustration of the evolution of the human race, from knuckle-dragging ape to striding homo sapiens. If you drew a similar illustration for advanced digital cameras, what would represent the apex of evolutionary progress? When Sony announced the A7 in 2013, it seemed, on paper, a likely candidate. Here was a camera that managed to deliver the sensor the pros craved with the interchangeable lenses they require, in a portable camera body that conventional DSLRs couldn't match. Mirrorless had come of age. It sounded like the future.

Fast-forward to 2015, and Sony's A7 is now a series of cameras with its progenitor entering its second generation. We went hands-on with New Jersey-based photographer and director David Patiño to see how this innovative mirrorless system is evolving. 

Features

The A7 II uses the same 24.3-megapixel full frame CMOS sensor that was introduced in the original A7. The native sensitivity range stays at ISO 100–25,600, with an option to expand to ISO 51,200. Like the original, the A7 II has Wi-Fi and NFC for transferring images to mobile devices and remote control.

What has changed is the image-stabilization system. The A7 II features a 5-axis stabilization system (similar to the one that impressed us on the Olympus E-M5 Mark II) to combat shake across a range of camera motions. 

The design has also improved. The grip now has an enlarged area for your fingers, and the A7's plastic front plate has been traded in for sturdier metal. Autofocus has been enhanced as well, with Sony promising a 30-percent jump in AF tracking, thanks to a new algorithm.    

Design

The A7 Mark II breaks from what we typically expect in a successor; rather than shed size and weight, the Mark II gains both to accommodate the sensor-shifting, 5-axis stabilizer. It weighs 1.3 pounds compared to the A7's 1 pound. It's slightly taller and thicker at 2.38 inches to the A7's 1.9 inches. The girth increase is in the service of an improved grip, which has more room for your fingers and feels great to hold. While it's chunky by mirrorless standards, it's still lighter than full-frame cameras like Canon's EOS 6D and Nikon's D610. 

There's a 2.4-million dot OLED viewfinder that Patiño described as "the best he's ever used" and a 3-inch display that tilts up at a 90-degree angle. But it's not a touchscreen, and it doesn't flip out completely from the camera body, which we would have preferred.

Image Quality

The A7 II delivers nearly identical picture quality as the A7, as the sensor and processor are the same. That's a good thing. Patiño described the image quality as "excellent" with solid low-light performance through ISO 6400 before noise became an issue. 

The inclusion of the 5-axis stabilizer greatly enhances still (and video) quality when shooting handheld at lower shutter speeds. We enjoyed blur-free results down to 1/10 sec handheld. The stabilizer performed equally well during video, keeping footage firm even while walking.

The A7 II delivers 1920x1080p60 HD in Sony's XAVC codec (a variant of H.264) with a bit rate of 50Mbps. It's not quite as high a bit rate as was achieved on Olympus's E-M5 Mark II, but it still provided excellent quality. You'll have the option to crop to an APS-C mode too, to approximate video captured by a Super 35mm-sized imager. 

Performance

The A7 II starts up fairly quickly and shot-to-shot times were solid. It delivers burst speeds up to 5 fps in RAW for up to 25 frames. Switch to the highest-quality JPEGs and the buffer can accommodate up to 50 frames. This is downright pokey compared to other flagship mirrorless systems, but then again, none of them pack a full-frame sensor, so that's not entirely fair. Compared to Canon's EOS 6D, it's a shade faster. Stacked against Nikon's D750, a bit slower. It does, however, have a more generous buffer capacity than either of those models, but write times—the time it takes for the buffer to clear—still seemed to lag. 

When announcing the A7 II, Sony said a new algorithm would enhance AF tracking by 30 percent, despite the fact that the second-generation camera would employ the same 117 phase detection and 25 contrast detection AF points as the original. While we can't say for sure if the 30-percent figure is entirely accurate, we were definitely pleased with how quickly the A7 II locked focus in good lighting. Low-light focusing still proved to be a hit-and-miss affair. 

The A7 II's shutter is noisy, clanging loudly to announce each and every frame we shot. Street shooters and others hoping to photograph in relative stealth take note: discretion is not the better part of the A7 II's valor.

You'll enjoy 350 shots per charge by CIPA standards when framing with the LCD or 270 when framing with the viewfinder. That's poor by full-frame standards—at least in viewfinder mode—and trails the performance on APS-C mirrorless systems like Samsung's NX 1 or Panasonic's GH4.    

Bottom Line

When we asked Patiño to sum up his time with the A7 II, he didn't mince words, telling us "I loved this camera" and that it was "awesome in every way." When we asked him, glancing at his shelf full of Canon bodies and lenses, whether he would consider switching to a new system, there was a long pause. "I don't think so." 

For Patiño, years of investment in Canon glass and bodies, and the familiarity of his current gear, among other factors, keep him anchored. We suspect other pros may feel the same. 

Since the A7 was announced, Sony has worked hard to seal the deal with more pros. They've continued to introduce high-quality lenses for the system in tandem with Zeiss. They've diversified the lineup to focus on video (A7S) and high-resolution still photography (A7R), and now have rolled out a second generation that makes compelling improvements to the original. It also bears mentioning that as of this writing, Sony is keeping the original A7 on the market, dropping the price to under $1,000. More work undoubtedly needs to be done—evolution is a process, not a destination—but Sony is definitely on the right track.

Sony A7 II

PROS: Lightweight; excellent image quality; intuitive menu; tilting display; high-quality EVF.

CONS: Low-light focusing lags behind competitors; sub-par battery life; noisy shutter.

PRICE: $1,700

Related: Camera Review: Sony's Full-Frame Alpha A7R

Sony Unveils 12.2MP, Full-Frame A7S Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera with 4K Video 

Photokina 2014: Sony Debuts New E-Mount Wide-Angle Lens

Source: Camera Review: Sony A7 II

Singaporean photographer makes 360 degree interactive video of tour of North Korea

A photographer from Singapore has created a navigable 360° video of part of a tour he made of North Korea. Aram Pan has set himself a project, which he calls DPRK, to make a documentary that 'captures the essence of North Korea through the use of 360° panoramas, photos and videos.' Through collaboration with the authorities in both North and South Korea, Aram has been able to gain extensive access to the usually closed country and has been able to tour popular sites as well as meet and photograph local people. He points out that his project is non-political and that he aims to steer clear of controversial subject matter or discussion, as he intends to use his photography to encourage a better understanding of the country so that 'fear can be removed and friendships can be made.'

The 20 minute video is filmed entirely as a 360 degree panorama, and viewers can scroll around the footage to choose where they want to look in the scene. Aram shot with a modified GoPro camera fitted with a 280 degree lens that was supplied by Japanese fisheye lens company Entaniya, while the footage was stitched together using Video Stitch software.

Aram says, 'It took about 2 days to render all the files on my 4 year old PC, converting the fisheye videos into equirectangular videos, then go through the footage for the scenes I wanted. The video was edited in Premiere Pro.' The video covers parts of the North Eastern part of the country on a tour with a company called Young Pioneer Tours. It shows popular tourist sites as well as other less well known locations – including the first foreign footage inside a local bus.

For his stills he uses a Nikon D810 with the 24-70mm f/2.8 wide angle zoom, but he says he is looking for something a little more discrete. 'I'm seriously considering a mirrorless option. The locals can be very wary of foreigners snapping away at them, so mirrorless cameras look very unobtrusive compared to a D810. I'm still not sure which option to go with yet but I suspect I'll divorce my D810 if the right mirrorless comes my way. I stick out like a sore thumb in NK with the huge D810 around my neck. I get spotted a mile away.'

Aram specialises in shooting 360° panoramas, and wanted to shoot one at the Panmunjom Joint Security Area. He broke the ice with the border guards by showing them examples of his panoramas on his iPhone. 'Immediately everyone left their posts and crowded around to play with my iPhone. Something like that doesn't happen every day and I was glad to play even a small part in easing tensions. After that, everyone returned to their posts and I got this shot.'

Aram has been invited to hold an exhibition of his work at a Unification Event in Seoul in September, which he says is about building bridges between the North and South of the peninsular and promoting understanding. 'My project isn't about politics and it is simply a window into an unknown world. Both the North and the South have shown immense support for my project and to me, having both their blessings is really what matters. I'm not concerned about what others may think because ultimately the Korean peninsula stands to gain the most through peace'.

You can see more of Aram's photos on his website and his Facebook page.

Aram's statement about his DPRK project

The DPRK 360 project is an independent project that aims to showcase the many aspects of DPRK (a.k.a. North Korea) through photography. All attempts will be made so as not address any past, present or future political issues that may be sensitive. The purpose of this project is to encourage understanding of the country and uncover the mysteries that lay hidden. Through better understanding, fear can be removed and friendships can be made. Most of the images will not undergo any instagram, lomo or artistic filters to make them moody or emotional. There will also be interactive 360 degree panoramic images of places across the DPRK.

This project is an initiative by me (Aram Pan), a Singapore based virtual tour photographer. This project is entirely funded by myself and some sponsors and I'm not paid a single cent to generate any propaganda. I plan to make regular trips to DPRK to photograph more of the country so any sponsorships or grants will be deeply appreciated. I do not wish that my photos or panoramas be used in politically heated articles as it may jeopardize my project. I have made the first baby steps in gaining their friendship and trust so I will not do anything that will disrupt this friendship.

The spirit of this project can be found in a DPRK folk song 'White Dove Fly High'. The white dove is a universal symbol of peace and has been chosen to be the symbol of this project.

In case anyone wonders where my political loyalties are, I love my country of Singapore as it is my dear home and I fully support my current government and its leaders.

Aram Pan has been a photographer since 2003. He went into full time commercial panorama production in 2007 and has produced over 3000 panoramas for real estates, hospitals, tourism, industrial, aerospace and many other industries.

Source: Singaporean photographer makes 360 degree interactive video of tour of North Korea

MacRumors Giveaway: Win a Think Tank Photo Backpack That'll Hold Your MacBook and Camera Gear

Don't mind me, I'm just waiting for the people who's going to comment on the fact that this is U.S. only.One of these days I'll win... I'll keep telling myself that...This I would love to win!!
Source: MacRumors Giveaway: Win a Think Tank Photo Backpack That'll Hold Your MacBook and Camera Gear

Top 3: Best Shotgun microphones for shooting DSLR video on a budget

People often ask me what accessory they should first buy after venturing into DSLR (and mirrorless) videography. My answer is always the same:

A shotgun microphone.

Audio quality is paramount. There really is little wiggle room for messing up the sound on your videos. If you don't take care, pay attention and record the best sound effects, the best voice clarity and volume, and the best ambient sound (when needed), you risk losing your audience.

Videos are about capturing attention, and, at their best, telling compelling and interesting stories. Sure, the camera is important (here's 5 of my top DSLR and mirrorless picks for shooting video), but there are two even more important ingredients: audio and… you. The latter I can't do much to help out, other than to say practice, practice, practice. Watch others' work as much as possible, and learn. Gear is all well and good, but how you use it is why someone like Martin Scorsese is a master. Skill, intuition, experience. While we can't all become Oscar-winning filmmakers, I highly encourage you first focus on audio in your videos. Baby steps!

With that, here's what I believe to be the 3 best shotgun microphones for shooting with your DSLR or mirrorless camera — without breaking the bank. Pop one of these on, and you'll immediately notice huge improvements.

Top 5: Best Shotgun microphones for shooting DSLR video on a budget 1. Rode Videomic Shotgun Microphone Rode Videomic Pro

At just over $100, this is a screaming deal. Pure performance in a relatively compact package. What I like about this shotgun mic, in particular, is the re-designed mount. Rode did away with the fussy rubber bands (they drove me nuts as they would slip off too easily) and replaced it with a much improved Rycote Lyre system. Far better. I used the original for years: interviews, music concerts, wine events in Napa. It never failed me once. Battery life (9V) is great, it goes for days and days. And a high pass filter can be used to eliminate hum you often get when an HVAC is running nearby. A 3.5mm jack plugs into your input (most Canon and Nikon and Sony cameras use this type of connector, but please double check first). First time purchasing an accessory for your camera? This would be high on my list.

Rode Videomic Shotgun Microphone with Rycote Lyre Mount

Try Amazon where you can get it for about $100.

2. Rode Videomic Pro Shotgun Microphone Rode Videomic Pro on a Canon EOS 60D DSLR camera.

Yes, another Rode. Google a bit, surf the forums, and you'll find that Rode is probably the favorite among hobbyists, and even professional film- and doc-makers. I've also used this one for years. For about twice the price you'll get better sound than the standard Videomic. But I most appreciate the more compact size. It's smaller, and the nose of the mic doesn't protrude as much beyond the front of the camera, making this a more discrete choice.

Here is yours truly using the Canon 70D with a Rode Videomic Pro (hint: don't wear bright orange like I'm doing here, what was I thinking?):

On location at the Mill Valley Film Festival with the Canon 70D and Rode Videomic Pro. Those are the filmmakers behind the eye-opening documentary THE HUMAN EXPERIMENT. Uh, I'm the one in that bright orange top!

Heads up, this one still uses those rubber bands for shock supresion. But on this one there's only two (left and right) and they generally do the job.

Rode VideoMic Pro Compact VMP Shotgun Microphone (about $200, also on Amazon)

3. Sennheiser MKE 600 Sennheiser MKE 600. Bigger than the other shotgun mics, but delivers a richer, warmer sound.

This one I consider a professional step-up from the Rode models mentioned above (Rode also makes some great pro-level mics in the NTG series, well worth a look). With this Sennheiser mic I find there to be less hiss, and less low end rumble. Mind you, I need to wear headphones to pick this up, but I do when editing videos. BTW- it's not hard to remove that using high and low pass filter effects in an editor like Premiere Pro. But I find with the MKE600 there's less reason to do so, and, better yet, the sound is overall richer and warmer in tone.

And here we are on location at BottleRock (with my wife), shooting interviews for Stark Insider:

Loni and I being silly in between interviews at the BottleRock music festival in Napa.

The tradeoffs? There are a few with this Sennheiser.

(1) This mic uses an XLR connector which means you'll likely need a XLR to 3.5mm adapter, on the other hand you can also use this mic as a regular microphone for interviews, and even for voiceovers and studio work. (2) It's much bigger… 10-inches long… so you will feel, and notice this on your camera. Still, the MKE 600 is the full-time mic on my Canon 70D. Richness of sound wins me over.

Here's a video from a recent music concert I shot where I used the Sennheiser MKE 600 (note: the interview audio is captured using Zoom H1 field recorders and synced later in post):

Sennheiser MKE 600 Camcorder Shotgun Microphone ($329)

Video Shooter: Sound Resource Guide

Some of the more useful audio guides, tips, articles I've bookmarked over the years:

Bottom line: Sound matters … a lot

Whichever shotgun microphone you decide to buy, you should notice a huge improvement over your camera's built-in mic (they're not very good, and should primarily be used to record "scratch" audio). Well worth the small investment in my view.

Whether it's a wedding, birthday, rock concert, or event, any of these shotgun microphones should vastly help you produce the best video possible. Of course, there's also composition (keep it steady!), editing (keep it tight!), and, ultimately, sharing your work with the world (or just your friends on Facebook!).

TOP 3: Best Shotgun Microphones for Shooting Video (on a budget!)

1. Rode Videomic Shotgun Microphone with Rycote Lyre Mount $100

2. Rode VideoMic Pro Compact VMP Shotgun Microphone $200

3. Sennheiser MKE 600 Camcorder Shotgun Microphone $329

All prices in USD.

I also included some of my favorite audio references and tips and tricks I've bookmarked over the years from other sites (see above).

Good luck, happy shooting.

Explore. Create. Live. Follow Stark Insider on Twitter and Facebook. Join our 9,000 subscribers who read SI on tablets and smartphones on Google Newsstand. Prefer video? Subscribe to Stark Insider on YouTube, the largest arts & travel channel in San Francisco.
Source: Top 3: Best Shotgun microphones for shooting DSLR video on a budget

Nikon 1 J5 mirrorless camera

Nikon has a nifty camera to offer you if you want something small, yet flexible as far as lens selection and manual controls are concerned. It's called the Nikon 1 J5, and it's part of the mirrorless camera surge that's occurred over the last few years. It isn't Nikon's first mirrorless camera (the name J5 is a hint), but it is perhaps its most alluring.

The Nikon 1 J5 is a camera with a body that is not much bigger than a typical compact camera, and styling that incorporates a classic two-toned, silver and black look. The sensor is small, but packs in 20 megapixels worth of resolution, and the lens mount in front of it is 'Nikon 1'.

It houses simple controls that can allow you to use the camera either in automatic or manual modes; there is a built-in flash that can be angled upwards rather than hit your subject head-on, and there is a 3-inch LCD screen that resides on hinges so that you can take photos easily from up high or down low; yes, selfies are possible, too.

Unlike a digital SLR (DSLR), it doesn't have a viewfinder to look through, nor is there a hot-shoe so that you can install one. Slightly bigger mirrorless cameras, such as the Canon EOS M3 that we reviewed prior to this Nikon, offer an electronic viewfinder as an option. This means that the Nikon 1 J5 is a modern compact camera through and through, offering a view only on an LCD screen through which to frame and capture your shots.

That's not a bad thing. The screen on the Nikon 1 J5 is of a high quality in terms of brightness and clarity. You can use it in the full brightness of day and still see it clearly, unless the light is hitting the screen directly. You can shade the screen quite easily, though, especially because it resides on a hinge that allows for the angle to be tilted up and down.

The versatile screen. You can gain great flexibility in the way you frame your shots, without lying on the ground or having to succumb to too many awkward stances

We had no issues using this camera in the middle of a sunny Sydney day, and we could even undertake manual focusing operations, seeing the focus clearly even without the aid of a focus peaking feature, which this camera lacks -- it does enlarge the area so you can see it clearer. We could see the light meter clearly, too, and this is of utmost importance as the live view of the screen does not show exposure changes in real-time like some other mirrorless cameras that we've tested (including the Canon EOS M3).

Using manual focus to get the tiny spider and its web in focus. We preferred manual focus, even though the camera did eventually focus on it automatically, too. We also used ISO 800 on this shot to accentuate the web a little more.

Angling the screen up and down was a boon for our photography style, allowing us to get in close to subjects and to hold the camera in non-standard ways to expose shots in different types of light. As mentioned, we couldn't see the changes of our exposure settings in real-time (you only get that in auto mode), but we could use the light meter as a guide and work with it to either over- or under-expose our shots to our liking.

Using the LCD screen to work the angles on these leaves.

Using the hinged screen to shoot this flower from below.

It's a camera that perhaps loses a bit of its fun factor because of the lack of real-time exposure viewing, and there is also an issue with the screen showing slightly under 100 per cent of the frame on the screen, which can lead to some unwanted details creeping in when you are aiming for perfect framing.

Nevertheless, it's still a fun camera to use, especially once you know that your images will be captured at a very high quality. We are quite taken by the clarity and richness with which the little Nikon captured our shots in JPEG mode, and for those of you who don't want to edit pictures after they have been taken, that's a great thing. You can simply use the photos straight out of the camera and they will usually look stunning.

Changing the exposure is a matter of rotating the dials located at the top and on the rear; the top dial for the electronic shutter, which can be sped up to maximum of 1/16000th of a second, and the rear for the aperture. Keep an eye on the light meter to see the effects of the changes, and note that it can sometimes jump around a bit if there are slight movements in the framing before it settles. To change the ISO, focus and metering settings, you can press the F button on the rear, which will bring up a screen that will allow you to access all these settings.

Controlling the exposure to get the interesting light on this leaf.

Since the LCD screen is also a touchscreen, you can also tap on the values you see on the screen in order to change them. We did this when we wanted to change the ISO value while holding the camera in a way that didn't allow us to easily press the button on the rear (when using our thumb on the shutter button, for example). You can also tap on the screen to change focus points, or to even take the snap immediately if the button is set as a shutter.

We will note that while the layout of the camera is intuitive overall (and it's menu system simple to navigate), the one aspect of the physical layout that threw us was the power switch. It looks and feels too much like it's a zoom lever, and it took us a while to get used to it.

Because the camera is so small, a sacrifice has had to be made in the memory department. Instead of a full-sized SD card, you have to use a microSD card. It's not much of a problem, but it does mean that you have to make sure you have an SD card adapter when you want to plug the card in to your laptop or desktop to get the photos off it. Alternatively, you can use the Wi-Fi function to transfer photos to your smartphone or tablet via Nikon's app, but this will just chew through the battery.

We'll also note that you can't charge the camera via USB and that the charger is of a wall-wart style that might end up being a little too big to get along with neighbouring plugs, depending on how big any adjacent plugs are. We got 494 shots out of the camera (including some burst mode sequences) before it brought up a message saying we had to charge it.

We used the 10-30mm 1 Nikkor kit lens for our tests (its widest aperture is f/3.5), but we also played with the FT1 lens adapter, which is an optional accessory that allows you to use Nikon's DX lenses with the Nikon 1. This can bring a great level of versatility to the little camera, and it's especially useful if you are already a user in Nikon's ecosystem.

With the FT1 lens mount adapter, which costs a lot of money (we saw it for $379 at Digital Camera Warehouse at the time of writing).

Don't go too overboard and install lenses that are way too big for the camera, for it will look comical and make you assume awkward positions. But it's great for attaching a 50mm prime lens, or even zoom lenses up to about 135mm. You can make use of the tripod mount at the bottom of the adapter to keep things steady when using regular DX lenses.

You can do silly things like this if you have the FT1 adapter.

Image quality from the 10-30mm lens was excellent to our eyes, and it's a lens that allows for some great bokeh patterning and blurring of backgrounds, without being too harsh. Lines were crisp, and overall noise was minimal in our test shots. The results were vivid and colourful, and we think they really pop off the screen with good energy and warmth.

What we're saying is, this is a good camera. It has a simplicity that should make it appeal to you if you are an inexperienced photographer who wants an interchangeable lens camera, and it should also be considered if you're already in the Nikon DSLR ecosystem and are looking for a smaller camera to perhaps carry around on a daily basis.

More sample photos

Focusing during burst mode was accurate enough to capture this bee with good clarity.

This is the bee from the previous image, cropped to the native pixel level of the picture.

A background rendered with circular bokeh patterns.

A close view of the previous image. This is with ISO 800.

A close view of the previous image. This is with ISO 160, which is the lowest value.

Using the camera's burst mode to capture a bee in flight. You can set it to take a series of shots, or just enable regular continuous mode. In this instance, we set it capture a burst of 20 shots.

Source: Nikon 1 J5 mirrorless camera

A Glimpse Into How the Fujifilm X-T10 is Made

Fujifilm just published this 3-minute-long behind-the-scenes video that offers a glimpse into the manufacturing process for the X-T10 mirrorless camera, which we reviewed recently.We see how the pieces of the X-T10 are molded, trimmed, assembled into a complete camera, and packaged into its box for shipping.

The X-T10 is available now in black or silver and costs $800 for the body only.

Source: A Glimpse Into How the Fujifilm X-T10 is Made

Schneider-Kreuznach announces it’s ceased development of all MFT lenses, compact cameras

by Gannon Burgett

posted Monday, July 6, 2015 at 4:17 PM EDT

Two years ago, Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH, more commonly known by its Schneider-Kreuznach brandname, excitedly announced it was in the process of developing lenses for Micro Four Thirds camera systems. Two months after the initial announcement, the German optics manufacturer revealed three prototype lenses for Micro Four Thirds systems at Photokina 2012: a 14mm f/2.0, 30mm f/1.4 and 60mm f/2.4 macro. Since then, we hadn't heard much, and now we know why.

An image of the three prototype lenses Schneider-Kreuznach showed off at Photokina 2012.

Last week, Schneider-Kreuznach announced during its press conference that it is no longer looking to get into the Micro Four Thirds lens market, as part of a restructuring program that will focus on putting more research and development funds into industrial imaging markets, rather than the mirrorless camera market. In the press release, Schneider-Kreuznach states:

Schneider-Kreuznach has discontinued the production of simple compact cameras as well as its plans to produce MFT lenses for mirrorless system cameras.

Instead, Schneider-Kreuznach will be focusing on the automotive, security and medical technology industries, 'where optical systems are gaining importance.' Specifically, the press release notes the company will focus on high-precision sensors and components for 'complex testing systems for optical quality control'.

This isn't a nail in the coffin for mirrorless systems by any means, but it appears Schneider-Kreuznach isn't confident the mirrorless market is a large enough -- or growing fast enough -- segment to spend time and capital on.

(via Photo Rumors)

Source: Schneider-Kreuznach announces it's ceased development of all MFT lenses, compact cameras