The Sony Alpha a7R II is a high-resolution, full-frame mirrorless camera and the predecessor to the a7R III. Key features include:

What’s New? Improvements to its predecessor include increased resolution, 5-axis in-body image stabilization, improved ergonomics and controls, faster autofocus performance, and 4k video recording.

42.4MP Full-Frame Sensor. The a7RII features a 42.4MP back-illuminated full-frame sensor. It’s the first camera to use a sensor this size. This sensor enables very high resolution while still offering great low-light performance.

5-Axis Image Stabilization. Borrowed from its brother, the a7II, the built-in five-axis image stabilization offers up to 4.5 stops of correction to any lens. This image stabilization includes angular shake (pitch and yaw), shift shake (X and Y axes), and rotational shake (roll). When using an E-mount lens that already features OSS, the two systems will work cooperatively for maximum stabilization.

E-mount. Sony has created its line of FE lenses for the a7 series. These full-frame lenses use the E-mount, but provide a larger image circle for covering the full-frame sensor. The existing APS-C E-mount lenses are compatible with the full-frame a7-series; however, you’ll have to shoot in crop-frame mode or accept any vignetting caused by the smaller image circle.

Hybrid Autofocus. This updated system features 399 on-sensor phase-detect autofocus points with 45% coverage along with 25 contrast-detect autofocus points, providing extremely fast, accurate performance. This combo allows the a7RII tracking autofocus performance that rivals even top-of-the-line DSLRs. The back-illuminated sensor translates to faster data throughput, meaning tracking and continuous focus is possible at the camera’s maximum 5 fps.

4K Video. While the a7S allowed 4K video capture that was limited to an external recorder, the a7RII can record internal UHD 4K video at 24/30 fps. You can capture footage using the full-frame sensor format or the Super 35 (APS-C) format, which uses oversampling with full pixel readout and no pixel binning. The advanced autofocus system is fully operational in video capture, and timecode enables multi-camera syncing. Internal 4K video is recorded in 8-bit 4:2:0, while the clean HDMI outputs 4:2:2 uncompressed. The S-Log2 Gamma Curve rounds out this camera’s pro-grade video features.

Other Notable Features. The a7RII has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC capability for connecting to smart devices, as well as an app store for adding features—like Sony’s Smart Remote—to the camera. There’s also the option to remotely control the camera via USB. It records its 14-bit RAW images, JPEGs, and video files to SDXC memory cards, and uses the rechargeable NP-FW50 battery that’s rated for 290 shots per charge.

Please note:

• Recording 100 Mbps 4K internally requires a U3 SDXC memory card.

• Recording HD video in the XAVC S codec requires an SDXC memory card. In other words, a card that is 64GB or larger.