Sony A7R II Hands-On Review Part 2: Video Tests & Conclusions
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2015
- In the second part of our A7R II review, we check out the video capabilities of this exciting new camera. Also, Chris and Jordan sit down to discuss their final thoughts on the camera after using it for a month.
Shop online at: www.thecamerastore.com/
MusicProvided by BeatSuite.com
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Watch the Divepool music video shot on the A7R II and FS7:
• Divepool - Hawaii
Shot by Chris Niccolls, Edited by Jordan Drake
Shot on the Sony A7RII
Special thanks to Chad Tweten, Richard Blais & Divepool - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
![อาจารย์ยอด : พระเตะผี [ผี]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zusDOIFasaE/mqdefault.jpg)
Great review! Agree with everything, including the overheating issue being overblown. We haven't had any crashes, though... I hate when people say this, but maybe that's a problem with your copy?
Re: noise in full-frame S-Log, it's so bad that we stopped using S-Log by default. Now, we only use it when we absolutely need the extra dynamic range. That holds true for the a7S, also.
+Tony Northrup I just purchased one of those Sony A7Rii. Im actually living in China, and because of it, I could see there was 2 different prices on the camera, one about 30% cheaper than the other one. And the cheaper was coming with a lot of "free" things, from tripod, SD card etc etc... The reason is that the cheapest one was made in China, and the expensive one in Thailand. Of course, I've bought the one made in Thailand because I believe that the quality control is better there, especially after seeing that overheating problem were happening on some cameras and not others. And I finally got the idea that maybe the reviewers who got this overheating problem have maybe cameras made in China, and (maybe) been abused by their reseller. I didnt got any problem with my camera so far, and this overheating problem was the first thing i tried on the camera.
+Tony Northrup Yes to SLOG2 noise, I'd noticed that too.
+Tony Northrup You need to overexpose. Period when using slog2 or slog3. Re-rate the camera Tony at about 100 iso
Lol so not only you bash Sony with your "subtle" I am unbiased attitude in your own videos but even come to other people's videos to continue your "unbiased" bashing campaign.... Oh Tony you are one a kind....
Just gonna say couple of things about this camera after 50 days of using it.
1.st thing i noticed is that the 35mm mode is way better for shooting in low light abd every one knows it, i did a lot of action videos with it and i didn't notice that much of rolling shutter.
2. I've been shooting concerts in hot crowded places and other things with non stop in 4k and so far i'v NEVER had overheating problems. Yeah i understand those folks who are shooting in 34-40 degrees temperature outuside, but any camera can overheat in that temperature, Especially if you shoot non stop as one file, and IMPORTANT point. There is more chance for the camera to overheat if you are using a Slow memory card, because there is more information gets stuck in the bufer.
3. This is a PHOTO camera with a good video features, we all know that a7S is specialised for video, but the R serias are made for photos, we all know as example that the 1st A7R was better in photo but average in video comparing to a7S. Sony never said it is a camera for shooting sport events, this camera is for doing stills and portraits and landscape shots and artistic things, it was never designed for the fast movement, a6000 was. I'm pretty sire if this camera was DSLR with these specs it would've destroyed all the cameras on the market in terms of autofocus speed and etc.
4. At some points in low light the A7Rii is better than A7S up to 12800 Iso in 4K and that is great considering u have such a high amount megapixel sensor.
5. If you are doing video - do use Slog2, it is a really great thing to use and has a good dynamic range and there are amazing things you can get out of it.
6. Everyone keeps complaining about that record button, it is small, but seriously for me it's not a problem, its good that its there so you dont press it by mistake while doing photos.
7. Some people might not know but Sony officialy said that soon the firmwear update will come out and you will be able to shoot 14bit uncomressed raw what is great!
8. The battery life is always different, sometimes it can be great, sometimes not. For photography 2 batteries are more than enough for 3 photoshots, each out of 200-250 photos in raw+jpeg. For 4K video it is way better than i expected it to be. In HD it runs out of juce faster than in 4K...
9. There are a lot of settings to autofocus, be careful with that, some makes it quicker, some makes it sharper.
10. I work with a lot of people who are using Canon, and that a Fact that they are jealous as hell when they see al the things I can do and the image quality. Sony went way further ahead than all others.
11. Yes these camera might not be amazing in all the things, BUT - it is the best choice if you want to have BOTH - Photo and Video at the same time. In terms of photo quality it outperformce others for sure, in terms of video it does do the most, yes some people have overheating problems, but i'm sure it WILL be fixed with next Firmware for sure, like Sony did with their smartphones, this camera is best for doing Models Video shoots and Music videos or small video with short shots and Cinematic things, it's not for Long interviews, you don't need 4K for those.
Overall for me it is the best Camera i could find out there, in terms of image quality and video. Thanks :)
+Extreme Remake Production Thanks for your opinion about some things . Going to buy the a7r ii in med-end of october. I haven´t tried it out yet but some points mentioned in different videos I just think: okay I don´t mind. Things like the battery life or where the record button is placed. What´s the problem if you have an eye on ur battery and buy 1 or 2 additional batteries for a few bucks. The record button might not be on the perfect position but it´s reachable and further you are able to assign it to a custom button. The next thing is the rolling shutter. Some guys complaining about a rolling shutter when they moving the camera so fast everything is blurry and nothing is in focus. I questioned myself when are u in such a situation you complain about a rolling shutter when in the same time the captured video is not useable at all (This was a case where I noticeable saw a rolling shutter). But I have to agree some things can be improved like the menus. Overall the camera really is a really decent succesor. Ibis/better image quality/4k video/much better af just to mention some things why I decided to buy the a7r ii. After reading the text by myself it seems like I am a fanboy :o I´ve never bought a Sony camera just to mention that but I appreciate that they keep trying out new things and improving their cameras.
+Extreme Remake Production Can you recommend some lenses if you have to buy new ones ? I´ll be shooting mainly landscapes/architecture/street and was going to buy the 55mm f1.8 prime and the 28mm f2 prime. Might buying the 70-200 aswell. Most of the zooms unfortunately seem to do a bad job. Can you tell me something about the 28mm to 21 mm converter ? I´ve seen some really positive rewiews but also some negative ones. Thanks ;)
+TheSeNiTeX i dont know about those but i love 35mm zeiss prime, its sharp :)
what do you think of Fujifilm X-2?
I totally agree and that's why I will be picking one up soon, the a7rii is cheaper then the a7iii now that its out, what are your thoughts on the new a7iii
Nice job Jordan. Thanks for talking about rolling shutter, I didn't talk about that in my review at all. I have been running some battery tests between this and the a7s, and I am getting better battery life out of the a7rii, so it seems like Sony is getting their cameras to run more efficiently which is good direction.
+Dave Dugdale I find it intriguing how your experience with the a7r2 overheating issue is very different to Jordan's.
Perhaps there's inconsistencies between one unit and another. Maybe your unit came from a bad batch.
+Christopher Cox Humidity, temperature, battery condition, handholding, bit rate, amount of camera shake (IBIS operation) card type (efficiency), audio capture devices (camera load). There are literally a million variables at play. I'm leaning toward battery drain (generating heat) and card/codec efficiency (bottleneck). There's a huge drain on the battery whilst using the XLR adaptor too. Maybe its time to test using a remote (dummy) battery.
I agree. We need to see scientific tests that remove all variables, and test a large sample number of units before anyone can draw any conclusions on the overheating issue.
+Christopher Cox being up in canada probably helps.
+Dave Dugdale Camera Store TV and Dave Dugdale are the two reviewers to check out. Keep it up guys.
thank you for the extensive research in these a7rii videos. you've covered everything i needed to hear as a professional. your videos are always useable, functional features, not just reading a list from the manufacturer; i really appreciate that.
Awesome jog guys and your new child is adorable Jordan ;) Thanks for all the in depth video information and analysis in particular and great commentary as always. Love the beard Chris, where it proudly my friend!
Jay
I've been waiting for this review. Thanks for taking the time you needed to tell the whole story. Great review!
Thank God PART 2!
Great review Jordan, the segment with your son had me smiling!
It is a big investment - thank you for taking this much time to review all the details. All your opinions are valued by the viewers - heck no need to be PC! I'm not a film enthusiast but I watched it through because it's Jordan!!! Picture perfect baby also!
I have the FS7 and i love it and now the A7rii and more then anything i love the ability to be able to do anything with the combo that pair well for my production. The updates are here and the date is 1.24.16 and i just want to say i feel INCREDIBLE!!!! Thanks Sony for being a trendsetter in technology. I am Happy Happy Happy. Find the gear that fits you and the things you want out of it, learn and apply daily and enjoy. Blessings everyone.
Great vids guys thanks for the testing and opinions. I've been tempted to pull the trigger and switch for the last month. I've given up on Canon getting back in the game.
Great video as usual.
Big work !!! Good job guys, u're the best !
Dude you nailed that. For what was mostly a solo vid, that was really well done. Thanks. Thanks to both of you really.
From us all the way down in New Zealand by the way ;)
I enjoy your style of reviewing camera gear and especially the A7R II series recently.
My gear is mostly Canon at the moment with no plans to switch (yet), but I am interested in seeing "hands on" reviews like these to keep up with developments.
Good work guys, thanks.
Great video guys! I can wait see what you think about the A7sII.
Thanks for another excellent review.
Great review guys
Great advice and info guys!
Thanks for your honest & professional reviews. You guys always done great jobs. Hope Sony fix the issues you brought up about the short battery life, simplify the menu navigation, and I really want to see the intervalometer feature built-in the menu because hate having to carry that separately.
great job guys
I had to comment on this video after my experiences over the last month with this camera. I have to agree with many, pretty much all points that y'all bring up. First, when I got the camera, I did extensive testing with it before going into a professional situation. Internal and external recording with the atomos shogun, handheld, gimbal, dolly movements in super 35 and FF. Low light, high contrast, magic hour, silhouette, you name it. It crushed it, outside of low light(motion work). Zero overheating issues, battery life did suck but if you plan accordingly its not that devastating, especially coming from a cinema pedigree, where almost all high end cameras are battery vampires. The menus are hilariously bad. I chuckle now, if not, rage and I must go smash. So, feeling confident, I brought the cam onto a three day job, first setup, 3 takes in, it dies. It dies badly, Sony rep had no idea what the hell happened either. Luckily I had my Red on standby and moved forward. Got a new body, only to see the A7sii announcement the next morning. Bitter to say the least. Decided to keep the camera and use on a music video project. It really is a two faced camera. Under very stressful mixed light situations, it performed terrifically, outside great, under tungsten great, daylight fluorescents awesome. At moderate high iso situations(1600+), it performed like crap and the codec internally and externally broke down in devastating ways. Some of the worst I've seen in years. Especially in the shadows, looked like flip camera garbage. The main problem is not that there is noise, it's that the info gets thrown out and becomes mud. Like the camera can't keep up, even when I was recording out to the Shogun and kept internal recording off. Totally and utterly jacked. Both in 4K and 1080p, regular and high speed. My mind is still bottled. Now this is for video, with stills, you can push the iso with good glass. Stills on this thing is what has made me keep it. Christmas pants Georgia, does this thing make incredibly sharp stills. Motion though, Christ punching Carl I couldn't get any love in lowish light situations. Add a strobe light, I know about rolling shutter and remember I'm stress testing, the codec might as well committed suicide. I know this is not a $65.000 cinema camera with a global shutter with a 200MB data pipeline but it should be able to accomplish tasks that many older tech based cameras can handle. I have never had such a love hate relationship with a camera. I didn't expect this thing to be end all be all but heck I didn't think I would look at it suspect as if I knew it was stealing money from me but I don't say anything because it's so damn pretty and fun to be with in public. Phew, needed that. Thanks again for taking the time to publish the vid, tons of great and extremely important info for anyone looking to purchase. If you ever need anyone who likes to make it weird for everyone, let me know.
+Peter Stepnoski Extra thumb up for the Flip camera reference. Haven't thought about those in years.
+Timothy Roper Those things kinda started the trend of democratizing the ability to have video in your pocket. Then the iPhone released video capabilities, and well, the rest is history. All hail our lords...,never mind.
Silliness aside, I'm wrapping up editorial on the music vid I shot with the A7rii. A lot of plus and minuses and I would love to do a write up. Anyone have any suggestions where I could post it up that may offer up some good info and experiences for other folks?
It will be interesting to see how this camera stacks up to the A7s II. Glad you didn't have any overheating issues- that's the one worry I had about the internal 4K. Great review, keep up the good work.
I agree. I use this camera for a month and half and i never had overheat problem! There must be something wrong with people who are getting that problem, or they are just GH4 and NX1 fan boys :)
+Extreme Remake Production Cheesycam owns one with a persistent overheating problems which relegates him to shooting no more than 5 minutes at a time. He's pretty competent.
+trevorpinnocky You can always switch to 1080p which is very high quality and has zero overheating.
+Extreme Remake Production Speaking of the GH4, it IS nice to never have to worry about overheating .') Every camera has its pluses and minuses.
Great video. Thank you
I think this is one of the best reviews on any Sony Mirrorless cameras. There is only one thing I disagree with. To say that no Por would use it is a huge generalization that does not hold the reality. I am a pro and I know many pro that has switched to the Sony system for professional work and are extremely happy with it.
I think it would be more proper to say that, depending the use or preferences and commitment to current system, it will determine if the switch or not. That's to say that, like with any camera, usage and preference would determine the right camera. I don't think it has to be an either/or proposition. It can be both. I have used Nikon for 38 years now and shoot weddings and portraits for a living (full time). I love my Nikon as well as my Sony mirrorless cameras. Each one has their quirks and issues that require you to get use to it.
ONE great benefit from learning to use the Sony is that it makes you slow down and be more determined and focus about your shooting. And that is a great thing.
So, great review. I just do not totally agree with your conclusion about pros.
good one guys...one of the best in you tube....@Jordan ,your kid is super cute.......
Quirky but big time wow factor on the quality! You have mind blowing cropping power!
Great review! Though as a one man band who likes stabilization systems, I wish there had been more footage of what the AF is like in video mode. Especially samples of the face detect.
Wow looks like a gret camera to shoot with!
So, right away, I see you had fun with your new toy. And, I'm not talking about the Sony.Regarding overheating, I often shoot (stills) in high heat during the summer. CT, FL, TN types of locations. When you add ambient temp in a normal summer, what about that?
I'm looking for my next camera. The A7RII is getting close, but sounds too complicated and quirky. I'm more into stills, but like video capability. I do appreciate your in depth reviews. Keep them coming. Thanks!!!
This was a very helpful review. It was well thought out and covered all the bases. I was strongly considering this camera as a B camera primarily for video work and I was hoping you would review it. I think I am going to pass on it now, not because it is bad, but because I don't think it is going to properly fill the gap I need to fill.
I am an independent videographer who has to support a family on what I earn. I don't have money to throw away on cameras and gear so when I invest in something that doesn't live up to its promises, it is very painful. Your reviews provide a ton of valuable information and are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
the footage you showed as an example of moire produced by the camera showed moire produced by overlapping fabric, which would be visible no matter what camera you used or even just looking at it in person with your own eyes. if there was any moire in that footage produced by the camera, i couldn't see it, at least at 1080p.
+Maltfalc No it's not shown on any camera nor by naked healthy eyes. The example he showed is aliasing (many other examples out there too).
The pattern your seeing on you screen is false and un-representative of the actual fabric shape you see. False data interfering with the image thus affecting compression quality and causing a bad visual destruction.
To the A7RII defense, there is no moire anywhere.
So its moire/aliasing performance is worse than the 5D3/A7s/NX1, but much better than 5DII, BMPocket, A7/A7r, and honestly, overally MUCH better than I expected it to be, being such a HUGE down-sample from 42mp (A monstrous force on aliasing/moire) FF mode could be used on this camera for gorgeous people close-ups where aliasing doesn't occur, background separation needed, and a slight skin diffusion is preferred. I'd use it for shooting people and mainly females, nothing on s35 mode gives the unique un-paralleled aesthetic of a 50mm F/1.2 on a FF or an 85mm F/1.4 on FF. So consider the FF decent 4K quality as a ''bonus'' and you'll find it's very cool actually. Just don't put a 24mm, aim it at buildings, record and sharpen, it's going to be hideous, that's why they give you a perfectly thought out solution, flick to s35, go wider, and shoot gorgeous/clean landscapes/architecture/fabrics.
Thanks Jordan great camera ! Love mine . Think anyone looking to do anything long form should certainly use another camera like a C100 or XDCAM type camera. This camera is for sexy, broll, landscape type stuff in my opinion. Haven't taken the 4k for the big ride but will follow your lead here. So used to the A7s in evening highlight. Thx for the testing!
Nice review chaps. Great use of timelapse. The overheating sounds random & quite off putting for professional use. I look forward to the A7s2 review
Ok. I finished watching. WELL DONE! One of the best presentations I have seen.This comment goes for part 1 & 2. I am going to have to SUBSCRIBE.
for me the eye focus for stills along with the IBIS with fast primes are the features that excites me the most about the A7r ll, but I hear the eye focus is only with the native glass witch is a let down. also the sensors dynamic range is great, I still wish it had a fully articulating touch screen, and it's disappointing that I don't hear you guys pushing hard for that also. but the A7r ll is an amazing camera. but I still find myself holding off buying one. i'm always hoping for perfection, but no company ever gives it to me haha, so I might just wait for the A7r lll, or just see what else comes out soon, but my problem is I always seem to be waiting for what's around the corner hoping it's going to blow me away, instead of enjoying what's out now, but I do have my 5Dlll, but I am getting impatient for the next A6100 or A7100 and also the X pro 2, they seem to be taking forever, also an XT2, and a 5D4, and I'm really getting impatient waiting for Canon and Nixon to put out a FF mirrorless camera, or even a great apsc mirrorless, they are already like five years behind Sony, and I wish that Samsung, Olympus, Fuji, and even Panasonic would start going full frame ( lately my comments always seem to be rite behind Dave Dugdale haha ) hi Dave
firmware will fix some stuff hopefully but i can't wait to buy this. saving up right now
@TheCameraStoreTV You can't say the overheating is being blown out of proportion. I got to max 6 minutes with it at a time while shooting a pilot for a doccie series. Maybe in Canada it's not an issue but in South Africa it has very limited use for profession jobs. That being said, absolutely loved the camera, and hopefully the issue is fixed with the A7S2.
Best reviews on youtube! Congrats on the baby Jordan, he's a beauty!
My main issue with the camera is the rolling shutter in s35 mode. It's suppose to be better, is in some ways but the rolling shutter is terrible. There is no mode to use without some issue so in my book, unusable professionally. I wonder if Sony have done it on purpose to make you buy the a7s as well... I will hold off for the a7s. If it has full frame 4K with minimal rolling shutter I will buy it.
Just a note, The first example of moire and aliasing wasn't in camera. It was real life. Im sitting next to a curtain just like that and that's what it looks like. No camera needed.
From my experience with the Sony a7 there is overheating and auto shutdown, even with cool weather, after 40-50 minutes of continuous shooting at any birate, resolution or with APS-C crop mode video.
That problem was fixed with the second generation of a7 series.
For Sony a7 owners some smart solutions with overheating are:
_The movement of the display backwards which permits more air to the back of the camera.
_The use of a dummy battery connected to an external battery or power adaptor. The real battery inside the camera becomes warm with constant video shooting and increases the whole temperature of the camera.
_A tripod is better than handheld shooting. The hands are warm and make the camera more hot. Also with tripod more air reaches the bottom of the camera.
_Use the viewfinder instead the back display if it's convenient. The viewfinder consumes less energy and increases less the temperature.
Wonderful explanation. Always so nice to see great Canadian content as well. I've been shooting on the A7Rii for a month and could agree more. Have been surprised with the amount of noise in slog2 even at iso 800. That said I do love the full frame look especially with the slr Magic Anamorphot. I know it's silly but just feel ripped off shooting in s35. In your opinion would you shoot s35 and deal with the tragic rolling shutter or use noise reduction and shoot full frame?
for the overheating i'd dive more into the memory card used. Slower cards I would guess triggers the buffer more and therefore causes more overheating.
For the S35 mode, I found it noisy in 1080p. So the S35 mode is not bullet proof. I don't shoot in 4K so 1080p would be important to me.
Which one would you take?
The A7II or the A7RII using it for family/kids, landscape, low-light photography and video on parties.
Thanks for your reply.
I've had this camera since 31 July and in general, I've not encountered any of the issues that you have. OK, I'm not a pro using it day in day out. I've always believed that the overheating issue was blown out of proportion by people online who like to find fault.
Got both the Batis on Tuesday and am loving the 25mm f2
Your kid is super cute, by the way.
I've seen this camera overheat consistently during live tests. It may have a smaller incidence than we suspect. But there have been enough reports from legitimate sources that I don't think it's 'overblown'.
What would be best is if Sony would make a definitive statement so we know exactly what's going on. Not saying anything is pretty inexcusable.
+trevorpinnocky I'd much rather that they put all the most cutting edge tech into the camera and let us worry about whether or not overheating will be an issue than limit what the camera is capable of. I shot interviews basically uninterrupted for over an hour without an issue, though I did have the Steadyshot disabled since I was on a tripod. If you do long form interviews or event work, this just isn't the camera for you.
Jordan @ TCSTV
TheCameraStoreTV I think that's excusing them far too easily from something that's relatively easy to assess and report. They know how many cameras have shipped and they know how many people have reported a heating issue. It's also easy enough to estimate potential exposure based on that simple data.
"It's a simple matter of saying we're seeing overheating in x% of inventory. If you experience it, please let us know so that we can exchange the camera for you."
Taking that step doesn't prevent them from doing any of the things you just mentioned which are the same things I also want. But I also want companies to be more forthright in fessing up to known issues, that includes Nikon and Canon as well, both of whom have had QA issues.
It's simply not our job to be their QA department.
+TheCameraStoreTV "Cutting edge tech" or not, a camera should not overheat in normal conditions (which is what a fair amount of people have reported), the fact that it is not happening to everyone clearly indicates that it is a manufacturing issue (which should be fixed) and thus should not limit the cameras technologically capabilities.
+TheCameraStoreTV Agreed, long form, the RX10ll works far better. Buy both!
+Chris Gibbs a 1" sensor??
I found that the lowlight performance on (Super 35 4K) is so much nicer comparing with (Super 35 1080p)!! The Super 35 1080p has got a lot more noise :)
I'm so glad that I hesitated and then declined to purchase this camera. They are getting close but the issues, such as the menu, would drive me crazy....Thanks
Thx guys. As a pro. It would drive me crazy being on a shoot. With clients. Talent. Etc and the camera shuts down.
You didn't talk much about lens choices for the Sony. I'm considering buying the a7R II with Sony's 24-240mm lens for a starter. What are your thoughts about that choice as an all-around lens?
The movie button is assignable to other custom buttons. You should have mentioned that when complaining about the placement of movie button.
+Evi Tthought We also complained about how it needed more custom function buttons, when those on the body need to cover stills and video. I think it would make sense to make the most easily accessible button serve as a record button when in video mode.
Jordan @ TCSTV
+TheCameraStoreTV the current movie button position is a legacy of another overblown issue on the internet :) back on the NEX7, it was ok, not great but useable. but people kept complaining that they hit it accidentally, and it got out of hands. Sony had to move it so far, because that's what people asked for.
it makes sense that in video mode, there should be an option to use the shutter button instead, as that button servers no purpose in video anyway.
or they should move the movie button back to an ergonomic spot, but add an option in firmware to require something like a double press or a long press to start recording, so people wont hit it by accident if their main focus is stills.
+Ivan Phan It doesn't matter. The movie button on A7RII is reassignable. The reviewer simply didn't even bother to mention that fact.
Evi Tthought I mention it in every review I comment on, they all forget to say it even when they mention the bad position of the actual button :-) but here, they do specify a good reason why we cannot always reassign it. The camera has many customizable buttons but we cannot assign a different set up for video (for the Fn menu too), that would be really nice actually if they made it into the firmware, it's simple to program if they have enough available memory. Myself, I shoot 90% stills so all my buttons are assigned for stills, nothing for video, and I don't think I could sacrifice a button for video in my setup :-D maybe the AEL, I could do without as the camera is good at metering for my tastes, but I would feel something is lacking :-P
The Windows XP of cameras? What? You surely mean Windows ME or Vista? XP was awesome! :P
+Alexander Rex Evensen yeah i saw that too joke think he meant vista.
+Alexander Rex Evensen Completely agree, should've been Vista!
4:16 nice movie collection :)
Very decent couple of videos on this camera.
I was fortunate to get my own copy the week they arrived in Canada and have used it for over a month now. Overall I love the camera though the battery life is horrible and the menus suck (and this is coming from a long time Sony shooter since 2009!).
Recently I did a series of interviews indoors and used this camera along with the RX10II... the second day of shooting it was very hot inside and my camera overheated a number of times after about 20-25 minutes. It was embarrassing... and yes, I had pulled the display screen away from the body to displace heat.
Ironically, I thought that the RX100II was the better camera as it NEVER OVER-HEATED and delivered equally superb 4K image quality (I had used four Manfrotto LED's to illuminate the interview subjects).
+Bruce Bachand Yeah, Especially when rx100ii cant do 4k ;)
Another person who have't got the camera and trying to say it overheated?
+Extreme Remake Translate It was a spelling error.... the other camera I used was the RX10 II... which DOES shoot 4K.
Well I know what I'm saving up for
Do you think I should buy this one or wait for the unconfirmed 'A7R Mark III'?
the question to be asked for me is if it can be fully controlled over wifi remote app for video...
According to B&H, the A7 is selling more than 5D and D750. I do agree that Sony still has to fix some issues, like menus and other inconsistencies, 4K crop, etc, but DSRLs will become obsolete in the near future (5 to 7 years tops). Canon rumors suggest a FF mirrorless for 2016... Who knows, but it would not surprise me to finally see some FF mirrorless competition from Canon and Nikon by 2017.
I really like your summery about how the A7RII is really a hobbyist dream machine. This seems to be a theme that is developing finally. All the tech nuts are busy prophesying the mirror-less revolution killing the DSLR. But the Pro's are keeping with what they know works. I think it will be telling when Nikon and Canon introduce a serious mirror-less camera not the current R&D beta products. Then the tech will be ready and it will be worth the upgrade then. Your video quality is top notch.
Hi, thanks for this Video, do you can recomend a Camera for a backpacker (so it must be small, stabalist, especially for filming and good for sound (maybe a other plug?) would be nice to hear from you!
oooo this baby.....
Is there a big advantage with using the Shogun vs internal 4K? Does the IBIS work with Canon glass using metabones adapter? Can IBIS and the lens IS work together?
congratulations from China! Jordan's son is really cute
12:35-12:39 the most hilarious change in skin tone and saturation on his forehead XD
so in crop mode .. can i use canon efs lens with adaptor?
So Jordan,
For video ... sell the A7S and buy the A7RII (or wait for the A7SII) OR invest in a Atamos Ninja Assassin?
Thanks,
Rick
I'm no expert, but do you think if Sony makes a new and faster processor, that would get rid of the rolling shutter ? I mean, the sensor readout time is going to be so fast, almost instant, so when you move the camera the pixels would have already been read, so there would be no jelly effect.
Canon main menu system has little icons that at least give you a clue as to what is underneath that selection. Sony main menu system has numbers and this where the frustration starts. You have to look and learn what that number provides. However the 42Mpx Full Frame BSI Image Stabilized sensor is a major temptation for an enthusiast like me but I am hesitant to invest money in a system that is not guaranteed to work well in most situations with my heavily invested glass.
Great review, guys! How long do you get to go on paternity leave in Canada? Here in Sweden I spent 8 months with my younglings :-)
what charger do you use to charge the camera via usb? Ill be doing lots of shooting in my room, so I don't care about portability- so that set up would work well for me.
great "shots" of your kid... finally got to finish this vid
Good Day Jordan,We are not overhyping the overheating issues. The way you tested was not what causes the OH issue. In the 4K recoding mode, in a warm ambient temperature setting, such as outdoors in 78F weather, or say a greenhouse for a 4K video shoot, or a wedding outdoors when it is 75-80F or greater, the camera will shut down. Sadly, the USB power port will accelerate the shutdown as that causes the voltage regulators to quickly pre-heat the camera, exacerbating the problemStills, and other intermittent type shooting will not cause it. But rest assured, when you need that video, it will let you down, next spring and summer. It is real, and wide spread. Why are so many reviewers taking SONY's side? It is they who spoke of the camera's greatness with regard to video. If they were honest, and they aren't, they would advertise that the camera is the best full time stills camera and it can also shoot 4K with limitations.Go back and try it the way it fails Jordan. Take it into a warm environment, as though you were shooting a wedding or flower show, where it's about 80F. Hit the record button and see how long it takes before the yellow caution led flashes.Once it does, you start losing more shooting time due to cool down, at which point it will begin to fail repeatedly and more frequently too. As mentioned, if you were using the USB as your long term power source, it will fail much sooner.Have a great day guys,Larry
Lens recommendations for the A7 line?
So Leica SL review Oct 20?
Do you think some of the issues will be fixed by firmware (if not already)?
Do you drive an 18 wheeler now Chris? ;-)
Hi great video! question: when shooting video do you go in movie mode or manual or another mode?
a7s mark2 video next?
+Photographic Elements Rendering right now. It's a good one!
Jordan @ TCSTV
I am really thinking about upgrading from my Sony x100miv to the a7rll.. A question can one shoot pictures while in video mode without changing the menu dial. Or vise versa . Thank you
I'm not sure where to go from this, I've been using APS-C cameras for years and I'm not missing out on much, I'm looking to retire my Canon 7D, I've been looking at mirror less and completely lost I was thinking either the A7R11 or Fuji X-T1, both great cameras and great stills output, I'm not into video are there better cameras out there other than the two I've mentioned?
I would appreciate comments on silent shutter mode and changes in image quality.
...under low light conditions with moving objects :-)
does the camera take adventage of high megapixel count in 4k video mode by implementing lossless digital zoom? 4k is approximately 8mpx, so the camera should be able to give at least x5 of lossless digital zoom in 4k mode and x20 in 2k mode!
+Alexk Nope. It's a shame, but no one has done it yet with a current full frame sensor. The VG900 doesn't count, the image was pretty bad.
Jordan @ TCSTV
+TheCameraStoreTV Just imagine carying 1 good 16-35mm lens and having x20 lossless digital zoom in 1080p mode... that woul be the ultimate travel video camera.
Chris with a beard. 10/10
Let me know when they get that new battery firmware update. What do you think in about a month?
thanks .Have you or will you test the camera with metabones speedbooster? That will give you a extra stop and a ff''ísh fov. This would in theory mean you come closer to the allegedly 2 stops more sensitive a7sii...and you get ff field of view ( almost ) while not getting the mentioned problems with the ff video mode...?
+digiart I have shot quite a bit with a Speedbooster, and it worked great! The Sigma 18-35 F1.8 has caused me to pull out the Speedbooster less, but the Sigma 24mm F1.4 looked brilliant on the A7RII with a Speedbooster Ultra!
Jordan @ TCSTV
In general, who has the user friendliest menu system in your opinion? I, who just came out of the point and shoot world, only have Nikon D5300 and Sony a5100, and don't have much knowledge to compare between the brands. I've been taking the Sony's just as "this is the way DSLR cameras are." I'd like to make it one of the considerations when I buy a next camera.
+Hideki Gomi I'd say Samsung has the best interface by far, followed closely by Canon.
Jordan @ TCSTV
Thanks Jordan. I didn't find Nikon's easier than Sony's. This explains it! Will take a look
learn lots of from you. thank you for the videos.
I am planning to buy Dynalite Baja B6 kit. I have sony 7sr II so its working with this camera, what trigger to be use?
Thanks alot for this video, im a nub on video but i bought the a7Rii. If i want to make my clips in slow-motion... is it best then to shoot the video in 1080p Full HD 60p, super 35mm?
I don't get why you guys didn't cover fps.
You guys are great, I love your reviews. And Sony is such a tease, always releasing amazing cameras, but always with little quirks and weirdness. I can't afford to get an A7RII, but it's for the better, as I'm sure in a few years Sony will have figured the best combinations and fixed most of the little quirks in their cameras. Until then, I'll keep buying more affordable APS-C models. But eventually, when everything comes together, I'll be more than happy to put my money in one of their most expensive cameras. Just not now, it's still too big an investment for the little glitches the mirrorless Alpha line still has. But of man! do they tease.
when is the fs5 review coming?:D
1. Sorry, second comment :) I also hate video autofocus, but I agree, Sony did well. I use it for weddings and it smoothly pans between subjects
2. When you charge the camera, via usb, it has to be powered off, no? I have to do this with my A6000. It would be amazing if it could be charged while still in use.
3. cute kid. My poor son has been my subject in COUNTLESS number of photos and videos. lol
+The Post Color Blog (Dave's Tuts)
1: Agreed
2: You can power the camera through USB while shooting, but it won't charge the battery. Still a big improvement from 'powered-off only' charging of the A6000.
3: Agreed
Jordan @ TCSTV
Great but quirky, like a rare sportscar. Well that sounds like my cup of tea!
Battery life? just buy more batteries. Menu? Pretty sure they will come with a firmware update that will fix it if we keep complaining in the reviews (hopefully ehehe). Just the idea to crank up the shadows with the amazing dynamic range sold me on this camera. Thanks again for these tests guys! You're the best! :D
Jordan, what about the fact that both a7R2 and a7S2 shoot fullHD only @ 50Mb/s? I hope to be wrong but that's all I could find in the menu...
If that's so, it's kind of ridiculous, especially compared to the astonishing 200Mb/s of the GH4...
Or the 176 Mb/s of a much older hacked GH2!!
Please tell me I am wrong...
I do appreciate your entertaining comments on cameras... but do them outside rather than in your kitchen, the talkathon modality is not as interesting...
That being said, thank you for your presentations.
With respect to the Sony A7ll and the A7S. I use them both extensively for both film and stills...and the bottom line for me has been to move from an entire collection of Canons (used wonderfully professionally for years on major ad accounts) to the Sony series. Why, no real reason that I can quantify... I suppose I just like what I have in my hands. All of these Sony cameras give me the tools to create excellent professional imagery. I have no problems with most of them except for the dark ages menus - so I just give that issue to my tech assistants to figure out. I might note that we adapt the canons to the Sony bodies very successfully (Metabones) with some of the lenses actually autofocusing quite well (such as the Canon 24-105). Of course, virtually all of our video is manual focus. For video their 28-150 video lens (or whatever it is) is an incredible gem of a lens. It also is tough as we just used it extensively in Ladakh, India and Sri Lanka for most of the summer in nasty dust and heat related conditions. So, all good. No issues after substantial torture to every piece of equipment including drops onto the cement. Still works great. I just hope that they have a pro repair department as dependable and fast as Canon's.
Recently I directed and shot a pro bono piece for our local organization of Food Banks. Low budget production where I am trying to take years of professional experience and make the world a little bit better... In any case it was fun and what I discovered about Sonys is this: I handheld the A7rII with the 70-200 lens (with stabilization turned on on both lens and camera). The handheld imagery, albeit shot carefully, was like butter. Incredibly smooth and I didn't need to attach a stabilizer rig and go through all of that effort. In fact, some of the imagery was shot at the 200mm end of the range. Yes, a bobble here and there but insignificant. A wonderful discovery. We didn't have to 'tool up' for the handheld work. Incredible and time saving. If it was a pro job and there was time, of course, I would still rig up with a stabilizer or just use an Arri on a pod, but, unbelievably it worked. There is no question that these little Sony cameras give my heavy duty professional equipment a solid run for the money.. the kit is small and fun.
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Oh by the way, the real sleeper from Sony is the RX10. Just amazing for the price, or for any price.
Anyway, thanks for your review.
BT
did you use a external recorder for the second part of the first review video? the image was really beautiful
+Andre Brown Jr. Internal recording throughout.
+TheCameraStoreTV amazing, thank you. Lol this camera is bipolar, in a good way tho
Is this camera still relevant in 2019?