70
B+W£2,599
(body only)TESTS AND
PRODUCTS
All images © Andy LuckLA-EA1 mount adapter.
Additionally, with peaking and
image zoom available through
the electronic viewfinder,
manual focus feels more
accurate than AF for subjects
like macro and close-up.
The A7R II also has a muchimproved AF. The Fast Hybrid
AF has 399 focal plane phase-
detection points that cover an
impressive 45% of the image
area – claimed to be more
coverage than any other full-
frame camera.
Additionally, 25-pointcontrast detection AF is
also available. The fast AF
combined with a respectable
5 frames per second maximum
frame rate means the A7R II
gives up very little in terms of
speed to conventional full-
frame DSLRs either.SONY A7R II
The Sony A7R II is a high resolution compact system camera
with a whopping 42.4Mp sensor. Andy Luck puts it to the test.
T
he new 42.4Mp back
illuminated CMOS
sensor in the Sony
A7R II is not only highly
advanced, it is the highest
resolution full-frame image
sensor Sony has made.
The new sensor design
combines the advantages
of high resolution and high
sensitivity. The gapless on-chip
lens design and anti-reflective
coating on the surface of the
sensor improve light collection
so that high ISO can be used
with low noise performance and
excellent dynamic range.
The A7R II has an extremely
impressive ISO range from
100 to 25600 (expandable to
ISO 50 to 102400), which is
quite amazing for such a high
resolution camera.
Another advantage of the
new sensor design is the
sheer speed with which the
camera outputs data from the
sensor, which is claimed to be
3.5 times faster than on the
previous camera, again quite
an achievement as the original
A7R was no slouch!
All this speed, sensitivity
and resolving power is also
available in a much smaller and
lighter package in the A7R II
than in a comparable DSLR.
The A7R II weighs in at around
628g with battery – a little
heavier than the original A7R’s
465g but still a considerable
weight saving compared to the
Nikon D810 (980g) or Canon
5DS R (930g).
A compact system camera like
the A7R II also has the further
advantage over a DSLR of the
lack of a mirror, which makes it
easy to fit all sorts of lenses via
lens/body adaptors, thanks to
the short flange back distance.
All Sony’s A-mount lenses can
also be used via an LA-EA3 orHORNBEAM CANOPY
Built-in focus peaking makes it easy to
find focus even with old manual focus
lenses from the days of film cameras.
Sony A7R II with OM Zuiko 24mm f/1.8 lens via
OM/NEX adaptor, 1/25sec at f/8, ISO 200WATER DROPLETS ON GERANIUM LEAVES
The Sony A7R II metering system is
very reliable and retained the subtle
dark tones in this scene well.
Sony A7R II with OM Zuiko 50mm
f/1.8 lens via OM/NEX adaptor,
1/125sec at f/8, ISO 20070-71_Sony_A7R_II_185 ER/MB.indd 7070-71_Sony_A7R_II_185 ER/MB.indd 70 02/12/2015 11:2302/12/2015 11:23