Sony a7RII Vs a7SII – Detailed Comparison Review

Pitting cameras against each other is sort of our thing as you already know. And today we have another exciting comparison review for you – the Sony a7RII vs a7SII. We’re sure you’ll find it as exciting as we did touring through these cameras.

Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

By all standards, these are good quality cameras worth the money. One, they are both cameras are mirrorless. Two, they are also pro cameras with excellent features you’d enjoy.

Although only a few months younger than the a7SII, it’s a little difficult telling which of the two cameras is the more sophisticated one. They both have areas where the one shows higher advancement over the other. However, with the help of our side by side comparison, we’ll be able to get to the bottom of this. Or, at the very least, we could be able to help you decide which to consider going home with.

Ready to ride along with us? We’ve got loads to check out on the Sony a7RII vs a7SII contest. Leggo!

Table of Contents

Comparison Overview — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

So, here’s the miniaturized and summarized review of the Sony a7RII vs a7SII. If you can’t spare the time to go through the complete review, this could help you make a quick decision.

Overall Rating Of Features — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

Here’s our assessment of the features of the Sony a7RII vs a7SII. We will break this section into what both cameras do well, not so well, as well as where and where each camera outdoes the other.

Before we go in, you might want to note that the Sony a7RII and a7SII were both announced in the same year within 4 months of each other. However, they are both quite the same with each camera outdoing the other in different aspects.

Where They Both Get It Right — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

The Sony a7RII and a7SII both do great in the ISOs. They both have high ISOs even though that of the a7SII is higher. Also, their focus points are good enough as well.

Furthermore, both cameras also come with a built-in image stabilization – the 5 axes sensor-shift stabilization. This is a great feature especially for those times you have to use longish lenses without a tripod. Plus, you spend less since you don’t have to get additional IS lenses to achieve more stable images.

RAW support, a titling screen, wireless connection, weather sealing, time lapse, and the likes are the other aspects of these two cameras where Sony did a fantastic job.

Yeah, lest we forget the 4K video quality on these two cameras is utterly amazing. They both give you the opportunity to record internally in the XAVCS format. So, no need for an external HDMI recorder.

Also, the video footage quality is hardly distinguishable as both come out super impressive.

Where They Both Do Not Get It Right — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

The batteries of these two cameras such. Thankfully the Sony a7SII comes with spare batteries as part of the package. Spare batteries include both Sony and wasabi batteries which is great.

Also, these two cameras do not come with built-in flash which is sort of a small limitation.

Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

Where The Sony a7RII Gets It Right — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

It’s a little surprising to us that the a7RII has a number of areas where it trumps the a7SII and significantly too. For the price and announcement date, you’d expect the a7SII to be significantly more advanced than the a7RII. Funny enough, that’s not the case.

The Sony a7RII has better sensor resolution, focus points, color depth, dynamic range, and low ISO. These are super important aspects of a camera and the a7RII is beating the a7SII so far. Check the full details in our comparison table.

Where The Sony a7SII Does It Better — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

There are only few areas where the a7SII does better than the a7SII. These aspects include the ISO, even though a max ISO of 25600 is still considered high. The battery life of the a7SII is also much higher than the a7SII with 60 extra shots. Plus, its sensor pixel area is also larger as well.

You can check the full details in the comparison table below.

Which has the better price-value ratio: a7RII or a7SII?

The Sony a7RII has a better price-value ratio than the a7SII. These two cameras edge each other out in the areas of features and specifications. So, considering that the a7RII is less expensive and still manages to provide a 250 percent higher maximum sensor resolution than the a7SII, you will sure be getting more value for your money spent with this camera.

This is not to say that the a7SII does not give enough value for its price because it actually does, and you will be seeing that in this article.

Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

Comparison Table — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

 

Sony a7RII

Sony a7SII

Announcement Date 10th June, 2015 12th October, 2015
Sensor Resolution 42 MP full frame BSI-CMOS sensor 12 MP Full frame CMOS sensor
ISO 100 – 25600 100 – 102400
Focus Points 399 169
Color Depth 26.0 23.6
Dynamic Range 13.9 13.3
Low Light ISO 3434 2993
Battery Life 290 shots 370 shots
Sensor Pixel Area 20.33µm2 70.55µm2
Weight 625 grams 627 grams

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

What Situation Is Each Camera Best For — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII?

Sony a7RII

Sony a7SII

The Sony a7RII is an excellent camera for taking portrait photography. Plus since its resolution is much higher than the a7SII, you get more room to crop your photos (this is a great camera for aggressive cropping). It’s also wonderful for printing your photos in larger sizes without losing all your details.  

For the street photographers, the a7RII is also a wonderful choice. With its many focus points, tilting screen, live view, and image stabilization, this camera makes a really fine choice. Besides, its full frame allows you get decent quality images even with low light.  

Sport photographers would also love to work with the a7RII except for one tiny flaw which is its continuous shooting feature. This only gives you 5 pictures per second which is not exactly encouraging. But then again, it has a pretty fast max shutter speed at 1/800 second. Plus, it also comes with more than enough focus points (399), great low light ISO and image stabilization. All of these features would have been great if only the camera had a higher FPS continuous shooting count. But then again, its low battery life is another challenge sports photographers might face when using this camera.  

Landscape photography is another area where the a7RII thrives. It’s got the full frame sensor and high resolution to give you clear, beautiful pictures.  

Lastly, this is a 4K camera just like the a7SII. The 4K quality is completely mind blowing and the video quality of the a7RII is quite impressive. We absolutely love it.
Just like the a7RII, the a7SII is an amazing camera that’s usable for all kinds of photography and all kinds of photographers. However, the a7RII seems to be a much better and more versatile camera in comparison.  

Its major letdown as a camera is its sensor resolution which comes at 12 megapixels. Competing against a 42 megapixel resolution has to be pretty tough. Nonetheless, it still does pretty good in many areas.  

Now, it goes without saying that this camera is not a first choice for photographers who love to do aggressive cropping because of the average resolution sensor. Plus, it’s definitely not going to print super large photos. The largest a 12 MP camera typically prints is about 11 x 14, although it could probably also give you a decent 16 x 20.  

That said, this camera only does averagely for landscape photography. Although it’s got the full frame which is great for taking landscape images, as well as the live view, the average resolution sensor is a bit of a drawback.  

Another area where the Sony a7RII bears a strong resemblance to the a7SII is in its 4K footage. We explain all that in full when we get to the body of the article though.

However, we can tell you upfront that you do not need an external HDMI recorder to record 4K using either of these cameras.

In summary, if you’re looking for a badass 4K Sony camera, between the Sony a7RII vs a7SII, it’s a tie. Both are marvelous!
Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

Common Features — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

Here are things you get with the Sony a7RII as well as the Sony a7SII:

i. Full frame sensor

ii. Wide ISO range

iii. 3 inch tilting screen

iv. Dynamic range

v. RAW support

vi. Mirrorless

vii. 1/8000 shutter speed

viii. Time-lapse

ix. Focus points

x. 5 frames per second continuous shooting

xi. Sensor-shift image stabilization

xii. 4K video

xiii. Weather sealing

Let us now look at each of them in detail…

Full Frame Sensor

Camera sensors can come in any of two sizes which could either be crop or full frame. The Sony a7RII and a7SII both come with full frame sensors. So, typically, they measure about 35 millimeters which is the industry standard for full frame sensors.

35 millimeters became the industry standard for full frame being that film gauge has always been measured at 35 millimeters since 1909. This became the unanimous choice because it brought the balance between quality images and affordable cost.

So, here are the benefits of a full frame sensor.

Firstly, full frame sensors have a wider dynamic range than crop sensors. This means they let in more light compared to cameras with crop sensors. Therefore, in low light situations, full frame cameras typically do much better since they let in more light.

Also, because full frame sensors have a wider angle, they are better for architectural photography especially if you have to use tilting lenses.

Furthermore, full frame sensors help you achieve a nice bokeh effect which you might not get with a crop sensor thanks to its depth of field. Even using the same angle, focal length, and aperture settings, a full frame sensor gives a shallower depth of field than the crop sensor.

The crop sensor, on the other hand, is more portable and affordable. However, in performance, it’s hardly comparable to full frame sensors.

High ISO

The ISO of a camera is a measure of how sensitive your camera is to light. As the ISO number climbs higher up, the light sensitivity of your camera also climbs with it, and so does picture quality as well.

The only challenge with using really high ISOs is that there’s always that chance of getting noise. It could even render your picture totally unusable if you’re not careful. However, as long as you know what you’re doing high ISOs are always a blessing.

Typically, cameras with high ISO allow you work with faster shutter speeds which these two cameras happen to have. They also allow you work with smaller apertures which gives you a shallow depth of field and high quality image with none of the noise.

In the end, cameras with higher ISO almost always outperform other cameras of lower ISO. So, in a dark room for instance, the camera with higher ISO will not require as much light to take a great picture as a camera with a lower ISO even if the aperture settings and the shutter speed are the same.

Now, all things considered, experts rate a max ISO of 25600 as high. However, camera makers these days are making cameras with higher and higher max ISOs.

Now let’s compare the ISO of the Sony a7RII vs a7SII.

The Sony a7RII comes with an ISO of 100 – 25600 which is already considered a high ISO. But, on the other hand, the Sony a7SII comes with an ISO of 100 – 102400. This is, of course, way higher than 25600 and will become noticeable in practice.

But even more impressively, Sony even has a camera with a higher ISO – the a7S.

3 Inch Tilting Screen

A tilting screen brings convenience which is why it is a much coveted (and now quite common) feature in modern day cameras. These blessed things allow you take pictures at awkward angles simply by adjusting the screen without you having to kneel or bend awkwardly either.

And tilting screens do not just benefit the photographer when the camera is handheld. They also prove their usefulness when the camera is used on a tripod.

For one, your menu is easier to read.

Also, the videographer is better able to compose their scenes on the rear screen with a tilting screen.

One feature we were really hoping to see though, especially on the a7SII, was a touch screen. It would have made the screen a lot easier and convenient to use but oh well, we guess we’re going to have to wait for the next upgrade.

Dynamic Range

The dynamic range of a camera is the range of brightness the camera can capture without losing detail. This especially comes to play when you’re taking pictures in bright settings or outdoors at noon. In the evening or when it’s dark, there isn’t much brightness to capture. So, dynamic range isn’t a major player in low light photography. Instead, this is where your camera’s ISO comes to play.

Typically, the wider the range, the more brightness the camera can capture. But if the dynamic range of your camera isn’t bright enough, then you could lose a lot of detail to the shadows and highlights when taking a photo outside.

You might be wondering what a good dynamic range is. Well, usually that number falls between 12 and 14. Anything a few stops away from 15 though, is considered excellent!

For the Sony a7RII vs a7SII, you find that the former comes with a dynamic range of 13.9 while the a7SII comes with a dynamic range of 13.3. The Sony a7RII is, therefore, the better choice when it comes to dynamic range. It’s a lot wider than that of the a7SII and will, therefore, do much better for outdoor or street photography especially at noon.

RAW Support

It has become quite common for photos to be taken raw as against being taken in JPEG format. And why not? RAW photos have sharper detail and higher quality than JPEG photos. Although JPEG photos are lighter and therefore easier to save and share especially on the internet, the quality of RAW images seem too good to pass up for most.

For those who need a short education, here is the summary of everything you need to know about RAW photos.

In the first place, they are referred to as RAW photos because they are still in their raw form. That is, they are not processed or compressed which is the reason they come as pretty large files and take up a lot of space. RAW photos are like a digital negative.

Now, remember we said that RAW photos are unprocessed. For this reason, therefore, when you check them out, they come muted and flatish unlike JPEG that looks like some work has been done on them. To view and edit RAW photos, you’re going to have to use special software like Lightroom or Photoshop.

But what’s the best part about shooting RAW? Well, you get to do some non-destructive editing. So, whatever you do to the image, its original quality is preserved. And, once you undo the edit at any point, you can take the image back to its original version easily.

Plus, RAW files make it easier for you to salvage your photos if anything goes wrong. You can correct the exposure or white balance (for instance) more easily and a lot faster than with a JPEG photo.

Finally, RAW photos have a more attractive image quality than JPEG photos which is why photographers prefer RAW photos.

Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

Mirrorless Cameras

Still on the Sony a7RII vs a7SII, here’s another common feature these two cameras share. They are both mirrorless cameras.

Mirrorless cameras are cameras that are missing a mirror. If these cameras had come with a mirror, the mirror would have reflected light from the lenses on to the optical viewfinder which would, in turn, have reflected light on to the sensor.

However, in the case of a mirrorless camera, the optical viewfinder is replaced with an electronic viewfinder. Since there isn’t an optical viewfinder, there’s therefore no need for a mirror. Such cameras (mirrorless cameras) simply reflect light right to the sensor from the lens.

Some people seem to believe that cameras with optical viewfinders (DSLR cameras) produce better images than mirrorless cameras. However, that might be somewhat incorrect as research and technological advancements have made it possible for mirrorless cameras to take amazing pictures.

One huge benefit the absence of mirrors brings to a mirrorless camera is that the camera is more lightweight and compact than a DSLR camera. This makes mirrorless cameras great for day-to-day photography.

Besides that, mirrorless cameras are way easier to operate than DSLR cameras. This makes them usable not just by professionals but also by beginners as well.

Shutter Speed

The shutter speed of the Sony a7RII vs a7SII is pretty much the same. They go as fast 1/8000 second to as slow as 30 seconds. These two extremes are actually useful in a camera but, of course, in different situations.

For instance, adjusting your camera to a faster time is great for when you need to freeze your subject in motion. So, whether it’s dropping water or a flying bird, a faster shutter speed will help you capture them “frozen in motion.” These pictures usually come out really awesome.

A slower shutter speed, on the other hand, is better for when you’re in a low light setting.

Understand that the faster your camera shutter is released, the less light it’s going to allow into the camera. That’s just common sense, right? So, as your camera’s shutter speed decreases from fast to slow, your pictures also gradually get increasingly brighter. This is why photographers use a slower shutter speed when taking pictures at night.

Even in advertising, taking pictures of moving automobiles to create the illusion of speed is usually done with a slow shutter speed. Let’s explain.

When you take pictures of moving subjects with a slower shutter speed, the photo tends to blur around the area of motion. So, when photographing a moving automobile, the photo will come out blurred along the wheels. This creates the illusion of speed.

So, score one for both cameras on this count.

Time-Lapse Recording

This really cool feature is available to you whichever your camera you decide. Time lapse allows you view footage of events that would normally take up to even years to occur in a matter of minutes or seconds. So, just how does this work?

Well, usually, the photographer you record the sequence at a film rate that’s slower than what you intend to playback the sequence in. So, when you record a sequence using time lapse and play back at normal speed, time appears to move faster than normal which creates the illusion of a time lapse.

Time lapse can actually increase the speed of the sequence by a factor of up to millions. Here’s a time lapse video to get your appetite whet a little bit.

Focus Points

Focus points help your camera to focus accordingly. Usually, the more they are, the easier and faster it is for your camera to focus. Talking about when it’s on auto-focus now. But then again, more focus points also have their small limitations.

The primary problem with a lot of focus points is that it gets your camera confused when in auto focus mode. So, it becomes difficult for your camera to find the exact place to focus on since there are so many points in the first place. In the end, when you press the button, all the focus points compete and the first to latch on to something wins. Problem is that might not have been where you wanted to focus on in the first place.

So, except you’re taking pictures of a subject that moves around a lot, it’s better to go manual if the focus points of your camera are many. When photographing children and pets though, these ones typically find it hard to sit still and their constant movement can move them out of focus constantly. However, more focus points, means that you’re most likely still going to be able to capture them within focus.

So, yeah to the Sony a7RII vs a7SII, the a7RII comes with more than twice the number of focus points as the a7SII. Either way, both cameras come with a lot of focus points which is okay as long as you know how to work with them.

5 FPS Continuous Shooting

Even though both these cameras come with sensor shift stabilization, high shutter speeds, and whatnot, their continuous shooting feature makes them just meh for sports or action photography.

5FPS means you can only do 5 photos per second. In a world where things happen in split seconds, that’s just a little too poor and Sony could do better. But that’s strictly between the Sony a7RII vs a7SII. Sony actually has a camera with 11 FPS continuous shooting which is the Sony a7S.

Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization

Still on the Sony a7RII vs a7SII and their similar features. These two cameras come with sensor-shift image stabilization. This will help you combat the camera shake that especially comes with using longish lenses.

As you may have noticed if you use Sony cameras a lot, Sony tends to use more of sensor-shift image stabilization than optic stabilization and the built-in sensor shift image stabilization is usually a more preferred option for two major reasons.

For one, you don’t have to spend extra getting lS lenses since the image stabilization is built-in. This means you spend less but also means that you get to carry less baggage. It’s no surprise, therefore, that it’s a pretty common image stabilization option and a much preferred one too.

So, how does sensor-shift work? As you can tell, the camera sensor is doing the shifting in response to the camera shake. But here’s the full lowdown.

Your camera comes with an accelerometer which detects the speed and direction of a camera shake when it occurs. When this happens, the accelerometer then moves the sensor accordingly such that it counters the camera shake to ensure that your image still comes out right.

Now, sensor shift image stabilization is not super precise. However, when you’re in a low light situation or when a tripod stand is unavailable and you have to use longish lenses, sensor shift image stabilization will definitely come to your aid.

In fact, these days, cameras like the Sony a7SII and a7RII come with 5 axes sensor shift image stabilization. So, from left to right, up to down, and camera rotation, the sensor sets your picture straight.

3840 x 2160 Ultra HD (4K) Video Resolution

A 4K video resolution is simply amazing because it’s clearer and sharper than full HD. It’s obviously the in thing for shooting videos these days even though full HD is still very much in vogue right now.

4K is becoming more and more popular even though it’s a little expensive to run. It comes with a higher bitrate which makes for less color banding. In practice, the camera is better able to capture the subtlest color changes better than full HD.

Yeah, remember we mentioned that it’s a little expensive to run. First off, you’ll need a speedy and powerful laptop to process your 4K video. You’ll need loads of space too to help save your video which is usually quite heavy.

Comparing the Sony a7RII vs a7SII, both cameras perform at about the same level. In fact, they are both identical.

Usually, for most cameras that do 4K video, you’d have to attach an external HDMI recorder to be able to record your footage. However, for these two cameras, you can record internally in XAVCS. Now, guess what? The record button is even customizable. You can move it anywhere you want to or anywhere that’s convenient for you to record it with.

Plus, the camera also allows you record 4K with 3 SD cards. And you can record in 120 frames per second to give the best quality footage possible.

Both the a7RII and the a7SII make an awesome upgrade in terms of video quality.

Weather-Sealed Bodies

As with all Sony cameras, both the Sony a7RII and the a7SII come with weather-sealed bodies. As you can probably tell from the name, the purpose of weather sealing cameras is to protect them from the effects of constant exposure to the elements and use.

This is done by sealing vulnerable parts such as the buttons and joints which are in constant contact with other objects with rubber. This ensures the longevity and durability of your camera.

Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

Unique Features — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

Which has the higher maximum sensor resolution: a7RII or a7SII?

At 42 megapixels, the resolution of the Sony a7RII is 30 megapixels higher than that of the a7SII. This means that you will be getting 250 percent more pixels in images taken with the a7RII than in images taken with the a7SII. That is such a huge difference. Even though megapixels are not all you need for great image quality, they still play an important role in determining picture quality. They determine sharpness as well as how much you can crop or how large you can print your pictures.

When it comes to megapixels, more isn’t always better and less isn’t always more. You’ll just have to work to find that sweet spot where the camera’s resolution matches your needs.

So, just how much do you need? The most important thing to consider actually is print size. How large do you print? If very large, then higher resolution but if not, a lower resolution would do. Plus always keep in mind that one day you might change your mind about printing in any particular size. So say you take that once in a lifetime shot and you decide to change your mind and print in a large size, if you took the picture with a low res camera, it would be next to impossible to do that.

That said, heavy croppers too need to reach for a higher megapixel count.

A 42 megapixel camera such as the Sony a7RII will be able to print pictures as large as 16 x24 inches. It could also do a 20 x 30-, 24 x 36-, 30 x 40-, and 40 x 60-inch sized picture fairly decently.

For the a7SII, on the other hand, 12 megapixels is a little low, especially considering that it is a pro camera. You won’t be able to do heavy cropping on images from this camera.

And as for print size, you can print so large. The biggest you can go without compromising so much on image quality is 11 by 14 inches. A 12 megapixel camera will also print a 16 x 20, 16 x 24, and 20 x 30 inch sized picture fairly decently. However, anything larger would be a no show.

Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

Unique Pros — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

Pros Unique To The Sony a7RII

  • Has a much higher megapixel count at 42 megapixels.
  • Also has way more focus points at 399 points which makes for faster auto focus than the a7SII which also has many focus points.
  • The a7RII also has better color depth at 26.0.
  • Dynamic range is higher too at 13.9 stops.
  • The low light ISO is better as well at 3434.
  • At 625 grams, the Sony a7RII weighs a lot less than the a7SII.
  • Plus, it costs significantly less than the a7SII by a few hundred dollars.

Pros Unique To The Sony a7SII

  • The Sony a7SII has a higher ISO range at 100 – 102400.
  • Battery life is also much improved by 60 shots at 370 shots per charge (battery life still sucks).
  • The sensor pixel area of the Sony a7SII is also larger at 70.55µm2.
Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

Unique Cons — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

Cons Unique To The Sony a7RII

  • ISO range is slightly lower at 100 – 25600 although both cameras have ISOs that are considered pretty high.
  • Battery life is significantly lower than that of the a7SII at 290 shots per single charge.
  • Sensor pixel area is also a third that of the a7SII at 20.33µm2.

Cons Unique To The Sony a7SII

  • Much lower megapixel count than the a7RII at 12MP.
  • A little more expensive than the a7RII.
  • Fewer focus points than the a7RII.
  • Dynamic range is not as wide as that of the a7RII.
  • Low light ISO is lower than that of the a7RII as well, although still sufficient.

Check out these other articles:

Common Pros — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

Sony a7RII

Sony a7SII

It comes with wireless connection with which you can transfer pictures to your computer or phone super fast. Also comes with wireless connection
You have sensor-shift image stabilization. This is an efficient and affordable image stabilization system. You don’t need to get IS lenses. So you spend less and you travel light. Also comes with sensor-shift image stabilization.
Comes with a tilting screen but no touch function. Also comes with an articulating screen.
External flash shoe included. Same here
Comes with RAW support which give totally awesome image quality Also comes with RAW support
Face detection focus points are sufficient. Plus auto focus is fast enough. Same here
Excellent LCD screen resolution. Also applies here
Features both microphone and headphone ports Also features microphone and headphone ports.
Weather sealed at the buttons and joints for durability especially with constant exposure to the weather and impact. Also weather sealed
Time lapse recording available Time lapse recording also available
You get the opportunity to use smartphone remote control. Also available here
Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

Common Cons — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

Sony a7RII

Sony a7SII

This does not come with a built-in flash. Also does not come with built-in flash
Battery life sucks as with all Sony cameras. Same here.

General Feeling Among Users — Sony a7RII Vs a7SII

Sony a7RII

Sony a7SII

The Sony a7RII got mostly 5 star reviews from users on most online retail platforms globally. This is one camera that truly made happy campers out of its users.  

Admittedly, the price tag was a little scary for a few customers initially. However, once they made the move and got the a7RII, they were super impressed. So, apparently, Sony did right by their customers.  

Users found that they were able to achieve a variety of things by playing around with this camera. Picture quality was amazing and users also found the sensor to be quite beautiful as well. In fact, one customer was so impressed they dubbed the sensor “best sensor in the world.”  

That said, the menu thing was mildly annoying for most. Having to sort through the cramped screen to navigate through the menu can be quite annoying and users said as much.  

Nonetheless, altogether, users loved their camera. There was an isolated complaint of overpricing however it wasn’t a popular opinion. Most felt they were getting a good bang for their buck.
Even though this camera seems slightly expensive, many customers actually seemed to find it affordable. We guess this speaks strongly for its price/value ratio.  

Furthermore, customers also found the 4K video to be epic. They were loving their footage especially with its ability to record at 120 frames per second. Plus, it worked for a particular user’s water footage. Someone used it to take footage of a water surfing activity and the footage was absolutely amazing.  

And about the affordability of the camera, for the supposed hefty price, you get a bundle of other accessories in addition to your camera which gives you a value for money. Well, most of the stuff weren’t the best quality as some users noted.   Nonetheless, most were grateful for the extra batteries. – the Sony and wasabi batteries. Well, it’s easy to see how the extra batteries would be a hit seeing as most customers complain about the poor battery life of Sony cameras.  
Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

In Conclusion…

Alright, so to put the Sony a7RII Vs a7SII debate to rest. What’s our opinion on all of this? Alright. Here goes. These two cameras are completely amazing. However, if we were to go for one and just one, it would be the Sony a7RII and here’s why.

The cost of the Sony a7RII vs a7SII is quite reduced. It’s not as expensive as the a7SII but its features are shockingly more sophisticated on so many counts. We say shockingly because the manufacturing date of the Sony a7RII vs a7SII makes the a7RII an older camera. Plus, the Sony a7SII costs a couple of hundred bucks more than the a7RII.

For one, the 4K video quality of the two cameras are practically the same except that the Sony a7SII comes in 120 FPS for full HD while the a7SII only has 60 FPS. This affects video quality, of course.

Besides that, the Sony a7RII does better than the a7SII on several counts. More focus points, more megapixels, wider dynamic range, and low light ISO.

The Sony a7SII only does better in its sensor pixel area, battery life, and ISO. And the numbers on these three aspects are good enough on their own without an upgrade especially for the price. In fact, we’re basically saying you won’t miss those features too much. An upgrade would have been wonderful but maybe if the price difference wasn’t that wide.

For the cost, therefore, our nod would go to the Sony a7RII. Same 4K video quality and significant improvements in a couple of significant areas as well. The choice seems pretty obvious.

Click here to buy the Sony a7R II on Amazon now.
Click here to buy the Sony a7S II on Amazon now.

Sony a7RII Vs a7SII – FAQs

What is the difference between the Sony a7II and a7RII?

Sony a7RIISony a7II
Maximum sensor resolution42 megapixels24 megapixels
Battery capacity290 shots per full charge350 shots per full charge
Video4KFull HD
Eye tracking auto focusYesNo
Focus points399117
Camera weight625 grams599 grams

Is the Sony a7RII good for beginners?

The Sony a7RII is not exactly the camera you want to be getting for a newbie. First of all, for anybody who isn’t yet making money off photography, getting a camera that costs over a thousand dollars isn’t the most economically wise decision.

Furthermore, the a7RII was particularly designed for professionals. That is to say, it is expected that people who will be using this camera already have sufficient knowledge about the workings of a camera. So, without that prior knowledge, you most likely will really struggle.

The Sony a7RII is a professional camera, so, if you are not yet a professional, maybe leave this one for now.

Is the Sony a7RII good for flash photography?

The Sony a7RII takes great photos, so, naturally, it won’t be doing so badly in flash photography. However, it isn’t exactly the best choice for that type of photography. This camera does not come with a built-in flash. It, however, has a hot shoe on which an external flash can be mounted. But will that be enough?

The cameras we will recommend for flash photography are those ones which come with ports that let you connect off-camera flashes to the camera. The a7RII doesn’t come with this port, so….

Does the Sony a7RII shoot 4K?

The Sony a7RII shoots 4K. It has a video resolution of 3840 x 2160 which means that it shoots 4K UHD. Although there is a higher 4K resolution available in a couple cameras, 4K UHD is great quality. If you plan to record documentaries, online ads, 4K UHD will suffice just good; even for some large scale productions.

However, if you are a filmmaker, it would be advisable that you go for a camera that shoots 4K DCI. That is, the camera will have a 4096 x 2160 video resolution. That is a much better and more appropriate quality for cinema screens.

Is the Sony a7RII fast in continuous shooting?

The Sony a7RII is a really good camera with a lot of really interesting specifications, but unfortunately, its continuous shooting turned out to be a huge let down. This camera can only take as many as 5 shots per second in continuous shooting, and that is surely not fast; especially for a professional camera.

A fast burst mode is really important if you will often be taking photos of people, animals, or objects that are in constant motion. Because the more shots you can take in one second, the higher your chances of capturing the best possible image. But sadly, you won’t be so pleased with the a7RII in this aspect.

Does the Sony a7RII have image stabilization?

The Sony a7RII comes with sensor-shift image stabilization. This is really great news because, a lot of times, it is nearly impossible for a photographer to keep his hands as well as the camera completely steady while taking photos. And when the camera shakes or vibrates, it will usually cause the images to be a little blurry or unfocused. However, thanks to the built-in image stabilization it comes with, you won’t having that problem with the a7RII.

With the sensor-shift image stabilization, you will be able to get sharper images even at long exposures and also at pretty long focal lengths.

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