The Sony A77 II is Sony's bet on translucent mirror cameras . With a robust and ergonomic body , the Sony A77 II features translucent mirror technology that offers very fast shooting speed and focus. It has a 24.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, accompanied by a BIONZ X processor that allows a very fast shooting speed and minimizes noise. The camera can shoot up to 12 images per second with continuous focus on, so not a single detail is missed. The focus is undoubtedly one of the star features of the Sony A77 II.79 zones, to be said soon. Includes an electronic viewfinder and flip-up screen. On paper the Sony A77 II is a super camera, let's see how it performs in practice.
Design and handling
The Sony A77 II has a robust design (magnesium alloy) that reminds us of any high-end SLR camera . It is comfortable to hold, it would be good to lose a few grams (647 grams only the body). The controls are very well located so that we can reach them without difficulty. In the upper right is the power switch, the trigger and a wheel to adjust the speed . There is also a small screen to view the parameters of the shot and other buttons to adjust theISO sensitivity, exposure compensation, white balance and the capture mode (single, burst, timer ...). At the top left is the selection dial for shooting modes (automatic, manual, scenes, video…). This wheel is a bit uncomfortable to handle since, in order to turn it, you have to press the button located in the center.
If we go to the rear we find a wheel to adjust the opening, positioned so that we can handle it with the thumb, while the index finger reaches the front wheel (speed) without problems. There is also the video button , focus mode, display mode, button function and crosshead to move through menus. The memory card is inserted from the right side. On the left side are the connections , all covered by their corresponding cover, which by the way fit well and are easy to open. It has an output for a microphone, connector for external flash , direct current input, microHDMI and microUSB . The lens used for the test is a 16-50 millimeter zoom with f / 2.8 aperture. It has a switch to lock the ring , very practical when it comes to storage.
Screen and viewfinder
The Sony A77 II allows us to shoot through the viewfinder or its rear screen. The electronic viewfinder has a good resolution and shows us the information of the shot. The screen is not tactile, but it is very versatile since it allows us several positions. When we save it, the screen can be closed and it is totally protected. It measures three inches diagonally, a large enough size to be able to see the frame clearly. It looks pretty good in the sunlight. In addition, being foldable allows us to find the best angle so that there are no reflections. Has a proximity sensorthat turns off the screen when we bring the camera close to our face, and at the same time connects the viewfinder, so it does not use more battery than necessary.
Focus and shoot
As we have already said, the 79-zone focus is the standout feature of the Sony A77 II. The translucent mirror system allows you to focus very quickly, even on moving subjects. Behaves equally well when video recording and is very quiet thanks to the engine included in the lens.
Another advantage of the translucent mirror is the speed of burst shooting. The Sony A77 II shoots up to 12 photos per second with continuous focus mode on. The limit is 60 shots if we are working in JPEG format , which is not bad at all. The BIONZ X processor also takes care of processing the data quickly. Without a doubt, speed is the strong point of the Sony A77 II.
Picture quality
The Sony A77 II has a wide and very bright sensor , the same one that we find in other models like the a6000 . It manages to capture with a great level of detail and the images are very wide, so we can work with them at a professional level without any problem. In the image gallery you can see the sharpness it achieves, even in low light conditions. The BIONZ processor promises to reduce noise at high sensitivities , although above 6,400 ISO the noise is already more than evident, so it is better to try to maintain a somewhat more moderate level. Also keep in mind thatthe lens plays a very important role in this section and the quality will vary depending on the model we are using. Videos also have a good level of detail and the autofocus responds very quickly and accurately. It also includes a stabilizer built into the camera, to reduce shake.
[Click on the images to see them in full size]
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ISO 10,000
ISO 3,200
Conclusions
The Sony A77 II is a worthy successor to the A77 launched three years ago. Keeps the mirror translucent and boosts speed, both when focusing and shooting. These two characteristics point directly to sports or nature photography , where speed is necessary if we want to capture every last detail. Both the viewfinder and the screen have good resolution and their combination is very comfortable to work with. The screen is especially practical when recording videosor shoot at slightly complicated angles, as it allows us to adjust it to the most appropriate position. As in its predecessor, the image quality is still outstanding, but be careful with raising the ISO too much or we can load the photo with the annoying noise. It has a good variety of connections , especially the WiFi and NFC to be able to send them directly to our smartphone.
Sony a77 II
| Brand | Sony |
| Model | a77 II |
| Typology | Translucent Mirror DSLR |
Sensor
| Type | Exmor APS-C CMOS |
| Size | 23.5 x 15.6 mm |
| Resolution | 24.3 effective megapixels 24.7 true megapixels |
| Image processor | BIONZ X engine |
Sony 16-50mm lens (ILCA-77M2Q)
| Focal distance | 16 - 50 mm Equivalent to 24 - 75 millimeters (35 mm) |
| Opening (No. F) | f / 2.8 |
| Focus | Silent autofocus SSM |
| Building | 13-16 elements-elente groups |
| Image Stabilizer | Compatible (built into camera) |
Focus
| Type | By phase detection |
| AF system | 79 zones |
| focus area | Wide, Zone, Center, Flexible Spot, Expanded Flexible Spot, Lock-on AF (Wide, Zone, Center, Flexible Spot, Expanded Flexible Spot) |
| Focus modes | Single-shot autofocus (AF-S), Continuous autofocus (AF-C), Automatic AF (AF-A), Direct manual focus selectable |
| Features | Focus lock Focus light (1-5 meters) Eye Start autofocus Eye AF Predictable focus control Focus lock |
Exposition
| Measuring system | Evaluative of 1200 zones |
| Exposure compensation | +/- 5.0 EV (in selectable 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps) |
| ISO sensitivity | 100 - 25,600 |
| Shutter | Electronic control, vertical transverse and focal plane type Photographs: 1/8000 to 30 seconds, light bulb. Movies: 1/8000 to 1/4 (1/3 steps) up to 1/60 in auto mode (up to 1/30 in auto slow shutter mode) |
| White balance | Auto White Balance, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent (Warm White / Cool White / Day White / Daylight), Flash, Color Temperature (2500 to 9900 K) and Color Filter (G7 to M7 , A7 to B7), Custom (1/2/3), Custom |
Viewfinder
| Type | Electronic OLED |
| Size | 0.5 inch |
| Resolution | 2,359,296 points |
| Coverage | 100% |
| Extension | Approx. 1.09x (35mm camera equivalent: approx. 0.71x) with 50mm lens at infinity |
| Diopter adjustment | -4.0 to +3.0 |
| Ocular point | Approx. 27mm from the eyepiece lens and 22mm from the eyepiece frame |
Display and layout
| Size | 3 inch LCD |
| Folding | Yes, on 3 axes |
| Tactile | Not |
| Resolution | 1,228,800 points |
| Dimensions | 142.6 x 104.2 x 80.9 mm |
| Weight | 647 grams (body only) 726 grams (with battery and holder) |
Flash
| Type | Built-in flash, external hot shoe option |
| Modes | Flash off, Auto flash, Fill flash, Slow synchro, Red-eye reduction (on / off selectable), Rear sync, Wireless control, High speed sync |
| Features | Synchro. 1/250 seconds Compatible external flash |
Shooting
| Photo modes | Auto (Smart / Superior), Scene Selection, Sweep Panorama, Continuous Advance Priority Auto Exposure, Movie, Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, Manual, Memory Recall. |
| Scene modes | Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports Action, Sunset, Night Portrait, Night Scene, Manual Twilight |
| Creative styles | Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night View, Autumn Leaves, Black & White, Sepia, Box Style (1-6), (Contrast [-3 to +3 increments ], Saturation [-3 to +3 increments], Sharpness [-3 to +3 increments]) |
| Video modes | Autofocus tracking duration HDMI® information on screen Audio level on screen Audio recording level Automatic slow shutter Autofocus drive speed Movie with AF |
| Burst shooting | 12 fps with continuous AF |
| Image size | Format 3: 2 G: 6000 x 4000 (24 M) M: 4240 x 2832 (12 M) P: 3.008 x 2.000 (6.0 M) 16: 9 format G: 6000 x 3376 (20M), M: 4240 x 2400 (10M), S: 3008 x 1688 (5.1M) Sweep Panoramic: Standard: horizontal 8,192 x 1,856 (15M), vertical 3,872 x 2,160 (8.4M) Wide: horizontal 12,416 x 1,856 (23M), vertical 5,536 x 2,160 (12M) |
| Video size | FullHD 1,920 x 1,080, 60 fps / 24 fps Dolby Digital sound |
| File formats | Image: JPEG compliant (DCF version 2.0, Exif version 2.3, MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.3 format) Video: AVCHD: MPEG-4 AVC / H.264, MP4: MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 Audio: AVCHD: Dolby® Digital (AC-3) 2ch, Dolby® Digital Stereo Creator .MP4: MPEG-4 AAC-LC 2ch |
Connections and autonomy
| Memory card | Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duoâ „¢, Memory Stick XC-HG Duoâ„ ¢, SD, SDHC, SDXC |
| With cables | Microphone mini jack Synchronization terminal Multi / micro USB terminal Wired remote terminal Multiple interface shoe |
| Without cables | Wifi NFC Wireless controller (sold separately) |
| Battery | NP-FM500H M series rechargeable battery 480 shots of autonomy |
+ info
| Release date | Available |
| Manufacturer's website | Sony |
Kit price 1,800 euros (1,200 euros body only)