Sony a7R II is a 4K-shooting, 42MP full-frame camera
Sony has unveiled the long-awaited update to its a7R mirrorless camera, boosting the shooter’s credentials with internal 4K video.
Dubbed the a7R II, this Mk. 2 version boasts a number of improvements over its predecessor.
For starters, it’s got 399 on-sensor phase detection points, which should make for exceptionally nippy autofocus.
This will still work with lenses produced by other brands too, marking this as a versatile offering.
Sony has also improved the camera’s shutter mechanism, and the a7R ships with what Sony boasts is the world’s first back-illuminated full-frame 35mm Exmor R CMOS sensor.
This sensor can churn out super-high resolution 42.4-megapixel shots, and offers a maximum sensitivity of ISO 102400.
At that ISO setting, the Sony a7R II can effectively see in the dark, although we’ll need a review unit to test this feature properly.
Of course, that’s still not a scratch on the Sony A7S, which offers up an absurd 409,600 max ISO.
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Perhaps the headline feature is that the a7R II allows you to shoot 4K video using the entire full-frame sensor.
UHD video can be captured at 30, 24, or 24 frames per second, and can also be taken from a Super 35 crop.
Thanks to the XAVC codec, the a7R II can record at 100Mbps during 4K shooting, and 50Mbps with Full HD capture.
There’ll also be a 5-inch 1080p monitor coming out soon that Sony says you’ll be able to mount onto the hot-shoe. We’ll update you when we have more info on this.
It’s great to see Sony taking 4K shooting seriously, but this impressive shooter will cost you a fair chunk of change. The camera is set to cost around $3,200 (£2,069).