Sony A7 II Review - The A7 II follows on from the Sony A7 to sit at the top of the manufacturer's CSC tree. Although it's not a direct replacement, it does offer several improvements while maintaining the impressive full frame sensor.
Sony A7 II Review
Sony A7 II Review – Design
The A7 wasn’t without its criticisms, and a fair amount of these were levelled at the design of the camera. One of the biggest issues was the lack of any kind of handgrip, and as a result the camera could feel a touch uncomfortable in the hand.
The good news is that this is an area that has been looked at with the A7 II. The new model features a re-engineered grip that not only offers a more comfortable hold of the camera but also transforms the way the camera operates on the whole.
Alongside the new handgrip the model also features a repositioned shutter button, two customisable buttons on the camera’s top plate and slimmer front and rear control dials. This new configuration makes the camera much easier to operate and gives it the feel of a more serious DSLR rather than a CSC.
Solid build
This new design compliments the impressive core tenants of the A7, namely the durable magnesium allow body that featured both weather and dust sealed characteristics.
The body also features a new finish, giving the camera more of a matte-black speckled finish that gives it a smarter and cleaner feel than the semi-gloss finish found on the A7.
All in all, the changes made to the A7 II’s design are all welcome, and the only aspects that disappoint somewhat are the placing of the movie-record button, and the configuration of the control wheel.
The former of these gives the camera a bit of a jolt when pressed, which can prove problematic when filming video, while the latter is a touch too small and fiddly and can certainly prove awkward in cold conditions or when tried to be operated wearing gloves.