Sony A7-II: XAVC-S, slog-2, and now... IBIS

When they release the a7s-II, the positive is that they will again learn all their mistakes by that time. We hope.
 
The original a7 was launched 13 months ago (and after 7 months the price fell from $1700 to $1500; I haven't seen the price of the a7-II yet).
I would expect to see an a7s-II in spring/summer 2015, with IBIS and some physical+UI tweaks, but probably without internal 4K.

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It seems like there'll be a ton of new (4K) camera announcements in February (CP+ Expo in Japan). Right now, everyone is trying to clear inventory during the Christmas shopping season (but Sony is surely undercutting Canon and Nikon on the spec sheet)
 
I haven't read anything about 4K, and if it's the same stills-oriented sensor it wouldn't be surprising that it just can't do it.
 
It seems to be the moderate-but-present-aliasing-and-moire a7 sensor, looking at mpix (6000x4000) and AF points (117 phase-detect points)
 
I think it's all about how the sensor scales down the video image. For example the D610 is 6016x4016 pixel sensor and the d750 is 6016x4016 pixel sensor also yet the D750 lacks any moire and aliasing artefacts and produces a very high quality 1080p image. Doesn't Nikon use Sony sensors in the D610 and D750 and D810? I would guess Sony. will also use their own improved 24.3mp sensor in the A7 mk II not just give it to Nikon.

Anyway aliasing will make or break this camera. It will be either a D610 video or lovely D750 video.
 
So let me get this straight.

a7, then a7R, then the video awesomeness a7S and now the a7 II which is just an update to the a7 but doesn't have the UHD video of the a7S.

I mean, good on Sony for having forks in the road of upgrades, but does make it a little confusing. Does the a7R have anything unique, or will the a7 II replace that?
 
A7 for cheapest full frame camera in the world, now you can pick a used one for 800$-ish.
A7 II for general purpose full frame mirrorless, good video good photos with IBIS advantage.
A7r for specialised high resolution photography, fashion/archeticture/landscape
A7s for specialized lowlight shooting and 4K movie shooting.

The line up makes sense because each one fills a specific purpose. You can't have a 36mp sensor that shoots great 1080p video as it needs to downsample a lot, and you can't have a 24 or 36mp sensor that shoots great in lowlight. So one for resolution, one for lowlight and video (both can't be combined) and one for a compromise between the two, great at both but not as great neither in resolution nor lightlight and video.
 
I want this camera. You know, I haven't been caught up on cameras in a few months (crazy that is a long time these days), and I was noticing that I have far fewer complaints than I used too. Ofcourse I will always want better. I can see areas I would like the Dragon and Alexa improved, and I will continue to upgrade as cameras come along, but I would say that most of my complaints are starting to disappear. Sony has done a lot to offer incredible specs. Canon has overpriced under spec'd yet super solid offerings. And I'll be, if that D810 doesn't look amazing in soft light(which means it looks amazing). The GH4 is a spec sheet wet dream. And black magic has so many lens and lowlight options now. (honorable mention to Magic Lantern and other hackers for sticking it) And on the high end we have the FS7/F55, Dragon, and Alexa/s.

I have yet to meet "my" camera. But I can honestly say I have run out of things that make me angry, and no longer will intentionally withhold my purchasing. I did get a 1DC, because I wanted to support a camera design concept, but I skipped all the v2 mkII crap out there over the past 6years (I had a 60d and a d90). I am glad that manufacturers have finally started to catch up, and are hopefully done with the dark ages of hdslr development. 6years of crap, aliasing (not the Jennifer Garner one), "it's a moire!", raping jello shutter (still contesting), baked in picture profiles, s*%tty codecs, lack of basic frame rates and audio features. Some really simple improvements, and some really amazing ones, and some we didn't know we needed.

I am also happy we are getting out of the HD phase. It has always been my least favorite resolution. Even though I really will shoot with any resolution, but once you go 4K that texture and lack of pixel texture, it is hard to go back. (I know you are 50 and made good grades in college, and you can no longer see pixels! But I can, and I hate it more than SD sometimes, because at least SD was impressionistic) HD is one of the reasons people hate digital. "It is too sharp", no it really isn't, HD creates false sharpness, because it ALMOST resolves fine details, and is often over sharpened to appear like a great advance over SD. So fine details like wrinkles and pores don't resolve well and look worse than real life, not because of resolution, but because of LACK of resolution. The ARRI Alexa proves that a softened 2K image is far more appealing than a razor sharp one. And 4K projection has proven far more aesthetically pleasing than 2K projection (even when a film is only 2k).

Anyway, HAIL to the new gen cameras. I am starting to get a burning sensation in my pocket, and it isn't because of that one time. I got my money ready for 2015. Seven friggin' years since the HDSLR/RED revolution. 12years since HD. And 13years since the DVX100 gave us the hope that video cameras would no longer be an aesthetic issue, it changed the game, it paved the way, it gave us this forum!

Special thanks to all the mods for all your hours and days keeping this ship running! Special thanks to Mr. Land! I have met some wonderful artists and professionals through this site and it has changed careers and lives.

Oh look, my coffee is cold now.
 
My guess is A7s-II will have internal 4K recording since everybody was upset that it didn't have it due to the GH4.

Honestly I'd rather have internal 10-bpc 1080P
 
Demistate said:
My guess is A7s-II will have internal 4K recording since everybody was upset that it didn't have it due to the GH4.

Honestly I'd rather have internal 10-bpc 1080P
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Yeah, I would too. Need some of that 10bit gradation on these newer cameras. 8bit with 11+stops of latitude is like "too little butter spread over too much toast" - thin.
 
This new entry is a stills camera. Sony is going at Canon, Nikon and Fujifilm with pro mirrorless. We are seeing some crazy stuff this year!
 
Ebrahim Saadawi said:
A7 for cheapest full frame camera in the world, now you can pick a used one for 800$-ish.
A7 II for general purpose full frame mirrorless, good video good photos with IBIS advantage.
A7r for specialised high resolution photography, fashion/archeticture/landscape
A7s for specialized lowlight shooting and 4K movie shooting...
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A9 for high end stills and 4K (out soon ... me thinks)

James0b57 said:
... I know you are 50 and made good grades in college...
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You're only half right ... but I won't tell which half.

Demistate said:
My guess is A7s-II will have internal 4K recording since everybody was upset that it didn't have it due to the GH4....
Click to expand...
Hypothetically speaking, A7s - as been told in some places - can record 4K internally now but the feature is disabled due to the heat build up in processing. So, they'll have to get either a bigger body or a more efficient processor. Panasonic LX-1000 can do 4K from a relatively small body, so there's that hope.
 
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A7/A7ii is target for still photography group with fast AF. It is not target for the video group.
 
Bubble said:
A7/A7ii is target for still photography group with fast AF. It is not target for the video group.
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But it does have s-log2 and motion stabilization that works with my old primes. I'll take it. I am sad about no 4K or 10bit. But if S-log2 is implemented well, it may hold me over for small personal artsy projects.

But I still want 4k for my family events.

What is Triluminous Colour via HDMI? Sounds interesting, with all the 'extended gamut' talk. Can that be beyond 8bit?
http://discover.store.sony.com/sony-technology-services-apps-NFC/tech_display.html
 
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