Sony A7 II PDF User Manual
Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Sony Alpha A7 II? It happens all too easily, but fortunately Sony makes a soft copy available that you can browse through online, print out, or download (see the pdf file below). It is certainly good practice to carefully familiarize oneself with the many different functionalities and options that the A7 II offers, and the official user manual is without doubt an authoritative and comprehensive source of respective information.
That said, the instruction booklet can be a dry read, so that a dedicated camera guide book from a professional photographer that illustrates the camera's core functions in a real life photography context can be a very helpful complement. Yes, getting one of these camera guides (see here at amazon) would involve an additional expense, but if that book helps to exploit the camera's potential to the full, the (small) additional investment may well be worth it.
Also, you might want to check out the video tutorial on the Sony Alpha A7 II below.
In any case, the A7 II is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This mirrorless interchangeable lens camera was revealed to the public on November 20th, 2014, which means that, as of today, the camera is 3595 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued and was succeeded by the Sony A7 III as a replacement in the same line of cameras.
Sony's instruction manual for the A7 II
The camera's instruction manual is 100 pages long. The pdf version is embedded below. As you browse through, you will hopefully find the information you are looking for. You can also print out a hard copy by right clicking on the manual and then choosing the respective menu option. For convenience, a summary of the key specs of the A7 II is included towards the bottom of this webpage.
Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference (Ctrl-Shift-D on a Windows PC; Cmd-Shift-D on a Mac). Happy browsing!
Click on the button below to download the pdf version of the Sony Alpha A7 II manual to your computer. The file will open in a new browser window.
If you prefer to read the user guide in another language, please check the respective availability on Sony's support site. That site also provides complementary online resources, such as information on the compatibility of various camera accessories or the availability of firmware updates that are not necessarily comprehensively covered in the instruction manual.
Printed, hardcopy versions of the Sony A7 II manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.
Video tutorial for the Sony Alpha A7 II
Perhaps instead of reading through a manual or operations guide, you might prefer to better familiarize yourself with your A7 II by watching a video tutorial. It can notably help to quickly get to know the key functions and to set up your camera according to your particular preferences and needs.
Once again, the Sony A7 II is a sophisticated imaging tool and not exploiting its capabilities to the full would be a pity. Hence, taking the time to study online information material or to read through a well-written camera guide book is highly recommended to make the most of your purchase.
Sony A7 II FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the A7 II.
What type of imaging sensor is used in the Sony A7 II?
The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.
Which image processing chip is used in the Sony A7 II to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Sony equipped the A7 II with the BIONZ X image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony A7 II?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-51200.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Sony Alpha A7 II?
Sony mentions a shutter rating of 200 000 actuations for the A7 II. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the A7 II over, say, three years, one would have to take about 200 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Sony A7 II?
Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your A7 II has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.
Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Sony A7 II?
The A7 II offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.
Does the Sony A7 II feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Sony A7 II for flash photography?
The A7 II's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.
Does the Sony A7 II support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?
Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).
Which battery does the Sony A7 II use?
The camera gets its power from the Sony NP-FW50 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Sony A7 II?
Yes, Sony offers the VG-C2EM as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Where can I find the best deals for the Sony A7 II?
Grey imports from Asia, as found on ebay, are often very attractively priced. However, these cameras come without a warranty from Sony.
Further reading
How does the A7 II stack up against available alternatives? In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just use the search menu below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
Core camera specifications
Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Sony Alpha A7 II.
Camera Model | Sony A7 II | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
Camera Lens | Sony E mount lenses | |
Launch Date | November 2014 | |
Launch Price | USD 1 999 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 35.8 x 23.9 mm | |
Sensor Area | 856 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 43 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 6 000 x 4 000 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 5.97 μm | |
Pixel Density | 2.80 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | 1080/60p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 25 600 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 50 - 51 200 ISO | |
Image Processor | BIONZ X | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 90 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 24.9 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.6 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 2449 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2400k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 1230k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | No front-flip | |
Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 5 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 200 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | |
UHS card support | UHS-I | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FW50 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 350 shots per charge | |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | |
Body Dimensions |
127 x 96 x 60 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.4 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 599 g (21.1 oz) |
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