Sony A77II Digital SLR Camera Review

The Sony Alpha 77 II Wi-Fi Digital SLR Camera takes its place just behind the flagship a99 as a high-performance, fast-focusing A-mount APS-C DSLR with improved performance of its predecessor, thanks to the inclusion of the BIONZ X image processor and the new wide-coverage phase detection autofocus system with 79 AF points, including 15 cross-type points.

The Sony A77 Mark II features a new autofocus sensor, and it's much more than a refreshed version of an existing design. Instead the A77 II is built around the AF module with the most focus points of any camera on the market (79), covering an extremely wide area of the frame. It's also rated to work in lighting as low as -2EV.

Like the Alpha 77, the Sony Alpha 77 II has a 24 million-pixel sensor, but this is a new device that benefits from the progress that has been made with sensor design in the two-and-half-plus years since the A77 first arrived.

Sony SLT-A77 II key specifications:

24MP CMOS Sensor with gapless, offset microlenses
12fps continuous shooting with autofocus (up to 60 JPEGs)
79 point AF module with 15 cross-type AF points, covering 40% of frame
Increased control over AF behavior
1080p60 movies with autofocus
Audio level monitoring during movie shooting
2.4M dot OLED viewfinder
Pull-out three-hinge tilt/swivel 1.23m dot White Magic LCD screen
Built-in Wi-Fi with NFC
1/8000th maximum shutter speed, shutter rated for 150,000 actuations
ISO 100 - 25,600 (Extendable down to 50, and up to 51,200 with multi-image combination)
Auto ISO customization
Optional, profile-based correction of vignetting, chromatic aberrations and geometric distortion
Top panel LCD
Stereo microphone and external mic socket
AF Micro Adjust

The α77II has up to 12 frames per second at full resolution. Equipped with a 79 point AF sensor and advanced auto focus tracking, technology, you never have to miss a moment. The α77II outperforms even more expensive rivals with continuous auto focus and auto exposure when shooting at 12fps at full 24.3MP resolution and can capture up to 60 frames in a single burst when in JPEG fine setting.

The Sony α77II houses a large APS-C sensor with approx. 24.3 effective megapixels for incredible detail and gorgeous enlargements. Its high resolving power adopts the same gapless on-chip lens structure as the α7R and features the latest-generation RGB color filter and other cutting-edge device technologies developed by Sony, the number 1 manufacturer of image sensors. The α77II’s image sensor exhibits approximately 20% higher sensitivity and lower noise levels compared to the α77 throughout a wide sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 25,600.

The α77II is equipped with a newly developed phase detection auto focus system, featuring wide coverage 79 AF points. Fifteen of the AF points are cross-type and placed in the most-frequently-used central area of the sensor. This helps the α77II achieve accurate focusing even with horizontally striped subjects, which line-type AF points typically find challenging. The new AF system also performs well in low-light conditions—as low as EV -2 (ISO 100), which is similar to a moonlit night under which objects are difficult to see even with the naked eye. The new AF algorithm instantly recognizes and reliably tracks the desired subject. The α77II also realizes impressive focusing accuracy, even when a large-aperture lens is mounted, thanks to the f/2.8 AF point placed horizontally in the center of the AF sensor overlapping another AF point.

The α77II is equipped with the same BIONZ X image processing engine as on the top-of-the-line full-frame models—α7 and α7R. This engine achieves approximately three times the processing speed of previous BIONZ and features all the latest image processing technologies, which are optimized for this model. The result is astonishingly high-speed processing capabilities as well as faithfully reproduced textures and amazing definition.

The Sony α77II has a wide sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 25,600 for faster shutter speeds and low-light shooting situations. Combined with detail reproduction technology, area-specific noise reduction effectively suppresses noise and realize high-sensitivity images resulting in fine details and less grain from corner to corner.

Connectivity with smartphones has been simplified with Wi-Fi and NFC control for one-touch sharing. Simply tap the camera to another NFC-enabled device like a tablet or smartphone and photos are transferred with just one touch. Users need only touch devices to connect; no complex set-up is required. Moreover, when using Smart Remote Control, the camera’s shutter can be conveniently controlled by your smartphone’s touchscreen.

Unknown

Add Comment