Sony A7Rii or Sony A7Sii or something else?

[jonathan murphy]

I own a red epic dragon and love it but need a second run and gun. I know the specs on both the Sonys in the description but what do you guys recommend? I just want something really compact with the ability to shoot some stills (not a photographer but I did just have a baby so you know how that goes)

 

[Karim D. Ghantous]

I don't know of any camera better than the A7 models for what you want, except for the Leica SL. I would never use a photo camera for cinema, but because you are okay with it, the Sonys are the ones, IMO. In which case the A7sII makes more sense, as it does something that the Dragon can't do - extreme low-light photography.

If I had to choose between them for photography, it would be difficult, because I don't really want 42Mpx but 12Mpx isn't quite enough. The A7sIII might be 16Mpx in which case that would be your money-melon.

 

[Patrick Tresch]

The A7s2 is an impressive tiny camera wich even can output QuadHD on the HDMI and records QuadHD internally. It has some rolling shutter but it's what comes closest to the Dragon on the Dslr level. It has also a handy sensor stabilisator wich let you shoot handheld quite easily.
The A7r2 isn't specially made for video and has bad rolling shutter.

Pat

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

A7R2 advantages - superior resolution, stills/video usage all around performance

Price - huge raw still files, S35 crop rolling shutter is wobble city, for usable general motion FF video is a must

A7S2 advantages - higher sensitivity, improved color science (with S-Gamut3.cine), superior rolling shutter in S35 crop

Price - resolution for stills, resolution with S35 crop IF intercutting with UHD native material


Depends on your priorities.

 

[Bill Sepaniak]

As mentioned above , it depends on how important low light and mega-still images are for you. I have the A7RII, since I do large format fine art photography and printing on canvas. For video I use the A7RII in Super 35 mode, but with a Metabones Ultra, and MF Contax/Zeiss lenses. The result is what amounts to a full frame image, but a stop faster. For instance, my 21/2.8 Contax effectively becomes a 1.8 ... meaning you do gain some low light capability. The rolling shutter is there ... but not all that bad. Most of my stuff is locked down on sticks. I also use the camera with an Atomos Shogun. Wonderful screen + the ability to record in ProRes and DNxHD (I am not a big fan of the Sony codec) and to dial in LUTS on screen and/or in the final recording. Handy little camera ... for what it is.

 

[Paramon Ivanovich]

i was in the same situation and went with 1DXmkII, mostly because of 4K 60, don't have any regrets, easy match to Red, excellent camera, long battery life, great AF, my Epic is EF, so i even use the same lenses,
it is not A7Sii in low light, but i kinda don't need that extreme low light.

 

[Sergio Perez]

i was in the same situation and went with 1DXmkII, mostly because of 4K 60, don't have any regrets, easy match to Red, excellent camera, long battery life, great AF, my Epic is EF, so i even use the same lenses,
it is not A7Sii in low light, but i kinda don't need that extreme low light.

I went the same route. Only slight downside is the lack of a proper log profile on the 1D Mark II, but the video quality is top notch for a 8 bit 4:2:2 compressed file.

I would also wait for next week's Canon 5D Mark IV launch. Confirmed specs are 4K 30fps, 30.4 Megapixel sensor, ISO up to 32 000 , "Time-lapse Movie" and HD 120fps.

From the spec sheet, the only place it lacks vs the Mark II for video is the 60p vs the 30p. For Pictures, if you're not thinking sports, the Mark IV should even be a better choice than the 1D Mark II.

I can't get myself buying a Sony A7S. I just don't like their color science.

 

[Mike Halper]

I'm curious if anyone has worked with the JVC LS300. Super 35. 4K DCI. Log recording. m4/3 mount so you could use PL and/or EF lenses. Very versatile, but not sure about the quality. Low light certainly not as good as A7s/r. I know it's very compressed, but is 150mb/s, so better than a GH4? Also pretty inexpensive.

 

[Derek Carlson]

Having owned both I can safely safe the a7sII is much better for video, and a7rII is the best for photos.

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

I can't get myself buying a Sony A7S. I just don't like their color science.

That's been taken care of.
The solution is in my signature, second link.

 

[Sergio Perez]

That's been taken care of.
The solution is in my signature, second link.

Those look amazing Hrvoje. Any chance of developing one for cinestyle profile non log Canon cameras like the 1DX Mark II?

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

Those look amazing Hrvoje. Any chance of developing one for cinestyle profile non log Canon cameras like the 1DX Mark II?

Thanks, Sergio.
Sure. I'd have to analyse it properly. That takes time and I'm working on optimizing other cameras now. I'll check with colleagues about the camera.

 

[jonathan murphy]

Thanks, Sergio.
Sure. I'd have to analyse it properly. That takes time and I'm working on optimizing other cameras now. I'll check with colleagues about the camera.

Hrvoje, Which do you recommend? A7Rii or A7Sii? Honestly I "want" the a7rii for the stills but know the Sii is really good for video. Just curious what you think since you have really worked with the files of these cameras quite a bit. I will say I do a lot of color work. Not expecting RED performance at all just something good when I can't bring the RED.

 

[Bill Sepaniak]

Hrvoje, Which do you recommend? A7Rii or A7Sii? Honestly I "want" the a7rii for the stills but know the Sii is really good for video. Just curious what you think since you have really worked with the files of these cameras quite a bit. I will say I do a lot of color work. Not expecting RED performance at all just something good when I can't bring the RED.

If you are talking about the native files for both cameras in terms of color manipulation ... they are the same: 4:2:0 XAVC-S 8bit. That codec /color sampling/ bit depth ... is ... what it is. If you start pushing it round in something like Resolve, you will quickly see that there really isn't a lot work with. Both cameras will output 4:2:2 8 bit from the HDMI, which is the way I go using the Shogun to record to either ProRes or DNxHD, which are more-edit friendly than XAVC-S, and 4:2:2 gives you slightly better color sampling for pushing the colors around in post.

 

[Dan Kanes]

Battery life is pretty abysmal on the Sony cameras... Don't know if that's what you meant by run and gun, but if you have to change the battery every 20min you might be aggravated.

 

[Bill Sepaniak]

Battery life is pretty abysmal on the Sony cameras... Don't know if that's what you meant by run and gun, but if you have to change the battery every 20min you might be aggravated.

True. But ... I use a Sony battery grip, so that helps ... and if you use the camera on a tripod, there are third party external battery solutions that will power it for hours.

 

[David Peterson]

If you're using it professionally for run and gun style shoots then do yourself a favor and spend the bit extra for the Sony FS5. And get a Sony RX100 for casual snaps of your baby

 

[Bill Sepaniak]

If you're using it professionally for run and gun style shoots then do yourself a favor and spend the bit extra for the Sony FS5. And get a Sony RX100 for casual snaps of your baby

I guess it depends on how you define "the bit extra." Let's see here: A7SII = $3,000.00 A7RII = $3,200.00 ---- FS5 = $6,100 + RX100 = $500.00 for a total of $6,600.00 (all B&H current prices). A "bit extra" ... Hmmmm.

 

[David Peterson]

I guess it depends on how you define "the bit extra." Let's see here: A7SII = $3,000.00 A7RII = $3,200.00 ---- FS5 = $6,100 + RX100 = $500.00 for a total of $6,600.00 (all B&H current prices). A "bit extra" ... Hmmmm.

You're looking at the FS5 with a lens, without a lens it is $5,599

Extra $2.4K for what will be a workhorse camera? Yeah, worth it.

Just depends on the role of the camera, if it is just going to be an occasional minor C then for sure get even an a7S mk1 secondhand! Is still a great buy.

But if the camera is going to be paying its way? And is going to be regularly rented out on productions. Then go for the FS5