Incredible 4K Footage From Sony's a7S II Captures Earth From the International Space Station

Earlier this year, the Japanese Experiment Module (KIBO) on the International Space Station (ISS) installed Sony's a7S II mirrorless camera on its exterior. The a7S II is known for its gorgeous 4K video capabilities and wide dynamic range. Sony released video transmitted back from space as the module made its way up the east coast of the United States; The results are truly incredible. 

In order to prepare the a7S II for the challenging environment of space, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) equipped the camera with a heater and radiator to help manage extreme temperatures; The camera needed to be able to function in temperatures ranging from 250 degrees to -250 degrees Fahrenheit! The a7S II also has software which enables those inside the ISS to control it remotely. Other than the temperature regulation and remote control software, the camera body remained unchanged. Katsumi Ikuta of Sony's Design Planning and Development department said, "The hardware is the same as the commercially-available product." 

The camera was launched in late 2016 and fitted with Sony's FE PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS power zoom lens early this year. JAXA has released two videos in addition to "U.S. East Coast by night" featured in this article above. You can also see "Japan by day" and "Japan by night" below. According to their YouTube channel, "4K images shot on the Sony a7S II will continue to be transferred from ISS to Earth."

[via Forbes]