Sony has announced the successor to the α77 in the α77II. The camera, according to Sony, is designed for "advanced amateurs" and has enhanced features like "the world's highest number of AF points in a new phase detect autofocus system with 79 focal points" and can "shoot at up to 12 fps for 60 total frames with continuous AF." Sony has also purportedly increased the sensor sensitivity by 20%, which means better low-light performance.
Some of the new features:
- Can capture a non-stop burst of up to 60 full-resolution JPEG images at a maximum continuous shooting speed of approximately 12 frames per second with continuous AF (in Continuous Advance Priority AE mode).
- A new 24.3 megapixel Exmor® CMOS image sensor in the α77 II camera features the same gapless on-chip lens structure as used in the acclaimed α7R and α6000 models. Sensor now offers 20% greater sensitivity than its predecessor (α77), with a range of ISO 100 to 25600.
- An upgraded XGA OLED Tru-Finder with 236,000 dot resolution, with about three times higher contrast and resolving power compared to the original α77
- The α77 II camera has a total of 11 customizable buttons with up to 51 assignable functions.
- Can record Full HD 60p and 24p movies using the AVCHD 2.0 format.
- WiFi enabled
The Sony α77 II will be available in June 2014 in a kit with a 16-50mm F2.8 lens (model SAL1650) for $1800, and will also be found body-only for $1200.
I can't tell from the photos for sure, but it doesn't look like it has a headphone jack (why do companies keep doing this?) and the articulating screen is one of the flip-up types that Sony continues to put on their cameras. It's a design I find a lot less useful than the flip out, since you can't use this style screen from the side. What are your thoughts on the new camera? Let us know in the comments below.
Watch this video. Looks like the screen articulates in a number of ways. (1:10)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAWNvW2Al1M
The screen articulates in any direction, and would be viewable throughout the *full 360 degrees* if only the camera was not in the way! It is the most articulating screen I have ever seen on a DSLR. Clearly, not many people here have had hands on with the A77 Mk 1.
"Sony has also purportedly increased the sensor sensitivity by 20%..."
You mean it wasn't an accident? Wow...
I wonder how good the EVF looks like. Nice APS-C package.
Sony and Fuji are on a roll. Nikon and Canon are in a stupor...
Or rather, new technology and products don't come out every day. We're simply in that period between new products where we're waiting for the next big thing from Canon/Nikon. Just because one company releases a product, doesn't mean other companies are in a stupor because they don't respond immediately. Have some patience. I'm sure the Canon/Nikon you have is just as capable of taking great pictures as it was before this annoucement.
Well, you have the A6000, A7, A7r, A7s, RX10, A77 Mk2, and the RX100 Mk 3
around the corner. For Sony, new and innovative technology is literally thrown at us on a regular basis in comparison to CaNikon's release agenda. Its just.. (cough, cough), the lack of new lenses that we worry about a little :-O
Sony has a pretty well-rounded roster of lenses, what is missing in your opinion? Fuji needs to build up it's lens arsenal however.
Not to mention you have Zeiss AF lenses.
Not really an issue with A mount (as you and other posters quite rightly suggest), more about the new mounts and lack of new lenses coming out at the same rate as said mounts :)
FE and NEX (or whatever they call it now) being good examples.
A-Mount is actually very good for the prosumer (i.e. A77 target audience), as you have lots of legacy and 3rd party glass as well as Sony... plus you have stabilisation throughout because its in camera so even specialised glass (ultra wide, macro) is stabilised.
And at the high end we have Zeiss with AF, which is rare on other mounts.
My point is the earth is moving below and around Canon and Nikon. There's a lot of innovation and versatility that would be nice to find in their lineup as well.
Nikon's actually doing pretty good man, sensors are great with little noise. Canon is in a stupor.
At what point do you stop wasting time with that many focus points and instead just focus and recompose? That many seems ridiculous, no?
That feature is directed at sports shooters that do not have time to focus and recompose.
Because if you shoot at something like f/1.4, you can actually not get critical focus at longer focal lengths if you focus and recompose. Lenses aren't flat and you aren't keeping it perfect along the plane.
Instead of replying to both seperately, ill try to explain my thought process.
Does a sports shooter really have that much time on his hands to cycle thru focus points till they get the one that suites the need of the scene? By that, the action has passed!
Yes, focus recompose can have its disadvantages with having the focal point being out of range once you recompose but my argument is that to cycle thru that many points is tedious and time consuming. If youre in a position to have the time to do this and the subject is still, why cant you just dial it in?
To me, its over kill after lets say, 20. And spread them out over the area, not just around the center(not that the sony or other brands do this now, just a comment).
Does that make sense or am i crazy?
The A77II is going to be an awesome sports camera, have a read about the different AF modes and the range limiter. You aren't going to want to focus and recompose with this.
You know what, I remember owning a Sony A700 way back when. I used to love the interface, ergonomics, ease of use, fps, colour was amazing. It was great except when you hit ISO 800, it sucked. Up beyond that images were falling apart, unusable. I waited for SO long for a replacement. They farted around so much with the translucent mirror business so much, waffled on what they were going to replace it with for so long they LOST ME. You know what Sony, you've got a solid camera here, and I actually wish I could buy it. But you have such a poor, inconsistent turnout schedule that you lost my business. I ended up buying another brand, spending LOADS of money. Too late.
I'm an A77 shooter and I love the camera. What I wish Sony had done is to put some work into good quality lenses for their products. Right now they have the $1500+ Zeiss lenses with are great if you want to spend that much and carry around 3 grand in equipment, then on the other side you have the $150-$200 plastic options that are alright for starting out but right now are limiting for me.
They need to piggyback on the success of the 16-50 f2.8 and Sigma's Art series and release more lenses with that quality at that price point. I think right now a lot of photographers see a neat body without nearly the lineup of glass to put in front of it and take a pass.
I have m43, C, and FF cameras in Sony, Olympus and Panasonic brands. I have shot the a77 since it was first released and taken a lot of frames. I live within 7 miles of a bird refuge and have shot flying birds for the past 6 years starting with an a700. I consider the a77 a very replacement of the a700 and it remains on the shelf only to come out for some studio work. I am sold on the a77 features, 12 f / sec, focus peaking, IBIS, handling, creative styles options, Zeiss AF lenses and love shooting through the EVF. I consider an EVF essential when shooting outdoors. I kind of chuckle when I watch outdoor OVF shooters try and review their shots on an LCD. I only use the LCD if I am showing the shot to someone else. I have been disappointed with the a77's limited AF system and limited AF tracking and high iso performance. Actually my preferred setup for shooting stage events has been an a77 and the Sony 16-50 SSM and the 70-200 G1 for stage events (I keep the iso < 1600). Last week I shot a track and field meet and focused on the throwing events since as shot put, discus and javelin and happy with an a77 and a Sony 70-400mm G1 performance. However getting 12 frames a sec is great and I can choose just the right shot. So I think I will pull the trigger and buy the a77II. Sony has fixed my two concerns. Now my rate of keepers will be higher. I have the EM5 and EM1 too and have enjoyed their AF systems but the size of the sensor does matter and I like Sony colors better. I love all the chooses we have now days.