Sony A7 : Tests and Reviews

The Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS is a short-telephoto prime for Sony full-frame mirrorless E-mount cameras such as the high-end a9 and the earlier A7 models. Besides being a G-Master model with high-grade optics and build, it has number of interesting features that make it stand out as a highly specialized lens for portraiture. First is the inclusion of optical image stabilization, which can be used to complement the camera’s sensor-shift stabilization (where applicable); and second is the use of an apodization filter or APD element as part of the optical construction.

The Sony FE 85mm F1.8 is a high-speed standard prime for Sony full-frame E-mount cameras such as the A9 and A7 cameras, but will also fit smaller “cropped” sensor APS-C models such as the A5000, on which it offers an equivalent field of view of a 130mm focal length.

Launched just 8 months after its predecessor, the A6300, the $1398 Sony A6500 is the third iteration in Sony’s flagship range of mirrorless hybrid cameras featuring an APS-C sensor. Built around the same 24.2Mp APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor as the A6300, the new A6500 achieves the same overall DxOMark score of 85 points, with almost identical results in its Portrait, Landscape, and Low-light ISO scores. The A6500’s 24.2Mp sensor packs plenty of resolution for photographers seeking to record intricate detail, and in the mirrorless APS-C camera category, the A6500 is surpassed in resolution only by the 28.2Mp Samsung NX1.

Carl Zeiss’s latest range of Batis lenses have been specifically designed for the Sony A7 series of full-frame mirrorless cameras such as the Sony A7R II and Sony A7S II. Together with the legendary optical precision and outstanding build quality for which Carl Zeiss lenses are known, the new Batis lenses also feature autofocus and an innovative OLED display on the lens barrel that gives both focus distance and depth-of-field information. The first lenses released in the Zeiss Batis lineup are the 25mm f/2 wide-angle prime and the 85mm f/1.8 short telephoto prime.

Rather than follow established trends for high-grade, high-speed lenses that are inevitably large, heavy, and cumbersome, the manual-focus Loxia series from Zeiss, like the AF Batis range, feature the same high-grade optics, but with more modest maximum apertures in a form factor based on the premise of the tiny size of the Sony A7 full-frame mirrorless cameras themselves. Announced in October, 2015, the $1499 Zeiss Loxia 21mm f2.8 is a super-wide-angle prime with a new Distagon design that’s been optimized for the demands of digital capture.

The new Sony A7S II is the upgrade to the A7S and offers ultra-high sensitivity up to ISO409600 and 5-axis stabilization in what promises to be an impressive available-light camera. In addition, the A7S II builds on its predecessor’s video credentials, adding 4K (UHD) internal and Full HD video up to 120 fps. Read on to find out how well the sensor in this new model performs.

Packing a 28.2Mp BSI CMOS sensor, the Samsung NX500 is one of the highest-resolution APS-C hybrids cameras currently available. Wasting no time after posting scores for its sister model, the NX1, our latest review analyzes the stats and scores for the NX500.

We continue our optical analysis of Sony’s latest FE-mount lenses, this time examining the performance of the $1598 Sony Carl Zeiss Distagon T* FE 35mm F1.4 ZA. A professional-grade “fast” aperture wide-angle prime, the new lens is specifically designed for use on Sony A7 hybrid cameras. Including three aspherical lens elements and Zeiss T* coatings for enhanced image quality, let's hope for great results as we run though our industry standard tests.

Packing a 28.2Mp APS-C sensor, 4K-video and 15fps burst shooting, the new Samsung NX1 is hot news on the hybrid scene. For a full overview of features and specifications, check out our NX1 Preview. And now with the NX1’s sensor measurements in and verified, let’s see what Samsung’s latest NX hybrid camera has to offer.

A year on from launching the world's first full frame hybrid camera Sony have unveiled its successor, the a7 II. Claiming another world first the new Sony a7 II is the first full frame interchangeable lens camera to feature a 5-axis image stabilisation system. But what else is new? We trawl through the new Sony a7 II spec sheet to find out.