Sony A9 II + 24-70mm f2.8 GM II

Sony A9 II + 24-70mm GM II 

Discover all its secrets in SONY A9 II

The second generation of speed, the SONY Alpha a9 II takes the impressive feature set of its predecessor and adds improved connectivity, a refined body design and even faster performance. Using the proven 24.2MP full-frame Exmor RS BSI stacked CMOS sensor and an updated BIONZ X processor, the a9 II has especially fast and responsive capabilities. It is possible to shoot up to 20 fps with a silent electronic shutter or up to 10 fps with a mechanical shutter, along with a wide sensitivity range reaching up to an extended ISO 204800. The sensor design also incorporates a 693-point phase. Detection autofocus system, offering intelligent subject tracking and real-time eye AF to ensure critical focusing on moving subjects. The BIONZ X also performs up to 60 AF/AE functions per second to accompany shooting at 20fps for reliable results in rapidly changing situations. In addition to still images, UHD 4K video recording supports up to 30fps and fast and slow motion recording is also available. In addition, 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE sensor shift image stabilization is also available, minimizing the appearance of camera shake at up to 5.5 stops.

Benefiting imaging capabilities, the a9 II receives a dramatic upgrade in its physical design, featuring a more ergonomic body shape, refined climate sealing and improved connectivity. A 3.69m dotted OLED EVF provides a bright, clear viewing medium at eye level and enables dimming-free viewing to support stills at continuous high speeds. The 3.0" 1.44m dot rear tilting LCD screen also has a touchscreen design for intuitive control over shooting settings and playback. Dual UHS-II SD memory card slots allow for flexible file storage and the a9 II has been equipped with an improved 1000BASE Ethernet T port for faster wired LAN sharing and remote camera operation. The 5.0 GHz wireless connection and Bluetooth are integrated, too, for wireless sharing and remote camera control. In addition, voice memos allow you to record sound clips of up to 60 seconds with each photo, which can then be automatically converted to text, using the Transfer & Tag app plugin, and then embed in the metadata of the files

• 24.2MP Exmor RS BSI stacked CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor

Designed for speed, the a9 II uses a 24.2MP Exmor RS BSI stacked CMOS sensor, along with an updated BIONZ X image processor, delivering impressively fast and responsive performance. Continuous shooting up to 20fps is possible with an electronic shutter or 10fps shooting with a mechanical shutter is supported. The sensor's backlit design also offers high sensitivity at an extended ISO 204800 with reduced noise for clean image quality in a variety of lighting conditions. In addition, raw uncompressed files can be recorded in 14-bit for greater color fidelity and post-production flexibility.

The BIONZ X processor also works in tandem with a front-facing high-speed LSI for faster processing times along with a wide dynamic range with smooth tonal rendering. Benefiting from the fast recording capabilities is an equally fast AF/AE metering system that operates at 60 times per second to continuously evaluate the scene to block and track moving subjects. Anti-flicker auto-shooting also recognizes and synchronizes shutter action to minimize flicker effect and get more consistent results in still images. In addition, due to the use of an electronic shutter, completely blackout-free monitoring with the electronic viewfinder is possible for more accurate compositions of moving subjects.

• Fast hybrid AF system

Covering 93% of the image area, a fast hybrid AF system incorporates 693 phase detection points along with 425 contrast detection areas for fast and accurate focusing in a variety of lighting conditions with sensitivity down to -3 EV. The density of the focus points of this hybrid AF system also enables high-density AF tracking technology, which is adept at tracking moving subjects in a variety of lighting conditions. Updated AF algorithms also benefit from maintaining critical focus on erratic or unpredictable moving subjects. In addition, the use of phase detection points allows the use of A-mount lenses via the optional LA-EA3 or LA-EA1 mount adapters with continuous AF/AE tracking support.

The apt focusing system also lends itself to a variety of focusing functions for refined accuracy, including locking autofocus, which maintains focus on moving subjects by using a configurable frame that is set over the desired moving subject, and Expand Flexible Point, which employs neighboring focus points to maintain focus on moving subjects, even if the originally selected point loses focus. The color of the focus frame is selectable, between white and red, and AF tracking is possible with apertures narrower than f/16 with lenses selected when working in Focus Priority mode. In addition, Eye AF can be used to focus on the eyes of recognized human subjects for portraits and is available in AF-S and AF-C modes for both still images and video. Eye AF can also be used when photographing animal subjects, with any focus mode when taking pictures. Autofocus can also be used in conjunction with the Focus Magnifier function for critical focus when focusing on minute details of the subject. The rear touchscreen can also be used for Touch Focus control, and the Touchpad Focus Control mode allows you to use the rear screen intuitively while keeping your eyes on the viewfinder. In addition, when working in AF-C mode, the focus point can be moved while pressing the shutter button halfway, making it easy to quickly change focus without losing sight of the action.

• Body design

1. A Tru-Finder OLED Quad-VGA EVF is introduced and has a resolution of 3.69m dot and 0.78x magnification for bright, clear viewing in great detail, and a dedicated high-quality setting enables a 120fps refresh rate for especially smooth reproduction of moving subjects. In addition, a fluorine coating has been applied to the outermost viewfinder element to benefit cleaning.
2. In addition to the EVF, a 1.44m dot 3.0" rear LCD display is also available, which has a touchpad design for intuitive operation and focus control. The screen also tilts up and down to benefit work from high and low angles.
3. The magnesium alloy chassis ensures rigidity, durability and stability while remaining lightweight. The lens mount has also been improved to better support heavy lenses, and grip stiffness has been improved for a more comfortable hand hold.
4. Extensive weather sealing, including improved sealing around the battery cover, terminal cover and chassis gaskets, has been employed to resist dust and moisture for reliable operation in adverse weather conditions.
5. Using the same NP-FZ100 battery as its predecessor, the battery life of the a9 II has a capacity of approximately 500 shots per charge with the EVF or 690 shots with the rear LCD screen.
6. Dual SD memory card slots allow flexible saving and handling of files and can be configured to partition RAW and JPEG files or used for overflow recording. Both card slots are rated to support UHS-II memory cards for faster transfer speeds.
7. A USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port has been added, in addition to a micro-USB port, for faster and more reliable tethering support. The USB Type-C connection allows the camera to be charged from the host power supply while connected.
8. Integrated PC sync terminal for wired flash synchronization with strobe packs or wireless radio remote controls.
9. The durable shutter design has been tested for 500,000 drives.
10. The updated Multi Interface Shoe supports working with the optional ECM-B1M shotgun microphone or XLR-K3M XLR adapter kit, which provide enhanced and clear audio recording sound by sending a digital audio signal to the camera, rather than an analog signal.
11. The a9 II also features a 3.5mm microphone input jack for external microphone compatibility.
12. Compatible with optional VG-C4EM vertical grip.

• Connectivity

1. Built-in Wi-Fi allows the a9 II to instantly share images to mobile devices for direct online sharing, and support for 2.4 and 5.0 GHz bands also enables wireless shooting support connected. NFC (Near Field Communication) is also supported, allowing one-touch connection between the camera and compatible mobile devices; No complex configuration is required. Once connected, the paired mobile device can also display a live view image on its screen and remotely control the camera's shutter.
2. Bluetooth connectivity enables the acquisition of location data.
3. The built-in Ethernet port has been upgraded to 1000BASE-T speed for fast wired LAN sharing and remote operation.
4. When working on a wired LAN, the Remote Camera Tool 2.1 application has now been enhanced to reduce release time and delays in live viewing, as well as support for remote formatting of the SD card, changing the FTP server, and changes to the still image storage destination. Wired or wireless LAN transfers can also happen in the background, while you continue shooting.
5. Imaging Edge Remote for Desktop now supports the a9 II for PC Remote shooting via Wi-Fi connection or tethered by wired USB Type-C port. An updated data transfer control now allows you to transfer files from an SD card over Wi-Fi using the Imaging Edge Mobile app, even when the camera is turned off.
6. The Transfer & Tagging companion app can send FTP configuration parameters from your mobile device to the camera, offers automatic data upload to an FTP server with attached metadata, and can perform automatic speech-to-text conversion.
7. Voice memos can be recorded together with still images and allow sound recordings up to 60 seconds long to be attached to individual images. Saved as WAV audio files, these memos can be attached to the files and played back when the images are reviewed. Using the Transfer & Tag plugin on a smartphone, you can automatically or manually convert this audio into text to embed it in the image metadata.
8. Up to 10 different FTP settings can be saved and stored on an SD card, or up to 20 different settings can be saved via the Imaging Edge Mobile app.

• 4K UHD video recording in XAVC S format

Internal recording of UHD 4K movies is possible at multiple frame rates of up to 30fps and, depending on the Super35mm recording area and effective 6K resolution, oversampling offers greater detail and full pixel readout, which lacks pixel clustering, is possible for higher image quality with reduced moiré and aliasing. Full-frame 4K recording has also been drastically improved to improve quality when working with medium to high sensitivities to allow full use of the full width of the sensor. Full HD 1080p recording also supports frame rates up to 120fps, and both resolutions use the 100Mbps XAVC S format contained in an MP4 container with 4:2:0 sampling. High-speed recording at 120fps also allows recording of 4x and 5x slow motion movies with the frame rate set to 30p or 24p. In addition to high-resolution internal recording, the uncompressed HDMI output also allows the use of an optional external recorder for clean 4K recording with 4:2:2 sampling.

4K video recording also takes advantage of the ability to produce 8MP stills during playback by taking a frame capture of a movie and storing it as a separate file.
SteadyShot INSIDE 5-axis image stabilization
The a9 II incorporates an enhanced 5-axis, 5.5-stop SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization system, which compensates for the five different types of camera shake encountered during manual stills and video capture. This allows users to confidently use any lens, even adaptive lenses, to obtain critical images without encountering blur from camera shake.

For long focal lengths, the system will correct the tilt and yaw settings. Macro and high-magnification images, on the other hand, will benefit from the inclusion of horizontal and vertical offset compensation. All shooting styles will get the use of roll compensation. The 5-axis stabilization will work at all times, even when used with third-party lenses and adapters or lenses with built-in optical stabilization.

• Other camera features

It is possible to save/load camera settings on the camera as well as on an SD card to work with the same shooting settings with multiple camera bodies.
The customizable Fn button can be configured to handle separate tasks depending on whether you are working in fixed or video modes.
A ratings feature allows you to assign star values, from 1 to 5, to images on the camera for faster editing and grading at home during post-production.
An advanced 1200-zone evaluative exposure metering sensor delivers consistent and accurate results using multi-segment, center-weighted, or spot metering modes.
Highlight and Average metering modes help prevent dull reflections and provide stable auto exposure, respectively.

• features of Lens SONY FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II 

A refined version of the standard fast zoom, the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II SONY is not only smaller and lighter than the previous generation, but also boasts a variety of optical, focus and handling improvements that make it the best rounded G-Zoom to date.

Master G image quality

Designed to rival prime lenses, the optics of this zoom have been revamped to deliver even greater resolution, clarity and bokeh quality.

• The bright constant aperture of f/2.8 allows users to capture images in low-light conditions and with shallow depth of field.
• Two ED (Ultra Low Dispersion) and two Super ED elements effectively suppress chromatic aberrations and color fringes for greater clarity and color fidelity.
• Five aspherical elements, including two extreme aspherical (XA) elements, minimize spherical aberrations, distortion, and also reduce "onion ring" bokeh.
• Nano AR Coating II controls flare and ghosting with the support of a new optical design that reduces internal reflections.
• An 11-blade aperture diaphragm helps create a smooth, circular bokeh effect at all aperture settings.

Faster AF and floating focus mechanism

Faster focusing performance, improved close-up shots and improved control are all benefits of the redesigned focusing system.

• Four XD linear motors (extremely dynamic) contribute to greatly improved focusing performance, compared to the predecessor's DDSSM system, including faster, quieter and more accurate AF that is ideal for both stills and stills.
• Faster AF means improved focus when working with fast-moving subjects; Support is available for shooting at up to 30fps, full AF is maintained even when shooting stops, and focus tracking is possible even when the zoom position is changed.
• The floating focus mechanism helps maintain image quality throughout the focus range, which is especially important considering the impressive close-up performance of this lens: minimum focusing distance of 8.3" in the 24mm position or 11.8" in the 70mm position and a maximum magnification of 0.32x in the 70mm position.
• The internal focus design promotes more agile and responsive focusing performance and also maintains the overall length of the lens during operation.

Enhanced control and video capabilities

Just as the camera's design has grown to appeal to both photographers and video shooters, this lens has also been updated with a number and attributes that specifically appeal to the needs of video creators.

• Focus breathing, focus shifting, and axial shift during zoom have been minimized to avoid unwanted shake and viewing angle variations for greater composition accuracy during recording.
• Supports breathing compensation function on select cinema line and Alpha cameras.
• XD linear motors are also especially quiet to better allow the use of AF during video recording.
• Linear Response MF provides natural and intuitive manual focus control.
• The manual opening ring can be removed for quiet operation and the smoothness of the zoom can be adjusted according to the desired torque.

Compact, lightweight and robust design

Among the smallest and lightest standard f/2.8 zooms available, this lens doesn't lose sight of its professional attributes and also remains a durable, weather-sealed lens for use in tough working conditions.

• Approximately 22% lighter and 18% smaller than its predecessor, this zoom is a highly portable and versatile option for a variety of shooting applications.
• Now adjust with a manual aperture ring, touch exposure control is possible. The click can be removed from this ring for smooth and quiet pulls of the iris or it can be locked in the 'A' position for camera-based aperture change.
• Two programmable focus hold buttons and a focus mode switch for intuitive focus control.
• Zoom smoothness switch to switch between smooth and tight zoom ring pair.
• The hybrid construction uses metal and plastic components to maximize durability and a lightweight design.
• The dust and moisture resistant design includes rubber gaskets at each seam and a rubber ring that seals the lens mount to ensure use when working in harsh weather conditions.
• The front element of the lens has a fluorine coating that repels water, oil and other contaminants and makes it easy to clean the lens.
• The included lens hood features a lock button and filter window for easy adjustment of rotating filters (e.g. polarizers, variable ND).