Edward Greenberg
Leading Member
I am generally happy with my a77 save for it's lousy high iso performance and a few minor issues. As I am likely to get very little for my A77, I'd like to know if the newer model is that much better.
-
Welcome to the new forums! Please read this first. For known issues we are working to resolve, click here.
Is upgrading to A77 II really worth it?
- Thread starter Edward Greenberg
- Start date
-
- Tags
- sony slt-a77 ii
For me, yes.
You'll have to give us more of a steer than "lousy ISO" and "a few minor issues".
rgwaller1
Senior Member
Yes it is much better. Compare the specs and read what owners think of it. Many threads here.
tbcass
Forum Pro
As I have both the A77 and A77ii I can give you my impressions. Let me start off by saying I disagree that the high iso of the A77 is lousy. It's just not the best and consider it average for an APS-C camera. However the A77ii is better. While the sensor is supposed to improve high iso by about 1/3 to 1/2 stop the JPG engine is better so, if your a jpg shooter, expect a 1 stop improvement.
The A77ii dropped GPS and the IR focusing light. I don't care about GPS but the IR light was useful for available very low light conditions, something I admit I don't do much but it is a loss.
Everything else about the A77ii is better and in my opinion is well worth the upgrade. The list of improvements is so long I won't bother going into it as other's have taken the time to list them.
--
Tom
Look at the picture, not the pixels
------------
Misuse of the ability to do 100% pixel peeping is the bane of digital photography.
Last edited:
I upgrade from a77 to A77ii, and I am very happy with my upgrade.
IMHO, the greatest improvement of A77ii is the AF performance, larger buffer, highly customizable buttons, no more color noise in the EVF, etc
Also, the better JPG engine make the high ISO looks better.
It definitely worth the upgrade.
Last edited:
K E Hoffman
Veteran Member
Had my A700 for 6 years.
Upgraded finally to the A77 last year about Sept.. really loved it, but there were a few things that I wished were different.
A77M2 Pretty much nailed that list.
- AF that now competes with and often betters Canon and Or Nikon
- Improved ISO Its a small shift but it takes from 1600 is very usable to 3200 is very usable
- JPG engine is much better so I can shoot with PP for things that should not need PP. Family gatherings etc.
- Just about every button can be changed to how I want it
- The LCD is very usable in bright light
- EVF is better in low light
- Buffer and image updated during 8-12FPS is much better
- GPS loss is annoying but I can used a logger or my phone and LR tags the images for me.
- After FW 2.0 I missed the focus light assist less.
- Love having tethering and WiFI has been useful a couple of times
- Hot Shoe - Ehhhh I know why they did it, makes sense.. but I would still like the old shoe better..
- Audio level control
- Visual WB adjustment of the EVE (that is for user not an image affect)
- Video AF speed adjust..
OpticsEngineer
Veteran Member
The thing I like best in my A77II is the stabilized image in the EVF.
Karl Scharf
Senior Member
Loss of GPS and the hot shoe change is enough reason for me to stay with the A77.
Add to that, the loss of the focus assist lamp, inability to shoot 3D images, and for me at least, 'upgrading' to the A77MII is out of the question.
--
Karl Scharf >>> ( Sony SLT-A77, Rokinon 8mm, Sigma 10-20 f4.0-5.6, Sigma 18-250 f3.5-6.3, Sigma 50-500 f4.5-6.3 OS, Minolta 70-210 f4.0, Minolta 50 f1.7, Sony RX-100 ) <<<
Add to that, the loss of the focus assist lamp, inability to shoot 3D images, and for me at least, 'upgrading' to the A77MII is out of the question.
--
Karl Scharf >>> ( Sony SLT-A77, Rokinon 8mm, Sigma 10-20 f4.0-5.6, Sigma 18-250 f3.5-6.3, Sigma 50-500 f4.5-6.3 OS, Minolta 70-210 f4.0, Minolta 50 f1.7, Sony RX-100 ) <<<
Last edited:
Douglas F Watt
Senior Member
It's a question of what you are willing to pay for (although b/t selling your old A77 and getting a new one with a grip for only $900, it's not much). If you can get $450 for your old body depending on its condition, if you need a battery grip, it means you're getting the new body effectively for $150.
Here's my summary:
1 to perhaps even 1.3 stops better JPEGs, and less than that in RAW. But the 'wormy' blotchy chroma noise that used to completely spoil JPEGS above 1600 is much better controlled, so while I used to never shoot above 1600, I now have confidence at 6400, so functionally, two extra stops of real shooting latitude. With DxO OP 10.x, good post processing noise reduction makes RAW 12800 usable for small prints and web postings. Still no lowlight monster, but lowlight shooting is now a real viable option.
One of the best AF systems out there, particularly with the new firmware. Highly configurable. My favorite is the 'lock on expand flexible spot' for tracking moving subjects and sports shooting. DPR claims that the Nikon 750 AF system is consistently better, particularly at object tracking – perhaps it is, but this system is very very good. A very complex system, and it will be interesting to see whether DPR – or anybody else for that matter – generates an objective set of paradigms for testing object tracking autofocus.
Combined with the new and meaningful buffer, better high ISO, and way better autofocus and better subject tracking, this is now a very good sports and wildlife camera in a way that the predecessor simply was not.
Although there has been very little attention focused on the EVF – and DPR says that is simply carried over from the previous generation – the EVF is significantly improved in my judgment anyway. Many people look through the new EVF and think it is an optical viewfinder.
Somewhat better resolution in video (not as soft as the prior generation), and with the new XAVC-S codecs, a significantly better video camera, if you can live with the large file sizes. Disappointing that no 4K option available, and opinion is somewhat divided on whether or not the cameras doing full frame sampling (Versus prior reliance on line skipping heuristic).
A way better JPEG engine – applies sharpening and noise reduction in a much more context dependent fashion. Sony's default on this is still simply too smooth and noise reduction does remove critical details still more than it should. But this is Sony's default and they are enamored of the smooth look.
Several other tweaks and improvements, particularly Wi-Fi (but it does lose GPS and the infrared focusing assist lamp) – but I think this list covers most of the biggies. I think it's an absolute best value, particularly combined with the battery grip for $900.
If you're shooting in bright light, not shooting action or wildlife, in all honesty, the difference may be rather modest. But if any of those other circumstances apply such as low light, shooting action, or moving subjects, it simply a way better camera. It's frankly a much bigger functional bump relative to the A77 first generation, compared to what the Canon 7Dii has over its predecessor.
I held on to my A77 for a short period of time after acquiring the A77II so that I could do my own comparisons. The A77II is a better camera, as any new model should be, but whether it warrants superlatives or not depends on what you do with the camera. For me it is just better, but I do not get giddy over it!
Another thing that hasn't been pointed out is the flash shoe. If you currently own and use an external flash, you are going to need to purchase an adaptor. After you've used the adaptor for a while you may get fed up with it as I did. That means purchasing a new flash and taking another financial hit, not to mention the adaptor you purchased and no longer need.
Douglas F Watt
Senior Member
Obviously, experiences on the adapter question vary. Mine has worked very well, and has allowed me to use an older generation flash– model 42 I believe, which has worked flawlessly for the most part once I tone down a tendency towards overexposure.
K E Hoffman
Veteran Member
Did you ever shoot 3D images? It only worked if you shot them and replayed from the camera to the TV. Really did anyone ever use that..?
Adapter works fine
Won't get into GPS as there are lots of threads on that and post on the right margin that people tend to book mark that outlines alternatives..
But if you shoot "lots of 3d images in the dark where you don't know where you are " I would not upgrade either
It was the 3D comment that got me.. .. just felt like piling on some other reasonable complaints about changes.
--
K.E.H. >> Shooting between raindrops in WA<<
Don't Panic!.. these are just opinions... go take some pictures..
Last edited:
VirtualMirage
Senior Member
For me it was worth the upgrade. The A77II improves over A77 in almost every aspect despite them looking almost identical and the major specs looking similar. Larger buffer, improved AF, improved flash exposure consistency, improved EVF/LCD, the list goes on and on. My only quibbles that the A77 has that the A77II lacks is a dedicated focus assist lamp and GPS, but those are not deal breakers (the GPS you can work around and you can use a assist lamp on a dedicated flash if you use them instead of the onboard flash). Luckily, the AF sensor has been improved quite a bit where I don't need the assistance of the focus assist lamp as much.
High ISO noise is improved and I do find high ISO pictures much more usable, but it is mostly due to: an improved noise pattern, less blotchy chromatic noise, more fine detail is retained. All of this combined makes for less work when applying noise reduction in post process. So while straight out of camera, untouched, you might notice less than 1-stop of noise improvement, keep in mind how much more manageable it is and how much more pleasing to the eye it is than what the A77 produced. Of course, this is all based on its RAW files since I don't shoot JPEG.
--
Paul
http://www.flickr.com/photos/virtualmirage/
Last edited:
IanML
Senior Member
With the low-light AF improvement in the V2.00 firmware, you can focus in any lighting in which you can see a subject by eye. Good enough for me - if you can't see it, how would you know you would want to take a picture of it?
enemjii
Senior Member
I use the adapter and I find it rock solid. In fact more stable than when I mounted it directly on my A65.
enemjii
Senior Member
tbcass
Forum Pro
You really used the 3D feature? Well there's one of you.
--
Tom
Look at the picture, not the pixels
------------
Misuse of the ability to do 100% pixel peeping is the bane of digital photography.
--
Tom
Look at the picture, not the pixels
------------
Misuse of the ability to do 100% pixel peeping is the bane of digital photography.
Last edited:
tbcass
Forum Pro
As a counter point I use the flash adapter. I use the flash a lot and in 5 months it hasn't failed me once. Also the consistency of exposure with the flash is better with the A77ii.
tbcass
Forum Pro
My HVL-F43AM flash does fit in the case with the adapter on. It's just a little tight but not bad.
Keyboard shortcuts
- f
- Forum