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I have had my a1ii for a few days now, and used it enough to make some initial comparisons to my a7Rv, and share some other observations from actual use in the field. I do (mostly) concert photography, in (mostly) dark dive bars. With the a7Rv, using EFC and a shutter speed usually around 1/250, I would sometimes get banding in some venues due to their LED lights. With fully electronic shutter, I would almost always get banding in almost every venue.
So far, with fully electronic shutter and in the "worst" (IMHO) lighting environments, I have yet to see any banding with my a1ii. None. So that's the primary difference for me. I think I will be able to use the electronic shutter full time, thus less wear even when using pre-capture.
Image quality:
Pretty much the same. The a7Rv has a higher resolution, I would say just about at the threshold where it might make a difference, so I think the a7Rv gets a nod here. 61 > 50 any way you compute it. Math is math.
Features:
The additional knob on the body and on the VG might be very useful in some situations depending on your technique. The body (and VG) also have a C5 button on the front. I have set it to turn on/off pre-capture, another new feature which I am looking forward to exploring. The rear screens are the same, which is great because this is the best rear screen configuration since the A-mount a77/99. The menus are mostly the same, but the a1ii has more options for more features which I have not fully explored.
Handling:
The bodies are very similar, but the a1ii has slightly modified the grip and it is more comfortable. In particular, with a fat lens (like the Venus 10/2.8) there is more finger room. Big plus for the a1ii. The strap connector on the a1ii VG is about 3/4" (2cm) from where it is on the a7Rv. I use this for a Peak Design dongle connected to a wrist strap. It's different, but not a difference that (for me) has any practical significance. The on/off switch on my new a1ii is stiffer than on my almost 3 year old a7Rv.
Performance:
The a1ii performs better and faster— full stop. AF is improved, the buffer clears faster, and it handles flickering lights better. As mentioned above– the full electronic shutter is so good I don't think I will use the mechanical shutter anymore.
Summary:
When I got my hands on the a7Rv, I thought it was hands down the best concert photography camera available. The a1ii now holds that spot. The a7Rv remains, of course, a fantastic camera. It is still better for landscapes and portraits. But the a1ii is a beast and can handle more situations better. It is also a lot more expensive. For me, it's worth it. By taking advantage of the faster burst rate with improved AF and pre-capture, I will get more keepers. I will also be able to do so with the silent electronic shutter. In my opinion, both cameras are worth the money. The rather minor issues with the a7Rv (mostly with banding) can be managed so it remains a quite viable option. The lack of any negatives I have found (so far) with the a1ii make it a better, albeit more expensive, camera. You can't go wrong with either.
End note: My understanding is that the a1ii has better video performance. I don't do very much video so I can't comment or review that aspect of either camera.
So far, with fully electronic shutter and in the "worst" (IMHO) lighting environments, I have yet to see any banding with my a1ii. None. So that's the primary difference for me. I think I will be able to use the electronic shutter full time, thus less wear even when using pre-capture.
Image quality:
Pretty much the same. The a7Rv has a higher resolution, I would say just about at the threshold where it might make a difference, so I think the a7Rv gets a nod here. 61 > 50 any way you compute it. Math is math.
Features:
The additional knob on the body and on the VG might be very useful in some situations depending on your technique. The body (and VG) also have a C5 button on the front. I have set it to turn on/off pre-capture, another new feature which I am looking forward to exploring. The rear screens are the same, which is great because this is the best rear screen configuration since the A-mount a77/99. The menus are mostly the same, but the a1ii has more options for more features which I have not fully explored.
Handling:
The bodies are very similar, but the a1ii has slightly modified the grip and it is more comfortable. In particular, with a fat lens (like the Venus 10/2.8) there is more finger room. Big plus for the a1ii. The strap connector on the a1ii VG is about 3/4" (2cm) from where it is on the a7Rv. I use this for a Peak Design dongle connected to a wrist strap. It's different, but not a difference that (for me) has any practical significance. The on/off switch on my new a1ii is stiffer than on my almost 3 year old a7Rv.
Performance:
The a1ii performs better and faster— full stop. AF is improved, the buffer clears faster, and it handles flickering lights better. As mentioned above– the full electronic shutter is so good I don't think I will use the mechanical shutter anymore.
Summary:
When I got my hands on the a7Rv, I thought it was hands down the best concert photography camera available. The a1ii now holds that spot. The a7Rv remains, of course, a fantastic camera. It is still better for landscapes and portraits. But the a1ii is a beast and can handle more situations better. It is also a lot more expensive. For me, it's worth it. By taking advantage of the faster burst rate with improved AF and pre-capture, I will get more keepers. I will also be able to do so with the silent electronic shutter. In my opinion, both cameras are worth the money. The rather minor issues with the a7Rv (mostly with banding) can be managed so it remains a quite viable option. The lack of any negatives I have found (so far) with the a1ii make it a better, albeit more expensive, camera. You can't go wrong with either.
End note: My understanding is that the a1ii has better video performance. I don't do very much video so I can't comment or review that aspect of either camera.
