Sony a7II Priced Up For December 9th Launch

Sony has confirmed pricing and availability on its newest full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the Sony a7II, packing 24.3-megapixels and the first 5-axis image stabilization system to be found on a snapper with a sensor of that size. Joining the original a7 and a7R, and the more recent a7S, the a7II promises to correct for the sort of shake you'd experience when using telephoto lenses, when using high magnification, and when shooting low-light scenes or recording video, for a claimed total of 4.5 stops of faster shutter speed of correction.

The stabilization doesn't just work with Sony's own a-series lenses with built-in optical steady shot, either, and will also operate if you strap on a Sony a A-mount lens or indeed a third-party, non-OIS lens. There's live preview of the stabilization system's impact on both the rear LCD and the OLED viewfinder.

It's not the only talent the a7II comes with. There's a 117-point focal plane phase detection AF sensor, paired with 25-point contrast detection; Sony says they're 30-percent faster and 1.5x more accurate at subject-tracking than the original a7. It also supports AF and AE for subject tracking during burst photography at up to 5fps.

Video can be recorded at up to 50 Mbps in XAVC S codec, and videographers will be pleased to find that there's a microphone input and headphone jack.

Versus the original a7, the shutter button has been enlarged and shifted slightly to be more ergonomically accessible, and Sony says it'll be powered on and ready to shoot 40-percent faster than the old camera. Inside there's WiFi and NFC, and it'll work with the iOS and Android Sony PlayMemories app for photo and video transfer along with remote control.

So far so good, but what about the price? The Sony a7II will go on sale body-only for around $1,700, and you'll be able to snap one up December 9th. In a kit with the FE 28-70mm F3.5 – F5.6 OSS zoom lens it will be around $2,000.

It's also joined by a new 70-300mm F4.5 – F5.6 G SSMII lens, which will arrive in February 2015 priced at around $1,150.

Sony also has α A-mount Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSMII and Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F2.8 ZA SSMII lenses in the pipeline, with faster AF tracking, a cut in flare and ghosting, and a new dust/moisture resistant design, on track to hit stores in spring next year.