As you know Kai from Digitalrev doesn’t really like the Sony SLT cameras (he likes the A7 series much more). And this is his take on the new A77II. As usual take it with a bit of fun and not too seriously 🙂
Sony A77II specs, preorders and shipment date:
Sony A77 body in USA at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Sony Store (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Sony A77 with 16-50mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Sony Store (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Sony A77 body in Europe at Sony Germany, Sony UK, Sony France, Sony IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, CH, PT, NO, SE, FI and Wex UK.
Sony A77 in Asia at Digitalrev and Sony Australia.
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…And Sony users still doesn’t like Kai )
I like Sony and I like Kai. He does reviews in an entertaining way, and i like the fact that he makes a difference from all the measurebating photo nerds and fanboys out there. 🙂
The main thing is sony ´release theses days …..what is going on ?
They launch A7 looking like no-achieve caméras
Now A77iII with no GPS
Lenses are not what they should be
Compared to K3 pentax is the winner more logical better weather seal and finaly we are still waiting for a FF in 2014 !!! A reliable one !!!!
i use sony only and i like Kai…. But i hate the A77 😉 The noise, the noise!!
Who cares? He’s in Rockwell’s category: Canikons who are becoming very insecure with their gears. Why does he get special coverage at all is beyond me. Ignore at all cost.
Sure as hell the guy’s a (W)Anchor, if I ever saw one. Can’t understand how anyone can endure ANY of his videos. Andrew from EOSHD is head and shoulders above this buffoon.
He didn’t really say much bad.
…actually he did say much more good than he usually does 😀
he is not a photographer or a camera reviewer. you cannot expect for a clown to do a pro’s job… the camera is way too advanced and too fast for his slow mind .
What is your definition of a photographer? Please enlighten us. Given he has reviewed hundreds of cameras and lenses, and he gets paid to do it, I’d say he clearly is a camera reviewer. He’s just one you don’t like.
Please share with us a serious reviw , where you actually learn somethin from hos mascarade …
I don’t like him…………..even though I subscribed his channel, who cares?
SLT is just for Sony to test water. In fact, it does not enough to make canikonian feels “wow, I must switch to Sony”; I believe Sony does not expect A77II to sell well rather than an approach to feed Amount middle class pool despite the rapid road map changed constraint given time and focus on Emount. So this is what you can upgrade 🙂 I am feels nervous about A99 successor what will be! It definitely a jaw dropping if Sony use the 2 years old 36MP Nikon D800 sensor and AVCHD video format. The thing for sure will happened it will be SLT since Sony emphasis it killed its optical VF. I speculated 75% it will be incremental upgrade like A77II “greater MP/AF speed/buffer/Wifi/USB3.0/”
For those who dislike SLT, Sony likely to fulfils them with mirrorless like the A6000. Sony is ready to come out the ‘serious’ and ‘more decent’ based on what their rival releases. Keen to see what is the next mirrorless especially for the FF one 🙂
haha many dislike him because he making joke of gorilla like A77/A77II
in my opinion, he was not so harsh. He did not bash it and says it is a good performer, i think you must watch the video again……
I don’t think he hate the camera, but said its not overly excited about it. He just mentioned some key specs and changes, even though A77II is a complex device
It is disappointing that the video is still not good enough (I guess still no full sensor readout), I really hope they ‘finally’ fix this in the A99 II. Maybe they are “protecting” the A7S for now.
There are so many features that would make it a better hybrid camera than Canon or Nikon but sadly, the video quality is just not up there with the features.
lol, it is. If you use the uncompressed HDMI Output, the Video Quality is excellent.
It may not be as good as the a99 but this is due to its APS-C Nature.
External recording does not matter that much, if all the information is not collected and sub-sampled from the sensor “properly” in the first place. The A99 has the same problem, lots of moire and aliasing and lacking in detail. It was good for 2012 when it was released, but today it is below average.
The ones with the proper readout are the A7S RX100M3 and RX10 and the next in line may be the A6000 which seems better than the A77II too.
is there anything to like ?
Perhaps SAR readers would enjoy this more (and the comments that follow)
http://petapixel.com/2014/05/31/alpha-dog-sony-created-innovative-camera-brand-decade/
Nice read. For Sony users. Others seem to be unable to digest it.
Thanks for sharing…
Fair and balanced. The Sony A-mount cameras are well-spec’ed. They’re also quite unexciting. He captured it very well. I especially liked the screenshot of “This feature not available.” This was ubiquitous in the A77. I’m glad Sony now at least tells you *why* the feature is unavailable — that’s a big step up in usability from the A77 — but to make the camera *exciting and fun*, Sony would have to remove quirks like these.
Like Kai, I was disappointed with the A77II announcement. It’s a step sideways. I love the new autofocus system. Audio levels and SSS in video are nice (omitting them was crippling). But removing features like GPS and AF assist? Yet another hotshoe standard? Still quirks in video mode?
I’d buy it, but I wouldn’t be inspired by it the way I was by my A700, or am by my RX100.
If canon or nikon do the same upgrades as a77ii to there apsc cameras every site will recommend it for hobbiest , sony is just not lucky enough , But anyone will apricoate the upgrades sony did to a77ii , I am just complaining about not having audio jack to mointer the sound that is just stupied , and that make me buy the a65 over a77 when it come out for me it was very similar spec wise
Anyway a77ii is best apsc camera for now and great option for sony shooters
What can clearly be seen in Kai’s video is how easy it is to hold and operate the A77 II(and the A99) with one hand. I find that this plus the “yoga” LCD screen improves my creativity when shooting with the A99, compared with the bulkiness of both Canon and Nikon cameras
Don’t you find it indicative of his bias against Sony gear that he manages to make the “yoga” screen into a negative? That is the most useable articulated screen in the business. I wonder how he felt about the “flippy thingy” on the 70D?
He tries hard to funny, so his goal is mostly to entertain
Since Alamby left (or at least I’ve not seen her for ages) DigitalRev their videos have become total sh*te!
In most videos you can see Kai sh*tting on Pentax, Sony and one or two more brands.
So in other words, you never cared about what Kai said anyway?
Kai is just a presenter, the other guy is shooting and editing the videos and I believe Alamby was researching and writing up the shows. And it was always nice to see a nice smiling face in videos.
Decent review, but he seems a bit out of his depth when it comes to reviewing video.
AF/MF works in video, which would kill his video issues if he thought about it.
Also, nobody does auto exposure in video if they want decent footage, as using it changes shutter midway through the footage, which is why you use a variable ND for your exposure instead, and why his issues with auto focus and auto exposure are a bit of a wild request: they only make sense together to a stills shooter.
There’s a few glitches in the footage, and that looks like the cameraman is fairly long on the lens, with steadyshot on, handheld, and expecting miracles.
Tele, with hand held and steadyshot just do not go well together because the former magnifies the effects of the latter when a sudden movement is so large that the steadyshot has to give up (thats what the glitches are).
Low bitrate is an issue when compared to the GH4 though, but he never mentions that!
Exactly my thoughts. AF/MF works in video, you just have to set it up correctly.
You get the same on screen alerts in the A99 if you don’t set up things correctly.
Maybe (I don’t know ’cause I haven’t checked) a better description is in the user’s manual?
Maybe he should be reading that and be more informative and a lot less clown?
I, personally, have stopped watching his reviews: they were fun in the beginning but there is absolutely no info, ever, in his reviews.
Like when he “reviewed” the RX1 in a bowling alley… C’mon…
I’ve found only one review made by him that was really informative: the one about “how badly you can beat a DSLR?” (Or something like that).
Where he showed that DSLRs can still be actually used after a lot of serious beating.
Blunty, that’s the man for the reviews….
No, AF really doesn’t work in video outside of program mode. You can trick p mode but it’s never as elegant or flexible as full manual or even a priority mode.
Yes you can.. Assuming you want to lock shutter to 1/50s (for 25fps, and of course go to 1/100s for 50fps), and you will be controlling exposure with an ND then you can have all that and AF, as follows:
Make sure you have Menu > Cog3 > Func of AEL button set to AEL toggle.
Put a variable ND filter on your lens.
Select the Program Auto movie mode.
Either cover the lens or point it at the sky until the shutter goes
to 1/50 (you can also use exposure compensation, noting that you need to
move exposure comp in the opposite direction than the one you want shutter to go in). Now press the AEL button. Shutter and aperture are now locked yet you still have auto-focusing.
To control exposure, change the ND filter value.
Its not even really a hack, you just have to read the manual very very carefully… it never says AF/MF *doesnt* work in video 🙂
Seem my blog post, http://howgreenisyourgarden.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/sony-alpha-video-part-1/ (go to section called ‘Hacking auto-focus for film-like video’).
Also, if you have a really fast lens and want to go wider than f3.5, just toggle into MF once you have AF lock. The camera will not only go to MF, but it will also go to wide open. If you are shooting with something like a 50f1.4 wide open, you probably dont need AF after initial focus anyway, so you are not losing anything. So you don’t need to jam the aperture lever wide open like some of the youtube videos tell you to do. Again, not really a hack: the camera allows is but you have to read the manual really carefully to realise this!
That’s a hack, not a feature.
I’m a paid cinematographer and I’m telling you that’s not flexible.
He somehow misses the fact that even the current, rather dated, A65 and A77 absolutely clobber the competition in live view.
I have seen many videos from this guy during my switch from Canon to Sony. Sometimes it is more about making stupid jokes than rather doing serious testing.
Of course Sony isn’t perfect, neither are Canon or Nikon, in spite of Kai trying to tell us so. Sometimes.
Honestly, I totally can’t take him seriously.
But, he do not want to be seriously.
Well, I am going to say it. Sony cameras overall have the best designs on the market. Plenty don’t get it, I guess the same people who explain how beautifully functional the design of Lenovo computers are compared to Apple.
And yes, except the swivel screen and EVF, the a77 is not that exciting (especially today when we have all kinds of new interesting cameras), but this says even more about Canikontax then Sony.
I do not understand the Kai does not like it title. He says it is good camera and takes good pictures and has good autofocus. Only complaint it that there is not much of progress for three years since A77. It is so and the same applies to most of the DSLR/SLT bunch. Really the last big thing in DSLR was D3/D300/D700 and on from there it is only iterations on the same theme. One can argue 5d mk3 is new but it is merely copy of the Nikon D700 concept laggin by 5 years, same as A77M2…..
Yeah, I thought the same thing. When I first saw the title I was afraid to watch it because Kai’s snarky about just about everything. I expected him to use the a77II as his typical punching bag for some cheap gags/jokes. He really didn’t other than his opening silly mocking of how it’s shaped. Were some expecting a Sony marketing video?
Kai’s biggest gripe about the a77II was how it looked. Which is who cares?
Other than that, it was pretty much a lack of enthusiasm over how anemic the upgrade is from the a77 which isn’t much different than what many have said on SAR. Sony has an awful lot of clever engineering talent but most of the efforts and all the exciting announcements are in mirrorless.
If Sony’s future depended on the a77 replacement being a success, I’m sure we wouldn’t have gotten the a77II. That’s how Sony should have approached the project and the way they sweat their mirrorless designs.
No, it just goes to show there was so very little ‘wrong’ with the A77, which is why the upgrades are ‘modest’ but focus on the particular areas that weren’t so great (namely AF and buffering but to some extent noise). This is why it doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade. If you were offered the A77 and A77 II for the same price, the A77 II gets the nod.
I’m still not entirely sure what people were expecting from this update?
As I’ve said in the past, I’m mostly looking for a bump in IQ. Rather than stir things up, I’ll point out Kai was encouraging over improved low-light sensitivity.
I don’t think Kai’s review was as bad as many Sony fans are saying. Certainly, like movie reviewers, he’s more entertaining when he’s making jokes by poking sticks but, by his standards, I’d interpret his review (continuing my movie review metaphor) as 3/4 stars out of 5.
I see it as a incremental upgrade, so I’m holding off until my current A77 breaks or its shutter melts. I think the new camera comes equipped needed improvements, but I’m still really happy with my current A77.
In two years time I’ll probably buy the A77III, but for now I’m looking to upgrade my ancient A850.
Ha!!!, Kai is a huge Sony Fanboy, those who see it are those who can read between the lines. Kai makes his living reviewing Canikons and the like, of course he is not going to jeopardize his career by coming out and showing favoritism. The fact that he has reviewed almost every serious Sony camera tells you something. I for one love Kai!!! Go Kai you rock dude!!!
Yeah, tells you he works for an online retailer.
The problem with Kai’s Sony reviews is that you have to get all the way to the end before he goes “ok, this is a pretty decent camera with good focusing”. People who are looking to be “sold” on buying a Sony will never make it that far with all the smart assed attempts at entertainment. At least Sony is giving him new products to review. His preferred brands are sitting on their hands.
The thing that pisses me off the most about this review is that he is reviewing autofocus using the 50mm f/1.8 SAM lens. ARE YOU SERIOUS? How is this lens ever meant to be good at autofocus, regardless of the camera body? It did surprisingly well in fact, but this is definitely the wrong lens for testing any camera’s autofocus.
Seems like Kai is purposefully trying to get the worse possible results out of his tests. The camera comes with the 16-50 SSM lens as a kit, why would he take that off and slap on an old, cheap, plastic SAM lens? Just ridiculous.
Otherwise they cannot bash hard enough.
We have a German Foto Magazin which always favors Canikon. Two things mostly – they test(ed) Alpha cameras with the old 50/1.4 versus Canikon with 100mm macros and complain about Sonys sharpness and contrast…
And secondly in their famous lens comparisons you occasionally find besides most crappy SAM lenses maybe one G or Zeiss lens as a total of 5 to 7 lenses and show all the best Canikons with a total of 15 to 20 lenses.
Coming back to Kai. I don’t care if he doesn’t want to be taken serious.
It is a wrong side of Sony what he often shows and this is incorrect opionion making same as my example…
I wonder how the review would have turned out had Sony lent him the 50mm F/1.4 Zeiss Lens?
I assume sony does not lend gear for review to clowns.
They used the same 50mm DT to ‘test’ the A99, which is obviously stupid, so we wouldn’t expect any better for this test (at least here it covers the whole frame).
I’d would have used the 35mm f/1.8, cause its probably the only lens of the easy to own series that doesn’t suck. It actually outperforms my 35mm G-Series.
Uhm the 50 and 85 don’t suck either, in fact they are both excellent. 50 is WAY better than the 50mm f1.4 (non Zeiss) and the 85mm is sharper than the Zeiss at f2.8. The 35mn is also good… but none of them suck (and ALL are better than the 35mm G).
He was using MANUAL focus. He states this in the comments. NO AF at all during the video.
nobody likes new A77mkII… this is a downgrade of first A77, not an upgrade. Sony should release quickly next aps-c camera, lets call it A79:
– sensor: 16-20Mpix
– AF System: the same what in A77MkII
– video 4K
– AF LED light
– Wifi with GPS
– dual SD slot
– battery grip for three bateries (like in A99)
This would be the real A77 successor.
Are you a complete idiot? Its a thousand dollar camera, not a $4000.00 Canon.
The A77II is an exceptional camera, Its amazingly fast, it takes professional grade 24mp photos, Its weather-sealed. Its take noise free photos up ISO 3200. The OLED lag has been eliminated. 90% of our A77 complaints have been addressed.
You’re obviously trolling for some kind of attention.
Exactly. Every niggle over the A77 has been addressed, everything that made it great has stayed, yet all there are are complaints. These are the types of updates Sony should be doing rather than huge sweeping changes and then waiting years and years for the next big sweeping change. I understand the complaints about the removal of GPS, it doesn’t bother me but may bother others, the rest is just complaining for complaining sake.
The A77II currently is the top APS-C DSLR on the market which is really bringing out the Canon, Nikon fanboy rage. They’re upset that they’ve been forgotten by their respective manufacturers.
And you are completely blind… AF Light has every camera, even the phones for 100$, dual SD slot has d7000/d7100, gps and wifi has every cheap smartphone so where is the problem?
The problem is that you are always complaining, without praising anything. Such behaviour is shown by you saying that this camera is a ‘Downgrade’.
I buy cameras to take pictures, and the A77II is the current leader in the APS-C DSLR market. To whine about GPS, or an extra card slot makes you look foolish.
Image quality, Dynamic Range, Colour Depth, and Mega Pixel count to a lesser extent are important to me. The extra gimmicks (GPS, Wifi, NFC) are nice but not required.
If you need a camera chocked full of gimmicks buy a Samsung.
extra slot card makes me foolish? this could say only so stupid person like you. dont forget that many photographers use cameras for commercial orders so it is very important to protect data/pictures, especcialy when one SD card would be damage. i ask once again, what was a problem to use gps and wifi in one camera and add extra SD card slot in a XXI century?
Paul, just go away. You’re drunk.
Honestly which camera are you using now?
AF light? Are you a soccer mom? Has any serious photographer ever found a use for one of these? Nope.
Dual SD card slot would be nice for some occasions, but is not a detractor from the camera.
GPS can be done other ways. WIFI is more useful.
Sounds to me….Pauly boy….you SHOULD buy a smart phone for your “photography.”
right … i dont have enything to do, i just can take same extra devices with me like gps module etc… very good solution. AF light – its neseccary in many situations in completely dark room. why sony remove this solution? what was the problem?
Here’s your solution: Switch brands if you dont like it. The camera is what it is….if you dont like it, get SOMETHING ELSE!
As you say, there are phones that have WiFi, GPS and 4K video.
Get one!
Wifi and GPS… someone said here that wasnt possible becouse its not enough space inside this big camera. but every small smartphone has wifi and gps.
Smartphones don’t have thick magnesium alloy shells. On the A77II and A77 there’s only a small area that allows reception out of the shell, and it can not be used by more than one device. Furthermore, the Wifi module is larger and more complex in this camera than it is in a smartphone. Regardless, it doesn’t matter if they could or couldn’t technically do it – the fact is they didnt put GPS in it and the camera design is finished and shipping. There’s no use crying over it now – it’s not like you’re going to force Sony to change their mind. So if you need APS-C, and the original A77 doesn’t work for you, it sounds to me like you may need to consider switching brands.
The cost is probably not the only reason for the omission of GPS, it is probably also a a power budget related matter. The new BionzX is clearly mor power hungry.
Wow, what a language. Noise free up to Iso 3200? Even my full frame is not capable of doing it. Look at DXOMARK ISO scores or S/N ratio. It’s certainly a great camera but you are exaggerating.
The A77II beats out every single APS-C camera on the market in almost every aspect. And the features beat out some FF cameras. It’s not the A79, otherwise they would have called it the A79. It’s the A77II.
Not an upgrade? Yes, you are a complete idiot. Meaning wholeheartedly and in totality.
This guy ^ = Moron.
You are the blind sony fanatic boy. just put this camera on the altar and start prey for it.
You are unrealistic and never satisfied. You’re the same kind of person that, if Sony came out with the A79 tomorrow with all your above requests, you’d then find 7 more things to b*tch about.
Do us all a favor and change to Canon or Nikon and b*tch over there.
You said nobody likes the A77II. Guess what? Nobody likes you.
Exactly! I hate these kinds of people. Never happy. Always complaining about something. If you dont like it, take a hike over to Canikon.
So virtually all of our A77 complaints have now been addressed. It can take noise free photos up-to ISO 3200, the JPEGS are outstanding, the OLED Lag has been eliminated, WiFi has been integrated, we can reuse our A77 battery grip (awesome).
The AF system is on par with cameras costing thousands of dollars more, and is rumoured to be the fastest. 79 points 40+% coverage is insane for a thousand dollar DSLR.
Its SSM equipped SAL1650 (It should really be called G-Series) is still pumping out G-Series quality photos, and the two combo is unmatched in the APS-C DSLR world. Sony really hit a home run.
I wish they’d give us a 50-133mm f/2.8 (75-200mm equivalent) APS-C optimized G-Series Sports lens.
Did I mention it cost less than a quarter of a 5D Mark III, and approximately a third of a D800.
The only downside is it trolls, now that the A77II is the current top they’re crying like babies.
You said this really well! Agree!
Agree!
I’d honestly love to switch over to Sony, but the only thing that’s stopping me is their lack of remote/tether features. I have no clue why Sony doesn’t have remote live view. A lot of my work (interiors) requires being away from the camera and you save a ton of time staging and testing lights through tablet software like CamRanger or DSLR Controller. I hope Sony is seriously working on this with the next gen A99.
The A77II has decent tethering now, and remote live view may come in a firmware update.
Plug the HDMI out into a second monitor for liveview. I have yet to try if it works at the same time as using the USB for remote camera control, it’s next on my list to do.
The a77II is a great camera.
So is my a77 and a65
Thats why Im not getting one.
Next year I’ll pick-it up (A77II) probably on sale for about $300.00, with a free battery grip.
I’m passing on the A77 this year, only because my A850 is getting long in the tooth, and I want the rumoured A88. If I didn’t have to replace the A850 I’d snap it up in a heartbeat.
My current A77 is still an outstanding camera, and still has plenty of life left in it, because my A850 still does most of the heavy lifting. My A77 is normally really glued to either the 70-400mm, or 100mm macro most of the time.
And that’s the way it should be 🙂 Sony aren’t:
A) Making cameras so glaringly deficient that they ‘need’ to be upgraded at the next iteration and
B) Making decent upgrades as and when the tech is available rather than waiting extended periods and wasting money and effort on bringing out a new body because they have some new things they can cram into a camera
Upgrades aren’t meant to entice existing owners to upgrade to the next model, they are to keep their lineup fresh and top shelf to stay competitive. If you are happy with your current cameras (is your A77 new?) then no reason to pay much mind to this release unless you need another body or a replacement.
It’s a solid upgrade and I for one, as someone who waited 5 years for them to upgrade the A700 am glad they are bringing out shorter more regular updates then they traditionally have.
Nothing worse than 5 years on and actually needing to buy a new body and the only option is the same stale old one you have been using for the last 5 years.
I dunno how this guy reviews the D7100 or the 70D, but I have no interest looking at them. This guy is disgusting to both of my eyes.
So, this guy has addressed that the A77II has an amazing autofocus, Okay-ish video quality, amazing Noise levels in high ISOs, a good screen, a very slight amount of lag, lack of some manual video settings and the most interesting one, that this camera is a good buy. Okay, those are all appropriate, but definitely Those disheartening words and those disgusting bashings are definitely stupid. It seems that this guy and his team has some troubles getting the right stuff to say. Saying that this camera is ‘nothing interesting’ shows this guy has no Idea how the DSLR world is right now.
Before watching the D7100 and 70D reviews from this guy I can’t really tell what his interest are on the DSLR world. But, I can easily tell he dislikes them for being not interesting. And that’s not good, because that’s a bias to the Mirrorless systems. If however, the D7100 and the 70D turned out to be different, than this guy is a crank and we should ignore him with bliss, while warning potential buyers to stay off.
And I don’t really care if this is his style, or this is one of his jokes, This is just ridiculous.
BTW, I’m interested in the A88 and the A65/A58 Successor (E-Mount?). Do you have any info on them, admin?
Really? I love Kai. Think he’s 100x better than listening to some rubbish on about specs and stuff. It’s light hearted fun. Plus I think this was a good review from him.
Seriously? If he is THAT good then he’d better be using the 16-50mm SSM lens, Which is ironically BUNDLED with the A77II Thing. He also seem to leave out the buffer issue that has been addressed and never pronounce that the Live view is good, while mocking up some useless point that the camera is shaped like a Gorilla. I mean, mild jokes and stating the negatives are fun and light-hearted, but that’s not what this guy is doing. He’s mocking up anything that appears is seemingly evident even in the Competitors’ DSLRs and leaving out the good stuffs that have this camera stands higher within the competitors. Maybe it’s not a bad thing for you, but for potential buyers, this can be a disaster.
It seems that many SAR readers agrees with me. I’ll look forward to my favourite review site, dpreview.com, to post their own detailed, accurate and unbiased review.
Everyone, some people seem confused about the “poor AF in the video”.
Kai and Lok were NOT using autofocus at all in the video-recording A77II!
Manual focus. Read the comments!
See here for disbelievers and trolls.
You are right!
Good catch. Yes, they were using MF.
kai, why so hostile ? why not just review the camera ??
I enjoyed watching it. It’s the best A77II review I’ve seen so far. I love his dry British humour. He’s so funny.
Not British
Hong Kong was still British when he learned to speak…
He could very well have British citizenship, depending on when and where he was born and other factors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nationality_law_and_Hong_Kong
Kai Man Wong got his education in England, both college and university:
http://hk.linkedin.com/in/kaimanwong
Spendig so many years at that age should certainly made him influenced with British culture. That’s also the reason his English is good.
Lok Cheung, the cameraman on the other hand only studied in Hong-Kong and therefore never used English as first language, and that can be heard when he speaks:
http://hk.linkedin.com/pub/lok-cheung/21/85/794?trk=pub-pbmap
Alamby Leung, who quit Digitalrev in October last year also speak fluent English well as she studied in Melbourne, Australia, where she now returned:
http://au.linkedin.com/in/alambyl
http://www.theloop.com.au/alambyl/portfolio
I agree with Andrew to some extent. At least it’s a review. I’m surprised at how few reviews there have been of this camera. The more reviews there are out there, the more info I have to make a decision. Good review or bad review, at least I have some feedback from hands on…
It almost seems like even Sony itself is glossing over this camera. There’s not much attention drawn to it. Even the RX100 mkIII got a SGNL release video, where’s the A77 mkII SGNL release video?
There are at least 5 good reviews so far on Youtube alone. Most are not in English, however.
Yeah, that’s the problem, most of them are in German. Those do show auto focus tests and buffer benefits, etc…, which is nice. I did horribly in German back in high school, and 20+ years later… you get the point.
It would just be nice to get people’s impressions of this camera after having used it… highlights and lowlights.
I have a Canon 60D which I’m really frustrated with at times and am seriously considering buying a Sony camera. But, do I buy a lower priced well-featured A77II (APS-C) camera or wait for a possible entry-level full-frame from Sony? I’m not a pro, so photography and cameras are not business for me. Just a enjoyable hobby, so I need something I won’t regret buying and can keep for a long time.
AF test here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qTyLc4vVdU&feature=youtu.be
Thanks KevinKukla!
You mentioned the SGNL video missing. Turns out Sony did one better. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4q0TG5PGUo
thanks!
In the A77 review he bashed the 12fps as not going for very long (small buffer), they fix it and he totally disregards it because he can’t find something to complain about with it this time around.
I really do find Kai loves to pick out the negatives and gloss over the positives. Personally I think this camera could potentially produce images with a keeper rate miles above what my a65 can manage, especially in more demanding situations. Plus usable ISO upto 6400? Yes please! Seriously, the last gen of cameras (inclusive of the a65, a77 and 60d) were horendous with noise above 3200 (1600 for the sonys!) – and I have used all 3 cameras for work before.
Seriously though, digitalrev’s reviews are biased towards canikon because that is what they use. Kai dosnt like Sony, or Olympus for that matter so this should really be taken with a (big) grain of salt
Honestly, with DSLR reviews by DRTV if there isn’t much bad they can say about it (like in this) then it’s usually a pretty good camera. There doesn’t seem to be much he can say about it that is actually bad. They tend to feed off what the ‘internet thinks’ of a product, which is probably pretty wise of them. The internet yawned when the A77 II was announced because, well honestly they kind of do for most DSLRS these days unless it is something particularly special. D7100 gets announced and Nikon fans complain for no d300 replacement. It’s a D7000 with updated AF and sensor from the D5200, nothing exciting. Then the complaints come about the small buffer size… it’s a yawn-fest. They still sell and sell well, because it is the latest thing on the shelf in Nikon semi pro crop bodies, but people aren’t queuing up to upgrade that’s for sure.
“I really do find Kai loves to pick out the negatives and gloss over the positives.”
This is how he makes his money – state simplistically controversial statements to get people to watch and argue. Don’t watch his reviews and give him more money. Even if you take the time saved from watching one if his irritating “reviews” and stare at a wall while sitting on a toilet, your time will have been better spent.
I’m glad you think of DRTV like that. I for one, despite what I said earlier, actually enjoy watching Kai bash other cameras faults. Yet for some reason it’s almost personal with Sony because I own one. Honestly I agree with you, that’s how he makes his money. It is entertaining and beyond other reviews comically.
However, I must disagree that this review was complete waste of time. Yet he is still more biased against sony, fact.
If they provide entertainment value, then it’s certainly worth it for you. Maybe I need to loosen up.
So he’s an entertainer then? OK, then he should not put himself as a position of a reviewer.
Nope, he can’t review very well at all, but then again thats the joy of this video! Or any of his videos for that matter. They are reviews, but also fun and comical, not dreary and factual. It really depends on how stringent your definition of “review”. As I said, I have nothing against Kai as a person, just the way he talks about sony cameras, is all…
Yeah, probably we have a different perspective then… I am thinking that a potential A77II buyer will be diverted after watching this crank’s ‘review’ though. But for other knowledgeable users it doesn’t matter, yes that’s true!
isn’t every review put into the context of a price point, for a $1200 body this is probably a nice value, i don’t agree with the confrontational tone, thats useless as a consumer, its just wasted time
The problem isn’t that the a77II isn’t a decent camera… I think it is the camera the first a77 should have been 2 YEARS ago! AND the PRICE POINT it should have been (And the a77 should have had the current Sony flash mount). This is a slightly better camera than the a77 and it should be. I have said it before… If you don’t have a camera this seems like a great camera for the price (Too bad for the a77 owners who paid $1500.00). The problem is that if you have a a580, a77, a850, or a900 there is no reason to “Upgrade” ESPECIALLY if you own a hml-f58am flash and CANNOT use it on your “Slightly Better” remixed a77 with a II (without an adaptor). Lets see what Sony decides to do with the next Full-Frame Amount release. I hope it is more of an ‘Upgrade’ and less of a ‘Remix’.
Nice opinion. I know many people who disagree completely with you. Myself included. I Own an A850 and A77, and I ordered an A77II. There are many many many very worthwhile additions to the new model that justify the purchase. Tethering. Much improved high ISO noise and noise reduction and Jpg engine. Insane AF upgrade. Much better buffer, Much better EVF, AF range limited…on and on and on.
The original A77 was earthshattering when it was released, and aside from High ISO, it is still far better than most cameras out there. The A77II is hands down the best APS-C camera on the market. Just because you don’t have enough money to purchase one, or you incapable of recognizing the potential of this camera, dont try to dissuade successful people on this message board.
TECHNOLOGY DOESNT STAND STILL. In two years this camera will look obsolete, but it’s just the way it goes!
Get your head out of your a$$.
Yeah, tethering for sure. It’s on Atomos’ list of supported cameras. 🙂 http://www.atomos.com/discovery-what-cameras/
Damn. I guess I upgraded to the A77II for no reason then. I sure wish you would have shared your wisdom before I bought the A77II!
I love it when people try to hold others back because they think their ill-founded opinions are fact. Maybe, Mr Lee, the new features and improvements do not justify a purchase for you, but they absolutely did for me and I’m very happy I upgraded.
Well worth the money. 🙂
Still peddling that nonsense MrLee?
Seemed like a fair review to me.
AF Comparison test between A77 and A77II http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qTyLc4vVdU&feature=youtu.be
Very cool demonstration. Pretty sure the new A77II AF module will give the vast majority of the very top-end cameras a run for their money. Can’t wait till I get my camera!
Readers might want to watch this Sony made hands on review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4q0TG5PGUo
I stopped watch this fool long ago, very non professional, very opinionated also is not good…
Kai is very obviously impressed with the Sony, but he just cant admit it because it directly competes with Canikon.
Kai is a goof. Everyone knows it. He lays it on real thick…clearly he’s trying to be amusing in an annoying kind of way.
What I see is Kai cant really find much of anything to pick on, so instead of being speechless he picks on minor things (it’s boring? really? that’s the biggest fault?).
From Kai, the review speaks highly of the A77II!
Sony fans say the A77II isn’t much of a change from the A77…fine. Kai says the A77ii isn’t much of a change from the A77…Sony fans go mad.
Anyone, Sony fanboy or not, who is knowledgeable about the A77 who thinks the A77II “isn’t much of a change” must have:
A) Jealousy
B) A low IQ
C) Trollism
LOL. I would wager that 95% of them suffer from jealousy. Either they cant upgrade for financial reasons, or they shoot a different camera system. Regardless, they’re jealous so they think if they put the camera down then they can talk themselves, and others, into not wanting it.
Not how it works, obviously.
true, very true.
Having used the a77 and gone to a77ii, o man its way different. Most most most part to be very good
Sony fans who say that the A77II isn’t much of a change from the A77 have simply not used the A77II.
Dunno why this comment got so much Upvotes. But nevertheless, saying some absurdly pointless stuff like how this camera is shaped strangely and other junky rants are just some sort of stupidity.
Kai is simply a hater. He puts on a show (mostly for the Leica people, and a bit for the Canon and Nikon people), but his videos aren’t reviews. They are farces. And I have known this for years.
Yep, 100% agreed. TCSTV reliable!
+1 for TCSTV.
The one about autofocus on mirrorless vs DSLR is the most informative, interesting and honest video about camera gear I’ve seen in a long time.
Kai’s just trying to get some mileage out of Sony fanboys. Towards the end of the “review” he grudgingly admits to many of the advantages/upgrades but without any conviction. He gets hits not for being accurate but for being entertaining. It is the Top Gear of photography.
Bullshit. Don’t waste your time watching this – it’s neither worth your attention nor funny.
I’ve watched this video and I find this very useful.
I quote after Niedermayer@: “Fanboys” take any criticism on what they love as a personal attack despite the fact that Kai brings up lots of constructive points.
Then would you think with ‘this camera has nothing interesting’ as a conclusion after pointing some constructive points is something smart? It could be useful, and filled with constructive parts, but by no means that it’s a smart review at all.
“Fanboys” take any criticism on what they love as a personal attack despite the fact that Kai brings up lots of constructive points. The SLT cameras are so oddly market-positioned and look unattractive in a sea of worthy adversaries. C’mon Sony! We know you can design appealing yet functional gadgets. The SLT a77 II is another going-thru-the-motions release.
The best DigitalRev videos are the ones where Kai paints a camera pink, drops it from a tall building, or sets it on fire.
I also like the ones where Kai hands a cheap toy camera to a good photographer to prove that a good photographer can get good results with anything.
As far as their actual camera reviews go… they are really pretty vapid. He does have some valuable “user” insights, but I just get sick and tired of watching him take photos of the same old Chinese man smoking a cigarette, or the same old Chinese woman hauling a huge bundle of something on her push cart.
OK… I realize these aren’t the same people… but he keeps taking the same shots over and over. There is just so much Hong Kong street photography I can take.
You can’t take this guy seriously.