Sony a77 II SLR camera always in focus with 79-point AF system

From fast-paced action shots to a sudden flutter of a spooked bird, the new α77 II always keeps its focus firmly in one shot at a time. Building on the legacy of the highly popular Sony α77 and α700, the α77 II gives keen amateurs a string of exciting improvements packed into a rugged, impact-resistant body that will stand up to the test.

Image quality improved, while sensitivity increased by about 20% over the α77 to capture exquisitely detailed photos and Full HD movies flawlessly, even in low light. Continuous Shooting has been expanded, adding a new group of professional video features for people who love to shoot movies. But the best thing about the α77 II is the latest phase-locked autofocus system that sets new standards for speed and accuracy. With a field of view approximately 2x wider than that of the α77, it exceeds the autofocus capabilities of many professional cameras.

– New A bayonet camera with the world’s largest number of phase AF points[i] – 79 points[ii] with 15 cross-type sensors

– Translucent Mirror Technology offers ultra fast intelligent tracking autofocus and continuous shooting at up to 60 full resolution[iii] at up to 12 frames per second

– 24.3-megapixel[iv] Exmor™ CMOS sensor delivers a wide ISO 100-25600 sensitivity range

– XGA OLED Tru-Finder™ viewfinder and 3-directional tilting LCD screen

– Rugged magnesium alloy body with dust and waterproof gasket

– BIONZ X™ processor for professional-quality images and Full HD 50p video

– NFC/Wi-Fi wireless for one-touch copying and remote control from mobile device

79-point next generation phase detection AF system

For the first time ever, the α77 II uses 79 focus points, including 15 cross-type sensors in the most frequently used center area of the sensor. It helps ultra-precise focus, even for objects containing horizontal stripes that many other cameras can’t handle.

There is also a dedicated F2.8 AF sensor, oriented horizontally and located in the center of the AF sensor. Designed for large apertures up to F2.8, it delivers maximum AF accuracy with fast lenses. This AF system also works flawlessly in low light, capturing objects accurately in the frame even at low light levels such as EV-2 ISO100 , when even a human being must strain his or her eyes to see the fine details.

Huge amounts of measurement data from all 79 focus points are processed using an entirely new algorithm that has been refined and fine-tuned during extensive field tests. This algorithm predicts the next movement of the subject by combining the AF measurement data with the subject position. AF precision is further enhanced when using Lock-on AF, which recognises your subject by its color and position in the frame.

Whether you frame it in the viewfinder or on the LCD screen in Live View, Sony’s unique Translucent Mirror Technology keeps your subject perfectly in focus, whether you’re shooting stills or Full HD movies. This powerful new system reacts less to random objects in the frame – such as a “stray” balloon that crosses the frame when shooting a soccer game. It performs brilliantly in low light, for example, producing sharply focused images of moving objects on a moonlit night.

Several new, ingenious AF functions are available that make the most of the new 79-point AF system. Expanded Flexible Spot mode maintains focus even when the selected focus points lose track of the subject. This mode activates eight surrounding AF points which find the lost subject. Combined with continuous AF AF-C mode, this greatly improves AF performance when shooting a moving subject.

Lock-on AF mode allows the user to select one of four AF areas Wide, Area, Universal Dot or Expanded Universal Dot . When the target is locked in place, the camera tracks the selected subject while the shutter button is pressed halfway. As the subject moves or the composition of the shot changes, the camera automatically selects the most appropriate AF point from the 79 available points.

When the new Expanded Flexible Spot mode alone can’t handle a subject moving too fast, it connects to the AF locking mode to deliver best-in-class performance.

To further enhance control, there are five degrees of sensitivity to refocus to a new subject when tracking a selected subject when shooting in AF-C mode . When shooting an object whose movements are predictable, a low AF oversensitivity reduces the risk of the camera focusing on an intruding subject that suddenly appears in the frame next to the desired one.

The high tracking performance makes autofocus more responsive, ideal when you’re shooting a variety of subjects quickly from a variety of distances, such as when shooting outdoor scenes. When shooting Full HD movies, you can select three settings for AF tracking sensitivity: High, Medium and Low.

Other innovations include Eye AF, which precisely finds and focuses on the subject’s eyes when photographing people. AF Range Control lets you restrict AF to a certain range of distances and select from five levels of refocusing sensitivity to match the movement of your subject.

Balanced Emphasis mode is also available, which complements both Shutter Priority and Focus Priority modes to ensure the perfect moment for releasing the shutter. Users can manually select the most appropriate mode for the situation and their creative intent.

Advanced Sensitivity 24.3-megapixel Exmor™ CMOS sensor

Demonstrating Sony’s leadership in sensor technology, the 24.3 megapixel Exmor™ CMOS sensor uses the same gapless integrated lens arrangement used in the highly acclaimed α7R and α6000.

Thanks to some of the latest innovations in imaging, this sensor delivers 20% higher sensitivity than its predecessor for the same number of pixels. Low noise is guaranteed to complement the impeccable detail of the image with a sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 25600.

The partner of the high resolution sensor is the same advanced BIONZ X image processor used in the α7 and α7R. Approximately three times faster than the previous version of Sony’s BIONZ processor, and optimised for the α77 II, it uses detail, local noise reduction and refraction reduction technologies – each contributing to stunning resolution, rich color and texture in both stills and Full HD video.

Enjoy continuous shooting at up to 60 frames at full resolution at up to 12 frames per second

Continuous Shooting Capability The α77 II surpasses many professional cameras. The α77 II captures up to 60 JPEGs at full resolution at a maximum continuous shooting speed of around 12fps in AE-priority continuous shooting mode .

See the world in your own way through the OLED Tru-Finder viewfinder and 3-directional tilting LCD screen

Clear and bright XGA OLED Tru-Finder™ viewfinder with 236,000 dots makes framing and focusing a pleasure. With 3x[v] increased contrast and resolution, it reproduces the final image in every detail, allowing you to accurately assess the effects of focus, exposure, and other adjustments before you press the shutter button.

In addition to the wide viewing angle and high remote eyepiece point, there is now an expanded choice of brightness settings and the ability to adjust color temperatures for even more comfortable and accurate image layout.

Like the full-frame α99, the α77 II is equipped with 3.0″ 7.5 cm high resolution Xtra Fine LCD screen that moves in three directions, giving you almost unlimited creative possibilities. Shoot easily and easily from high or low point, portrait or landscape orientation, handheld or tripod. WhiteMagic technology makes the screen much more visible, even in sunny weather outdoors.

Advanced customization of functions is always at your fingertips

As with the α77, separate dials on the front and back make it easy to adjust camera settings without taking your eye off the viewfinder. A variety of customization options now let you assign 51 functions to 11 context-sensitive buttons.

You can store up to three groups of shooting modes and other settings in camera memory and recall them easily with the mode dial. Also, the exposure mode dial lock feature is carried over from the a99, preventing accidental mode changes.

Rugged enough for serious enthusiasts

The α77 II’s tough, lightweight magnesium-alloy body is designed to satisfy the most passionate photographers in search of that perfect shot. The large, sculpted grip makes the camera even easier to hold.

Dust and moisture-proof seals around all buttons and control dials are complemented by double-layer protection around all openings, including the memory card slot and terminals. In addition, the camera’s rugged shutter assembly is rated for 150,000 operations.

Professional-style video shooting with continuous AF

The a77 II camera is capable of recording full HD 50p and 25p AVCHD 2 video.0. As in stills, Translucent Mirror technology enables continuous phase-assisted autofocus, enabling precise tracking of fast-moving subjects when shooting movies.

A range of more sophisticated features will appeal to serious video enthusiasts. These include three levels of tracking autofocus sensitivity adjustment, a professional zebra output function and audio level measurement. Also added clean HDMI output, allowing you to view the recording on an external monitor and record uncompressed video to an external storage device.

One-touch wireless connectivity and smartphone remote control

Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity allows one-touch connection for easy copying of images to Xperia™ smartphone or other NFC-enabled smartphones, tablets and computers. Smart Remote Control, which links the camera to your cell phone and allows you to release the shutter at a distance.

Lenses and accessories

Covering focal lengths from wide-angle to telephoto, the family of 32 A bayonet lenses offers a wide range of creative tools for visual expression.

This family offers lenses to suit almost any creative photography need, from high-end G Lens™ and ZEISS® models that deliver world class quality to the unique Sony STF Smooth Trans Focus lens, which creates an extraordinarily subtle bokeh effect for the background.

High-end G Lens models feature precision aspherical lenses, optical ED glass, advanced anti-reflective Nano AR Coating and advanced Sony optical technologies that contribute to high resolution and beautiful bokeh effects.

ZEISS® lenses are a joint development of Sony and ZEISS, a name well known to the world’s most demanding photographers. They take full advantage of unique and innovative optical technology. Stunning contrast and high resolution across the entire frame – the famous ZEISS trademark.

The optional VG-C77AM vertical grip makes the camera even more comfortable to hold and manage in a vertical format.

α Library app α Library

Also introducing the new free “α Library” app for tablets, available to download from the App Store and Google Play. The α Library app provides users with information and advice on taking pictures in various situations, as well as recommendations on how to use lenses and accessories to help photographers improve their photography skills. Application is available in English only.

The Sony α77 II interchangeable lens digital camera with A mount will go on sale in America in early June 2014.

α77 II Specifications

Basic properties	ILCA-77M2
Type	Digital camera with interchangeable lenses and built-in flash
Compatible lenses	Sony A-mount lenses, Minolta/Konica Minolta lenses
Matrix	Type	“Exmor” APS-C CMOS format 23.5 x 15.6mm with primary color filters and effective resolution of approx. 24.3 megapixel
Number of pixels effective	Approx. 24.3 megapixel
Processor	BIONZ X™
Image quality	RAW RAW & JPEG JPEG Extra High JPEG Standard
AF system	Type	(TTL phase measurement system through the lens
Number of focus points	79 points 15 cross sensors with central F2.8 sensor
Measuring Range	From EV -2 to 18 at ISO100 equivalent
Focus area	Wide/Zone/Central/Point/Advanced Universal Point/Fixed AF Wide/Zone/Central/Point/Advanced Universal Point
AF modes	Single AF AF-S , Continuous AF AF-C , Auto AF AF-A , Direct Manual Focus, selectable
Drive	Speed approx., max.	Continuous Shooting in AE Priority Mode: max. 12 fps
Continuous Shooting High Speed/Hi : max. 8 fps
Continuous Shooting Low speed/Lo : max. 3 fps
Number of frames recorded* approx.	[Continuous Shooting in AE Priority Mode] Extra High: 53 frames/High: 60 frames/: 64 frames/RAW & JPEG: 25 frames/RAW: 26 frames Standard [Continuous Shooting] Extra High: 56 frames High: 75 frames Standard: 93 frames /RAW & JPEG: 26 frames /RAW: 28 frames
ISO sensitivity range	Photo: ISO100 to 25600 1/3 EV step , extension to ISO50 can be set as “Extended ISO Range” . AUTO: ISO 100-25600, selectable. with an upper or lower limit Video: ISO100 to 12800 equivalent 1/3 EV step AUTO: ISO 100 to 12800 equivalent, selectable. with upper or lower limit
HD video recording	Recording format: AVCHD 2.0 MP4 Video codec: AVCHD:MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 MP4:MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Electronic Viewfinder	XGA OLED, 1.3 cm 0.5″ 2,359,296-point effective resolution with 100% frame coverage, five display modes and grid line output modes.
LCD screen	7.5 cm 3.0″ widescreen TFT with WhiteMagic technology. Tilt angle: 150° up and 180° down. Angle of rotation: 180° clockwise and 90° counter-clockwise.
Dust protection system	Antistatic matrix coating and matrix vibration mechanism
Exposure modes	AUTO Intelligent Auto/Superior Auto Scene Selection Sweep Panorama Continuous Shooting with AE Priority Movie P/A/S/M Programmable AE Aperture Priority Shutter Priority Manual Operation Recall from Memory MR1/2/3
Exposure metering	1200-zone
Shutter speed	Photo: 1/8000 to 30 s/Bulb hand-held shutter speed Video: 1/8000 to 1/4 1/3 step , up to 1/60 in AUTO mode up to 1/30 in Auto Slow Shutter mode
Exposure Bracketing	Continuous/Frame mode in 1/3EV, 1/2EV, 2/3EV, 1.0EV, 2.0EV, 3.0EV, 3 5 fps
Carriers	Memory Stick PRO Duo Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo Memory Stick XC-HG Duo SD Memory Stick SDHC UHS-I compatible SDXC UHS-I compatible
Dimensions WxHxD	Approx. 142.6 mm × 104.2mm × 80.9mm
Weight	Approx. 647g body only Approx. 726g with battery and Memory Stick PRO Duo card

[i] As of press release date. Sony review of digital cameras with interchangeable lenses equipped with phase-assist AF sensors !! .

[The actual number of AF points varies depending on the lens and shooting mode.

[iii] With “FINE” quality and “L” image size.

[iv] Approximate effective number of megapixels.

[v] Compared to α77