The last time I laid hands on a Sony Alpha 7R was just after its launch, and at the time I remember holding onto what felt like something truly special. The Alpha 7R stood out from all other cameras for a number of reasons.

+ Stunning image quality with high levels of detail; + Refined body design with improved handling characteristics; + Wide autofocus coverage across the frame; + Superb 5-axis image stabilisation to correct for camera shake

Large file sizes; Low battery life (290 shots using viewfinder; Lacks touchscreen functionality

The Sony A7R II is the company's new flagship full-frame compact system camera. It features a newly developed back-illuminated full-frame Exmor R CMOS sensor offering a resolution of 42.4 megapixels and no optical low pass filter, built-in 5-axis optical image stabilization providing up to 4.5 steps...

I've been shooting with the a7 pretty much from the day it was released and since the A9 was not the specific product for my needs (studio portraiture and some landscapes) the A7Rm2 was the next logical step. Despite my expectations, the camera was a completelly different to the original A7.

Great (but not perfect) camera, I've owned it since launch a couple of years ago. It has now been replaced by the a7riii (R3) and if you shop around you may be able to get the R3 for a similar price to that shown for the R2 here today 7/12/17 ($3,748).

We know what you’re thinking: this camera costs over two and half grand, and that doesn’t even include a lens. And you’re right: the A7R II is eye-wateringly expensive – about £1,000 more than the original A7R was at launch. But it’s just so, so good. While it’s technically a “mirrorless camera” or a “compact system camera”, the drawbacks and disadvantages that those names convey don’t apply here. In the A7R II, Sony has made a no- compromise camera that combines impeccable build quality with a class-leading full-frame sensor, 5-axis image stabilisation, huge ISO range, fast autofocus, an excellent viewfinder and 4K video recording. And it’s far more compact than a DSLR. In short, it’s one of the best cameras you can buy today, and certainly the finest camera Sony has yet made.

Superb image quality; Excellent low light capabilities; Compact given its specs;

Video record button is annoyingly placed; We can’t afford one;

Superb image quality; Excellent low light capabilities; Compact given its specs;

Video record button is annoyingly placed; We can’t afford one;

The Sony Alpha A7r Mark II is without a doubt one of the most impressive digital cameras to date: packed to the brim with features and capable of delivering higher quality images and video than anything at its price.

Very high resolution images and a body designed to capture them; 4k video; 1080 at 60p and 720 at 120p; Embedded AF system with broad coverage and good CAF; Built-in stabilisation works with any lens; Large and detailed viewfinder.

Built-in IS only provided one or two stops in my tests, Small dials and buttons; Often confusing menu system, Screen not fully-articulated or touch-sensitive, Smart Remote app needs updating straightaway for manual control, Silent shutter mode reduces RAW dynamic range

Digital devices often look good on paper but don't always follow through to meet the promises of their specifications. Not so with the Sony a7R II , which is chock full of features, technology and performance enhancements that held real promise when first announced.

Excellent image quality; extensive feature set; 5-axis image stabilization; fast and accurate AF; good noise performance at high ISOs

Relatively slow buffer clearing; slow start-up; rolling shutter in 4K crop mode; pricey

This was released on December 18, 2015. Since that version I have not experienced any overheating problems when shooting documentary/event 4k video with the A7RII.

Sony's A-series cameras have gotten a lot of coverage in the photo press in the last few years with the recently introduced Sony A7R II receiving the kind of the pre-release hype not seen since the launch of the Canon 5D Mark II back in 2008.