Should You Buy The Sony A7ii in 2023? 

Great... but, should you buy the Sony A7II in 2023? You didn't answer that or review the camera. You just said to buy the A7III, which is significantly more expensive. That's like saying "Should you buy a Toyota Corolla in 2023? You shouldn't buy a Toyota Corolla because a Ferrari SF90 is better." OBVIOUSLY it's better. But the reason people ask this question is because of the price difference. If there was no difference, then it would be stupid to buy the A7II.

I was using an original EOS M for years before I finally upgraded it to the a7ii last year. Coming from Canon’s first mirrorless to the a7ii has been a huge inspiration for me to get back into photography again. When the a7ii first came out I wanted to upgrade from my eos m but couldn’t afford it. This past black friday I happened to snag it for $900 with a 28-70. While the a7iii was $1600-$1800 at the time. That extra $700-$900 in savings got me a second lens, new bag, filters, flash, accessories, other gear, with some $$ leftover. While the a7ii doesn’t have as many af points, bigger battery, touch screen, etc as the a7iii. I think it’s a phenomenal beginner’s camera. For less than $2k someone can get an entire full frame camera kit setup. With a camera that will teach them how to elevate their skills as there are some short comings compared to more modern alpha cameras. Also depending on the use case, 1080p is still very relevant as instagram crushes anything uploaded to 1080 anyways. So unless someone is wanting to start a high production quality looking youtube channel, they don’t need to waste almost another $1000 for a bump in video resolution. Obviously this is all my opinion but I’ve been very happy with the a7ii so far as an amateur photographer. I think any beginner looking into full frame should consider it. Unless they find a good used price for an a7iii or better 😆

Answering for everyone curiosity about buying the a7ii in 2023. For half the price of the price or less than the a7iii this is a camera still worth buying. The a7ii offers amazing performance and very little less than its successor. For anyone that doesn't have $2000 to spend on a a7iii, yes this is great camera that can be found at a great price on the second hand market and it will last you years.

I bought the A7II just back in May for $1000 at BestBuy. I love the camera and it does nearly everything I ever wanted a digital camera to do! Just need to get better lenses but it is a phenomenal camera to use! I'm just someone who does photography as a hobby and not as a job. So nothing professional. Though this camera does take amazing pictures! It replaced my old Canon Rebel T6 I had for a few years and never cared for. That camera always left me wanting more but not getting it. One of the main reasons I went with the A7II is because it is full frame and I like to adapt my vintage lenses over to my digital. It always sucked on the Canon Rebel but not on the A7II! If anyone is looking for a great camera I would of course highly recommend this camera! Sure it doesn't compete against the newest models as much but for around $1000 new and less used, it's really hard to look past it!

You can get a used A7II sub 600 vs 1300 for an a7III off MPB right now. at half or less of the price, how does that change the equation?

Yea, this camera does me justice right now, as I'm just starting to get into photography. It's been great with the content I'm working on right now. I got mine for about $700.

I currently have the canon m50, do you think that buying the sony a7II would upgrade it or are they very similar?

Thanks for the video.. And keep up the good work 👌🏼👌🏼

Would it be a no brianer to buy a Sony A7ii for $280? Fully functioning and with the kit lens in 2024?

A7II is pretty lightweight, just 91g heavier than the A7c so its an actually really good alternative for less.

The A7R2 is the old Sony Camera to get! A72 is a great camera! Im not knocking it but the advantages are so worth it! I got the R2 at Best Buy brand new for 1200 for body only...that was in 2021 and since I've added 3 Sony lenses 24-105goos 50mm and 85mm and Im in heaven since finally getting into the Professional camera world lol...nice video bro and Ill be looking out for others to come

A7ii or the a6500? Please help found good deals on both

I love this camera. Everyone ignores it and simps for the a7iii, but if you enjoy making content, it shouldnt matter what equipment you use.

What about if gettin a grip three batteries for 600$ would u still buy?? But I already own an 80d canon

Here in 2024 considering an a7ii to astro modify. I've seen going for about $500.

I still use it as a backup to my A7IV. It’s great still if you don’t need 4K video

My only interest is how capable the IAF is. I have a Sony a6400 and am looking for a used FF with a very capable IAF. How does the A72 score on that front.

With an external recorder, like the atomos V, you can record in 4k with this camera.

For someone who has had a long time interest in becoming a professional photographer, if your budget for used was $300-$700 what camera would you recommend? Also, for a budget up to $1000 what would you recommend? I have some wiggle room based on features and depending on lenses. Thanks! Also, for your first camera, do you think it’s better to buy used or new?

Hi Zach, very good video!! I would like to ask your opinion, i dont have the afford to buy sonya7iii but sonya7ii is in very good sale option. its about to my second camera that i have ever bought (first one canon4000d). i think sonya7ii is good option for money and my epxerience, also making my first professional works that some guys give to me ( weddings, promo videos eth). thanks a lot zach !!

Any advice on how to setting your A7ii camera for photography?

Would a ECM-B10 be a good microphone for it? Or what external micro would you recommend for documentary/fiction short films???

Was just gifted an A72 with a tamron 28-200 mm f/2.8-5.6 lense. I know absolutely nothing about photography lol. Any recommendations on videos to start off with that’ll catch me up to speed on the basics and terminology?

What does it mean Sony Alpha 7 II can now shoot 4k vids internally? Found such information at preview as I'm hesitating between Nikon z50 and Sony Alpha 7 II.

I just completed a sony 7 ii, how and for studio videos like the one you did? Can it cause problems? Does it have a good focus? 3:46

Is it worth to upgrade from Sony A7III to Sony A1 ?

is it good today for 1050 euros ?

What lens do you use in your RU-vid video? For the a7II?

If I want to start recording my workout videos is this a good camera for start? I use to have a cannon T5i

Great informative video, thanks man. I have one question though. What do you think about the A7rii in 2023? Mainly for photography and B-roll on the odd occasion.

good video!

Thank You 🙏

is really possible to use this camera under the rain or in a really wet place? i've got really fear to destoy it! i want to know just because next month i have a trip to Ireland and it's really rainy. Thk!

thoughts on what to upgrade to after owning the a7II?

Hey analyzed the option of the Sony A7S ll and they went overboard with the price

If you only do photography it is a good camera. The sensor is great, the raws has a nice dynamic range if exposed correctly (with the use of zebras is really easy). But thats all, its just quality image. I find it a bit outdated in everything else. You have to be sure of getting a Sony if you are going to buy something older than the A7III because they were kind of experimenting and the A7III was their first refined, all-rounded product, they had on the full frame line. Older models lacks some stuff and these are complex cameras. In the A7II, the autofocus is not very good, specially compared with the a7III which is a monster on that. It will depend on what kind of photos you do though. Some modern lenses may help on this regard because they are fast focusing, but you are not going to take the best of them in this matter. Battery life is bad. You can solve it by buying a few more batteries, they are not expensive. You only have one SD card slot, which is not necessary a bad thing but if you are going to use the camera as a working tool it may be interesting to have a backup of your work. The screen is...well, its just okay, not very bright but you have the EVF for that situations, which its just okay too, not great not terrible either. It has nfc which i find useless, and wifi connection. The sony app you need to transfer jpgs to your smartphone or remotely control the camera is just awful, but thats another topic. With this being said, i own an A7II because of budget limitations. It is my first and only digital body and owned it for 3 years now. Done some street photography, a couple of family weddings and that sruff and you can trust this camera but you have to learn how to use it and deal with the drawbacks. If you get one, just learn to use it, to take the best of it, and you'll get beautiful photos on it. My advice would be: first be sure you want a full frame camera, then, if you can afford the A7III, go for it. If not, then the A7 II is a good option if you find it under 1000$ but be adviced of the limitations that pre-A7III bodies has.

Hi Zach! Thanks for the video. If you had the opportunity to buy a Canon RP and a Sony A7 III for almost the same price ($ 100 more for the Canon) which one would you buy? Both cameras are new and come with the lens kit. Sony $999. Canon $1099 👍🏽

In my book, A7s 2 is perfectly fine for any beginner as well as experienced photographers. If photography is what you are striving for there are no limits to your creativity. Glass is far more important and learning post processing. The focus on the camera itself is almost misguided. Focus on developing composition and technical abilities. MGP are entirely overrated to the point that is becoming ridiculous. You will be fine with 12mgp. If you learn to crop before you walk, you will develop bad habits.

Should I upgrade my EOS M5 to A7 II? I dont really like the m5. The touch screen annoyes me and its difficult to use. But it does its job. I get good photos with it but i dont feel comfortable using it. Im still not sure if I should sell my M5, add 300€ on it and buy an A7 II. Sorry for my english.

I still use mine after 8years of getting it and for photography I see no reason to upgrade it since it does everything it needs to do, unless you shoot sports or fast action I wouldn't recommend it, otherwise it's a great choice for anyone.

I want to buy my first camera and taking B&H as a reference, the price of the Sony a7 II, the Sony a6100 and the a6400 (the latter two being one of the ones I was thinking of buying) is similar. What would you recommend me?

First off all, great Channel! Definetly worth a new sub ^^ I have been shooting a Canon 70d for a few Years now und would really like to transition to Fullframe Mirrorless. Sony is high in stales for me, because i really like the Formfactor of the 6000 series for B-Roll, BTS an Travel, so a 7 modle would be great for transition. I found one use with only 3.400 Clicks, inkluding two extra Batteries and the Kit Lens for 350€ (ca. 375$). Its in as new condition. Do you think this is worth the money? Since corona im a a thight budget und this offer would exatly scratch my upper Limit :) Thanks in Advance, Retep! :)

Hi, great video! I have a quick question: Would you recommend the A7 II or Fuji X-H1? I mean which one would you recommend? Im looking to buy an advanced mirrorless camera, and my options are: A7 II, possibly the A7 III, but it's a little bit of a stretch, Fuji X-H1, Fuji X-T3, and a couple of others.

I still have my a7ii as my main camera and only camera actually, not counting my cell phone, that being said, is it worth to upgrade to a newer model? or since I already have it, should I just hang on to it?

B and H is offering A7 2 for $998 with i believe a nice lens !! Is it worth it or can you recomend a good first camera and where to buy new or used love your videos Thank you

I bought mine 1200 brand new from a friend 🤦🏽‍♂️ did I fuck up? The camera I used before the a7 ii was the canon m50 mark1 with a 50 mil. Lens.

The a7 II is a perfectly legitimate choice if you're just starting out. But I might also direct beginners and even some pros to crop sensors. My Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is weather-sealed, shoots 4K video, writes to dual SD card slots, includes headphone and mic jacks, and delivers incredible in-body image stabilization. The photo burst rates are blistering fast as well. You can get them on the used market now for under $500, which is a smoking deal.

For me its price point. A7ii second hand is $1000 AUD, whilst the A7iii is $2000. Is the newer model worth double the price?

The A7III has to be the better camera. But £1600 is a lot of money to pay just to take pretty pictures. I'm using the A7II (2) while most people are using travel cameras and smartphones. I photo live dress-rehearsals for plays. A smartphone won't cut it. The images on the A7II are sharp and clear even in theatre lighting. There's no noise. The focusing is fast enough (I don't need it for sport) and the 4K is not needed as I'm not a videographer, so not worth spending on. The A7II will take video; sharp quality video for RU-vid but I have no need for it. My theatre is only interested in the quality of the photos, not the camera I use. If I'm getting the results without the A7III then I have saved myself £700. As for general use, the Sony A7II is still stellar compared to non-professional cameras.

This is the cheapest full frame camera and that is it´s main advantage. The Sony a7iii is of course better but it costs double price, not just a little bit more.

Ι have 2 a7 ii, also one a7 c ii…..I use many times one of my a 7 ii because I have less financial risk if I travel abroad…..

So i was able to get an A7ii from best buy with the 28-70 lens for 999 rather than its 1600 price tag, considering that would you Zach or anyone else in the comments consider that a good deal or that it was a good choice compared to buying a new A7iii? (Also keep in mind the 13-1400 i spent in total for a nee flash, camera body, lens, new camera bag, 2 lens filters was about all of my budget to begin with)

Can someone explain me why i set wb to 5000, shoot manual mode, and then when i open the photo to edit with Lr, Ps, Camera Raw... i see the wb has changed to a 7000 value? Is it a thing with the Sony A7ii?

i am thinking whether I should buy canon eos m50 ii or sony a 7ii. right now currently, they are similar price range in 600-800. But a lot of people say sony's is better in taking pictures, which is what i usually do, so I am leaning towards sony. should i get sony or canon

Found some going for £350 on the second hand market, and now my poor fuji finepix s200 is dead will probably get one. Rip soldier, you will be missed.

2:12 suggests not worth buying in 2023! Thanks for that prices super cheap and was considering for video.

For me in canada the a7ii is 1399$ new at best buy.. the a7iii is 2799$ I want to get out from my T8i canon and looking at Sony simply because of glass selection.. but the a7ii is the only one in my budget.. 2799$ for the a7iii is just crazy even used on Facebook market place people are selling body only for over 2k

I recently bought Sony A7ll. Could someone suggest me which lens should I buy ??

i switched from a7ii to a7iii mainly for the bigger battery and 4k, tbh the battery on a7ii is really bad need to carry at least 4 or more batteries to get through 1 day

Of course everyone would want newer camera, but III vs II is 2x price difference. ~1600 vs 800 if new

I still got the a7ii,it’s an amazing camera

I'm getting an offer of $1100 of the A7II with a 28-70mm lens, that compared with the A7III at $2500 with the same lenses, I think is a bargain, right? I'm trying to upgrade from an A58 🥲

I can’t decide wether to get a 6400 or a7ii,I mostly like to do photography

My birthday is coming up and I'm quite confident that I can get my parents to but me an A7Sii for $1,000 CAD. But I also can play the waiting game and save $3,000 for the A7Siii. The problem is, I cannot play the waiting game, therefore I cannot make my own decision and am gathering second opinions to seek help with my choice.

Just for photographs, A2 with a $1000lens or a7 iii with a $300 lens

i just got a a7ii recently its a shame none has any easily findable cinematic video with it. got it under 1k

what if you got the a7II for $500 is that a good deal . shuter count 950 bought for collage student{and if she dose not use it mine baby}

Do you think a used (2019) A7ii worth $450?

Should I buy the camera if it sells around $600? Will that be a good choice ‘cause I’m just a beginner?

Sony a7ii or a6400 ? Wich do you recomend me ?

I checked BandH and notice the a6400 and the a7ii on sale which is better buy

And where can I buy one at that price of $600? on ebay and amazon everything above 1500

i bought the A7 II for 650€ in very good condition. For getting the A7 III i would had to double that so i gues theres stil an argument for getting the A7 II :D

a7ii currently selling for $998. Good deal for a beginner?

Sony zv-e10 or a7ii?

I recently purchased two A7II for work at Best Buy for USD $999.99 each. I also own an older A7 which is still a decent camera.

Still worth for stills and a youtube channel. Used like new are 700 bucks now

If I could get one for 400$ do you think it would be worth?

@zach McGee The found a7 II body only for 688 used, is this a good deal?

not sure where you found a7ii's for $1,500 haha i find most are between 900-400 usd which is a fair ish price, still not great but usable

Terrible take, sorry. The 7ii is on sale at Best Buy for $900 right now. So unless you're a rich kid and want the newest stuff, *cough* this is a great full frame camera.

I recently got an A7ii for $950 with 4 batteries only because I couldn't justify getting an A7iii for $2600+

Was this video actually meant to encourage people to buy an A7III?

I would like the difference to be 100 dollars 😎😎😎😎😎 but in practice it is totally different, does Sony have the nerve to sell the Sony A7 lll for 1700 dollars what? It should be around 1000 to 1200 and I recently saw the Sony A7 II new for 1000, it seems like an insult to me, but not even if you buy it for 500 dollars, the lack of 4K makes me doubt it and you have the nerve to sell the Sony A7s. ll for 1425 dollars used not sony but a store

I have the opportunity to buy the A 7ii with 600 euros new. But I don't think it's worth the money.

Would buy it for $500 in 2024

Who is selling a7ii for 1500. In our country it is only 550 600 USD around

_Do you want an apple? _Yes _Here's a watermelon

Sneaky sony, they keep a7ii expensive so that we rather buy a7iii for a higher price

Absolutely irrelevant, but you should be a fashion model!

No

I would have to agree with you on telling someone not to buy the aii but rather buy at least the aiii. I'm a believer in not buying old technology if you can help it. I bought the aii back in 2019 as well and have worked it pretty hard. If someone was to buy the aii it's still a good camera but not at the price that some places are trying to sell it for.

100% they should get it. The a7ii is awesome camera. Still use mine for macro photography. I mean I still also use my a77 and a100 too. This boofhead calling it a "beginner camera"! Hahahahahaha. This camera with outlast 80% of most folks "photography skills"