Sony α7
With the Sony α7 series Sony began to focus its Sony α system away from cameras with Minolta AF mount to mirrorless CSC cameras with Sony E-mount. The α7 series got the FE-mount variant which supports the new full-frame E-mount lenses. Thus the α7 where Sony's first CSCs with 35mm full-frame image sensor. With the Sony α7 II the move of the system's focus was finished by adding a 5-axis sensor shift, making it the first E-mount camera with anti-shake mechanism, a superior one compared to the "super steady shot" of the A-mount DSLRs and SLTs.
Sony α7 CSC with Sony FE 3.5-5.6/28-70mm kit lens images by Hiroshi Uzu (Image rights) |
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Sony α7
The Sony α7 was the quantum leap in digital photography, by having made a compact mirrorless digital system camera (CSC) capable to shoot "full format" what means a digital frame format equal to the quite ideal former miniature format, better known as 35mm film 24×36mm frame format. Before the α7's launch in 2013 this format was only available in bulky DSLRs, in professional camcorders and in the expensive Leica M9. The CSC has a full format Sony CMOS 24 megapixel image sensor, and a built-in electronic viewfinder. Its retro style housing resembles a Minolta XE. Thus Sony finally embraced the Minolta legacy that it represents since it took over all system camera production assets of Konica Minolta in 2006.
The Sony α7's Sony E-mount = "All you can adapt ..." ;-)) image by Nik Chatou (Image rights) |
Sony α7R
The more expensive variant Sony α7R has a 36 megapixel full format sensor instead, thus being the first non-DSLR system camera offering this high image resolution.
α7R, alike the Sony NEX again a dream for lens adaptions image by Nathan Wright (Image rights) |
Sony α7S with fast lens - almost a night-vision device image by Ronan Collett (Image rights) |
Sony α7S
The variant Sony α7S has a 12 megapixel full format sensor and 4K-video-format support. With less but larger pixels it is the low-light queen of Sony's cameras, allowing to shoot autofocus exposures and videos in almost dark places.
Sony α7 II with Nokton "classic" lens image by Marcel Mendoza (Image rights) |
Sony α7 II
The Sony α7, but mightily reworked, for example with tiltable monitor instead of a fixed one. Thus it's not as light and slim as the 1st version. Long expected and finally delivered was the anti-shake mechanism, a 5-axis sensor-shift system.