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Sony A77 II Comparison Review

The Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was officially introduced in May 2014 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 24 megapixel.

camera

Is the Sony A77 II a good camera? The A77 II has a Camera Elo of 2197. This rating puts the A77 II among the top 20 percent of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the A77 II ranks among the top 40 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 4-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Sony A77 II
Digital single lens reflex
Sony A mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60p Video
ISO 100 - 25 600 (50 - 51 200)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0 LCD, 1229k dots
Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body
480 shots per battery charge
143 x 104 x 81 mm, 647 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size of the Sony A77 II vis-à-vis a credit card. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Sony A77 II vs credit card front
A77 II versus credit card top view
A77 II and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Sony A77 II alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
#   Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A77 II 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 647 g 480 Y May 2014 1,199ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D7200 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 1110 Y Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D7100 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 950 Y Feb 2013 1,199ebay.com
4.
 
Pentax K-3 II 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 720 Y Apr 2015 1,099ebay.com
5.
 
Pentax K-3 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 560 Y Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
6.
 
Sony A6600 120 mm 67 mm 69 mm 503 g 810 Y Aug 2019 1,399 amazon.com
7.
 
Sony A6500 120 mm 67 mm 53 mm 453 g 350 Y Oct 2016 1,399ebay.com
8.
 
Sony A68 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 610 g 540 n Nov 2015 699ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A58 129 mm 95 mm 78 mm 492 g 690 n Feb 2013 599ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A77 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 732 g 470 Y Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Sony A77 II was launched in the US market at a price of $1,199. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Sony A77 II features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Sony A77 II among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Sony A77 II sensor measures

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Sony A77 II APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.413.4101382
2.
 
Nikon D7200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.514.6133387
3.
 
Nikon D7100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.213.7125683
4.
 
Pentax K-3 II APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.613.6110680
5.
 
Pentax K-3 APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.713.4121680
6.
 
Sony A6600 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p23.813.4149782
7.
 
Sony A6500 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.513.7140585
8.
 
Sony A68 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60i24.113.570179
9.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
10.
 
Sony A58 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.312.575374
11.
 
Sony A77 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.013.280178
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The A77 II indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the A77 II can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A77 II has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2359k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.73x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A77 II and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
#   Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Sony A77 II2359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Nikon D7200optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
3.
 
Nikon D7100optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
4.
 
Pentax K-3 IIoptical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s n Y
5.
 
Pentax K-3optical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s Y Y
6.
 
Sony A66002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s n Y
7.
 
Sony A65002359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Sony A681440 Y2.7 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
10.
 
Sony A581440 n2.7 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Sony A772359 Y3.0 / 921 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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The LCD screen on the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD is multi-hinged and can be tilted both vertically and horizontally to enable odd-angle shots in landscape and portrait orientation. The LCD thereby offers a lot of flexibility to adjust and use the rear screen in a diverse set of situations.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the A77 II

One convenient feature of the A77 II is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
#   Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Sony A77 IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
2.
 
Nikon D7200Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
3.
 
Nikon D7100Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0---
4.
 
Pentax K-3 IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
5.
 
Pentax K-3Ymono / monoYYmini3.0---
6.
 
Sony A6600Ystereo / monoYYYES2.0YYY
7.
 
Sony A6500Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
8.
 
Sony A68Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0---
9.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
10.
 
Sony A58Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
11.
 
Sony A77Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
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It is notable that the A77 II has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the A77 II can be found in the free online Sony A77 II Manual or on the Sony support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the A77 II handle or perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Sony A77 II4/5....80/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 1,199ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D72004/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D71005/5+ +..85/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 1,199ebay.com
4.
 
Pentax K-3 II4.5/5......5/55/5 Apr 2015 1,099ebay.com
5.
 
Pentax K-34/5....83/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
6.
 
Sony A66004/5+4/583/1004.5/54/5 Aug 2019 1,399 amazon.com
7.
 
Sony A65005/5+ +3.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2016 1,399ebay.com
8.
 
Sony A683/5......4/54/5 Nov 2015 699ebay.com
9.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 1,999ebay.com
10.
 
Sony A583/5......4.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 599ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A775/591/100..81/100..5/5 Aug 2011 1,399ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Sony A77 II FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the A77 II.

What technology is the imaging sensor in the Sony A77 II based on?

The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.

Which image processing chip is used in the Sony A77 II to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Sony equipped the A77 II with the BIONZ X image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony A77 II?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-51200.

Does the Sony A77 II have a selfie-friendly screen?

Yes, the LCD-screen of the A77 II is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II?

Sony mentions a shutter rating of 150 000 actuations for the A77 II. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the A77 II over, say, three years, one would have to take about 150 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Sony A77 II?

Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your A77 II has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Sony A77 II?

The A77 II offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Sony A77 II feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Sony A77 II for flash photography?

The A77 II's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.

Does the Sony A77 II support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).

Which battery does the Sony A77 II use?

The camera gets its power from the NP-FM500H (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Sony A77 II?

Yes, Sony offers the VG-C77AM as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Sony A77 II
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Sony A mount lenses
    Launch Date May 2014
    Launch Price USD 1 199
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 367 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6 000 x 4 000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.91 μm
    Pixel Density 6.55 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 25 600 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 51 200 ISO
    Image Processor BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 82
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 24.4
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 13.4
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1013
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.73x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2359k dots
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 1229k dots
    LCD Attachment Fully flexible screen
    V-logging Friendliness Front-flip possible
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 12 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy150 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type NP-FM500H power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)480 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 143 x 104 x 81 mm
    (5.6 x 4.1 x 3.2 in)
    Camera Weight 647 g (22.8 oz)

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