Canon 7D Mark II vs Sony A7S II

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Canon 7D Mark II vs Sony A7S II

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APS-C 337.5mm²
20.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Canon 7D Mark II Review.
How does it shoot? Canon 7D Mark II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 7D Mark II.
Compare Canon 7D Mark II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon 7D Mark II conclusion.

35mm 847.3mm²
12.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 102,400

Go in depth with our full Sony A7S II Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7S II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7S II.
Compare Sony A7S II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7S II conclusion.

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Differences

Canon 7D Mark II advantages over Sony A7S II

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$1799 vs $2398*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 2.9 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

670 vs 370 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
More pixels
20.2 vs 12.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Faster JPEG shooting
9.5 fps vs 5.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
103 vs 63 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.5 fps vs 5.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Sony A7S II advantages over Canon 7D Mark II

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Bigger pixels
~ 8.40 vs 4.11 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7S II test data on DxO Mark 7D Mark II test data on DxO Mark

2,993 vs 1,082 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7S II test data on DxO Mark 7D Mark II test data on DxO Mark

13.3 vs 11.8 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
409600 vs 51200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7S II User Reviews

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Buy the Canon 7D Mark II

Body Only

Body Only
Body with W-E1 Wi-Fi Adapter
Kit with 18-135mm Lens
Kit with 18-135mm Lens and Wi-Fi Adapter

All 7D Mark II Deals

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony A7S II

Body Only

All A7S II Deals

Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality; High ISO performance improved over predecessor; Excellent burst speeds (up to 10fps); Significantly improved buffer depths; 65-pt AF system; Dual Pixel CMOS AF; Can focus down to f/8 (great for teleconverters); 1080/60p video; Headphone and mic jacks; Rugged build quality.
Autofocus speed (AF shutter lag) slower than 7D and 70D; Mediocre battery life for a pro DSLR; Dynamic range at low to moderate ISOs not as good as competitors; Phase-detect AF did not perform as well as expected in our low-light AF tests; No built-in Wi-Fi; No autofocus for 1080/60p video.
Read our Canon 7D Mark II Review

Comfortable and surprisingly compact camera body; Improved low light performance; Built-in image stabilization; Wide range of usable ISOs; More sophisticated autofocus performance; Excellent video capabilities.
Relatively low resolution; Mediocre continuous shooting performance; No built-in flash; No losslessly compressed RAW option.
Read our Sony A7S II Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 7D

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 7D

$1597
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Built-in GPS

$1499
APS-C

Less expensive
Less shutter lag

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon 7D

Sony A7S II

Canon 7D

$2398
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1499
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7S II vs Canon 7D

Compared to Canon 6D

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 6D

$1597
APS-C

On-sensor phase detect
More telephoto lens reach

$1499
35mm

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon 6D

Sony A7S II

Canon 6D

$2398
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1499
35mm

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7S II vs Canon 6D

Compared to Canon 70D

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 70D

$1597
APS-C

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

$1149
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon 70D

Sony A7S II

Canon 70D

$2398
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1149
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7S II vs Canon 70D

Compared to Sony A7S

Canon 7D Mark II

Sony A7S

$1597
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$1998
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Sony A7S

Sony A7S II

Sony A7S

$2398
35mm

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Shoot 4K video

$1998
35mm

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S

Compared to Sony A77 II

Canon 7D Mark II

Sony A77 II

$1597
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Sony A77 II

Sony A7S II

Sony A77 II

$2398
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$1198
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A7S II vs Sony A77 II

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