Sony A7 II vs Fuji X-T2

Introduction

If you can tell by the image, both the Sony A7 II and the Fuji X-T2 are mirrorless cameras, and as the name suggests, such cameras don’t require a reflex mirror, which for DSLRs, it is an important component. If you’re already searching for mirrorless cameras, that means that you already know how they function, so I’m not going to cover everything about mirrorless cameras here, although, I’m going to review both products and point out even the slightest differences between them.

If you’ve read our other reviews, then you’ve probably encountered these two cameras multiple times, and that’s not casually, but we include these two remarkable mirrorless cameras due to their performance, quality, and because they are highly-rated cameras worldwide.

Now, it’s important to mention that similar to DSLRs, mirrorless cameras use a bayonet-style mount for attaching different lenses. But they don’t all come in the same mount method, which means that you can’t use any mirrorless lens on any other mirrorless camera. One major difference between mirrorless and DSLRs is the flange back distance which is much smaller than on a DSLR, while this can be counted as a benefit, due to the fact that it makes it possible to attach a wide variety of lenses from DSLR manufacturers using various adapters.

Okay, enough said, let’s now get to the reviews and see what are these cameras capable of.

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Head To Head Comparison

Sony A7 II

Sony A7 II is a uniquely designed mirrorless camera that offers superb image quality and fluid performance. It is a highly-rated camera while it has been a top-option for users worldwide, and it is the perfect camera for those who want to change from DSLR to Mirrorless, due to its user-friendly interface and optimization.

Design-wise, the A7 II has an eye-catching design, with a lightweight and highly-portable construction, more precisely 5-inches across, 3.7-inches high, and 1.4-inches deep, the camera ensures a firm handgrip on the right front side. It is comfortable to hold, it can be operated one-handed, while you’ll also find the buttons conveniently placed for easy operation and optimization.

In addition to the design, the 3-inch LCD screen is pretty amazing, while it boasts a flip-out design that makes it easier for shooting from different angles or just previewing images conveniently. To be more precise, it can tilt up about 100 degrees or down about 40 degrees. However, my only remark regarding the LCD screen is that it doesn’t have touchscreen capabilities, which is something pretty common nowadays as many other rivals at this price range are touch-sensitive enabled.

For those who are switching from DSLRs, this particular camera welcomes everyone with the OLED electronic viewfinder that has a resolution of 1024 x 768 along with brightness and clarity. Additionally, you are also given the option to adjust the viewfinder’s color temperature for a more accurate preview.

Enough said about the design, let’s get more into the specifics now, and see how this camera performs in different situations and circumstances.

This full-frame mirrorless camera has a 24.3-megapixel sensor, while it also has in-body 5-axis image stabilization, so as you can see, this camera is really great, especially for the price.

There’s something that disappoints though, this camera can shoot continuously at a speed of 5 frames per second, which is ok, but not as well as some other competitors out there. However, the camera is quick when it comes to focusing, and that’s all thanks to the improved autofocus system that packs 117 wide-area phase-detection AF points and 25 contrast-detection AF points. These are exceptional specs, while you will unlikely occur any lag in focus as you frame shot after shot. As for the ISO sensitivity, this camera has an ISO range of 100-25,600, while the images taken with such ISO light sensitivity will be clean, vibrant, without any noise in the spotlight or whatsoever.

Okay, but what about video recording, is the A7 II good for that?

Well, it does have powerful video hardware, but it’s not that good due to the large sensor which makes the camera more suitable for still photos. Don’t get me wrong, video quality is quite amazing, and it is way better than most other competitors out there, but it’s just that it could’ve been a tad better. You know how it is with us humans, we always want more, right?

Nonetheless, this camera doesn’t lack details, as we mentioned, the new XAVC C codes are able to capture full-HD video at up to 50Mbps. But if you are after a camera that can shoot longer videos and for day-to-day recording, you can find something better than the Sony A7II.

Connection-wise, the Sony A7 II has Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities, which means you can easily transfer or share your work anytime you want.

To conclude, I recommend you take this camera into serious consideration, because it delivers great value for the money, and it packs some impressive features which are rarely found in DSLRs.

Sony A7 II Sample Images:

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Fuji X-T2

Now, as for our second camera, we have the Fujifilm X-T2. We’ve done a review of this camera before, but that’s not a problem, I enjoy doing it again. This camera comes with a user-friendly design, as well as a user-friendly interface and with a plethora of features that can be found in many other premium mirrorless cameras, but rarely in cameras of this price range.

In terms of the design, this camera boasts a lightweight and compact construction that is very comfortable to hold, while it is perfect for people who travel a lot due to its portability. What catches my eye the most when it comes to the design is the texture spots on the body, it’s not there just for aesthetics, but it’s also there for providing the user with comfort. There’s something about the design that some people find it hm, how can I put this, hard to understand for optimization, more precisely, the button layout. I find this to be true for people who’ve used Canon or Nikon cameras because the Fujifilm X-T2 boasts a very different design, however, it only takes a day or two to get used to it.

Next, we have the LCD screen. This is another perk of the design of this camera which fills out the most part since it has a flip-out design. If this doesn’t impress you, then you probably need more information, since a flip-out design helps greatly to take shots from different viewing positions and angles. But what should disappoint you is that this camera lacks touchscreen capabilities, and as you may already know, this has become a common feature for most cameras this day, so I think the manufacturer could have done a better job here.

Okay, but what about the performance.

The Fujifilm X-T2 has a 24MP sensor, and I’m really used to seeing this specification in most cameras of this price range, just like Sony A7II, or NikonD3300, or Canon T6i, it seems like its something every brand has in common. However, different from these other cameras, the Fuji X-T2 has a non-Bayer color array which enables the camera to eliminate the need for an anti-alias filter, thus, delivering sharper images and more detail.

As we move on, there’s also the autofocus system, which is one of the main selling points of this camera. More precisely, the Fuji X-T2 has a 325-AF point system, while in most other mirrorless cameras you get less, whereas in DSLRs, for cameras of this price range, you mostly get 11-AF points, sometimes 19 and sometimes 51, but it’s still an autofocus system weaker than the Fuji X-T2’s.

To continue, let’s also not forget to mention that the Fuji X-T2 can shoot continuously at 11 frames per second, so, in comparison with the Sony A7 II’s 5fps, this is definitely a better specification and a huge advantage. But that’s not all since the Electronic Viewfinder refreshes at a rate of 60fps, and it can even go up to 100 fps, but that’s in boost mode. This means that the camera can continuously display even fast-moving subjects smoothly, resulting in a smoother performance that can be safely compared to that of an optical viewfinder camera performance. Regarding the ISO range, you get an ISO that stretches from 200-12,800, while in pull mode to ISO 100, you can expand it to 25,600 and 51,200.

Another advantage of this camera when you compare it to the Sony A7II is the 4K video capabilities. In other words, it captures 1.8x the required number of pixels for 4k, and 2.4x the required data for full HD video 1080/60P/50P/24P. I would also like to mention that it’s a great camera for night photography, and we listed it as the most feature-packed camera in our roundup.

What I also like is the film simulation on video recording, basically, you can use modes during video recording for a more vibrant, or colorful scene, which saves you the time of post-production editing.

Wi-Fi capabilities are also available, which means that for image transfer or for sharing, you can do that effortlessly and easier than ever. Personally, I’ve had the best wifi experience with this camera, and if you’ve read my other review about this camera, then you know I’ve mentioned this there as well.

Overall, this is the best mid-range mirrorless camera that you can find out there, not only because of the compact and lightweight design that makes it great for traveling or vlogging but also due to the plethora of features that indeed, categorize this camera as a high-end mirrorless camera.

Fuji X-T2 Sample Images:

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Sony A7 II vs Fuji X-T2 Feature Comparison

	Sony A7 II	Fuji X-T2
Camera Type	Mirrorless	Mirrorless
Megapixels	24.3	24.3
ISO Range	100-25,600	200-12,800(25,600 and 51,200)
Flip-Out Screen	Yes	Yes
AF Points	117 AF points	325 AF Points
Viewfinder	Yes	Yes
Touchscreen	No	No
Video Recording	Yes	Yes
Sensor Size	CMOS	APS-C

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Conclusion

These cameras are both remarkable mirrorless cameras, while one of them is better for still photography, or wedding occasions and such stuff, the other is an all-rounder which performs perfect in almost any situation, due to its versatility, portability, and features(the Fuji X-T2 in this case).

I’m not going to stop you if you want to purchase the Sony A7II, because it’s simply a great camera to go with, no matter if you just want a second camera, or switching from DSLR, it’s still going to serve you well, however, if you’re looking for a more premium option, then I’m going to recommend the Fuji X-T2 since it has many advantages over the Sony A7II, in specs, design, and also features.

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