Sony Alpha NEX-A7 Pro Reviews

Stunning image quality for the size and price, but lenses are expensive

I think the biggest problem with the A7 is its name; that is, by naming the A7 and A7R so similarly, Sony confusingly forces a comparison between two models that might otherwise constitute unrelated purchase decisions. As an alternative to Canon and Nikon's entry-level full-frame dSLRs, it's great as long as you don't need the burst performance or optical viewfinder, and if the long startup time won't make you crazy. And if you need real continuous-shooting speed in this price segment (or less), you're probably still better off with an APS-C dSLR or Micro Four Thirds ILC.

The Alpha 7 has broken new ground in the full-frame market, in terms of both size and price. Its compact size, broad feature set and very good Raw image quality make it a compelling option for those wanting a large sensor. Unfortunately, the JPEGs have many issues, performance and battery life could be better, and the controls would benefit from a re-think.

The Sony Alpha 7 is a fast-shooting, full-frame mirrorless camera that is capable of capturing some impressive images, but we prefer its sibling, the 7R, overall.

If you can afford – or find – either of these cameras, buy one. Year 2013 isn’t over yet but the Sony Alpha A7 and A7R are prime candidates for DT’s Cameras of The Year award. In fact, barring the release of a spectacular model from the majors in December, we’ll give our vote right now to the A7, clearly one of the most enjoyable cameras we’ve used in quite some time. As we’ve written before, full-frame cameras are overkill for casual shooters. But if you’re looking to elevate your photography, these A7s are great considerations. Again, let’s not kid ourselves, these cameras are expensive and really designed for the so-called serious photographer, but they also show that prices for full-frame cameras are lower than before, so we may see a response from Nikon and Canon in 2014, which can only mean good things.

The Sony Alpha A7 is a mini marvel with a big point of interest: that full-frame sensor. At £1,299 for the body only, this is as affordable as large-sensor snapping can get, and it could open up a whole new set of interest from more casual photographers, as well as pros looking to obtain a smaller system to work with. It's not perfect, though, but most of the shortcomings we can forgive because each time we go and look at the images again they make us smile. However the battery life is really poor, so be prepared to invest in multiple batteries - and if you don't like the idea of that then this probably won't be the camera for you. The 28-70mm kit lens is a weak link, too, because of soft edges to excess at the wide-angle setting. Avoid it, nab the 35mm f/2.8 prime and you'll quickly begin to grasp why the Alpha A7 is as special as we'd at first thought: it's small and will make a great street photography camera alternative if something like the Fujifilm X100S doesn't take your fancy or the Nikon Df looks too big and pricey. But it's more than that: we've shot some spectacular landscapes, portraits, candids and everything in-between. There's versatility here, and that will grow as the E-mount FE lens system expands. The Alpha A7 is a camera out there all on its own. It doesn't feel quite comparable to a full-frame DSLR, but we mean that as a positive. It's a different system, with a different ethos and, combined with the right gear, it'll bring you one thing that's the same as any other system worth its salt: glorious full-frame pictures.

The A7 is not without its faults - even with the on-chip phase-detect AF, focusing performance for moving subjects is restrictive, burst shooting is also slow, there's the odd handling quirk, while aesthetically its not going to win any prizes, but it also does a lot of things very well. The specification is very comprehensive, while the level of customization means you can really tailor the A7 to handle how you want. The grip is comfy and the presence of more traditional dual controls and revised menu make it much more intuitive to use than any other Sony system camera we've tested. That's not forgetting the fact that its smaller and lighter (with the exception of the A7R) than any other full frame interchangeable lens camera available, and the most affordable too.