New A7II previews by EosHD (5 axis not as good as on the E-M1) and Pocket-Lint (continuous AF much improved).

EOSHD Sony A7 II test shoot with 5 axis SteadyShot Inside from Andrew Reid on Vimeo.

We finally have first native english hands-on previews with the new Sony A7II. As usual keep in mind those are previews and not full tests. So any conclusion you read here is subject to change after serious in deep testings.

EosHD focused his test on the video aspects of the camera and the 5 axis stabilization. He writes:

The 5 axis stabilisation system is also somewhat underwhelming. I didn’t find it as effective for video as the system Olympus employ in their OM-D E-M1. Handheld pans and tilts are not so much the issue, it is the lack of damping on very high frequency jitter. Granted it was a very cold day and my hand was a little shakier than it normally is! But the difference is obvious. Sony seem to have their own system and it just doesn’t work as well as the one in the E-M1 for video.
The system undoubtedly has an advantage for stills, but even then the advantages vs the A7S are debatable. The A7S can shoot at such high ISOs, you can use a shutter speed like 1/100 to avoid blur from camera shake in low light. The A7 II can certainly shoot at speeds like 1/10 handheld and get a sharp shot, meaning you can shoot at lower ISOs than on the A7S in low light but the A7S is pretty much as clean at ISO 12,800 as the A7 II is at 3200!

Pocket Lint tested the autofocus performance and writes:

We got to play with the original A7 and the A7 II and did find the new model to be quicker. Perhaps most notably in continuous autofocus, where it’s automated adjustment between subjects at different distances wasn’t as far behind our Nikon D810 (which we also had in tow) as the earlier system.

USA preorders:
Sony Alpha a7II  (Body Only) for $1,698 at Amazon (non available), BHphoto (Click here), Adorama (Click here), SonyStore (Click here).
Sony Alpha a7II  with FE 28-70mm OSS Lens for $1,998 at Amazon (non available), BHphoto (Click here), Adorama (Click here), SonyStore (Click here).
Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM II Lens for $1,148 at BHphoto (Click here).

EU preorders:
Sony Alpha a7II  (Body Only) for 1.799 Euro at Amazon Germany (Click here) and at Sony UK (Click here), Wex UK (Click here).
Sony Alpha a7II  with FE 28-70mm OSS Lens for 2.099 Euro at Amazon Germany (Click here) and at Wex UK (Click here). In Finland at Verkkokauppa.