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We chose three rival cameras for the Sony A7R II to see how it measured up in our lab tests: the Canon EOS 5DS, which, along with the 5DS R, is the highest-resolution full-frame camera currently available at 50 million pixels; the Nikon D810, which with 36 million pixels on its full-frame sensor can't quite match the Canon 5DS for detail, but is still an excellent choice for Nikon lovers; and the A7R, Sony's 36Mp CSC which produces superb images, making it an attractive and more affordable alternative to the A7R II.
We've carried out lab tests on the Sony A7R II across its full ISO range for resolution, noise (including signal to noise ratio) and dynamic range. We test the JPEGs shot by the camera, but we also check the performance with raw files. Most enthusiasts and pros prefer to shoot raw, and the results can often be quite different.
Sony A7R II resolution charts
We test camera resolution using an industry-standard ISO test chart that allows precise visual comparisons. This gives us numerical values for resolution in line widths/picture height, and you can see how the Sony A7R II compares with its rivals in the charts below.
JPEG resolution analysis: While mid- to high-sensitivity JPEG images look a little over-processed at 100%, they capture an impressive level of detail, which we found unable to match when processing the raw files with the supplied software.
Raw (converted to TIFF) resolution analysis: While it beats the 36MP Alpha 7R and Nikon D810 for detail (at all but the highest sensitivities in the case of the D810), the A7R II can't quite match the Canon 5DS, which out-resolves our chart.
Sample resolution charts
This is the chart we use for testing camera resolution. The key area is just to the right of centre, where a series of converging lines indicates the point at which the camera can no longer resolve them individually. We shoot this chart at all of the camera's ISO settings, and here are two samples, at ISO 200 and ISO 6400.
Click here for a larger version.
Click here for a larger version.
