Sony SLT Alpha 77 II

The Sony SLT Alpha 77 II is a DSLR camera from 2014 built around an APS-C sensor and the Sony Alpha DT lens mount. Its defining strengths are 24.3-megapixel resolution, a 12fps maximum burst rate and in-body stabilisation, a combination suited to action and handheld work.

The body is fairly substantial at 143 x 104 x 81mm and 647g, so it handles like a full DSLR rather than a compact travel option. An electronic viewfinder and live view both show the scene as the sensor captures it.

Wi-Fi is built in for wireless use, and weather sealing makes outdoor shoots less of a worry.

A 24.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, handled by the Bionz X processor, gives plenty of resolution for large prints and generous cropping. The Optics score of 74 reflects a genuinely good stills package, and the camera sits in the top 17% of cameras in our database for Optics.

For moving subjects, the 12fps maximum burst rate is generous, though as a maximum it depends on conditions rather than promising a sustained rate. A 1/8000s top shutter speed helps when you want wide apertures in bright light.

In-body stabilisation reduces camera shake with any mounted lens, steadying handheld shots at slower shutter speeds. It counters your own movement, not a moving subject's, so it complements fast shutter speeds rather than replacing them.

Seventy-nine autofocus points are available, and the 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder previews exposure in detail. The ISO range runs from 100 to 25600, which covers everyday conditions.

Video is supported, with a maximum resolution of Full HD. That ceiling shapes the experience: footage suits web use and HD viewing, but there is no 4K option. The modest Video score of 56 reflects the Full HD resolution limit, the frame-rate maximum and the missing built-in timelapse mode.

The maximum frame rate is 60fps. That figure and the resolution maximum are separate limits, so the two do not necessarily combine. Recordings save as AVCHD or MP4 files.

There is no built-in timelapse feature, so the camera itself does not automate interval recording.

The flipping screen helps with framing at waist or overhead height while filming, and the electronic viewfinder provides an alternative for handheld shooting.

The 3-inch TFT screen carries 1.23 million dots, which keeps composition and image review detailed. It flips out, so waist-level and overhead shots are much easier to frame. There is no touchscreen, though, so settings change through the physical controls.

Wi-Fi is built in, but there is no Bluetooth and no GPS, so the body does not tag locations on its own. Live view rounds out the composition options when the viewfinder is impractical.

A built-in flash handles occasional fill light, and the external flash shoe accepts more powerful units. Weather sealing helps the body cope with dust and moisture outdoors. The modest Features score of 57 reflects the absent touchscreen and Bluetooth, with the screen and live view counting in its favour.

Storage runs through a single slot that accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards as well as Memory Stick Pro Duo and Pro-HG Duo media. With no second slot, a full card means a pause, and there is no way to record to two cards at once.

The NP-FM500H battery is rated at 480 shots. Treat that as a baseline for planning rather than a promise for every shoot; a spare battery covers long days.

USB charging is absent, so the battery charges in its charger rather than from a computer or power bank. The limited Storage & Battery score of 27 comes mainly from these three gaps: one slot, moderate endurance and no USB charging.