Sony a7 II

Released in 2014, the a7 II holds a specific historical distinction: it was the first camera in Sony's a7 line to add in-body 5-axis image stabilization, a feature the original a7 launched without a year earlier — an upgrade significant enough that Sony effectively treated the a7 II as the line's real starting point for photographers building a stabilized full-frame kit.

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That in-body stabilization also worked with older, non-stabilized manual-focus lenses adapted onto the E-mount, a genuine practical benefit that made the a7 II a popular choice among photographers adapting vintage glass rather than buying native Sony lenses exclusively. The a7 II's stabilization rating was a modest 4.5 stops by modern standards, but it was a genuinely significant capability at the time, predating in-body stabilization becoming a near-universal expectation across full-frame mirrorless bodies from every manufacturer.

Sony also introduced a redesigned, more substantial grip on the a7 II compared to the original a7, a real ergonomic improvement photographers specifically noted when the stabilized body launched.