Hands On Sony A99 Mark II – 4k Camera

Sony A99 Mark II, an 42MP A-mount SLT camera to mark the tenth anniversary of the Alpha series

Sony A99 Mark II features 5-axis image stabilization and 4K video capture with no pixel binning

The camera Sony A99 Mark IIwill sell for $3200/€3600, body only, when it arrives in November.

The Sony A99 Mark II 5-axis image stabilization is rated to 4.5EV by CIPA testing. Its shutter is rated to over 300,000 shots.

The Mark II 42.MP sensor (most likely similar to the one found on the a7R II) uses BSI-CMOS technology with copper wiring for ultra-fast readout. The camera also has a newly-developed front-end LSI (processor) to cope with the speed of the sensor.

Body-wise, the a99 II is 8% smaller than its predecessor and is made of magnesium alloy. A newly redesigned shutter has a lifespan of 300,000 exposures. It has a large XGA OLED viewfinder with a magnification of 0.78x. A fluorine coating helps to keep fingerprints and oil off of the outer element. Its 3″ (non-touchscreen) LCD display can tilt in 3-axis. The ‘silent Multi-Controller’ on the front of the camera now offers a click on/off feature. As with the a99, the Sony A99 Mark II has dual SD card slots. In an act of mercy, Sony has also redesigned the a99 II’s menu system.

Sony A99 Mark II video is, of course, also a big deal. The a99 II can capture 4K at 100 Mbps (using XAVC S) with full sensor read-out and no pixel binning. A Super 35 option is also available, with 1.8x oversampling. A ‘Slow and Quick’ mode lets users jump between 1 and 120 fps at the push of a button. All of the capture tools you’d expect are available, including zebra patterns, time code, S-Log2 and S-Log3 profiles and 4:2:2 output over HDMI.

 

Comparative specifications

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Nikon D810 Sony Alpha SLT-A99 Sony A99 Mark II
Sensor effective resolution 30.4MP Dual-Pixel CMOS
n/a
14-bit		 36.3MP CMOS
12-channel readout
14-bit		 24.3mp Exmor CMOS
n/a
14-bit		 42.4MP Exmor R CMOS
14-bit
Sensor size 36 mm x 24mm 35.9 mm x 24mm 35.8 x 23.9mm 35.9 x 24mm
Focal-length multiplier 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x 1.0x
OLPF Yes No Yes No
Sensitivity range ISO 50 (exp)/100 – ISO 25600/102400 (exp) ISO 32 (exp)/64 – ISO 12800/51200 (exp) ISO 50 (exp)/ISO 100 – ISO 51200/ISO 102400 (exp,
via multishot NR)		 ISO 50 (exp)/ISO 100 – ISO 25600/102400 (exp)
Burst shooting 7fps
21 raw/unlimited JPEG
(with AF/AE fixed on first exposure and IS off)		 5fps
n/a
(6fps in DX mode, 7fps with battery grip)		 6fps
13 raw/14 JPEG		 12fps
54 raw/60 JPEG
Viewfinder
(mag/ effective mag)		 Optical
100% coverage
0.71x/0.71x		 Optical
100% coverage
0.70x/0.70x		 OLED EVF
0.5-inch
2.4 million dots
100% coverage
0.71x/0.71x		 OLED EVF
0.5 in/1.3 cm
2.4 million dots
100% coverage
0.78x/0.78x
Hot Shoe Yes Yes Yes Yes
Autofocus 61-pt High Density Reticular AF II
21 cross-type at f5.6
20 cross-type at f4 and f5.6
20 horizontal at f5.6
5 dual cross-type at f2.8 and f5.6
61 to f8; 21 cross-type		 51-pt
15 cross type
11 cross type to f8
(Multi-CAM 3500-FX)		 dual phase-detection system
19pt
11 cross type;
102pt focal plane		 Dual phase-detection system
79 points
15 cross-type points
1 center to f2.8
399 points focal plane
AF sensitivity
(at center point)		 -3 – 18 EV -2 – 19 EV -1 – 18 EV -4 – 18 EV
Shutter speed 1/8000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/200 sec x-sync 1/8000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/250 sec x-sync 1/8,000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/250 sec x-sync 1/8,000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/250 sec x-sync
Shutter durability 150,000 cycles 200,000 cycles 200,000 cycles 300,000 cycles
Metering 150,000-pixel RGB+IR with 252 zones 91,000-pixel RGB 3D Color Matrix Metering III 1,200 zones 1,200 zones
Metering sensitivity 0 – 20 EV
(-4 – 20 EV in Live View)		 0 – 20 EV -2 – 17 EV -2 – 17 EV
Best video QuickTime MOV Motion JPEG
DCI 4K (4,096 x 2,160) 2160/30p @ 500Mbps, 720/120p; 1080/30p HDR		 H.264 QuickTime MOV
1080/60p, 50p @ 42Mbps, 1080/30p, 25p, 24p
@ 24Mbps		 AVCHD 1080/60p @ 28Mbps, 1080/24p @ 24MBps XAVC S UHD 4K 2160/30p, 25p, 24p @ 100Mbps; 1080/120p @ 100Mbps
Audio mono; mic input; headphone jack stereo; mic input; headphone jack stereo; mic input; headphone jack stereo; mic input; headphone jack
Manual aperture and shutter in video Yes Yes Yes Yes
Maximum best-quality recording time n/a 20 minutes internal
40 minutes (with external pack)		 n/a n/a
Clean HDMI out n/a Yes Yes Yes
IS Optical Optical Sensor shift Sensor shift
5 axis
LCD 3.2 in/8.1 cm
Fixed touchscreen
1.62m dots		 3.2 in/8 cm
Fixed
921,000 dots plus extra set of white dots		 3 in/7.5 cm
Articulated
921,000 dots plus extra set of white dots		 3 in/7.5 cm
Multiangle
1.2m dots
Memory slots 1 x CF (UDMA mode 7), 1 x SDXC 1 x CF (UDMA mode 7), 1 x SDXC 2 x SDXC 2 x SDXC
Wireless connection Wi-Fi, NFC Optional
(WT-4A Wireless transmitter or UT-1 Communication Unit with WT-5A)		 None Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth
Flash No Yes No No
Wireless flash Yes Yes No Yes
Battery life (CIPA rating) 900 shots (VF), 300 shots (LV)
(1,865 mAh)		 1,200 shots
(1,800 mAh)		 410 shots
(1,650mAh)		 390 shots (VF); 490 shots (LCD)
(1,600 mAh)
Size (WHD) 5.9 x 4.6 x 3.0 in
151 x 116 x 76 mm		 5.8 x 4.9 x 3.3 in
146 x 123 x 81.5 mm mm		 5.9 x 4.5 x 3.1 in
147 x 111.2 x 78.4 mm		 5.6 x 4.1 x 3 in
143 x 104 x 76 mm
Body operating weight 31.4 oz (est.)
890 g (est.)		 34.6 oz
980 g		 29.2 oz
827.8 g		 29.9 oz (est.)
849 g (est.)
Mfr. price (body only) $3,500
£2,630
AU$5,200		 $2,800
£2,140 (est.)
AU$4,500		 $2,000
£2,050
AU$2,500		 $3,200
Release date September 2016 July 2014 October 2012 November 2016

Focus Modes: Unleash The Power Of Your Sony a77 mark 2

This is the introductory chapter of the detailed premium channel segment on the Sony a77 mark 2

Showing every feature and detail of the Sony a77 mark 2 and what Gary Fong’s recommended settings are.

Sony a77 mark 2
Among what is covered is the “12” fps mode (which fixes the camera’s aperture but let’s ISO and Shutter speed vary to capture correct exposure while maintaining speed) as well as the new locking focus variable flexible spot mode.

Although Sony stresses that the A77 II shouldn’t be compared to pro-grade cameras because it’s much less expensive, it is starting to gain the kinds of specifications that – at least on paper – suggest it could be capable of punching considerably above its weight. For instance, the improvements to the A77 II’s autofocus system extend a long way beyond the focus sensor itself.

The Mark II gains a range of subject identifying technologies that Sony has introduced in recent models. As such, it offers Eye-AF, rather than just face detection. It also gains the most advanced version of ‘Lock-On AF’ that we’ve yet seen, which will allow you to specify an off-center starting AF point. Previously most Sony’s assumed your subject was the thing at the center of the frame, when you started tracking.

Sony SLT-A77 II key specifications:

  • 24MP CMOS Sensor with gapless, offset microlenses
  • 12fps continuous shooting with autofocus (up to 60 JPEGs)
  • 79 point AF module with 15 cross-type AF points, covering 40% of frame
  • Increased control over AF behavior
  • 1080p60 movies with autofocus
  • Audio level, monitoring during movie shooting
  • 2.4M dot OLED viewfinder
  • Pull-out three-hinge tilt/swivel 1.23m dot White Magic LCD screen
  • Built-in Wi-Fi with NFC
  • 1/8000th maximum shutter speed, shutter rated for 150,000 actuations
  • ISO 100 – 25,600 (Extendable down to 50, and up to 51,200 with multi-image combination)
  • Auto ISO customization
  • Optional, profile-based correction of vignetting, chromatic aberrations and geometric distortion
  • Top panel LCD
  • Stereo microphone and external mic socket
  • AF Micro Adjust

Sony Alpha a7R II Full Frame Mirrorless- 4k video

The Sony a7R II is here in all its high-resolution

back-illuminated, 4k video, stabilised glory!

Take look at Sony’s Canon-killing full-frame mirrorless to see if it’s really as good as we all expect. Now, even more comprehensive quality enters the picture. With the world’s first back-illuminated 35mm full-frame CMOS image sensor with 42.4 megapixels. The Sony α7R II takes image resolution, sensitivity (up to ISO 102400) and speedy response to new heights. The Fast Hybrid AF system’s dense extra-wide focal plane phase-detection AF coverage keeps a subject in sharp focus entirely throughout the frame, while 5-axis image stabilization reduces blur which otherwise tends to affect handheld shots. High resolution is further enhanced by Video 4K movie recording, featuring full pixel readout without pixel binning. With so much insight packed into such a compact form, it’s clear that there is more to life than meets the naked eye.