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