Sony A99 II vs Sony A77 II: A Detailed Comparison for Professional and Enthusiast Photographers

Selecting the right camera from Sony’s line of advanced DSLRs involves carefully balancing cutting-edge sensor technology, autofocus capabilities, body ergonomics, and how these translate across diverse photography disciplines. This comprehensive comparison between the Sony Alpha A99 II and the Sony SLT A77 II focuses on practical usability and objective performance insights gained through extensive hands-on testing. Whether your workflow is portrait lighting, high-speed wildlife shooting, or demanding professional output, this analysis will help clarify which model better aligns with your creative and technical requirements.

Size and Handling: Ergonomics Tailored for Different Users

The physical dimensions and handling characteristics set the initial tone for user experience in the field. Both cameras share a mid-size single-lens reflex design, but the A99 II weighs 849 grams compared to the lighter 647 grams of the A77 II. The difference stems largely from the A99 II’s full-frame sensor and reinforced body materials.

While the A77 II’s reduced weight facilitates longer hand-held sessions and discreet street shooting, the A99 II’s heft contributes to a more substantial grip that many professionals prefer for stability, especially with heavier lenses. The 3D maps and solid construction of both models offer robust build quality and environmental sealing, though neither is fully waterproof or shockproof. The A99 II’s more refined sealing edges provide better dust and moisture resistance, a plus for landscape photographers in variable weather.

In practical shooting scenarios, the more substantial A99 II body feels balanced with telephoto lenses used commonly in wildlife and sports, whereas the A77 II’s lighter frame and smaller sensor offer advantages in travel and casual photography contexts where portability is paramount.

Top Design and Control Layout: Intuitive Access and Customization

Control layout significantly influences shooting efficiency. Both models feature fully articulated 3-inch displays with identical resolutions (1229k dots), enabling flexible framing and live view composition.

The A99 II's top plate integrates direct dials for exposure compensation, ISO, and drive modes, supporting swift manual adjustments even under stress. It incorporates an illuminated button set to improve readability in low light - an omission in the A77 II, which can frustrate night photographers.

The A77 II maintains a similar button distribution but lacks dedicated exposure compensation controls on the top, requiring menu navigation to adjust some key settings. The presence of an integrated popup flash in the A77 II can be advantageous for casual portrait or event photographers not ready to invest in external lighting, while the A99 II omits a built-in flash, signaling its professional orientation.

Sensor Specifications and Image Quality: Full Frame vs APS-C

The sensor architecture is an essential determinant of image fidelity. The A99 II employs a back-illuminated (BSI) full-frame CMOS sensor measuring 35.9 x 24 mm with a resolution of 42 megapixels. This sensor size and pixel density allow for impressive detail capture and dynamic range performance.

By contrast, the A77 II features a 24 MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS sensor with a traditional front-illuminated design and an anti-aliasing filter. The APS-C size implies a 1.5x crop factor, impacting lens field of view and depth-of-field characteristics.

DxOMark scores substantiate the A99 II’s superiority in raw image quality:

• A99 II: Overall 92, Color Depth 25.4 bits, Dynamic Range 13.4 EV, Low-light ISO 2317
• A77 II: Overall 82, Color Depth 24.4 bits, Dynamic Range 13.4 EV, Low-light ISO 1013

The A99 II excels noticeably in color depth and low-light noise handling, translating to cleaner high ISO images and richer tonality in shadows and highlights. This advantage benefits low-light portrait, landscape, and astrophotography.

A key consideration is the absence of an anti-aliasing (AA) filter in the A99 II, which enhances resolution sharpness but may introduce moiré under specific conditions. The A77 II’s AA filter reduces moiré but at a small cost to micro-detail rendition.

LCD and Viewfinder Performance: Precision Framing and Feedback

Both cameras use high-resolution electronic viewfinders (EVFs) with 2359k dots and 100% frame coverage, providing accurate composition previews. The A99 II offers a magnification of 0.78x compared to 0.73x in the A77 II, lending to a slightly larger and more immersive viewfinder image especially important when scrutinizing focus details.

The articulated LCDs on both models are not touch sensitive, which slows menu navigation slightly compared to modern cameras with touch interfaces. However, the fully articulated screens enable shooting at awkward angles and selfie photography, extending creative flexibility.

The A99 II’s interface and menus benefit from incremental improvements in responsiveness and logic flow, resulting from two years’ development since the A77 II. Despite the lack of touchscreen, users can quickly adjust parameters via physical buttons and dials. The A77 II, while capable, requires more menu diving to access some features.

Autofocus Systems: Precision, Speed, and Tracking Performance

Sony’s SLT cameras maintain a reputation for advanced autofocus (AF) technology due to the semi-transparent mirror design enabling continuous phase detection during live view.

• Sony A99 II: 399 AF points, 79 cross-type sensors
• Sony A77 II: 79 AF points, 15 cross-type sensors

The A99 II’s 399-point AF system represents a vast improvement in coverage and tracking accuracy, establishing it as an exceptional option for sports, wildlife, and event photographers who demand high-speed, reliable subject acquisition.

Thanks to the higher number of cross-type sensors, the A99 II performs better in complex lighting and challenging backgrounds, maintaining focus on fast-moving subjects with higher consistency. Eye detection AF is implemented on both models, enhancing portraiture sharpness, though the A99 II lacks animal eye autofocus, limiting its utility in some wildlife applications.

Continuous AF and tracking in burst mode operate at up to 12 frames per second on both cameras, but the A99 II achieves more stable focus lock due to its advanced AF algorithms and sensor data.

Burst Shooting and Buffer Depth: Capturing Fast Action

Both cameras sustain 12 FPS continuous shooting speeds with AF tracking, impressive for advanced DSLRs of their respective eras.

The A99 II offers a more robust image buffer, supporting longer burst sequences without slowdown. This advantage is crucial for professional sports and wildlife photographers who require extended sequences to capture peak action moments.

In contrast, the A77 II’s buffer fills more rapidly, leading to occasional pauses in continuous shooting, which can frustrate users tracking fast-moving subjects.

Video Capabilities: Resolution, Formats, and Audio Options

While primarily designed as stills cameras, both models feature competent video functionalities.

• Sony A99 II: 4K UHD recording at 30p (3840 x 2160)
• Sony A77 II: Full HD 1080p up to 60p

The A99 II’s 4K video capability greatly benefits hybrid shooters looking for high-resolution cinematic footage. Its inclusion of a microphone input and headphone jack allows comprehensive audio monitoring, catering to more serious videography workflows.

The A77 II supports multiple HD video formats but lacks 4K support and headphone connectivity, restricting its use for professional video production.

Both cameras provide sensor-based image stabilization to reduce shake during handheld video capturing. The A99 II implements a 5-axis system offering more effective correction than the A77 II’s system.

Connectivity Features and Workflow Integration

The A99 II incorporates Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi, and HDMI connectivity, facilitating faster image transfer and remote control options - a significant advantage for professional studio and event contexts enhancing productivity.

The A77 II supports built-in Wi-Fi and NFC but lacks Bluetooth, resulting in less flexible wireless workflows.

Both cameras feature dual memory card slots (A99 II) or single slot (A77 II), impacting storage redundancy and buffer management during intensive shoots.

The A99 II accepts Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC and Memory Stick Duo cards, favoring user versatility, whereas the A77 II supports only one card slot.

Battery Life: Sustained Shooting in the Field

Measured in CIPA standard shots per charge:

• Sony A99 II: Approximately 490 shots
• Sony A77 II: Approximately 480 shots

Both models handle extended sessions reliably; however, the A99 II’s marginal edge aligns with its more efficient power management despite supporting a higher-res sensor and larger EVF.

Battery models are identical - NP-FM500H lithium-ion packs - supporting easy interchangeability for users upgrading from the older A77 II.

Lens Compatibility: Access to Sony’s Extensive Alpha System

Both cameras utilize the Sony/Minolta Alpha lens mount, unlocking access to a mature and comprehensive lens ecosystem comprising over 140 native lenses spanning prime, zoom, specialty optics, and third-party options.

The A99 II’s full-frame sensor enables the use of full-frame lenses without crop, whereas the A77 II’s APS-C sensor enforces a 1.5x crop factor, affecting composition and focal length equivalents. This factor requires consideration when purchasing or adapting lenses.

Sony’s continuous development has expanded lens selections, with premium G Master series lenses fully compatible with both, but the higher resolution and sensor size of the A99 II reveal more detail and demand higher optical standards.

Weather Sealing and Durability: Ready for Challenging Environments

Both cameras share environmental sealing designed to resist dust and moisture intrusion.

The A99 II’s construction offers marginally better sealing quality and material robustness, granting somewhat greater confidence in adverse weather. Neither camera is rated shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, or waterproof, requiring users to deploy protective housing under extreme conditions.

Image Sample Quality and Genre-Specific Performance

Field testing across diverse photography genres reveals nuanced differences.

Sony A99 II front Sony A99 II screen back Sony A77 II front Sony A77 II screen back

• Portraits: The A99 II delivers finer tonal gradations and superior skin tone reproduction thanks to higher resolution and improved color depth. Bokeh is smoother with full-frame lenses. Eye AF tracking is reliable on both but slightly more responsive with the A99 II’s 399 focus points.

• Landscapes: Greater dynamic range and resolution on the A99 II enable expansive prints and highlight/shadow recovery. The articulated screen assists composition from difficult angles.

• Wildlife: Fast and accurate AF tracking combined with extended burst capacity favors the A99 II. The APS-C crop of the A77 II can provide apparent extra reach but suffers in noise at high ISO.

• Sports: Similar high frame rates but the A99 II’s superior AF ensures better tracking through complex, fast movements.

• Street: The A77 II’s smaller footprint and quieter built-in flash suit candid, low-profile shooting scenarios.

• Macro: The A99 II’s stabilization system pairs well with macro lenses to minimize camera shake.

• Night/Astro: The A99 II’s elevated ISO capabilities and dynamic range outclass the A77 II.

• Video: 4K UHD on the A99 II supports advanced video projects; the A77 II remains limited to HD.

• Travel: The lighter A77 II is easier for all-day carry but trades image quality and AF sophistication.

• Professional Work: The A99 II’s file format support, buffer size, and durability suit rigorous workflows, where the A77 II often appears as a competent secondary or enthusiast body.

Overall Performance and Ratings Summary

In terms of raw performance metrics, the A99 II ranks significantly higher, reflecting its technological leaps.

Summary and Recommendations

For photographers prioritizing image quality, autofocus sophistication, video capability, and professional-grade build, the Sony A99 II is the clear choice despite a premium price (~$3200). It shines in demanding disciplines such as landscape, wildlife, sports, and professional portraiture. The larger sensor and advanced AF system justify the investment where quality and reliability are paramount.

Conversely, the Sony A77 II (~$1200) remains a highly capable camera for enthusiasts and semi-professionals on a budget or users who value portability without sacrificing too much in image quality or autofocus performance. It suits travel, street, and casual wildlife photography well where size and weight are constraints.

Final Considerations

When choosing, consider your primary use cases and environmental demands. The A99 II’s technological edge is tangible but comes with heavier weight and a steeper price. The A77 II offers excellent value and flexibility with a reduced sensor, making it a pragmatic choice for developing photographers and versatile shooters. Both integrate seamlessly into Sony’s Alpha lens ecosystem, future-proofing investment to a degree.

As new technology emerges, these two cameras still hold relevance - weigh priorities carefully and match them to your anticipated photographic challenges and workflow needs.

This analysis is rooted in extensive testing sessions under controlled and real-world conditions, supported by industry-standard metrics and user feedback. It is structured to provide a detailed yet accessible examination for expert photographers seeking evidence-based guidance.