Sony RX10 vs Sony A99

Choosing Between the Sony RX10 and Sony A99: A Hands-On, In-Depth Comparison

If you’re exploring cameras that straddle the line between versatility and performance, the Sony RX10 and Sony A99 shoulder a lot of appeal. Both hail from Sony’s roster but cater to quite different photographic quests. Having put thousands of images through their sensors and pushed their systems in practical shooting scenarios, I’m here to walk you through how these two cameras compare in real-world use, across genres and technical specs alike. Whether you’re hunting for an all-in-one workhorse or a full-frame powerhouse to bolster your creative arsenal, there are pivotal distinctions to understand before you reach for your wallet.

First Impressions: Size, Ergonomics, and Handling

Sony’s RX10 is a bridge camera with a fixed zoom lens, optimized for grab-and-go shooting with a comprehensive focal range. The A99, on the other hand, is a mid-size professional DSLR body featuring the Alpha mount with access to hundreds of lenses.

Look at their physical dimensions and weight:

Despite their near-identical weight - around 810 grams - their form factors couldn’t be more different. The RX10 balances as a hefty but manageable superzoom bridge, with a prominent grip and SLR-like ergonomics. The A99 feels more traditional, with a chunkier grip and a broader body plate.

Ergonomically, the A99’s larger body pays dividends for extended handheld shooting, providing a more secure hold especially with heavier prime or telephoto lenses attached. The RX10’s all-in-one lens design means less bulk and complexity but a less tailored grip for many hand sizes.

From my extended sessions in the field, I find the RX10 excellent for travel or casual wildlife when you want one device, no lens headaches. The A99 excels under professional demands where customization and grip comfort matter.

Layout and Controls: Precision at Your Fingertips

Transitioning from physical form to control layout - a crucial touchpoint for any photographer juggling shooting modes and settings - reveals further differences:

The A99’s abundance of dedicated dials and buttons shines for pros who rely on tactile control without diving deep into menus. Aperture rings, ISO controls, exposure compensation dials - all laid out intuitively. The RX10 leans on menu navigation more, compensating with intuitive multi-selector wheels and quick access buttons that most amateurs and enthusiasts will appreciate.

Interestingly, neither camera integrates touchscreens, which nowadays might feel like a drawback, but Sony’s robust physical control design still ensures responsive navigation without looking away from the viewfinder - a personal preference rather than a universal must-have.

For video shooters, rotary dials on the A99 ease shutter speed and aperture adjustments smoothly during filming, while RX10’s controls feel more compact and sometimes less refined, though perfectly functional.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Medium Format or Superzoom Sensor?

Let’s delve into the heart of any camera - the sensor. Here, the differences are profound:

• Sony RX10: 1" BSI-CMOS sensor, 20 megapixels, 13.2×8.8 mm (116.16 mm²), with a max ISO of 12800 native, extended to 25600.
• Sony A99: Full-frame CMOS sensor, 24 megapixels, 35.8×23.8 mm (852.04 mm²), max native ISO 25600.

What does this mean practically? Larger sensors inherently capture more light, translate to better dynamic range, lower noise, and higher color fidelity. The A99 enjoys a clear advantage in this arena, boasting an impressive DxOMark overall score of 89 compared to the RX10’s 69. The A99’s color depth and dynamic range are notably superior, making it a strong choice for photographers focused on landscape and portrait work where image quality reigns.

Still, the RX10 surprises for a sensor of its size. Its BSI architecture (backside illuminated) enhances low light performance relative to traditional 1" sensors. Yet, when pixel-level scrutiny matters - say, in commercial or fine art prints - the A99 delivers more flexibility and superior base quality.

Real-World Portrait Photography: Skin Tones and Bokeh

Portraiture is a demanding genre for both color rendition and focusing precision. Let me share what I found shooting human subjects with both cameras.

The A99’s full-frame sensor allows for beautifully rendered skin tones with a natural warmth and subtle gradations. Its native lens ecosystem offers fast primes with wide apertures (f/1.4-f/2.8), making creamy bokeh possible, gently blurring backgrounds and making subjects pop. Eye detection autofocus performed reliably, locking sharply and maintaining focus in continuous tracking modes.

The RX10’s fixed f/2.8 lens throughout the zoom range is a marvel for a superzoom, delivering decent background separation but understandably falling short of the shallow depth of field top-tier primes provide. Skin tones rendered well, with pleasant but less dynamic color transitions. Autofocus includes face detection, working adequately but sometimes trailing in challenging lighting compared to the A99’s phase-detection AF system.

If portraits are a primary focus and you cherish bokeh control and tonal accuracy, the A99 steps ahead. The RX10 could serve casual portraiture nicely but feels restricted for professional headshot work.

Exploring Landscapes: Dynamic Range and Weather Resistance

Landscape photographers often prioritize sensor latitude and rugged build quality since conditions are rarely perfect.

The A99’s wider dynamic range (approx. 14 EV) captures deeper shadow detail and more highlight retention. Coupled with 24 MP resolution, you’ll get large prints with fine texture. Its weather sealing - rated dust and moisture resistant - brings confidence for fieldwork in less than ideal environments.

Not to be discounted, the RX10 offers commendable dynamic range (~12.6 EV) for a 1” sensor, allowing well-exposed scenes and detail recovery with careful post-processing. It’s also advertised as having environmental resistance, though not completely weatherproof.

If you prefer complete lens flexibility for ultra-wide landscape primes, the A99 wins hands down. However, if you’re after a versatile zoom that can flex from wide to moderate telephoto without swapping lenses on the trail, the RX10’s 24-200mm (35mm equivalent) zoom range covers most landscape focal lengths comfortably in one package.

Wildlife Photography: Autofocus Speed and Telephoto Reach

Wildlife photography often demands fast, consistent autofocus, high burst rates, and long reach optics.

The RX10’s built-in 24-200mm zoom with a constant f/2.8 aperture (equivalent to ~70-600mm full-frame crop) gives an effective telephoto range many wildlife photographers dream of without changing lenses. The 10 fps continuous shooting rate helps capture fleeting moments. Its contrast-detection AF system with 25 focus points works adequately, though it lacks phase-detection speed and tracking finesse for erratic subjects.

On the other hand, the A99’s 19 AF points, including 11 cross-type phase detection points, enable accurate and speedy focus lock on moving subjects. Paired with an appropriate telephoto lens from Sony’s plentiful Alpha lineup (300mm f/2.8, 400mm f/2.8 etc.), the system is formidable. The frame rate matches the RX10 at 10 fps, with larger buffer memory suited for extended bursts.

I’ve personally preferred the A99 paired with fast telephoto lenses for serious birding or fast wildlife - autofocus speed and tracking accuracy are noticeably better, and image quality benefits from the full-frame sensor. But for an all-in-one solution that travels light, the RX10 remains a compelling choice.

Sports Shooting: Tracking and Low Light Performance

Sports photographers demand precision autofocus tracking, rapid burst shooting, and reliable high ISO control for indoor or evening events.

The A99’s phase-detection AF shines here with excellent subject tracking, particularly with continuous AF modes. Shutter speeds can reach up to 1/8000s, helping freeze motion crisply. Its impressive low-light ISO capabilities (native 25600) enable shooting in dim venues with manageable noise.

RX10’s optical image stabilization is beneficial in reducing camera shake at longer focal lengths but the contrast-detect AF system is comparatively sluggish, making it less suited for fast-paced sports. It maxes out at 1/3200s shutter speed, which is sometimes limiting when trying to freeze extremely quick action.

If you’re a pro or serious sports enthusiast, the A99 is the better bet, offering flexibility and performance that can handle pro league demands. The RX10 works best for casual sports or recreational use.

Street Photography: Discretion and Portability

Street photographers crave discreet, compact gear for candid, low-profile shooting.

While neither camera is particularly pocketable, the RX10’s integrated lens removes lens swap noise, making it quieter operationally than the lens-heavy A99. The RX10’s relatively compact bridge body and tilting screen improve shooting flexibility from various angles. Low-light performance is decent, although limited by sensor size.

The A99, with its larger mirrorbox and significant lens carry, is more conspicuous and less nimble in tense street environments - though its quick autofocus and articulated screen can aid street portraits and informal reportage.

For street shooters prioritizing stealth and convenience, the RX10 is clearly the more practical, less intrusive system.

Macro Photography: Focus Precision and Stabilization

Macro work punishes any instability and demands fine focus control.

The RX10 does not have a dedicated macro mode, but close focusing distance combined with a fixed f/2.8 aperture allows reasonably sharp close-ups. Optical stabilization aids handheld shooting, but the inability to swap in specialized macro lenses limits long-term versatility.

The A99 boasts access to excellent macro primes with high magnification ratios and image stabilization built into the body sensor. Precision focusing is enhanced via phase-detection and manual focus aids on its articulated screen.

If macro is an important area, the A99 plus a macro lens is your winning setup. The RX10 suffices for casual macro but isn’t optimized.

Night and Astrophotography: ISO Handling and Exposure Flexibility

Shooting stars or nightscapes depends heavily on sensor noise performance, long exposure capability, and manual exposure modes.

Both cameras offer shutter speeds up to 30 seconds, manual exposure control, and high ISO ranges.

The A99’s sensor shows far better noise control above ISO 3200, allowing longer exposures with crisper results. Combined with full-frame light gathering, it’s far superior for astrophotography and night portraits.

RX10’s sensor noise becomes noticeable beyond ISO 1600, limiting its use in extreme low-light scenarios. Still, it’s more than capable for casual night shooting.

Video Capabilities: Recording Detail and Audio Options

Video has become a core functionality, and both cameras deliver full HD 1080p recording.

The RX10 handles 60 fps progressive recording, excellent for smooth motion capture. Audio ports for microphone and headphones are present on both models. The RX10’s optical stabilization benefits handheld video.

The A99 offers 60 and 24 fps capture with high-quality codec support including H.264. Its sensor-based image stabilization smooths footage effectively. The articulated screen helps compose video shots at unconventional angles.

Neither supports 4K or high-frame-rate slowing, limiting future-proofing, but both satisfy serious HD videographers.

Travel Photography: Versatility, Battery, and Size Considerations

For travelers seeking one camera to suit most shooting demands, size, lens versatility, and battery life count.

Despite similar weights, the RX10’s fixed 24-200mm lens means no swapping, less gear to clean or lose, and less weight overall. Environmental sealing adds peace of mind outdoors. Battery life measures about 420 shots.

The A99 requires lens changes and carries bulkier kit, but its extensive system flexibility covers any shooting scenario with ideal optics. Battery life is better, extending up to 500 shots, and dual card slots offer safer storage on the road.

I often recommend the RX10 to travelers valuing light packing and fast versatility; the A99 suits those prioritizing best image quality and lens options despite the extra baggage.

Professional Workflows: Reliability and File Handling

A professional photographer’s trust hinges on file quality, workflow integration, and durability.

The A99 offers full-frame RAW files with 14-bit depths, robust build, and Sony’s Alpha lens ecosystem. Dual card slots provide backup options on shoots. Built-in GPS metadata tagging aids location tracking. It’s a tried-and-true tool for professional portfolio work and commercial deliverables.

The RX10, while offering 14-bit RAW, produces smaller files from its 1” sensor and does not have dual slots or GPS. Nevertheless, the camera holds up well under demanding amateur or corporate settings where convenience trumps ultimate image fidelity.

Storage, Connectivity, and Battery

The RX10 supports SD card formats plus Sony’s Memory Stick variants, with one slot. Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi and NFC for fast image transfer or remote operation. USB 2.0 and HDMI outputs allow tethered shooting or external monitors.

The A99 uses dual card slots compatible with SD and Memory Stick Pro Duo. It lacks wireless features out of the box but includes GPS for geo-tagging.

Both accept Sony proprietary batteries - NP-FW50 for RX10 and NP-FM500H for A99 - with decent endurance for day shoots, A99 slightly surpassing in longevity.

And finally, how do these two stack up overall?

Here’s a snapshot of the aggregated performance:

As expected from the specs and my hands-on experience, the full-frame A99 claims higher scores, particularly shining in image quality and pro-level features. The RX10, meanwhile, scores strongly for image stabilization, size/weight balance, and lens versatility given its bridge camera nature.

Below, you’ll find a genre-by-genre breakdown that emphasizes where each model’s strengths lie:

Sample images: A Story in Pictures

Visual comparison tells much of the tale:

Sony RX10 front Sony RX10 screen back Sony A99 front Sony A99 screen back

The increment in image quality, tonal range, and sharpness with the A99’s larger sensor is evident, especially for portraits and landscapes. The RX10 produces impressive JPEGs with rich colors and respectable detail given its sensor size.

Final Thoughts: Who Should Buy Which?

Sony RX10 is ideal if:

• You want an all-in-one superzoom with constant f/2.8 aperture.
• You prioritize compactness and convenience for travel or casual wildlife.
• You prefer bridge camera ergonomics without swapping lenses.
• Your budget is around $700 with great value for image stabilization and autofocus.
• You pursue video with optical stabilization and easy handling.

Sony A99 is the choice if:

• You need top-tier full-frame image quality for professional portrait, landscape, or commercial work.
• You value lens interchangeability with access to an extensive system.
• Your workflow demands dual card slots, GPS tagging, and maximum reliability.
• You shoot sports or wildlife with fast phase-detection AF and require top burst rates.
• You want superior low light and dynamic range characteristics.
• Your budget is closer to $2000 with a significant investment in glass.

Wrapping up

In the continuum between portability and pro-level quality, the Sony RX10 and Sony A99 stand on separate peaks. One is the master of zoom versatility and compact power; the other a formidable full-frame professional tool. Your choice boils down to priorities - convenience or uncompromised quality - and both cameras continue to hold relevance years after their launch because of these enduring strengths.

Feel free to drop your specific shooting interests or questions - I love a good camera discussion, especially when helping pair enthusiasts with their perfect match.

Happy shooting!

Article images courtesy Sony; photo sample rights reserved