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Sony A99 II

 
Sony Alpha A99 II front
 
  • 42MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 100 - 25600 (Bump to 102400)
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 849g - 143 x 104 x 76mm
  • Announced September 2016
  • Old Model is Sony A99
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
57
Imaging
77
Features
92
Overall
83

Sony A99 II overview

Sony A99 II is Sony's Advanced DSLR camera originally announced on September of 2016. It features a 42 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS Full frame size sensor with a peak resolution of 7952 x 5304.

Sony released this camera in order to upgrade the older Sony A99 (Read Full Comparison)

The A99 II comes in at #1 out of 92 in Advanced DSLR cameras & all round #22 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. You can try out our Smart camera filter to see camera rankings based on your personal factors.

Photography Glossary

Below is a chart of different criteria used in the scoring system.

Sony A99 II family

The Sony A99 II is part of a family of products. You can view the complete list underneath.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Sony-Alpha-A99-II front thumbnailSony A99 II42MPFull frame12.0 fps2016
Sony-SLT-A99 front thumbnailSony A99
A99 II vs A99
24MPFull frame10.0 fps2012
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Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A850 front thumbnailSony A850
A99 II vs A850
25MPFull frame3.0 fps2010
Sony-Alpha-DSLR-A900 front thumbnailSony A900
A99 II vs A900
25MPFull frame5.0 fps2008

Sony A99 II Pros and Cons

Here is a checklist of positives and negatives of the Sony A99 II based on features which are oftentimes seen as necessary in a camera.

comes with face detect autofocus
comes with phase detect autofocus
comes with tracking focus
does have HDMI support
does have headphone jack
does have microphone jack
does not have low pass filter
environment proof
exports RAW files
focusing manually
good ISO range (25,600)
good min ISO (100)
has bluetooth
has dual storage slots
high resolution screen (1,229 thousand dot)
high res video (3840 x 2160 pxls)
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
includes Top display
interchangeable lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
maximum shutter speed is high (1/8,000 seconds)
megapixel count great (42MP)
NFC support
nice screen size (3 inches)
selfie friendly screen
sensor size is great (Full frame)
low battery power (490 per charge)
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Sony A99 II Sensor specs

The Sony A99 II houses the Bionz X processor chip. The sensor dimension in the Sony A99 II is 35.9mm x 24mm (Full frame). The 862 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 7952 x 5304 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis). Sensor stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization as the latter might produce cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 42MP and includes a native ISO range of 100 - 25600. The ISO can be widened digitally to 50 - 102400. RAW photos are saved which means that you have more room to maneuver in post.

Sony chose to omit the low pass filter with the Sony A99 II. This might result in more sharper photos but may introduce moire in some conditions.

The graphic underneath displays the A99 II's sensor size in comparison to other common sizes. The A99 II sensor has a crop factor of 1 and is showcased in green.

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To get an idea of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony A99 II dimensions

Sony A99 II weighs about 1.87 pounds (849 gr / 29.95 oz) & has exterior size of 143mm x 104mm x 76mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.0"). The weight of general Advanced DSLR camera is 776 gr so the Sony A99 II is very similar compared to its competitors.

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Underneath is a picture of the Sony A99 II with a soft drink to help you get a feel for its size.

Sony Alpha A99 II dimensions scale

The top view underneath will show the button design on the A99 II.

Sony Alpha A99 II topview buttons dials

Sony A99 II Lens details

The A99 II fits the Sony/Minolta Alpha mount and has 145 lenses on the market today. Here is some of the lenses we have in our database that will fit the A99 II.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Sigma-15mm-F2.8-EX-DG-Diagonal-Fisheye-Sony-Alpha lensSigma 15mm F2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye15mmf/2.8 370g
Sigma-APO-Macro-180mm-F2.8-EX-DG-OS-HSM-Sony-Alpha lensSigma APO Macro 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM180mmf/2.8 1640g
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Sigma-70-200mm-F2.8-EX-DG-Macro-HSM-II-Sony-Alpha lensSigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG Macro HSM II70-200mmf/2.8 1390g
Sigma-18-50mm-F2.8-4.5-DC-OS-HSM-Sony-Alpha lensSigma 18-50mm F2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM18-50mmf/2.8-4.5 395g
Tokina-AT-X-Pro-11-16mm-f2.8-DX-II-Sony-Alpha lensTokina AT-X Pro 11-16mm f2.8 DX II11-16mmf/2.8 560g
Sony-70-300mm-F4.5-5.6-G-SSM-II lensSony 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G SSM II70-300mmf/4.5-5.6 750g
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Sigma-50-500mm-F4.5-6.3-DG-OS-HSM-Sony-Alpha lensSigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM50-500mmf/4.5-6.3 1970g
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Sony A99 II Connectivity

The A99 II has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • Bluetooth Yes
  • NFC Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that have NFC and Bluetooth support can be used wirelessly by smartphones. You can easily send pictures and sometimes alter settings with no need to connect directly with the camera.

Many apps also stream a Liveview and press the shutter whenever you aren't close to the camera. If the camera features a HDMI port, it can be connected to an external monitor. A good number of cameras enable you to charge the battery using the USB socket.

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Sony A99 II Video details

The highest video resolution in the Sony A99 II is 3840 x 2160 and you can save in MPEG-4, AVCHD and XAVC S format. 2160p provides a superb resolution for video recording. You are able to downsample to Full HD in order to get clearer results. Be wary of the massive file sizes and make sure you own decent SD cards with good write speed. The camera does have both headphone and microphone jack making it pretty useful while capturing audio.

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Sony A99 II Weather Sealing

Sony A99 II provides environment sealing which makes it a great candidate for use in rough places. This is particularly useful any time you are uncertain about the elements you might face in outdoor photography.

Sony A99 II Display and Viewfinder

The Sony A99 II features a 3 inch fully articulated screen with a resolution of 1,229 thousand dots.

The display is selfie friendly for self portraits and even group photos when required. Please be aware that the screen has no touch support. The A99 II also has a builtin Top display so it’s possible to quickly view camera settings.

Sony Alpha A99 II screen and viewfinder Photography Glossary

The View Finder specs for Sony A99 II are the following:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • Resolution 2,359 thousand dots
  • Coverage 100%
  • Magnification 0.78x

For sunny outdoor situations that make the camera screens washed out and hard to see, viewfinders will be pretty useful.

Sony A99 II Shutter details

Sony A99 II continuous shooting rate is 12.0 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/8000 seconds.

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Sony A99 II Flash and Hot shoe details

Sony A99 II has external flash ability but is lacking built-in flash. The maximum flash sync is 1/250 seconds.

Sony A99 II Autofocus details

Sony A99 II has both Phase Detect Autofocus plus Contrast Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection autofocusing is more quicker & accurate than Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera features Face detect which makes it helpful for portraits.

It features 399 focus points to select from. It also comes with Tracking Autofocus for things that move. Sony A99 II can use manual focus in case it is required in low light or you require more precise focus control.

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Sony A99 II Battery life

The battery power in the Sony A99 II is designed to last for 490 images based on the CIPA requirements which is lower than it's competition. The typical Advanced DSLR camera battery life is 909. Nikon D780 has got the highest (2260) battery life in this kind of cameras.

Listed below is a collection of Advanced DSLR cameras that have the strongest battery life:

Sony A99 II for different types of photography

The following illustration displays a analysis of the Sony A99 II for different types of photography. To see more, have a look at the specific section underneath.

Sony A99 II Portrait photography factors

The Sony A99 II gets a points total of 86 which is awesome, meaning that it is a wonderful fit to use for portraits. Shooting portrait photos leans heavily to sensor specs, support for RAW photos & potential to work with off-camera flash.

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has manual focus
high resolution (42MP)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
has face detection focus
saves RAW files

Sony A99 II Street photography info

Getting a excellent rating of 76, the Sony A99 II is a terrific pick to buy for street photography. A good street photography camera has a good balance of picture quality plus portability.

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image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
great sensor size (Full frame)
supports RAW formats
environment sealing
great high ISO (25,600)

Sony A99 II Sports photography info

A impressive sports photography rating of 82 suggests the Sony A99 II is a terrific pick for taking photos of sports. A camera must have great tracking plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

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high shutter speed (1/8,000s)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
amazing sensor resolution (42 megapixels)
sensor size is big (Full frame)
comes with tracking focus
weather proof
comes with phase detect autofocus
low battery life (490 per charge)

Sony A99 II Travel photography features

Size is super critical when getting a camera for travel. Overall, the Sony A99 II gets a nice 70 as a travel camera which is a very decent pick to purchase for your vacations.

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weather sealing
supports bluetooth
megapixel count high (42 megapixels)
selfie friendly display
terrible battery pack (490 per charge)

Sony A99 II as a Landscape photography camera

In case you're looking to purchase a camera for landscape pictures, the most essential aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Sony A99 II and it's brilliant score of 82 for a landscape camera is a terrific option in the current market.

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manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
screen is a good size (3")
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
MP count great (42 megapixels)
great sensor size (Full frame)
doesnt have anti aliasing filter
good high ISO (25,600)
supports RAW formats
weather proof
has dual storage slots
terrible battery pack (490 shots)

Sony A99 II Vlogging details

A vlogging camera ought to have a moving display, microphone port and preferably image stabilization. Considering every thing, the Sony A99 II is a terrific pick for vlogging as it receives a outstanding rating of 78.

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screen is selfie friendly
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
features face detect focus
high res video (3840 x 2160 resolution)
does have microphone port

Sony A99 II Alternatives

If you are looking for alternatives to the A99 II, here is a list of the top ranked cameras that fall into the family of Advanced DSLR.

The line chart below provides you a summary of the A99 II versus it's top scored rivals listed above.

There are more cameras you may look at as alternate options. To go through a full comparison, just click on the "compare" link.

Photography Glossary

Specifications

General Information
Company
Sony
Model
Sony Alpha A99 II
Type
Advanced DSLR
Announced
2016-09-19
Body design
Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Processor
Bionz X
Sensor size
Full frame
Sensor measurements
35.9 x 24mm
Sensor area
861.6mm²
Sensor resolution
42 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution
7952 x 5304
RAW images
Highest native ISO
25600
Highest boosted ISO
102400
Lowest native ISO
100
Lowest boosted ISO
50
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Number of focus points
399
Cross focus points
79
Lens
Lens mounting type
Sony/Minolta Alpha
Available lenses
143
Focal length multiplier
1
Screen
Range of display
Fully articulated
Display sizing
3 inches
Resolution of display
1,229 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
2,359 thousand dot
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.78x
DXO scores
DXO All around score
92
DXO Color Depth score
25.4
DXO Dynamic range score
13.4
DXO Low light score
2317
Features
Lowest shutter speed
30 seconds
Highest shutter speed
1/8000 seconds
Continuous shooting speed
12.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range
no built-in flash
Flash settings
Off, auto, fill, slow sync, redeye reduction, rear sync, high-speed sync, wireless
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync
1/250 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Highest video resolution
3840x2160
Video file format
MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
849 grams (1.87 pounds)
Physical dimensions
143 x 104 x 76mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.0")
Other
Battery life
490 photos
Type of battery
NP-FM500H lithium-ion battery & charger
Self timer
Yes (2, 5, 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage
Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC/MS Duo slots
Storage slots
Two
Retail pricing
$3,198