Sony Alpha 99

The Sony Alpha 99 was announced by Sony on September 12, 2012. It was the flagship Sony DSLR camera and of the Sony Alpha SLT line[1] until late 2016 when it was replaced by the Sony α99 II.

Sony α99
Overview
TypeDigital single-lens translucent camera
Lens
LensSony mount; compatible with Minolta A-type bayonet mount.
Sensor/medium
Sensor35.6 mm × 23.8 mm Exmor CMOS sensor
Maximum resolution6000 x 4000 pixel (24.3 megapixels)
Storage mediaMemory stick PRO Duo™/Pro-HG Duo™ media; SD, SDHC and SDXC memory card
Focusing
Focus modesPredictive control(AF-A, AF-C), Depth Map Assist AF (AF-D), Focus Lock, Eye-start AF
Focus areasWide (auto,19 points)/Zone/Spot/Local selectable
Exposure/metering
Exposure modesMode: Auto, Program AE (P), Aperture priority (A), Shutter priority (S), Manual (M), Scene Selection, Sweep Panorama, Tele-zoom Continuous Advance Priority AE, Movie
Exposure metering1200-zone evaluative metering
Metering modesMulti-segment, center-weighted, spot
Shutter
ShutterElectronically controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type
Shutter speed rangeStill images: 1/8000 to 30 sec, Bulb
Continuous shooting10fps
Viewfinder
Viewfinder1.3 cm electronic viewfinder with 2,359k dots, 100% field of view, 0.71 x magnification
General
LCD screen3.0", 1,228,800 dots
BatteryNP-FM500H lithium-ion rechargeable battery (1650 mAh)
Weight733 g (25.9 oz), body only

It features the 24.3MP 35mm full-frame Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, with the normal sensor range of ISO 100–3200.[2] The selectable sensitivity is up to ISO 25600, which makes this camera able to capture still images in low-light environments.[3] This camera can also combine six images together, to generate a single image with two additional steps of ISO sensitivity. This is also the first Sony Alpha camera to use the new Sony "Mult-Interface" shoe which is a standard ISO shoe with proprietary contacts at the front of the shoe. This allows use of standard ISO hotshoe accessories without the need for adapters as in previous Alpha models. The camera ships with an adapter to allow use of older Minolta-style hot-shoe accessories.

Like Sony's APS-c flagship, α77, the α99 has the ability to record Full HD 1080 video with up to 60p frame rate. In markets outside China, this camera also has built-in GPS that allows recording of position information into the photo. The α99 also uses a three-way tiltable LCD, as used on α77, this feature allows the photographer to view the LCD from any angle. Alongside the lens mount Sony has replaced the traditional autofocus mode selection dial with a "Silent Multi-Controller" which is a customizable dial with silent detents and a central button used for confirmation. The dial's function can be brought up with a press of the central button and then changed using the dial silently during movie or still recording. The dial's functions can also be changed on the fly by long-pressing the button and then selecting whichever function is desired.

For flexibility Sony α99 allows users to use Sony's crop APS-C DT lenses and consequently automatically cropping the image to the smaller frame.[4]

An updated version, the Sony α99 II, was announced at Photokina in September 2016.

Model variants

Model variants of the Alpha 99 camera body:

  • SLT-A99V with GPS.
  • SLT-A99 without GPS (depending on country).

Hasselblad HV

In February 2014, Hasselblad introduced a restyled Sony A99 as Hasselblad HV. According to the company's press-release, their version of A99 is "tough as nails", featuring more robust construction than the original.[5]

Features

Image and autofocus
  • 24.3MP 35mm full-frame Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor.
  • Updated BIONZ image processor.
  • A dual AF System (19+ 102 points, 11 cross type).
  • 1200-zone evaluative exposure metering.
  • TTL phase-detection auto focusing.

ISO
  • ISO sensitivity 100–25600.

Ergonomy
  • TruFinder XGA OLED Electronic viewfinder with 100% frame coverage.

Performance

In the DxOMark Overall Sensor Score test, which is based on all characteristics of a camera sensor, the Sony Alpha 99 scores 89 points, which equals the score of the Nikon D4 and the Phase One P65 Plus medium format camera, with the Nikon D800E, D800 and D600 being the only digital SLRs that get a higher score. Therefore, as of September 2013, the Sony Alpha 99 scores higher than all DSLRs from Canon and all DSLRs except those listed here from Nikon, including their professional models.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Sony introduces full-frame a99 flagship digital SLR". bjp-online.com. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  2. Sony a99 Full-Frame SLT Camera Body, Sony.com
  3. Sony Press Centre "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-09-17. Retrieved 2012-09-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Sony Alpha a99 review Sony gets back in the full-frame game". Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  5. http://press.hasselblad.com/press-releases/2014/2014-02-03_pr_hv.aspx
  6. www.dxomark.com Retrieved 28 September 2013.
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