Sony SLT-A99 Review | 108 Data compared

The Sony Alpha SLT-A99 is a flagship full-frame camera lauded for its 24-megapixel sensor, delivering exceptional high-ISO performance and wide dynamic range. Key strengths include a lightweight, weather-sealed build featuring in-body image stabilization, a high-magnification OLED viewfinder, and a fully articulated LCD. The camera offers excellent speed with a 6 fps continuous autofocus, dual SD slots, and a unique silent controller dial for video, as detailed at DPReview. Conversely, the review notes significant limitations, particularly the 19-point autofocus array, which is physically small and tightly clustered in the center of the frame, hindering tracking coverage. Furthermore, the AF-D "depth assist" subject tracking mode is restricted, functioning with only a limited selection of Sony lenses.

The Sony Alpha SLT-A99V is praised for delivering excellent 24.3-megapixel full-frame image quality, featuring outstanding low-light noise performance and a versatile, weather-sealed magnesium alloy body with an accurate OLED EVF. Key strengths include the Translucent Mirror design enabling efficient autofocus, a functional three-hinge tilting screen, and professional-level features like built-in GPS and focus peaking. Conversely, the camera’s primary drawbacks are shorter battery life caused by the continuous EVF usage, and the lack of a built-in flash, forcing reliance on external units. While shooting capabilities are strong, the maximum 10fps speed requires a reduced-resolution tele-zoom crop mode.

The Sony Alpha 99 (SLT-A99V) is a high-end, 24-megapixel full-frame digital camera that stands out for its fast autofocus and excellent video features. It uses a unique fixed, semi-transparent mirror design that keeps focus quick for both still photos and 1080p60 video capture. This design allows a smooth transition between the bright, sharp electronic viewfinder (EVF) and the 3-inch articulating rear screen, which tilts to make shooting from difficult angles easy. The camera also includes handy tools like built-in GPS for location tracking, focus peaking, and physical buttons that let users adjust settings quickly without using menus. However, the camera has some notable drawbacks. Because of its fixed mirror design, it completely lacks a traditional optical viewfinder, which some professional photographers still prefer. The electronic viewfinder view can also get a bit choppy when shooting in low light. Additionally, the body lacks a built-in flash, and using the GPS features drains the battery life more quickly. Overall, while it is a powerful choice for video and low-light imagery, the review notes it is not quite as well-rounded or affordable as...

The Sony Alpha SLT-A99 is a highly capable full-frame digital camera that stands out for its user-friendly exterior layout, rugged magnesium alloy build, and exceptional 24.3-million-pixel image quality with vibrant, fully saturated colours. Utilizing unique Single Lens Translucent (SLT) technology, the camera features a stationary mirror that directs light simultaneously to the image sensor and the phase-detection autofocus system. Key strengths highlighted in the review include an intuitive interface that reduces the need to dig into digital menus, a highly versatile vari-angle tilting LCD screen, a built-in GPS feature, an internal image stabilizer, and rapid continuous shooting speeds of up to 10 frames per second. Additionally, it offers professional-grade Full HD video capture supported by a convenient silent control dial for noise-free settings adjustment mid-recording, alongside an impressive ISO performance that delivers highly usable shots up to ISO 12800. However, the camera does present notable drawbacks that may deter some users. Its heavy and bulky body design makes it far less portable than an average snapshot camera, particularly when paired with high-end glass like the Carl Zeiss 24-70mm lens which...

The Amateur Photographer review highlights the Sony Alpha 99 as a lightweight, weather-sealed, full-frame SLT camera featuring excellent ergonomics, a flexible articulating screen, and a bright, detailed OLED electronic viewfinder. Its magnesium-alloy construction and customizable controls provide high-level handling, though the camera is aimed more at high-quality stills than, for instance, a purely speed-focused design. However, the camera's high-speed performance is heavily constrained, with 8-10fps burst modes limited to low-quality JPEGs and a maximum of 6fps in RAW, alongside limited buffer capacity in low light. Other performance drawbacks include sluggish operation, specifically slow startup times and noticeable delays in changing settings, making it less ideal for action photography.

The What Digital Camera review rates the Sony Alpha A99 an 89% for its superb handling, highly flexible articulated screen, and excellent video tools. While praising the camera's feature set and image quality, the review notes significant operational issues, including noticeable lag with the command dial, a slow startup time, and occasional focus freezes. What Digital Camera

The Sony A99 is a full-frame, 24-megapixel Single Lens Translucent (SLT) camera that uses a fixed, transparent beam-splitter instead of a traditional moving mirror to route light simultaneously to the sensor and phase-detect autofocus array. Reviewer Bob Janes highlights several key design pros, including a fully articulating rear screen, built-in GPS, highly customisable controls, an electronic focus limiter, and effective In-Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS) enhanced by an electronic first-curtain shutter. Furthermore, the SLT design acts as a physical barrier that minimizes sensor dust, and the camera functions as a highly robust, continent-crossing workhorse capable of exceeding 400,000 shutter actuations. Through Sony's LA-EA5 adapter, users can also seamlessly shoot with legacy A-mount lenses dating back to 1985. However, the camera suffers from distinct visual and functional drawbacks. Janes repeatedly labels the A99 as exceptionally ugly, comparing its aesthetics to the character Shrek. On a technical level, the SLT mirror inherently causes a loss of about 1/3 of a stop of light to the sensor. Performance is restricted by an inherited APS-C autofocus unit that clusters all focus points into the central...

The Sony SLT-A99 features a 24.3-megapixel full-frame sensor and Single-Lens Translucent (SLT) technology, offering a dual phase-detection autofocus system that provides highly predictive subject tracking at 6 frames per second. Key advantages include a lightweight, weather-sealed body, a sharp 2.4-million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF), a three-way articulating LCD, and robust 1080p60 video features with manual audio controls. Conversely, the semi-transparent mirror causes a 0.5 EV light loss, resulting in slightly lower low-light performance compared to traditional full-frame DSLR rivals. Other noted limitations include a lack of in-camera raw processing, a complex menu system, and poor battery life, with the EVF yielding only 410 shots per charge.

The Sony SLT-A99 is a premium full-frame camera reviewed at £2149 (body only) that utilizes unique translucent mirror technology (SLT) rather than a traditional moving optical mirror. A major strength highlighted in the review is its exceptional 24-megapixel image quality, which delivers precise details and low noise levels, producing print-worthy JPEGs even at high sensitivities up to ISO 12800. The camera is highly praised for innovative hardware design, including a sharp, three-point articulated 3-inch LCD screen—a rarity for full-frame bodies—and a high-resolution 2.4-million-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) providing accurate, real-time previews of exposure and white balance settings. Additional pros include an "AF Range" button that prevents focus hunting by letting users limit autofocus distances, and a genuinely silent multi-controller dial that lets videographers quietly adjust settings like aperture or ISO without ruining the audio track with audible clicks. Conversely, the review identifies significant cons, most notably an underspecified autofocus system featuring only 19 primary points (11 cross-type) that are tightly bunched in a small central area of the frame. Although it includes 109 secondary on-sensor phase-detect points to assist, they offer...