Sony SLT-A99V Review | 108 Data compared

The Sony Alpha SLT-A99 features a 24-megapixel full-frame sensor and a fixed-mirror design, delivering excellent raw image quality, high ISO noise control, and robust in-body image stabilization. Its lightweight, weather-sealed body boasts a detailed OLED viewfinder, a highly articulated LCD, and efficient continuous autofocus. The evaluation notes limitations such as a slight light loss from the translucent mirror, a restricted buffer for rapid burst shooting, and complex menu navigation. Additionally, video shooting is constrained by a locked aperture when using auto-focus, limiting creative control in that mode.

The Sony Alpha a99, featured on ePHOTOzine, is a full-frame SLT camera noted for its innovative Translucent Mirror Technology, enabling rapid continuous autofocus and high-speed shooting. It delivers superb image quality with excellent noise performance, alongside practical features like an articulating LCD, a high-resolution OLED viewfinder, and versatile AF range controls. However, the design creates limitations, with the translucent mirror causing slightly inferior low-light performance compared to traditional DSLR competitors. Furthermore, the camera's heavy reliance on electronic components results in notably shorter battery life when compared to its professional peers.

Sony Alpha a99 SLT-A99V Review Summary The Sony Alpha a99 SLT-A99V is a powerful full-frame flagship camera that effectively balances high-quality still photography with strong video capabilities, earning an overall score of 8.2 from CNET. Built around a 24.3-megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor, the camera delivers photos with excellent detail resolution, wide dynamic range, and accurate color when using the Neutral Creative Style setting. Its physical design is a major highlight, featuring a weather-sealed body, an exceptionally comfortable grip, a highly articulated OLED display, and a unique "Silent Controller" dial that allows videographers to adjust settings silently on the fly. Performance-wise, it excels at continuous shooting by sustaining a clip of roughly 6.2 frames per second, and its fixed-mirror SLT technology provides manual-focus peaking and a seamless electronic viewfinder experience that makes shooting video much easier than on traditional SLRs. Despite its versatility, the A99V forces several compromises that might deter discerning professionals who require a tool optimized for one specific medium. On the downside, its low-light noise reduction at ISO 1600 and above falls short of its primary competitors, the...

The Sony Alpha 99 (SLT-A99V) is a full-featured, full-frame D-SLR camera that stands out for its unique fixed, semi-transparent mirror design. This technology enables seamless transitions between the rear display and its crisp, 2.5-megapixel eye-level OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF), which provides shooters with a precise real-time exposure and depth-of-field preview. Equipped with a 24-megapixel CMOS sensor, the camera delivers excellent high ISO performance, fast autofocus capabilities for both stills and video, and a 5.7fps continuous shooting speed. It is highly tailored for advanced users, offering an articulating 3-inch rear LCD screen, 1080p60 video capture, an integrated GPS radio for automatic location tagging, and a unique autofocus range limiting button to optimize focus distances on the fly. Key Pros & Cons Despite its impressive features, the camera has notable limitations compared to traditional full-frame rivals. Excellent high ISO performance ensures clean images in low light. Fast autofocus system operates efficiently for both stills and video tracking. Articulating rear LCD allows for flexible framing at difficult angles. Integrated GPS automatically adds location data to your image files. No optical viewfinder may deter...

The Sony SLT-A99 is a premium full-frame camera priced at £2,149 (body only) that distinguishes itself with innovative design choices, most notably being the only full-frame camera of its era to feature a three-point articulated 3-inch LCD screen. Its translucent mirror technology (SLT) replaces the traditional optical viewfinder with a sharp, 2.4 million-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) that provides an accurate, real-time preview of exposure, white balance, and histograms. Additional pros highlighted in the review include exceptional JPEG image quality with remarkably low noise at high ISO levels, quick phase-detect autofocus during video capture, and a "Silent Multi-controller" dial that allows video shooters to adjust exposure settings quietly without ruining the audio track. However, the camera suffers from several specific shortcomings, particularly an underspecified autofocus system that features only 19 primary points tightly bunched in a small central area of the frame. Its continuous burst shooting maxes out at a modest 5.9fps before quickly slowing down, and its 1080p video output lacks crispness, delivering vague details that trail behind competitors like the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Nikon D800. Furthermore,...

The Sony Alpha SLT-A99 is a full-frame 24.3-megapixel camera featuring a unique Single Lens Translucent (SLT) mirror system that splits incoming light to enable continuous, high-speed phase-detection autofocus up to 10 frames per second. Designed with professional video recording capabilities to compete with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, it captures Full HD video and includes dual card slots, an industry-first multi-axis vari-angle LCD screen, and built-in GPS. Reviewer Barrie Smith highly praises the camera's exceptional, razor-sharp image quality, fully saturated colours, and excellent exterior control layout, noting that its performance remains highly usable with low noise all the way up to ISO 12800. On the positive side, the SLT-A99 delivers an excellent user-friendly interface that minimises the need to open menus, outstanding low-light ISO performance, a rugged magnesium alloy build, and an in-body image stabiliser that opens up lens choices. It also introduces a manual focus peaking system that outlines sharp areas in red, alongside silent on-the-fly exposure adjustments during video capture. However, the review highlights several drawbacks, most notably its heavy and bulky design, which scales up to...

The PhotoClassic Equipment Review outlines the Sony Alpha SLT-A99V as a highly capable, European-spec full-frame camera equipped with internal GPS functionality. The reviewer evaluates the camera's performance over a nine-month period, initially fearing that the electronic viewfinder (EVF) would suffer from lag or image tearing. Instead, the stunning 100% coverage EVF emerged as a primary highlight, seamlessly delivering extensive shooting data and rivalling top-tier optical viewfinders. Notable pros include excellent low-noise performance at high ISO levels (up to ISO 3200), fast and accurate autofocus tracking backed by a dual on-sensor phase-detect system, and a robust, weather-sealed magnesium-alloy body featuring a fully articulated rear screen. Additionally, an innovative in-camera focus range limiter successfully speeds up focusing on diverse third-party lenses, while the transition to an ISO-standard hotshoe simplifies the use of third-party studio lights and radio triggers. On the downside, the review notes a slight tendency for the metering system to under-expose pictures when faced with challenging or bright back-lighting conditions. The camera's heavy power consumption initially raised concerns as a major negative; however, after the battery went through a breaking-in...

The Sony SLT Alpha 99 features a 24.3-megapixel full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor that excels in good lighting, earning a high DxOMark overall score of 89. Its standout feature is its stationary semi-transparent mirror (SLT) technology, which eliminates the need for a moving mirror. This design enables fast, continuous autofocus during 10 fps burst shooting and video recording, paired with an impressive 2.4-million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder. Furthermore, it delivers an outstanding dynamic range of 14 Evs, making it an excellent tool for landscape photography. However, the SLT technology introduces a distinct disadvantage by diverting a portion of incoming light away from the main image sensor. Consequently, the camera suffers from weaker low-light and sports performance compared to competitors like the Nikon D600 and D800. Its ISO latitude is also more restricted than rivals, topping out at a maximum of ISO 25,600. Despite these low-light limitations, its superior video capabilities, high color depth, and exceptional dynamic range outscore higher-priced models like the Canon EOS 5D Mark III in static lighting conditions.

The Sony Alpha 99 is a lightweight, weather-sealed full-frame DSLT camera featuring a robust magnesium-alloy body that provides excellent handling and balance, even with heavy lenses. While offering strong overall performance, the review highlights that its maximum 8-10fps burst modes are limited to JPEG, restricting resolution and locking focus. Active photographers requiring full-frame, high-speed shooting with continuous autofocus are limited to a 6fps rate, which proved insufficient for challenging low-light action scenes, according to Amateur Photographer. Amateur Photographer

The Sony Alpha A99, a 24.3-megapixel full-frame SLT camera, is lauded for its superb image quality, lightweight 733g weather-sealed body, and versatile multi-angle LCD screen. It features a highly customizable, ergonomic design with a bright EVF and excellent video performance, making it a powerful tool for serious enthusiasts. Conversely, the review notes significant operational issues, including startup lag, electronic viewfinder staggering, and occasional focus freezing. Other drawbacks include unhelpful error messages and a rear screen that sometimes misinterprets placement, causing orientation issues during shooting.