With a lot of camera-makers now updating their existing line-up of flagships, Sony has decided they don’t want to be left behind and have also upped their game, with the new A99 II – its new flagship.
This new flagship by Sony is a full-frame DSLR body with a monster 42.2-megapixel sensor. The autofocus now has a hybrid phase detection autofocus system with 79 dedicated cross-points and 399 supplemental points. This camera officially packs the best of Sony’s camera tech – with 5-axis image stabilization and 4K recording with a full pixel readout.
Sony today unveiled the new 42MP A99 II
If it wasn’t clear from the introduction, this full-frame interchangeable lens camera is targeted towards professional photographers. This flagship will be compatible with the A-series of lenses. The hybrid autofocus system from Sony should be perfect for those dim light photos, promising great images up to -4 EV. There’s also an increased ISO range on the offering, with 50 to a massive 102,400.
The Alpha line from Sony had made its appearance to the public 10 years ago and today manages to topple over the best from its segment, aiming to remove the market leader from its top spot. Sony has now found a comfortable spot in the mirrorless camera segment, making it a very serious option for the pros as opposed to the Nikons and the Canons that have been there from the beginning.
The new A99 offers Sony’s home-baked 4D Focus tech which, thanks to the camera being mirrorless, promises a full time autofocus that’s just perfect for sports and nature shots, making fast moving objects very easy to photograph. It can shoot up to 12 frames per second.
The body has become tad more compact, now being made completely of magnesium alloy, making it eight percent smaller than its predecessor. The viewfinder, made of an HD screen gets a redesigned menu to make it easier for fast changes and access to settings in real-time; crucial for those who need to make those changes at the spur of the moment.
Some new tricks include a special slow and quick video recording that combines both slow motion and accelerated video speeds. There’s also improved gamma handling for the video editors as well as a zebra mode for when the exposure needs some tweaking.
The A99 II is going to be released right on the tail of the Canon 5D, being priced a little lower than Canon’s best full-frame camera. It’ll be out in November to give the competition a run for their money.