Sony A99 with impressive video

[Emmanuel Plakiotis]

PHOTOGRAPHIC CENTRAL: Sony Alpha A99 Preview

Some interesting points:
$2800 body only
The full frame sensor is enhanced by a newly-developed separate multi-segment optional low-pass filter, increasing its resolving power.

The flagship α99 model is the first full-frame DSLR to offer Full HD 60p/24p progressive video recording to meet AVCHD™ Version 2.0 specifications and Full-time Continuous AF Movie mode, allowing smooth, non-stop tracking of moving subjects. Other enhancements include real-time Full HD video output via HDMI®, and uninterrupted ‘dual-card’ recording using both of the camera’s media slots.


For added convenience while shooting video, a new silent, programmable multi-control dial on the front of the camera body allows silent adjustment of common settings during shooting including exposure compensation, ISO sensitivity, shutter speed, aperture and much more.

optional XLR-K1M ($800) adaptor kit, which adds a high-quality mono shotgun microphone and pro-standard XLR connections for dependable audio acquisition.

[Emmanuel Plakiotis]

The Calling on Vimeo

The official promo video of A99. Pas mal

[Andrew Clark]

Not bad. Thanks for posting.

The cameras specs seem great, but we'll have to see what owners and (in depth) reviewers say about it in using it in the day to day real world shoots ... for both stills and video.

So far as I know, currently, it's the only DSLR on the market that has the ability to record 1080/60p.

Another great tool for the photo / video world!! Thank Sony!!

[Matt Sharp]

Originally Posted by Andrew Clark

So far as I know, currently, it's the only DSLR on the market that has the ability to record 1080/60p.

The A77, A65, and A57 also record 1080p60.

[Andrew Clark]

You are right Matt .... I should have been a bit more detailed .... as what I meant to and should have stated is that Sony DSLR's, are currently the only DSLR's that have the ability to do this ... as far as I know.

Other cameras, specifically the Panasonic point and shoots, record in the 1080/60p mode as well. I know that for a fact as I have a ZS20 that does this and the footage looks great.

[Chris Joy]

You could also say the A99 is the only FF DSLR that does 60p. The VG900 would be the only other FF camera that "goes to 11" to steal a line from Spinal Tap.

[Andrew Clark]

Come to think of it, I don't know about the a99 being the "only" FF DSLR that has the 1080/60p; I think one of the Canon's have this ability as well .. the EOS 1D C.

The VG900 is more of a camcorder and in the camcorder category, there are quite a few of these that have this capability as well.

[Tony Davies-Patrick]

The biggest problem with the Sony A99 (and earlier A77 version) is that it only allows autofocus in video mode when the aperture on the lens is set to widest aperture, so is redundant most of the time. The Panasonic GH3 at least allows you to set the lens to any aperture during autofocus in video mode.

[Khoi Pham]

You guys know of any footages comparing low light between the A99 and Mark 3?

[Noa Put]

Yeah, found this one, definitely no match for the 5dIII, very noisy at 6400 iso

Sony A99 Low Light test. on Vimeo

[Khoi Pham]

Thanks guys, I was really hoping the A99 does as well as the Mark 3 in low light, because I like the articulate screen, the OLED viewfinder, in camera image stabilization, but I got to have good low light for what I do, so I guess I will have to get the Mark 3 or 6D if the low light is as good, my reason is, if you can use ISO 6400, then you don't have to use fast lens like F1.4, you could use F2.8 lens, and there you can have zoom lens, but man the OLED viewfinder and the articulate screen is so convenient, I wish there is a full frame camera with low light quality like the Mark3 with the Sony features.

[Noa Put]

Thank God for those early adopters that post video sand share experiences, It once more shows how easily you can get fooled by those promo videos, those images look stunning but it is only until you get some real life videos and experiences that you can down to the bottom of it. It's like with the Canon c100, there is a video out that shows significant moire on a pre production model, everybody also raves about the camera but it will be fun reading about the how it actually performs once it hits the street.

[Laurence Janus]

Originally Posted by Tony Davies-Patrick

The biggest problem with the Sony A99 (and earlier A77 version) is that it only allows autofocus in video mode when the aperture on the lens is set to widest aperture, so is redundant most of the time

Autofocus only works in P mode and it uses f/3.5 usually but if the lens is slower than f/3.5 it just uses the widest aperture.

[Dave Blackhurst]

Uh, thank "dog" for people with too much money who buy expensive equipment, don't know how to use it properly, walk around "wobbly cam" to create terrible "sample" footage, probably not set properly otherwise, and decalre "see, it's not so good".... then post it to UToob or other (over)sharing site to show how little they know....

I guess I'm saying that for sure you have to be careful to "filter" what you see, whether it comes from the mfr, a "review" site, or a "user"... ALL can be highly inaccurate and misleading, and are NOT how one should make a purchase decision if it's possible to lay hands upon your intended purchase - all the rest is just marketing or "hearsay"!

I don't know how many times I've read or seen "reviews" and shook my head at the lack of knowledge of the "reviewer"...

I also am surprised at how many times I see the equivalent of "it wouldn't take a video of my black cat on a moonless night at midnight no matter how it was set"... and declarations of muddy, macroblocked footage as "great low light performance"... "expectations" seem to vary widely...



FWIW, I wasn't "super excited" with the low light of the A65/A57 initially, though with some tweaking, it will do in most situations (sorry, no black cats to test with). I'm OK with what they WILL do, because the primary still functions are impressive, the video is a 'bonus" really, and in anything resembling proper light, no complaints so far. I have CX cameras that will go deeper into the darkness if need be, or these things called "LED lights"...

What I've seen of the A99 so far, I think it'd be a nice addition/upgrade.

[Andrew Clark]

Anybody here actually "own" this camera?

I've played with it at the Sony store for a bit and couldn't get the shutter speed to stay put .... in "M" (manual) mode of course.

Obviously I was doing something wrong.....so any of you owners / users of this camera, please enlighten me as to how to get this camera to have the shutter speed stay put in manual mode. A setting in the menu?!

Otherwise, this camera seemed pretty nice as it was paired with the sweet CZ 24-70mm 2.8 lens.