Let's talk A99 II

I've been a career Canon shooter (currently shooting with the 5D3), but have kept a close eye on Sony the past couple of years. Sony's tech is extremely impressive to me. I have a few photography friends who use the a7RII professionally, and after playing around with it I came to the conclusion that if they made the A7RII in a 5D3 body I would buy it in a second (I'm not a fan of the smaller bodies, as I've always used a pro DSLR with a grip on it).

From all accounts it seems that Sony has made almost that exact thing with the a99II. Sure it's ergonomics still won't be quite as good as the 7D/7DII/5D3/5D4 bodies (best ergonomically designed camera body ever IMO), but I can learn a new system. I'm about 85% sold on a full switch from Canon to Sony using the a99II as my primary and probably picking up a second hand a99 for a backup. I plan to switch a little bit after the new year, as to make sure the bugs get worked out of the A99II.

I do have 1 or 2 concerns though. Most thought that Sony had abandoned the A mount. Because of this many had completely abandoned their A mount systems in favor of the E mount. This doesn't bother me as I would be making a full switch, and have to buy new glass either way. But if the A99II does not sell well, is it possible that Sony does abandon the A mount altogether? I haven't heard any word of new A mount glass planning on being released with the a99II or in the near future, which kind of makes me wonder if this is simply a test to see if the A mount is still sellable. I don't want to buy an a99II and a bunch of A mount glass only to be stuck with it when no new A mount bodies are being released ever.

Also if they do continue the A mount line, do you think they will make it similar to the A7 series, practically releasing a new camera every year? I don't think I would prefer that either.

Let me know your thoughts on the A99II.

No, they will not release a new A mount body as rapidly as they do E mount bodies. Their A mount releases are very similar to Canon release time frames.

Sony says they're committed to the A mount but they are ridiculously quiet about anything they do for that mount, which hurts only them by scaring off potential adopters fearing exactly what you mention.

I'm excited to try out the A99ii when I can rent it from Lensrentals. It is waaaaay more camera than I actually need, but you can't argue with the stat sheet and price when stacked against the 5d4 (and looking like the 1dx2 is getting owned some too LOL). In all honesty, a 6d2 will most likely be everything I need for the foreseeable future but I'm pretty tired of Canon's "Misery" treatment of their camera lines.

I don't need or want 42mp, but it is what it is. Definitely not looking forward to those file sizes or how it slows up LR compared to my current files. The AF by all accounts is 1dx level while still pushing an even crazier frame rate and 2x the resolution.

In between Sigma and Sony, they have the lenses I would need, I'm just concerned about Sony WB... Reading a lot about people struggling with Sony colors and WB since I'm VERY accustomed to Canon colors and skin tones. So much so that I'm in Auto WB 99% of the time and know it will be pretty much dead on most of the time.

Funny thing is, there really isn't much talk about the A99ii when you would think Sony would be pushing it hard as a 5d4 killer for less money. Constantly billing it as an A99ii in the body of a 5d4.

BrickR wrote in post #18179782
No, they will not release a new A mount body as rapidly as they do E mount bodies. Their A mount releases are very similar to Canon release time frames.

Sony says they're committed to the A mount but they are ridiculously quiet about anything they do for that mount, which hurts only them by scaring off potential adopters fearing exactly what you mention.

I'm excited to try out the A99ii when I can rent it from Lensrentals. It is waaaaay more camera than I actually need, but you can't argue with the stat sheet and price when stacked against the 5d4 (and looking like the 1dx2 is getting owned some too LOL). In all honesty, a 6d2 will most likely be everything I need for the foreseeable future but I'm pretty tired of Canon's "Misery" treatment of their camera lines.

I don't need or want 42mp, but it is what it is. Definitely not looking forward to those file sizes or how it slows up LR compared to my current files. The AF by all accounts is 1dx level while still pushing an even crazier frame rate and 2x the resolution.

In between Sigma and Sony, they have the lenses I would need, I'm just concerned about Sony WB... Reading a lot about people struggling with Sony colors and WB since I'm VERY accustomed to Canon colors and skin tones. So much so that I'm in Auto WB 99% of the time and know it will be pretty much dead on most of the time.

Funny thing is, there really isn't much talk about the A99ii when you would think Sony would be pushing it hard as a 5d4 killer for less money. Constantly billing it as an A99ii in the body of a 5d4.

Yea I've heard that they're committed to the A mount time and time again. But are they as committed as they are to the E mount? The way they've marketed recent E mount bodies compared to how quiet they've been about the a99ii tells me they don't seem to be. From what I've seen Sony practically has to be begged to talk about this camera, and it's coming out in 3 weeks!

I am not proud of wanting to switch from Canon, but honestly they haven't really given me any other option. I don't switch until my work requires it, and the AF on the 5D3 is no longer good enough for what I'm doing. I know the 5D4 AF is much better, but if I'm going to buy a $3000+ camera I would rather buy the one on the cutting edge of tech vs. the one which seems to barely stay relevant just enough to keep business. I think Canon knows so many people have so much invested in their company their sub par bodies will continue to sell just to prevent people from doing what I'm about to do and spend a lot of money buying whole new kits with other companies.

I am a bit worried about the colors and WB. I love Canon's colors and WB. I love my Sigma 50 A but it is noticeably more green than my L glass.

Some of these concerns is why I'm waiting until most likely Feb or March before I switch instead of pre-ordering and doing it ASAP. I want to make sure that there are no major bugs with the camera, and make sure there in no funny business on Sony's part.

BrickR wrote in post #18179782
I don't need or want 42mp, but it is what it is. Definitely not looking forward to those file sizes or how it slows up LR compared to my current files. The AF by all accounts is 1dx level while still pushing an even crazier frame rate and 2x the resolution.

Sorry forgot to address this earlier. I agree with you. I don't want or need 42 mp either. I would be perfectly fine with 24. I don't see why Sony hasn't yet released something other than their compressed and uncompressed raws. Why can't they do something like canon does with their L, M, and S RAW? It seems so simple. Hopefully that will be something they do on the a99ii, because I can't imagine most people shooting at 12 fps want to have to deal with all those giant files.

There's forum member (Medicine Man) that has an a99ii on order, and I know that I'll be living vicariously through him for quite awhile. He's ordered a few nice Minolta primes (20 2.8, 400 4.5 HS, and more) to go with the 70-400ii and Tamron 150-600 he already owns.

Both Medicine Man and I are happy A77ii owners. He uses his to mostly bird, I use mine mostly for sports.

Of note: his a77ii and 7Dii pics are all but indistinguishable from one another.

I'll be renting the A99ii and an 85 1.4 when it comes out. I really want to see how it compares file wise since the 6d+S85 is my go to for 90% of my work. I'm not worried about the AF, pretty much any DSLR is better than the 6d's crippled nonsense.

I'm sure there will be smaller file size options for shooting because 42mp is just stupid big. The only reason I ever wanted more than 20mp in the 6d is because of the stupid AF. There are too many times I have to shoot with the center AF point because it is the only one that will reliably work when I need to get the shot, meaning I KNOW I'm going to have to crop it to what I wanted to shoot it at later. So I know I'm going to throw a bunch of pixels away already. Otherwise, I've never thought 20mp wasn't enough. And all of that is before you even get to the issue of higher mp needing faster shutter speeds and taxing glass resolving power more...requiring buying more expensive lenses...

I don't really like weight anymore which is why I shoot with primes 99% of the time but I don't want the hand cramps that come from hours with an A77 body (having rented one). Plus, I'll take the bigger battery

mickeyb105 wrote in post #18180530
There's forum member (Medicine Man) that has an a99ii on order, and I know that I'll be living vicariously through him for quite awhile. He's ordered a few nice Minolta primes (20 2.8, 400 4.5 HS, and more) to go with the 70-400ii and Tamron 150-600 he already owns.

Both Medicine Man and I are happy A77ii owners. He uses his to mostly bird, I use mine mostly for sports.

Of note: his a77ii and 7Dii pics are all but indistinguishable from one another.

I'll be interested to see his thoughts on it once he gets it. Like I said I have no intention of pre-ordering it, but if all goes well will most likely pick it up around Feb-March.

It is worth noting that I'm not planning on switching from Canon because of IQ. The better IQ is simply a bonus. I'm planning on switching because after the price / features of the 5D4, it's obvious that Canon simply intends to keep it's current users hostage because of all they've invested. They're basically expecting you to pay $3500 for IMO a 5D3 with firmware upgrades (basic 4K and better AF) and one extra button. Canon is the opposite of innovative right now.

BrickR wrote in post #18180578
I'll be renting the A99ii and an 85 1.4 when it comes out. I really want to see how it compares file wise since the 6d+S85 is my go to for 90% of my work. I'm not worried about the AF, pretty much any DSLR is better than the 6d's crippled nonsense.

I'm sure there will be smaller file size options for shooting because 42mp is just stupid big. The only reason I ever wanted more than 20mp in the 6d is because of the stupid AF. There are too many times I have to shoot with the center AF point because it is the only one that will reliably work when I need to get the shot, meaning I KNOW I'm going to have to crop it to what I wanted to shoot it at later. So I know I'm going to throw a bunch of pixels away already. Otherwise, I've never thought 20mp wasn't enough. And all of that is before you even get to the issue of higher mp needing faster shutter speeds and taxing glass resolving power more...requiring buying more expensive lenses...

I don't really like weight anymore which is why I shoot with primes 99% of the time but I don't want the hand cramps that come from hours with an A77 body (having rented one). Plus, I'll take the bigger battery

Compared to your 6D the AF will be mind numbing. The A7R II AF is amazing, and the a99ii is supposed to be faster. 399 AF points across the whole frame. I do wonder if that will be limited to certain lenses the same way the 100+ points was limited on the a99. One thing to note on the focus are the new focus modes. I assume they will bring the face registry and eye focus from the a7R ii onto the a99ii, and those work phenomenally.

I wouldn't be so sure about the smaller file size options. It's such a simple thing but as of yet the only option on the a7R ii is compressed or uncompressed RAW, and the compressed is still huge.

As far as size goes, the a99ii will be about the same size as your 6D and about 80 grams lighter. They're making the new version much smaller than the original a99.

I will miss the battery life, and most likely will get a battery grip as I have done on every DSLR i've owned. The a99 is supposed to get around 500 shots on one battery, but I'm used to being able to shoot a whole wedding and still have half of my battery left with my gripped 5D3.

Jarvis Creative Studios wrote in post #18180621
I'll be interested to see his thoughts on it once he gets it. Like I said I have no intention of pre-ordering it, but if all goes well will most likely pick it up around Feb-March.

It is worth noting that I'm not planning on switching from Canon because of IQ. The better IQ is simply a bonus. I'm planning on switching because after the price / features of the 5D4, it's obvious that Canon simply intends to keep it's current users hostage because of all they've invested. They're basically expecting you to pay $3500 for IMO a 5D3 with firmware upgrades (basic 4K and better AF) and one extra button. Canon is the opposite of innovative right now.

Jarvis Creative Studios wrote in post #18180622
Compared to your 6D the AF will be mind numbing. The A7R II AF is amazing, and the a99ii is supposed to be faster. 399 AF points across the whole frame. I do wonder if that will be limited to certain lenses the same way the 100+ points was limited on the a99. One thing to note on the focus are the new focus modes. I assume they will bring the face registry and eye focus from the a7R ii onto the a99ii, and those work phenomenally.

I wouldn't be so sure about the smaller file size options. It's such a simple thing but as of yet the only option on the a7R ii is compressed or uncompressed RAW, and the compressed is still huge.

As far as size goes, the a99ii will be about the same size as your 6D and about 80 grams lighter. They're making the new version much smaller than the original a99.

I will miss the battery life, and most likely will get a battery grip as I have done on every DSLR i've owned. The a99 is supposed to get around 500 shots on one battery, but I'm used to being able to shoot a whole wedding and still have half of my battery left with my gripped 5D3.

I switched over to Sony from a Canon 6D/60D setup about a year ago, here are some thoughts.

--The A77ii is about the same body size/weight as the a99ii, and I find the A77ii to be an acceptable-sized body. However, I found the grip on my Canon bodies to be deeper and more comfortable with my average-sized hands.

--I get about half the battery life from my A77ii that I did from either of my Canon bodies, but at least Wasabi batteries are pretty cheap. Somehow, I did manage to shoot over 800 frames at a football game with my old A77 by micro-managing the battery life and turning off image review on the LCD. Still not 60D level, but I was OK with it. I don't have a grip with Sony (had one for the 60D but found I rarely needed it), but I can see the case for one especially for wedding work.

--IQ was one of the main reasons I switched to Sony, and it is one of the reasons I will stay with Sony. I've never shot an A99, so my experience on FF is limited to the A7R.

--I've never compared the silent shooting feature on the 6D (which is very quiet!) to shooting either of the A77 bodies, but it is very quiet.

--Shooting at either 8 or 12 FPS is a revelation coming from either of my old Canon bodies. I don't use this kind of speed all the time, but it is there in spades when I need it.

--I have only shot with two a-mount lenses, both of which I researched hard before buying used. The Minolta 200mm f2.8 HS APO and Zeiss 24 f2 have been outstanding performers for me and I also enjoy each as adapted lenses on my A7R. The Minolta is pretty comparable to both the Canon 135L and 200 2.8 L in both IQ and AF performance, which is great considering it is nearly 30 years-old. I bought both lenses from Japan via eBay, and Medicine Man recently purchased several from Japan as well. It has been an inexpensive and reliable way to build a kit so far.

--If you are looking into the Zeiss 85 1.4, also consider the Minolta 85 1.4 G and Sigma 85 1.4. Many have said the Zeiss is all but a re-badged Minolta, and the Sigma is a proven performer on other mounts. Also, the 135 1.8 is likely the best piece of glass you can put on an a-mount body.

--File size hasn't been a big deal so far for me on the A7R, but then again that's only 36MP.

I hope some of this helps.

mickeyb105 wrote in post #18180738
I switched over to Sony from a Canon 6D/60D setup about a year ago, here are some thoughts.

--The A77ii is about the same body size/weight as the a99ii, and I find the A77ii to be an acceptable-sized body. However, I found the grip on my Canon bodies to be deeper and more comfortable with my average-sized hands.

--I get about half the battery life from my A77ii that I did from either of my Canon bodies, but at least Wasabi batteries are pretty cheap. Somehow, I did manage to shoot over 800 frames at a football game with my old A77 by micro-managing the battery life and turning off image review on the LCD. Still not 60D level, but I was OK with it. I don't have a grip with Sony (had one for the 60D but found I rarely needed it), but I can see the case for one especially for wedding work.

--IQ was one of the main reasons I switched to Sony, and it is one of the reasons I will stay with Sony. I've never shot an A99, so my experience on FF is limited to the A7R.

--I've never compared the silent shooting feature on the 6D (which is very quiet!) to shooting either of the A77 bodies, but it is very quiet.

--Shooting at either 8 or 12 FPS is a revelation coming from either of my old Canon bodies. I don't use this kind of speed all the time, but it is there in spades when I need it.

--I have only shot with two a-mount lenses, both of which I researched hard before buying used. The Minolta 200mm f2.8 HS APO and Zeiss 24 f2 have been outstanding performers for me and I also enjoy each as adapted lenses on my A7R. The Minolta is pretty comparable to both the Canon 135L and 200 2.8 L in both IQ and AF performance, which is great considering it is nearly 30 years-old. I bought both lenses from Japan via eBay, and Medicine Man recently purchased several from Japan as well. It has been an inexpensive and reliable way to build a kit so far.

--If you are looking into the Zeiss 85 1.4, also consider the Minolta 85 1.4 G and Sigma 85 1.4. Many have said the Zeiss is all but a re-badged Minolta, and the Sigma is a proven performer on other mounts. Also, the 135 1.8 is likely the best piece of glass you can put on an a-mount body.

--File size hasn't been a big deal so far for me on the A7R, but then again that's only 36MP.

I hope some of this helps.

Thank you. This is very helpful. I have kind of large hands but I've used the original a99 and it was not a problem. I know the mark ii will be a bit smaller, but I think I can get used to it. I think I'll welcome the slightly smaller body. My gripped 5D3 fits in my hand well but the weight does tire out my hand by the end of a job.

The battery life is what I'm most concerned with, and will almost definitely be using a grip and for sure buying extra batteries.

I'm very excited about the IQ, but again it's not the #1 reason I'm switching, but it will be a bonus. If I had to say a #1 reason I'm switching it would probably be low light AF, which has impacted my work at times on the 5D3. I know the big selling point of the 5D4 is the AF, but it's more expensive, and after using the A7Rii for an extended period of time, I truly believe the a99ii will be just as good as the 5D4. Not to mention it supposedly focuses down to -4 E/V (we'll see about that after it's released).

I'm looking forward to having that speed again, and not only have 12 fps but have af tracking while doing it. Unless my subject is standing still even at 6 fps on my 5D3 everything after the first shot is a wash.

I haven't really decided on lenses so far. I was planning on getting the 135 1.8. I have a friend who has it and it's amazing. Plus I own the 135 f2 and love that focal length. I will probably also get my Sigma 50 A mount switched (depending on the price). Then if I get an UWA (16-35 equivalent) I'll have the full kit I currently shoot with. Not sure I want to go back to exactly what I have now but we'll see. Thanks for the suggestions on the Minolta lenses. I'll have to do some research on them.

File size is also a bit of a concern, but I recently upgraded my PC to a new one that is very fast, so that should reduce some hair pulling in that area.

Again, thanks a bunch for your help!

Jarvis Creative Studios wrote in post #18181034
Thank you. This is very helpful. I have kind of large hands but I've used the original a99 and it was not a problem. I know the mark ii will be a bit smaller, but I think I can get used to it. I think I'll welcome the slightly smaller body. My gripped 5D3 fits in my hand well but the weight does tire out my hand by the end of a job.

The battery life is what I'm most concerned with, and will almost definitely be using a grip and for sure buying extra batteries.

I'm very excited about the IQ, but again it's not the #1 reason I'm switching, but it will be a bonus. If I had to say a #1 reason I'm switching it would probably be low light AF, which has impacted my work at times on the 5D3. I know the big selling point of the 5D4 is the AF, but it's more expensive, and after using the A7Rii for an extended period of time, I truly believe the a99ii will be just as good as the 5D4. Not to mention it supposedly focuses down to -4 E/V (we'll see about that after it's released).

I'm looking forward to having that speed again, and not only have 12 fps but have af tracking while doing it. Unless my subject is standing still even at 6 fps on my 5D3 everything after the first shot is a wash.

I haven't really decided on lenses so far. I was planning on getting the 135 1.8. I have a friend who has it and it's amazing. Plus I own the 135 f2 and love that focal length. I will probably also get my Sigma 50 A mount switched (depending on the price). Then if I get an UWA (16-35 equivalent) I'll have the full kit I currently shoot with. Not sure I want to go back to exactly what I have now but we'll see. Thanks for the suggestions on the Minolta lenses. I'll have to do some research on them.

File size is also a bit of a concern, but I recently upgraded my PC to a new one that is very fast, so that should reduce some hair pulling in that area.

Again, thanks a bunch for your help!

I've found the tracking to be very good on the A77ii and probably better than the a6000--which is also good. I'm excited to shoot a bowl game with it in Jan! I'm not sure how that stacks up to the 5DIII, but well I would imagine. I'm sure the A99ii will be really comparable to the 5D4 if it delivers on most of its promise. The -4 EV ability is going to be fantastic to have!

I keep drooling over the 135 1.8, so someday soon it will happen. The 50A is such a great lens, I don't blame you for wanting to convert it. One thing, though, is that I've seen it in really good used condition in A-mount for $620 from a reputable seller if you don't feel like going through the mount changing process. Also, it may be worth it to bid on Greentoe if you want to go new. I can't imagine their retailers sell many a-mount 50A, so you could get lucky with a high $600 range bid. I grabbed my EF mount almost exactly two years ago--when the 50A was still fairly newly released--for $768 after a $20 first-time discount. So you never know?

It's funny, I ran with a similar kit when I had Canon--17-40L, 50A, 135L and 200 2.8 Lii. I was a pretty happy camper with this kit, but my needs changed and I wanted to go physically smaller.

Minolta made an UWA in your wheelhouse that can be had for pretty cheap--I think two of the guys on this forum use it, and they put out some pretty sweet work.

mickeyb105 wrote in post #18181068
I've found the tracking to be very good on the A77ii and probably better than the a6000--which is also good. I'm excited to shoot a bowl game with it in Jan! I'm not sure how that stacks up to the 5DIII, but well I would imagine. I'm sure the A99ii will be really comparable to the 5D4 if it delivers on most of its promise. The -4 EV ability is going to be fantastic to have!

I keep drooling over the 135 1.8, so someday soon it will happen. The 50A is such a great lens, I don't blame you for wanting to convert it. One thing, though, is that I've seen it in really good used condition in A-mount for $620 from a reputable seller if you don't feel like going through the mount changing process. Also, it may be worth it to bid on Greentoe if you want to go new. I can't imagine their retailers sell many a-mount 50A, so you could get lucky with a high $600 range bid. I grabbed my EF mount almost exactly two years ago--when the 50A was still fairly newly released--for $768 after a $20 first-time discount. So you never know?

It's funny, I ran with a similar kit when I had Canon--17-40L, 50A, 135L and 200 2.8 Lii. I was a pretty happy camper with this kit, but my needs changed and I wanted to go physically smaller.

Minolta made an UWA in your wheelhouse that can be had for pretty cheap--I think two of the guys on this forum use it, and they put out some pretty sweet work.

I do hope that Sony's promises in AF don't come up empty, but based on using the a7rii I don't think they will. Of course the expanded focus features only work on E mount glass, so I'll be interested to see how the A mount glass performs with the AF. I will check out the Minolta UWA. Thanks!

Curious as to what you're shooting when you state the 5D3 just won't do anymore...

FarmerTed1971 wrote in post #18181419
Curious as to what you're shooting when you state the 5D3 just won't do anymore...

Corporate events. Weddings. Anything that has to do with low light. Focusing doesn't perform well enough in lower light, and noise performance in low light. But mainly the focusing.

Interesting.