Does A99 have SLT mirror?

[bakubo]

I saw the announcement of the A99 and it has sensor on-chip PDAF. Since the SLT design was so that a bit of light could be redirected by the mirror to PDAF sensors does this mean the A99 doesn't have a mirror since it isn't needed anymore?

[bakubo]

Hmm, now I am wondering if I am confused. I thought I had read not too long ago that it had the PDAF on the sensor, but now I am wondering if I am thinking of some other company and not Sony.

[bfitzgerald]

Imaging resource have a preview up and it shows the SLT mirror being there.
Not sure what the point of the on sensor phase detect chips have with thr mirror?..maybe a play around until the SLT part gets ripped out (no question it will go at some point)
Other than that, and a hefty price increase to £2500.., dumping the inverted hot shoe, some stuff that looks more to appease video shooters (silent from dial etc) Very much as predicted. Canikon will steal the show with their FF bodies (assuming Canon are doing one too)
Minor niggle but it's not appropriate to put scene modes on a "pro level" camera, no idea what Sony are smoking on that one!

[David Kilpatrick]

The A99 uses much faster regular PDAF for the main AF, and then switches to a wide grid of on-sensor PDAF elements which apparently cover the entire sensor, for tracking.

Now this is impossible with normal PDAF as it requires a very close match to the lens, and also to be relatively central. PDAF on-sensor residers in the central zone. But not in the A99 - and it will apparently work with lenses regardless of design.

You will notice that Sony describe the AA filter as having zones, or steps - I suspect it's more like a graduated AA filter, reducing in power towards the corners. I also suspect that the microlenses over the PDAF pixels are matched to some kind of slight dioptric effect in the AA filter, imagine an AA filter which also acted like a holographic fresnel lens. This would do a number of things, including allowing the PDAF over a wider area.

It may also cure the severe tendency for light sources in the corners to show flare, which I have been testing using various lenses and bodies. I was worried that it might be SLT design contributing to severe flare from the 16-80mm CZ, but it isn't, it's just a lens which disagrees with the sensor more than for example the 18-250mm Sigma or 18-200mm Tamrom LE. The lens which works best, overall, is.... the 16mm pancake for NEX. Despite everything everyone says, it actually has better corners with less CA and other issues, than anything else on APS-C.

Only the 24mm f/2 CZ beats it - on full frame though.

The PDAF on sensor takes over when the subject is 'lost' by the main PDAF module.

David

[peterottaway]

CanonRumors and NikonRumors are reporting a Japanese price of Yen 215,000 (aprox $ 2700) for the Nikon D600. I assume that this is a tax inclusive price.

Even if Nikon adopt a lower price in the US to attract market share I think this would mean $2400 rather than $1600 that had been touted. This puts a rather different price/value on the A99 depending on the actual specifications of the D600.

[Atgets_Apprentice]

A lot of money for a glorified bridge camera.....

[artington]

Not being a sports photographer who might like the clever on- sensor AF tracking (albeit, as DK points out elsewhere, for what is prrsently a severely restricted number of lenses) I confess to being underwhelmed by the a99. If I was afresh in the market a D800E would seem to be the FF SLR to have based on sensor pixels alone. Mind you, I am merely an "enthusiast" and not a pro for whom dynamic AF tracking and top class video may be critically important.

So I'm pleased I still have my a900, whose IQ is fine for my purposes even if the dynamic range and high ISO capabilities are pedestrian by the standards of the D800e, 5D III and now, no doubt, the A99.

The NEX-6 sounds brilliant if you are using legacy lenses like adapted Leica-M fit because the 16Mp sensor may be less prone to lateral colour casts than that of the Nex-7 and one control wheel is fine (for exposure comp) if you can set aperture on the lens. However, with the advent of the new 18-200 OSS LE and 10-18 OSS for E-mount (both of which I have ordered) the additional top control wheel on the NEX-7 now (for me) becomes useful as I can control both aperture and compensation and, hopefully, both lenses will be good enough for the 24 mp sensor.

Pity the new 16-50 is a kit lens and not a 2.8G as initially rumoured.

[peterottaway]

A lot of money for a glorified bridge camera.....

I think you are confusing the RX 1 with the A99

[Atgets_Apprentice]

A lot of money for a glorified bridge camera.....

I think you are confusing the RX 1 with the A99

No, I know exactly what I meant.

[bakubo]

Thanks for the explanation. Sounds like a pretty complicated AF system.

[Atgets_Apprentice]

I've just enjoyed reading the specs on the Nikon D600... For the same money as an a99 body, you can buy this with a lens AND a proper viewfinder....

[stevecim]

I like the specs on the A99, provided their dual AF system make a significant improvement over their standard AF systems. I don't have a problem with it's EVF, the OVF on the A550 sucks... I just think the price is wrong... should have been priced around the same price has the A850, At US$2000.00 it had a chance, at US$600 more than the Nik D600 (which will mean $1200.00 more in Aus ), don't see it selling well. OR Sony should have released an A80 at the same time, priced around $1999.00 they could drop the sensor based PDF and GPS that could go head to head with D600.. I think Sony still don't get that has the underdog they need to offer more than CAN/Nik, not the same and not less... and their practice of dropping a model and not replacing it till months/years later is a big no no. it's hurts them every time, it means they have nothing to display on shelves, nothing to offer. look at can/nik when they release a replacement model they will still sell the old body for up to 12 months (some models for longer) till they drop it. If they still had the A900 for sale they could have dropped it price to $1800 for buyers that don't want video it's a top camera..

[artington]

I like the specs on the A99, provided their dual AF system make a significant improvement over their standard AF systems. I don't have a problem with it's EVF, the OVF on the A550 sucks... I just think the price is wrong... should have been priced around the same price has the A850, At US$2000.00 it had a chance, at US$600 more than the Nik D600 (which will mean $1200.00 more in Aus ), don't see it selling well. OR Sony should have released an A80 at the same time, priced around $1999.00 they could drop the sensor based PDF and GPS that could go head to head with D600.. I think Sony still don't get that has the underdog they need to offer more than CAN/Nik, not the same and not less... and their practice of dropping a model and not replacing it till months/years later is a big no no. it's hurts them every time, it means they have nothing to display on shelves, nothing to offer. look at can/nik when they release a replacement model they will still sell the old body for up to 12 months (some models for longer) till they drop it. If they still had the A900 for sale they could have dropped it price to $1800 for buyers that don't want video it's a top camera..

Spot on!

[peterottaway]

I like the specs on the A99, provided their dual AF system make a significant improvement over their standard AF systems. I don't have a problem with it's EVF, the OVF on the A550 sucks... I just think the price is wrong... should have been priced around the same price has the A850, At US$2000.00 it had a chance, at US$600 more than the Nik D600 (which will mean $1200.00 more in Aus ), don't see it selling well. OR Sony should have released an A80 at the same time, priced around $1999.00 they could drop the sensor based PDF and GPS that could go head to head with D600.. I think Sony still don't get that has the underdog they need to offer more than CAN/Nik, not the same and not less... and their practice of dropping a model and not replacing it till months/years later is a big no no. it's hurts them every time, it means they have nothing to display on shelves, nothing to offer. look at can/nik when they release a replacement model they will still sell the old body for up to 12 months (some models for longer) till they drop it. If they still had the A900 for sale they could have dropped it price to $1800 for buyers that don't want video it's a top camera..

Spot on!

In your rush to condemn anything with EVF you have forgotten that to get the D600 up to anywhere near the A99 you will need to purchase the Nikon UT-1 at USD449.00 and the GP-1 at USD195.00. This will still leave you short with a mixed polymer/alloy body, a max speed of 1/4000 and min flash of 1/200. This is of course before there is any testing of actual real world performance.

[bfitzgerald]

D600 right camera at the wrong wrong price (at least in the UK) D800 only a bit more. They would want the street price to be a lot lower.
I think Nikon lost a lot of impact with this release, if they'd put it out at £1400 odd they would have got a lot more attention.

Canon will be coming out with a new FF body to replace the 5dMkII so it should be near that price wise, least you would expect it around there.
Am I alone thinking the A99 is a bit pricey? £2500 is quite a hike v the A900 release price. Is there any reason that this will hurt the 5dMkIII or D800?