Pushed the button on A99

[David Kilpatrick]

Despite the fact that I can get almost two Nikon D600 bodies for the price of an Alpha 99, I've pushed the button to purchase the A99 from WEX. The D600 has persuaded me that the A99 will be worth it, despite the fact that at photokina I shot A99 raws at ISO 6400 etc and wasn't really that impressed. This was because the subject and lighting were rubbish (over-colourful dressed female model) and did not properly tax the qualities of the sensor. My mistake for not taking more shots while I had the camera, but I honestly thought we'd get review samples from Sony, or an invitation to an event with outdoor and varied general shooting. No such luck.

I have £3000 invested in four excellent lenses for the Alpha full frame system, plus additional older or lower value lenses which add a lot, like the 16mm fisheye, 12-24mm, 70-300mm and 70mm macro Sigmas, and the 28-135mm Minolta I just bought.

I'll have an A900 with grip available to sell end of November, maybe also an A77, possibly an A700; I'll need some time for tests before parting with any of these. I have realised that the A55 is worth keeping to use with the 16-80mm CZ and 30mm macro SAM, and also to share battery compatibility with NEX - ideal for taking with me alongside NEX for a very light outfit. I may also sell the 8-16mm and 12-24mm (older) Sigmas to get one new 12-24mm HSM Sigma.

I could have got a D800E for much less and every instinct says I should have done so and switched entirely from Alpha, but I can't possibly afford the lens switchover and Nikon doesn't actually have the lenses I want - nor does it have SSS.

Richard is getting a D800E and was lucky enough to find a mint as new Schneider Super Angulon PC 28mm in Nikon mount for a quarter of its normal price on eBay... but I can't afford to assume such luck. I did get a Sigma 17-35mm HSM for our Nikon D600 for peanuts, and it's turned out to be a stunningly good lens with such low distortion it does not even need a profile.

David

[peterottaway]

Not being flippant David but I would have waited for the January Sales. However at the UK prices January may have come early this year. Not sure how well British retailing is doing and whether Nikon UK has been forced to keep up with Nikon's sales expectations.

Here in Australia the best price for a Nikon D800 is about $100 more than the A99 and the D800E is about $600 more. So it seems that prices are a lot more variable than they used to be.

[David Kilpatrick]

I can get Nikon discounted and I can't get Sony discounted - at least, I may be able to in theory, but I have the channel for Nikon. Even so, you can buy D600a for under £1500 here and D800s for a little over £2000, where the A99 is regularly £2300 or more, without any access to trade discounts.

Sure, I could wait for the January sales, or I could wait for Sony one day to reply to contact from me. Or I can get one now, immediately, and be able to put some kind of meaningfully timed review on Photoclubalpha and also get paid something for published magazine reviews.

David

[bfitzgerald]

I'm not sure why the UK price of the A99 is so high it's almost as if they are begging folks not to buy one. I'd say £1800 is much more realistic.
The lenses and in body AS I think the bargain deals on some A mount lenses and the stabilisation was one reason I kept some of my A mount stuff.

[peterottaway]

Maths was never my strong suit but it is amazing what fear and desperation could do for exam results, at the current exchange rate the best price I can get in Australia for the A99 is GBP 1868 but that is with 10% tax not the British 20%. The Sony Store price would translate to GBP 1932.

The D600 would be GBP 1596 and the D800 GBP 2207. Of course grey imports out of Hong Kong would take those prices to GBP 1383 and GBP 1900 including tax but I am reluctant to import expensive camera bodies.

Personally I think a fair price for both the A99 and the Canon EOS 5D is about $2490 and perhaps to $2850 for the Nikon D800E. But that is just my sense of fair value in the general scheme of prices in Australia.

[bfitzgerald]

I'm not sure we can use currency and taxes on this one, purely because some makers are charging more for UK prices, some are a lot more sensible.
Nikon have the D600 for just under £1500 and the price is sure to drop more esp next year. Ok let's say the A99 is a step up over that in class..but it's competing at a price point of £2300 v £1900 for the D800 (which has fallen a fair bit too)

I think the 5dMkIII is overpriced it's over £2300 odd, but as I said before Canon have a captive audience and a lot more FF users who might bite. I suspect they will lose some to Nikon though.

If I were Sony I'd want a baby A99 model with a much lower price otherwise they'll just get left behind in the FF market.

[MarcoC]

Getting it from WEX sounds like a safer bet than importing from HK via DigitalRev or similar... There's a guy on DPR posted that he got his a99 from DR and now has AF calibration issues so wants to return it, but they are apparently giving him a hard time. Sounds like there may be some QC issues to watch out for in early a99s so buying from somewhere with a good returns policy is wise. Not that Sony are worse than C or N here - they are all liable to release even top of the range models with all sorts of early niggles, allowing early adopters to be unpaid beta testers.

Despite the fact that I can get almost two Nikon D600 bodies for the price of an Alpha 99, I've pushed the button to purchase the A99 from WEX. The D600 has persuaded me that the A99 will be worth it, despite the fact that at photokina I shot A99 raws at ISO 6400 etc and wasn't really that impressed. This was because the subject and lighting were rubbish (over-colourful dressed female model) and did not properly tax the qualities of the sensor. My mistake for not taking more shots while I had the camera, but I honestly thought we'd get review samples from Sony, or an invitation to an event with outdoor and varied general shooting. No such luck.

I have £3000 invested in four excellent lenses for the Alpha full frame system, plus additional older or lower value lenses which add a lot, like the 16mm fisheye, 12-24mm, 70-300mm and 70mm macro Sigmas, and the 28-135mm Minolta I just bought.

I'll have an A900 with grip available to sell end of November, maybe also an A77, possibly an A700; I'll need some time for tests before parting with any of these. I have realised that the A55 is worth keeping to use with the 16-80mm CZ and 30mm macro SAM, and also to share battery compatibility with NEX - ideal for taking with me alongside NEX for a very light outfit. I may also sell the 8-16mm and 12-24mm (older) Sigmas to get one new 12-24mm HSM Sigma.

I could have got a D800E for much less and every instinct says I should have done so and switched entirely from Alpha, but I can't possibly afford the lens switchover and Nikon doesn't actually have the lenses I want - nor does it have SSS.

Richard is getting a D800E and was lucky enough to find a mint as new Schneider Super Angulon PC 28mm in Nikon mount for a quarter of its normal price on eBay... but I can't afford to assume such luck. I did get a Sigma 17-35mm HSM for our Nikon D600 for peanuts, and it's turned out to be a stunningly good lens with such low distortion it does not even need a profile.

David

[bfitzgerald]

I'm sure DK can get his accountant to "write it off" as a business expense.
WEX are pretty good I've ordered from them before no problems quick and efficient. Not always the best on price though
I have never ordered a body grey market, lenses yes I'd try a few there but not a body.

[artington]

The A99's price is not relevant, it's quite seriously overpriced which is one reason I'm slightly unwilling to buy one. Also, I find the EVF overlays for the advanced focusing functions are quite intrusive.

Despite the fact that I can get almost two Nikon D600 bodies for the price of an Alpha 99, I've pushed the button to purchase the A99 from WEX. The D600 has persuaded me that the A99 will be worth it

David

Quich change of mind, David Will be interested to read your review - always the best of the bunch in my estimation.

[Greg Beetham]

I would wait, the cam is heavily biased towards video, it's obviously a good camera just the same but how much extra contribution to the cost is the infusion of all the video technology? if you didn't want it or need it why pay for it?
Greg

[bfitzgerald]

One point not mentioned so it's using the same EVF as the A77 (so it seems) and how much are they saving on those expensive pentaprism VF's for full frame? I mean if the D600 costs £1500 odd with a penta prism VF, they are obviously turning a profit on that and one would think a decent one. Doesn't add up..if SLT is saving money in manufacturing costs, some of that should be passed onto the consumer (what better way to encourage adoption SLT=save more bang per buck)

I'd love to know the actual sterling £ cost of the A99 to manufacture I bet it's not as high as you might expect it to be.
Price wise it always pays to wait I can't see the A99 holding that price for very long at all.

[Greg Beetham]

Yep agreed Barry, the A99 price is making hay while the sun shines…for as long as it lasts, just how long it lasts will depend on how long the buying public keep the price up due to demand for the product, that’s the tricky question, how long is a piece of string basically?
Greg

[artington]

Judging by the price fall in the desirable and brilliant RX100 - down from £549 to £429 (after £50 cashback) in a matter of weeks - the a99 will be unlikely to hold its price for long. I must say that Sony's pricing strategy puzzles me as it certainly acts to discourage early adopters. That said, the RX100 is absolutely brilliant when shooting raw; I've been amazed by the close to mid-field resolution although it is less impressive at infinity. The RX1 also sounds fantastic - and it's 1.4x and 2x digital telephoto should be fine with that sensor, helping to mitigate the fixed lens constraint - but it will definitely have to fall in price to tempt me. Mind you, that might happen sooner than expected although I doubt Sony will cut the price of either of the two very expensive vf options!

[Dr. Harout]

Despite the fact that I can get almost two Nikon D600 bodies for the price of an Alpha 99, I've pushed the button to purchase the A99 from WEX. The D600 has persuaded me that the A99 will be worth it, despite the fact that at photokina I shot A99 raws at ISO 6400 etc and wasn't really that impressed. This was because the subject and lighting were rubbish (over-colourful dressed female model) and did not properly tax the qualities of the sensor. My mistake for not taking more shots while I had the camera, but I honestly thought we'd get review samples from Sony, or an invitation to an event with outdoor and varied general shooting. No such luck.

I have £3000 invested in four excellent lenses for the Alpha full frame system, plus additional older or lower value lenses which add a lot, like the 16mm fisheye, 12-24mm, 70-300mm and 70mm macro Sigmas, and the 28-135mm Minolta I just bought.

I'll have an A900 with grip available to sell end of November, maybe also an A77, possibly an A700; I'll need some time for tests before parting with any of these. I have realised that the A55 is worth keeping to use with the 16-80mm CZ and 30mm macro SAM, and also to share battery compatibility with NEX - ideal for taking with me alongside NEX for a very light outfit. I may also sell the 8-16mm and 12-24mm (older) Sigmas to get one new 12-24mm HSM Sigma.

I could have got a D800E for much less and every instinct says I should have done so and switched entirely from Alpha, but I can't possibly afford the lens switchover and Nikon doesn't actually have the lenses I want - nor does it have SSS.

David

Aaaaw, I love this. GO DAVID, GO.