Does A99 have SLT mirror?

[Greg Beetham]

Usually it’s what they don’t say that matters the most, but I see this time at least they have announced that some of the gimm err features don’t work with many previous lenses (they have even provided a list of lenses that do apparently work with the dual PDAF for example). Sony seems to be rather oh hum about the disappearing i-shoe, I think the closest they come to mentioning it in any detail is where they announce a new flash is available (or will be at some stage) for the new camera without belabouring the point too much that your old flash won’t fit without a non included adaptor (purchased separately), I guess it doesn’t matter all that much about the demise of the i-shoe Sony was having all sorts of trouble trying too make it consistently to specification. I guess one could always try sliding a Canon, Nikon or Pentax flash on the ISO? shoe that one might have lying around just to see if they might work…it’s an ISO shoe…right?
The A900 was not gone long off the shelf this time before its replacement? appeared, measured in months not years as it was for the A700 but I wonder if Sony has released a full working camera this time without the firmware fiasco that the A77 endured, one should hope so.
I also see that on the clickometer at dpr the D600 has about 13.5% of the clicks and the A99 is not even on the page, (maybe the click recorder maxed out) but anyway Sony is doing well with a couple of cybershot models, the DSC-RX1 is at 9% for example, and the NEX6 at 6.4%, at least some are taking notice of those. Or maybe a whole bunch of people aren’t that keen on SLT’s, especially FF ones at $2800 body only with a few compatible lenses and seeing as how it has no popup flash you need to buy a new model flash for it most likely (and a lens possibly if you don't happen to own a compatible one)…who would have thought? But hey without a doubt it’ll be the best still camera on the block at doing video…like no other, so to speak.
Greg

[peterottaway]

Greg, we don't know a lot about any actual field performances of these cameras. Such as whether the A99 with its dual PDAF will be faster and more accurate or more flexible, or what is what with the exposure systems. There are things like faster flash, higher speeds and reduced shutter lag that give the A99 more flexibility as a complete package. For those who need them.

But then again many of the people who will buy the D600 and the reputed EOS 6 would have been better off buying the D7000 or the EOS 7 ( or even the 60D). They will not produce better or more inspiring photographs. And a fully kited out D600 is muchthe same price as a A99.

Also the herd or the mob have their advantages for an individual at times but don't follow blindly. I might consider myself a team man but that is only after I have chosen my sport, my competition and my team.

[Greg Beetham]

Peter I’m not really trying to compare the D600 with the A99 directly, I’m just comparing the strategy of the two companies, Nikon didn’t make their flash system redundant with a new different hot shoe and they didn’t release a camera that only has full compatibility with a small selection of lenses, thing is, if you want to include the price of an add on gps for the D600 you could also include the price of the new flash for the A99, maybe $600 or so, and then there is the question of the price of a lens on top of that again, the US $2800 only gets you a body, a body with some great features admittedly and a build with specs that are a level above the D600, but still not quite in D800 territory in some respects, I like the backlit buttons for example, not that I shoot in the dark of course but what if you are in a dark position or vantage point and shooting out into a well lit situation.
Sony doesn’t just not keep their eye on the ball they wander right out of the ball park on occasion, what is the next model going to bring? does it mean now that every new model from Sony will have some hidden ‘gotcha’ that you have to be on full alert for?
My appreciation of FF is that they aren’t really supposed to be a frivolous type of camera, I think if you are going to outlay that kind of dosh on a still camera you have a legitimate right to expect that it remains compatible with the accessories you already own, especially when lenses for proper FF coverage are expensive, I wonder how people who own the Zeiss 85 and 135 feel? those lenses aren’t on the compatible list.
Greg

[Dusty]

You got it right, Greg. Sony doesn't understand the concept of a camera 'system', to them it's all consumer electronics.

"Oh the new one is different? But the new accessories, we can't be bothered with backwards compatibility!"

It seems no one told them that over the years people put several thousands of dollars into these systems, and don't want them going to naught at the slightest remake by Sony.

Dusty

[Atgets_Apprentice]

You got it right, Greg. Sony doesn't understand the concept of a camera 'system', to them it's all consumer electronics.

"Oh the new one is different? But the new accessories, we can't be bothered with backwards compatibility!"

It seems no one told them that over the years people put several thousands of dollars into these systems, and don't want them going to naught at the slightest remake by Sony.

Dusty

All the above is why I won't be buying another Sony camera. Well, that and the EVFs.

[agorabasta]

Well, they wanted an accessory port atop an alpha body. That would be hard to integrate with the Minolta flash shoe. They've got it with a shoe that's compatible with their video lights. Though it's quite ugly to have that adapter for the Minolta shoe as a separate item that's also very awkward and clumsy at that.
Maybe someone makes it better later, something not so tall, more flush with the body, adding wide sturdy support 'wings' on the sides.

So what they offer us now, is basically an improved version of a77 with an FF sensor, about 2 stops better DR/noise, and then there's no on-board flash.
Basically, it's a good sound offer. But it's absolutely no miracle. But then again, the a77 was even less of a miracle, and caused a lot of disappointed reactions.
Maybe people tend to expect miracles much too often?

[bfitzgerald]

The hot shoe change has nothing to do with stills photography it's all about video for Sony that is why they changed it.
I never really had a major problem with the Minolta hot shoe, don't have a problem with the standard shoe either it's really a non issue in some ways. I'm not convinced changing the hot shoe is a good idea at this stage (been around too long, Sony should have done it years ago if they were to do it) Maybe it was goofy of Minolta to change the standard hot shoe, if we are honest..maybe it doesn't matter that much.

Leaving that to one side, I think the A99 isn't grabbing much attention, certainly a lot less than the A900 did back then. Maybe things have moved on 24mp is no longer a "big wow", it's exactly what we knew would turn up a 24mp FF A77 type body. Nice and all..but hey it's a BIG step buying an A77 for £850 odd, and putting down £2500 on the table for full frame, a good £500 more than the A900 was.

Neither Nikon or Sony have realised the potential of a genuinely affordable (of sorts) FF body to tempt higher end APS-C users. Moving to FF is just too damn expensive at the moment, so it's a missed opportunity IMO. Maybe Canon will pick up the ball.

[KevinBarrett]

Are there any image samples available for the a99? With 24.3 MP on a full-frame sensor, those are the largest photosites since Sony's 10MP APS-C sensor. I'm eager to see what they can do!

[bfitzgerald]

There are some full sized samples here:
http://www.fotoskoda.cz/eobchod/multi/testy/SonyA99/

[agorabasta]

Raw samples available at quesabesde.com - http://www.quesabesde.com/noticias/sony ... ras,1_9088.
You would need to change some EXIF data to have it opened in Lr/ACR. Change to a77 - works great.

The sensor in a99/RX1 is absolutely perfect. No faults, no noise above photon noise. Perfect that is.

[peterottaway]

You mean that members of Pixel Peepers Anon will have to go to 3005 or 400% or even 500% to carryout their ritualized comments about Sony ?

[Wes Gibbon]

I'm trying to get my head round this - forgive me if it's clear to everyone else. Does this mean that AF will not work on the A99 except with the lenses listed, or that there are two AF systems and only the select lenses will work with both?

Having said that, I'm really happy with my A900 (with an A850 as backup) and have neither the inclination nor the money to upgrade. On the face of it it's encouraging that Sony have not ditched FF, but if there are serious back-compatibility issues I do not feel so comfortable - if the time ever comes when the A900 becomes unusable I would like to be able to continue to use my existing system - I use mainly classic Minolta glass and I am very pleased with it.

The most interesting announcement for me is the Samyang TS 24mm though that is probably too expensive and heavy now that my finances are more restricted. What I would really have liked would have been a light, compact but high quality 24mm (maybe f2.8, but better than the old Minolta 24mm) rather than the monstrous CZ 24mm f2.0 so I'm sticking with my Minolta 20mm and 28mm f2.0.

[Wes Gibbon]

I might just mention here that a guy in the Tottenham Court Road Sony Centre (where I have received useful advice and information in the past) told me that Sony had ditched FF for good. I thought he was talking out of the wrong end of his anatomy, but am pleased that this has been confirmed. But I still worry about who the A99 is aimed at.

[Greg Beetham]

I'm trying to get my head round this - forgive me if it's clear to everyone else. Does this mean that AF will not work on the A99 except with the lenses listed, or that there are two AF systems and only the select lenses will work with both?

Having said that, I'm really happy with my A900 (with an A850 as backup) and have neither the inclination nor the money to upgrade. On the face of it it's encouraging that Sony have not ditched FF, but if there are serious back-compatibility issues I do not feel so comfortable - if the time ever comes when the A900 becomes unusable I would like to be able to continue to use my existing system - I use mainly classic Minolta glass and I am very pleased with it.

The most interesting announcement for me is the Samyang TS 24mm though that is probably too expensive and heavy now that my finances are more restricted. What I would really have liked would have been a light, compact but high quality 24mm (maybe f2.8, but better than the old Minolta 24mm) rather than the monstrous CZ 24mm f2.0 so I'm sticking with my Minolta 20mm and 28mm f2.0.

No, no one said the A99 doesn’t work with legacy lenses, (it does as far as I know) what it doesn’t do is give FULL compatibility with all lenses using the new AF feature, (at the moment). Apparently there are plans to expand the list of lenses able to use the dual AF through some kind of future update, but the total eventually to be included is not known yet, (as far as I know).
Who the A99 is aimed at is anybodies guess, my guess is anyone who buys it, or another guess could be anyone who needs a still camera that has lots of video taking attributes, maybe it’s Sony’s answer to the Canon 5D MkIII, maybe now all those third party manufacturers of video add-on gadgets will start making them for the new Sony cam too, who knows maybe movie producers will stop using the Canon and start using the Sony seeing as how it’ll do the job better potentially, well it would if it could do tethering (but it can’t) and if they ever get to hear about it as well of course, currently it’s looking like it’s vanishing out of sight fast compared to the kerfuffle over the D600.
I never thought that Sony was going to give up on FF (well not after they finally released the $13000 500/4G)…what Sony did do was give up making DSLR’s instead.
Greg
Ps I wonder how long Sigma and Tamron will remain interested in building lenses for Sony cameras seeing as how Sony frequently moves the goal posts and renders all their previous lenses in production obsolete.

[Dusty]

Ps I wonder how long Sigma and Tamron will remain interested in building lenses for Sony cameras seeing as how Sony frequently moves the goal posts and renders all their previous lenses in production obsolete.

And when they give up, that just further cements the ending of the line for Sony and DSLR/DSLT cameras. It's not like Sony has a long line of their own lenses to support the system.

Dusty