Sony Alpha SLT-A99V Pro Reviews

A pleasure to use and packed with innovative features, but there are a few shortcomings too

The A99V is a powerful, complicated camera that may simply exceed the needs (or budget) of most photographers, and since Sony doesn't offer a cheaper full-frame model à la the D600 or 6D the company's missing out on an opportunity. If you need a single model that can handle both stills and video with equal aplomb, and are willing to make some tradeoffs -- sacrificing a little on the video and high ISO quality as well as video AF -- it's a great choice.

The Sony Alpha 99 is a full-featured full-frame D-SLR that can focus as quickly when recording video as it does for still images, but it doesn't have an optical viewfinder.

All in all, there's very little to dislike about the new Sony A99. It may have a very similar design to the much cheaper A77, but then we really liked that camera's handling. It may have an electronic viewfinder, but it is one of the best on the market, so good that you may not even realise that it isn't an optical model. It may not have as many lenses available as Canon and Nikon, but most focal lengths are covered by quality glass, and the in-body stabilisation system works with any lens that you attach to it. The Sony A99 is a tour-de-force of the latest camera tech, and a great camera in its own right.

Taken in isolation and the Sony Alpha A99 has the makings of a great full-frame camera: sturdy build, a fast burst mode, decent image quality and an excellent movie mode are polished up all the more by quirky additions such as the silent mode dial, tele-zoom mode, built-in GPS and a vari-angle-mounted LCD screen. There are things here that no other full-frame camera offers, and others - such as the burst mode - that are, at least on paper, more familiar of a pricier pro body. But for all its sweetened marvels, there are limitations in key areas at almost every turn. The autofocus system, while certainly capable, hypes itself up with its dual-AF technology but, ultimately, comes up behind the competition's systems. The main focus points are also arranged too centrally - just like that of the Alpha A77 - and the sensor-level phase-detection pixels don't seem to add anything to the party, nothing that we could notice with a compatible lens anyway.

The SLT-A99 is a feature-rich camera that still provides a wealth of easily accessed manual user controls. It stands out as the only full frame camera to offer in-body stabilization, an EVF and articulated rear screen. Budding videographers will enjoy brisk AF performance as well as the option to output uncompressed video.

The Sony Alpha A99 is literally packed with features with built in image stabilisation, GPS, high speed shooting, HDR modes, a high resolution OLED EVF, a tilting / swivelling 3 inch screen (unique in full frame DSLRs), electronic level, and weather sealed body to name just some of the features. The camera provides good handling, with rapid speed and a relatively easy to use menu system and controls. A large number of external buttons and dials aid quick setting changes, and the introduction of a more standard flash socket is an improvement over the previous Sony flash hot-shoe. With a Sony Info-lithium battery you get excellent information about how long you have left to shoot as well.

The A99 is a decidedly different proposition for the professional user than what we've seen previously. It clearly feels like a camera which has evolved from models beneath it in its range, rather than one designed specifically to satisfy a professional audience. Regardless of whether the SLT system is as relevant here as it is on cheaper Alpha models, it's strange to find a full complement of professional options awkwardly blended with a range of semi-manual and novelty features; much of the camera's functionality simply appears to be misplaced. The limited spread of the focusing system will perhaps discourage a few, while the numerous delays which plague the camera's operation are unlikely to please those who, at this end of the market, rightly expect negligible start-up time and minimal overall delays. Still, certain factors which separate the A99 from the herd work very much to its advantage. The Silent Multi Controller and AF Range controls are clever and well-implemented additions, while the benefits of having an electronic viewfinder in darker environments shouldn't be underestimated (the inclusion of which also translates to a reduction in overall weight). Video quality is also excellent, as is the implementation of the video functionality as a whole. All of these issues mean the A99 ends up being a camera likely to be as embraced as it is disliked. Should the camera's operational speed be remedied by a firmware update it will no doubt hold more appeal. As it is, it stands as a camera which delivers in some areas with aplomb, but falls down elsewhere where it matters.