Sony A7S III vs A99 II

The Sony Alpha 7S III and the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II are two professional cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in July 2020 and September 2016. The A7S III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the A99 II is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The A7S III has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the A99 II provides 42.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony A7S III		Sony A99 II
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Sony E mount lenses		Sony A mount lenses
12 MP – Full Frame sensor		42.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/120p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 80-102,400 (40 - 409,600)		ISO 100-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1440k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
10 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
600 shots per battery charge		490 shots per battery charge
127 x 97 x 81 mm, 699 g		143 x 104 x 76 mm, 849 g

Check A7S III price at
amazon.com
Check A99 II offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha 7S III and the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Sony A7S III and the Sony A99 II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A99 II is notably larger (21 percent) than the Sony A7S III. Moreover, the A99 II is markedly heavier (21 percent) than the A7S III. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the A7S III gets 600 shots out of its Sony NP-FZ100 battery, while the A99 II can take 490 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack. The power pack in the A7S III can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A7S III	127 mm	97 mm	81 mm	699 g	600	Y	Jul 2020	3,499	amazon.com
2.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D850	146 mm	124 mm	79 mm	1005 g	1840	Y	Jul 2017	3,299	amazon.com
5.		Sony A1	129 mm	97 mm	81 mm	737 g	530	Y	Jan 2021	6,499	amazon.com
6.		Sony A7 IV	131 mm	96 mm	80 mm	659 g	580	Y	Oct 2021	2,499	amazon.com
7.		Sony A7R II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	625 g	290	Y	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
8.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
9.		Sony A7R IIIA	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
10.		Sony A7R IV	129 mm	96 mm	78 mm	665 g	670	Y	Jul 2019	3,499	ebay.com
11.		Sony A7R IVA	129 mm	96 mm	78 mm	665 g	670	Y	Apr 2021	3,499	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7R V	131 mm	97 mm	82 mm	723 g	530	Y	Oct 2022	3,899	amazon.com
13.		Sony A7S II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	627 g	370	Y	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	4,499	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A99 II was somewhat cheaper (by 9 percent) than the A7S III at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A99 II is 2 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the A7S III uses a more advanced image processing engine (BIONZ XR) than the A99 II (BIONZ X), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 42.2MP, the A99 II offers a higher resolution than the A7S III (12MP), but the A99 II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.52μm versus 8.40μm for the A7S III). Yet, the A7S III is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 10 months) than the A99 II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A99 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A99 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A99 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 39.8 x 26.5 inches or 101 x 67.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 31.8 x 21.2 inches or 80.8 x 53.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 26.5 x 17.7 inches or 67.3 x 44.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A7S III are 21.2 x 14.2 inches or 53.8 x 36 cm for good quality, 17 x 11.3 inches or 43.1 x 28.8 cm for very good quality, and 14.1 x 9.4 inches or 35.9 x 24 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Sony Alpha 7S III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 40-409600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the A99 II has a markedly higher DXO score than the A7S III (overall score 6 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 1.7 bits higher color depth, 0.5 EV of lower dynamic range, and 0.1 stops of reduced low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony A7S III	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/120p	23.7	13.9	2520	86
2.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
3.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
4.		Nikon D850	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.4	14.8	2660	100
5.		Sony A1	Full Frame	49.8	8640	5760	8k/30p	25.9	14.5	3163	98
6.		Sony A7 IV	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3379	97
7.		Sony A7R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	13.9	3434	98
8.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
9.		Sony A7R IIIA	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
10.		Sony A7R IV	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/30p	26.0	14.8	3344	99
11.		Sony A7R IVA	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/30p	26.0	14.8	3344	99
12.		Sony A7R V	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	8k/24p	26.5	14.8	3187	100
13.		Sony A7S II	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/30p	23.6	13.3	2993	85
14.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A7S III provides a higher frame rate than the A99 II. It can shoot video footage at 4K/120p, while the A99 II is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A7S III offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the A99 II (9440k vs 2400k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A7S III, the Sony A99 II, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony A7S III	9440	n	3.0 / 1440	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
2.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Nikon D850	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	n
5.		Sony A1	9437	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Sony A7 IV	3686	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
7.		Sony A7R II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
8.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Sony A7R IIIA	3686	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Sony A7R IV	5760	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Sony A7R IVA	5760	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Sony A7R V	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A7S II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The A7S III has a touchscreen, while the A99 II has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A7S III is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The A7S III writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards, while the A99 II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. The A7S III supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the A99 II can use UHS-I cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha 7S III and Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony A7S III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon D850	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Sony A1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Sony A7 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Sony A7R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
9.		Sony A7R IIIA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
10.		Sony A7R IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
11.		Sony A7R IVA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
12.		Sony A7R V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A7S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A99 II (unlike the A7S III) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The A7S III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the A99 II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the A99 II from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the A7S III and A99 II can be found, respectively, in the Sony A7S III Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A99 II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A7S III and the Sony A99 II? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha 7S III:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (BIONZ XR vs BIONZ X).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/120p versus 4K/30p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (9440k vs 2400k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.91x vs 0.78x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1440k vs 1229k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (127x97mm vs 143x104mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 150g or 18 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (600 versus 490) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 10 months of technical progress since the A99 II launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (42.2 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 87%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (6 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.7 bits more color depth).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2016).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7S III is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A7S III and the Sony A99 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A7S III or the A99 II. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A7S III	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	3,499	amazon.com
2.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D850	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2017	3,299	amazon.com
5.		Sony A1	5/5	o	4.5/5	93/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2021	6,499	amazon.com
6.		Sony A7 IV	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2021	2,499	amazon.com
7.		Sony A7R II	5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
8.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
9.		Sony A7R IIIA	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
10.		Sony A7R IV	5/5	+	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2019	3,499	ebay.com
11.		Sony A7R IVA	5/5	+	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	3,499	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7R V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	92/100	..	..	Oct 2022	3,899	amazon.com
13.		Sony A7S II	5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	4,499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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