Sony A99 versus Sony A7R II

The Sony Alpha SLT-A99 and the Sony Alpha A7R II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2012 and June 2015. The A99 is a DSLR, while the A7R II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The A99 has a resolution of 24 megapixel, whereas the A7R II provides 42.2 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Sony A99 vs Sony A7R II

The physical size and weight of the Sony A99 and the Sony A7R II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also use the toggle button to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left side – the A99 – represents the basis for the calculations across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7R II is notably smaller (25 percent) than the Sony A99. Moreover, the A7R II is markedly lighter (23 percent) than the A99. 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 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 A99 gets 500 shots out of its NP-FM500H battery, while the A7R II can take 290 images on a single charge of its NP-FW50 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Sony A99»	5.8 in	4.4 in	3.1 in	28.6 oz	500	Y	Sep 2012	2,799	-		Sony A99
	Sony A7R II«	5.0 in	3.8 in	2.4 in	22.0 oz	290	Y	Jun 2015	3,199	-		Sony A7R II
	Pentax K-3« »	5.2 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	28.2 oz	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	-		Pentax K-3
	Sony A7 III« »	5.0 in	3.8 in	2.9 in	22.9 oz	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999			Sony A7 III
	Sony A7R III« »	5.0 in	3.8 in	2.9 in	22.9 oz	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199			Sony A7R III
	Sony A9« »	5.0 in	3.8 in	2.5 in	23.7 oz	650	Y	Apr 2017	4,499			Sony A9
	Sony A99 II« »	5.6 in	4.1 in	3.0 in	29.9 oz	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199			Sony A99 II
	Sony A7S II« »	5.0 in	3.8 in	2.4 in	22.1 oz	370	Y	Sep 2015	2,999			Sony A7S II
	Sony A7 II« »	5.0 in	3.8 in	2.4 in	21.1 oz	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	-		Sony A7 II
	Sony A7R« »	5.0 in	3.7 in	1.9 in	16.4 oz	340	Y	Oct 2013	2,299	-		Sony A7R
	Sony A77« »	5.6 in	4.1 in	3.2 in	25.8 oz	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,999	-		Sony A77
	Sony A850« »	6.1 in	4.6 in	3.2 in	31.6 oz	880	Y	Aug 2009	1,999	-		Sony A850
	Sony A900« »	6.1 in	4.6 in	3.2 in	31.6 oz	880	Y	Sep 2008	2,999	-		Sony A900
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Any camera purchase will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A99 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 13 percent) than the A7R II, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison: Sony A99 vs Sony A7R II

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 A7R II is 1 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.

With 42.2MP, the A7R II offers a higher resolution than the A99 (24MP), but the A7R II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.52μm versus 5.96μm for the A99). Yet, the A7R II is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 8 months) than the A99, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A7R II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The A7R II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in relatively fast and reliable autofocus acquisition during video recording.

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 A7R II has a markedly higher DXO score than the A99 (overall score 9 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 1 bits higher color depth, 0.1 EV of lower dynamic range, and 1.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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 A7R II provides a better video resolution than the A99. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the A99 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison: Sony A99 vs Sony A7R II

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A7R II offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the A99 (2400k vs 2359k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A99, the Sony A7R II, and comparable cameras. The full specs-sheets can be found in the camera manual or in the dpreview camera hub.

One feature that is present on the A99, but is missing on the A7R II is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed and shutter burst refer to the use of the mechanical shutter. In addition, the A7R II features an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (flickering).

Both the A99 and the A7R II write their imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards.

Both the A99 and the A7R II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The A99 was replaced by the Sony A99 II, while the A7R II was followed by the Sony Alpha A7R III.

Review summary: Sony A99 vs Sony A7R II

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A99 and the Sony A7R II? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A99:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More flexible LCD: Has full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 290) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (13 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2012).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7R II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (42.2 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 33%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (9 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.1 stops ISO advantage).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better video autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident movie autofocus.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (127x96mm vs 147x111mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 187g or 23 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi build in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 8 months of technical progress since the A99 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A7R II is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 7 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the A99 and the A7R II in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). You can find the full text of the reviews by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Sony A99»	-	84/100	4.5/5	rev	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	-		Sony A99
	Sony A7R II«	HiRec	90/100	5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jun 2015	3,199	-		Sony A7R II
	Pentax K-3« »	-	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	-		Pentax K-3
	Sony A7 III« »	HiRec	89/100	5/5	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999			Sony A7 III
	Sony A7R III« »	HiRec	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199			Sony A7R III
	Sony A9« »	HiRec	89/100	5/5	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	4,499			Sony A9
	Sony A99 II« »	-	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199			Sony A99 II
	Sony A7S II« »	Rec	-	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Sep 2015	2,999			Sony A7S II
	Sony A7 II« »	Rec	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	-		Sony A7 II
	Sony A7R« »	HiRec	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	2,299	-		Sony A7R
	Sony A77« »	91/100	81/100	-	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	1,999	-		Sony A77
	Sony A850« »	-	75/100	-	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2009	1,999	-		Sony A850
	Sony A900« »	HiRec	HiRec	4.5/5	4/5	5/5	Sep 2008	2,999	-		Sony A900

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

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