With the release of the Sony α99 II, many publications have spent some time with the camera and have released their video reviews. Online reviewers Dan Watson and John Sison have taken the time to test the Sony α99 II and have been very pleased with this new camera's results.
While Dan Watson is not stranger to shooting with Sony mirrorless and RX cameras, the α99 II was the first translucent mirror (SLT) Sony that he's used. With that in mind, Watson's review compares the α99 II to the DSLR that he's been using for some time, the Canon 5D Mark IV. “I had no trouble focusing on anything. The focus system itself is very advanced. I’m coming from a 5D mark IV which is one of the best cameras for autofocus I would say and I’m having no issues shooting with the Sony. It has been a great experience.
“This is absolutely a great camera. It is an amazing shooter in every way. The 42MP burst mode as well as your low light performance coming from this staggering sensor are simply unrivaled in the market today. You're getting quality that you just cannot get out of competing systems (and I'm looking at this [Canon camera] right here).”
And...
"If you're a photo shooter and you're thinking of switching from Canon or Nikon, there are a lot of compelling reasons to switch." - Dan Watson, LearningCameras.com
“The standout feature for me is the hybrid autofocusing system, which offers 79-point phase-detection autofocus points on a sensor and another 399 on-chip phase-detection autofocus points. That's with the translucent mirror so in terms of autofocusing speed, it's going to be very quick and very accurate. The camera didn't disappoint and I was able to lock onto a subject without any issues. I used Wide and Center AF modes for normal day to day shots and I used Lock-on AF-Expand Flexible Spot for action shots which I found useful as the camera tracked the subject and it continued to focus using the surrounding AF area. I think it would be great for sports and action shooters.” - John Sison
Also on CameraJabber.com, Angela Nicholson has just published a focusing test which took the various AF modes in the α99 II to task shooting cars at the track and on-field action at a rugby match.
"The Sony α99 II’s autofocus system is a huge improvement upon that of the original Sony α99. While it’s nice to have a collection of AF point selection modes, I found Flexible Spot and Expand Flexible Spot the most useful and reliable in the majority of situations.
"Further good news is that the α99 II doesn’t just get subjects sharp in good light, it can do so in low light and in very low contrast situations. I would have no hesitation in using the α99 II to shoot sport in the future." - Angela Nicholson, CameraJabber.com
