RAW Files from this video comparison are available to our $10 Patreons! www.patreon.com/MaxYuryev Get the A99ii on Amazon➡ geni.us/l5NYgXR Check out Nikon D5➡ bhpho.to/2k65Tyf If you enjoy our content please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $2 a month helps us make more and better content for you and we have different exclusive and bonus content as well! www.patreon.com/MaxYuryev ⬇️more listed below⬇️ Get the A99ii on Amazon➡ geni.us/l5NYgXR . 70-200 2.8 SSM2 on Amazon➡ geni.us/Kq7I07 80-200 2.8 Minolta➡ ebay.to/2jdR60t 15-30 2.8 Tamron Sony on Amazon➡ geni.us/L9e0B6 Nikon Kit Used: Nikon D5➡ bhpho.to/2k65Tyf 15-30 2.8 Tamron Nikon➡ bhpho.to/2jdRlsp 70-200 VR2➡ bhpho.to/2k8xhvq
The A99 4K footage looks spectacularly sharp... one thing to keep in mind regarding the A99 II and dust... it's imperative that you have the camera turned off when swapping lens because if the camera is left on the static charge build-up on the sensor is a massive electro-magnet for dust.
Paul, really enjoyed your review and analysis on the A99II, I--like you am a hybrid shooter--and do a lot of lifestyle, glamour, sports and model photography. I just got into photography a year ago and bought my first camera, the Sony a6000 and shot UCF Football, Denver nuggets, MAC Football and Basketball Tournaments and was just recently down in Canton at the HOF Induction and out in Park City at Sundance with my new upgrade Sony ARIII and the 18-135 f 1.8. I have been looking around and seeing and hearing nothing but great things about the A99II (along with some bomb-ass Sigma glass!) Excellent video by you and Max. Be cool if we bumped into each other sometime. IG: @robcobb_insc and @inscmediaandphotography
Max - I have no interest whatsoever in sports photography; I don't shoot stills and could care less about buffer rates; I have no intention of ever buying either one of the cameras you discussed or any of the lenses either for that matter: but this was hands-down not only the best episode you've ever done, it is also the best I've seen yet on any website devoted to camera gear. Thank you so much, and hope you have more guests like Paul Nelson. He was so generous with his time and knowledge.
Thanks for the kind words! Max has been so great with helping me with video editing and advice for free. It was my pleasure to return the favor when he asked me if we could do a review of both cameras.
Jon Pais Thank you Jon that means so much! Yes Paul was generous with his time, knowledge, and financially for this video. I'm glad you enjoyed it and there will be more great things in 2017!
Looks like the A99ii is a decent all-rounder suited to a photographer who shoots all sorts of genres and occasionally needs video. The D5 is obviously the master for sports only shooting.
I wouldn't say it's a decent all rounder....it seems to be an incredible camera. I'd take this over the D5, its way more expensive and way bigger! The AF difference really is nothing at all
Nope, depends if that buffer is a problem for work you do, otherwise most people would prefer the ability to crop without losing quality from that better sensor.
Minolta 200 f2.8 HSS will blow away both 80-200 and 70-200 f2.8 with sharpness and rendering...and yep CZ 135 f1.8 is one of the best out there. , 135minolta SFT is a ultimate cream machine when it come to boekeh.
Shoot in APS-C to get the RAW file size down, and to increase the buffer to ridiculous. That gives you 18MP files and the best head to head comparo with the D5.
Thanks for remembering and pointing out that APS-C mode allows 18mp RAW. The reduced AF point coverage from non native lenses will also be widened with APS-C mode. Minolta also offers a black 80-200/2.8 previous version to the white HS model tested. "The Tuxedo" is great for events and low profile shooting. It has a longer MF focus throw for video because the gearing is not HS... But the new Sony AMount cameras don't require HS Minolta lenses for extreme fast focus. The White HS lens really helped speed up older Minolta cameras with slow motors. The new cameras have much faster motor and are very speedy with "The Tuxedo" 80-200/2.8 APO, which has identical optical formula to the White HS G model. "The Tuxedo" is not officially a G lens. It was before G ever existed. But notice the gold ring around the front. That designates a "gold series" lens... which turned into G series later on. The Tuxedo is a "Pre-G" lens.
Hey Max. I am a subscriber of your channel and have seen few of your videos and I would say that this is one of the best, if not the best video I've seen on your channel. I love the in-depth camera comparisons and the commentary that goes along with it. Thank you.
That's what's up Max! You're welcome brotha. Keep up the good work and I wish you the very best success. Keep grinding and stay true to yourself and to the idea of making your (Max Yuryev) videos. I look forward to your 2017 videos.
It's barely believable! Even downscaled to 1080 it's still a lot sharper than the D5's 4K. Sony is unbeatable in terms of video quality with all their cameras, from compacts to dslr. If only battery life could be as good as the image quality...
Just received my A99ii about 2 weeks ago. I was shooting with an A99 and A77ii before and I absolutely love it. Been taking some test shots with my Zeiss and G lenses around Portland and the PNW, they have been amazing. Definitely a great all around camera to consider if you're looking for a pro level camera.
Don't understand why this camera is not getting universal credit. The eventual E-mount version of it is going to be a serious contender for camera of the year.
That's becaus the average Canon user allready has good lenses for the canon system. If I have to switch to the a99, I would also have to change the lenses. If the mkIV was like this, it would be only the body that had to be replaced. Kai said that there was something left out in autofocus for video in his review.
I can explain why the D5 didn't miss a shot: The closer running of you for catering for the buffer meant the D5 barely had to move it's focal length compared to the Sony having a much larger "movement" of it's elements to cater for, and it actually held up.
There is a reason why the D5 is a$6500 camera! AF, Speed, Buffer, Build and plenty enough resolution all equal to a beast of a sports camera. Sony could have made a $6500 A99II if they wanted to, but it doesn't make sense for them from a business stand point. Dual CPU + 24MP would probably result in endless buffer and 15fps. Build quality and weather sealing will be up to par as well. For the price, A99II sits alone on its own. At 42MP, 11.5fps, 4K video (stuck at f/3.5 when shooting auto), so so buffer and so so battery life is not bad at all at $3200. Minolta makes great lens, but a lot of pro shooters with pro bodies cannot stand the screw drive lenses after using SSM lenses. May the A99III will sport a 50MP sensor and will have the D5's speed and buffer. Good job on the video folks. Keep them coming. BTW Max, what do you think of the A99II's video capability aside from the Sony DSLT f/3.5 aperture issue?
Really interesting to have a video like this Max where someone who actually knows a bit about the ecosystem for the A99 II, considering most people's reactions were 'they don't have any lenses' and 'isn't this system dead?'. So really great video in that regard, thanks Max and Paul! I think you highlight so well at the end that despite not maybe being the best sports / speed camera on the market, this is probably the most complete and flexible camera there is at this point in time. I did want to just add though, that seems a lot of reviews seem to mix terminology between focus 'tracking' and 'continous autofocus'. Tracking is where the camera uses the sensor and subject information to track a subject around the frame. Tracking can be used with C-AF (obviously) but isn't the same as putting a focus point on a subject and keeping it on the subject. Running straight towards a camera suggests it is a test of the C-AF, rather than the tracking abilities. For the low light hunting with the Sony 70-200mm SSM, I wonder if this is being affected by the camera trying to use the on sensor phase detect points in addition to the dedicated sensor, those on sensor points do begin to struggle in lower light. Where as the Mino 80-200 the camera doesn't try to use those points. I wonder if there is a way to turn off the on sensor points in lower light that might help avoid that situation?
Good Points Matt and glad you liked it. I can't answer the question about phase (maybe Paul can) but I would guess there would be a way to shut it off.
Max and Paul, thanx for the video. Paul is right, it is not about one system or the other. Each system has it's strengths and will make up in the other areas. It is about knowing how to get the best out of them. Great photos Paul
Overall, really nice job guys with this review. Much more balanced than the DPR review, which missed the forest for the focus on all the trees (pun intended). It's an amazing camera from the standpoint of how much it can do well. Nothing can take this kind of 4k, shoot action and landscape and portraiture, all from one body. If you weight all of those as important, nothing has this kind of decathlete ability. The P mode video restriction is the only real functional blackmark. And that only interferes with some types of video. It's a home run.
Hi Max; good video. Nice to see you getting outside of your comfort zone and see what folks shooting sports deal with. Anyway, couple of things here - 80% rate or whatever IMO just isn't good enough for pros. You had a heavily contrast-y target running dead center of the frame with a very light background - that keeper rate should be much higher esp with the $3k lens. Also I am curious why you didn't mention the video AF F/3.5 limitation during your recommendation. Until Sony really begins focusing on service for pros I'm not sure any of them will take this offering seriously. Competition is good for all of us though and I want Sony to continue to put out offerings like this.
Good testing - But I will say You can Shoot RAW COMPRESSED 12:29 But don't know how it affects the buffer - I haven't tested that to see if there is a difference.
Good to know - I've not considered the compression raw simple for the fact that storage is cheap - Paul do you think that extra work to compress the file might limit max out the buffer faster? Im a Portraits and Commercial Photographer and don't need 12FPS, so it's something I haven't focused on with my channel, but man love environmental ad shots, so an see why that res+fps makes a difference.
bonjour , j'aimerai avoir votre avis par rapport le sony a99 mark 2 , les tests disent : Après une rafale ou un simple déclenchement (RAW + JPEG), il faut donc "patienter" quelques instants pour le transfert des données. La mémoire tampon permet de déclencher rapidement, mais les menus sont "bloqués" le temps de l'écriture sur la carte. Après une rafale, cela peut monopoliser l'appareil pendant de précieuses et longues secondes. est ce que ça veut dire après une rafale l'apn reste HS , on ne peut prendre aucune photo durant le temps d'écriture sur la carte ?? c'est handicapant pour les photos sports
Yeah, one of the biggest complains from D5 users that had the previous generation is the DR and the ability to recover highlights and shadows that somehow the new D5 can't do as good.
Thank you so much for this review!! I loved to see that Paul really tries to know the gear he uses (differently from some professionals that are good photographers but talk sh*t in reviews just because they don't actually know about the gear). Max, please call him again to talk about his experiences with A99II after some months of use.
Excellent video Max. I did expect a lot of what you were showing and saying. In fact I got Minolta 400mm F4.5, 300mm f.28, 80-200mm f2.8, Minolta 50mm f1.2 and I also pre-ordered A99II. Here in Canada we do not have it in the stores yet. Also I have herd that first camera bodies had some problems with video. Shooting 4K without being able changing the aperture from 3.5 up or down. I think Sony was fixing it before releasing it to US/Canada market. I am very happy that you actually confirmed my thoughts. I also want to add that I spent about $5,000 for the Minolta lenses listed above. I am also planning to get Minolta 200mm F2.8 and 600 F4 in the near future and selling my Nikon stuff on Kijiji. I love my Nikon but honestly I cannot afford it anymore. Too much. Thanks again, really enjoyed your video! If you need to shoot wildlife come and visit me here in Quebec, Canada. We have amazing places to visit.
Hey Vladimir, I can't confirm that that has changed. We barely shot any video and it was in manual when we did. I was told this is a limitation of the translucent mirror design but who knows. Looks like you have a sweet setup how just need the body! I may take you up on the offer sometime :)
The problem with F3.5 is with the AF in video :) you will not be able to shoot with AF in video except in P mode. It is kinda stupid but... Sony made it that way maybe because they do not want to ruin their E mount system sales...
The Minolta 80-200 2.8 is a fantastic sports lens, even if it wasn't so relatively cheap. I've been shooting sports with mine on the A700 and now A77ii for a few years and it's awesome, really fast and tack sharp (the lens isn't even weather sealed though, so I think Paul has been very lucky with that!). If it's a light weight lens, though, the others he has must weigh a tonne! Could you please say what tracking settings you were using for the running shots on the bridge? Thanks guys, awesome video.
That's awesome. It's my favourite lens of mine by far, but it got dust in it when doing a shoot at a speed car track (a LOT of dust flying about!) so I had t oget it repaired. Other than that, it's as tough and sharp as they come. Glad to hear yours is awesome too! Could you enlighten me as to your tracking settings for the running by any chance?
Nice review, the A99ii does seem pretty good and i agree that while 42mp is great it would be nice to have a smaller raw file. As for me personally, sold off the A-mount bodies, and use a D4 for my sports (D3S as a backup/2nd body). Both come in under the cost of a single A99ii. Paid sports gig with one body doesnt cut it!
Hey Paul and Max, when using the Minolta at 200mm 2.8, do you find the results soft compared with other focal lengths? How does the result of this focal length at 200mm compare with Sony's 70-200 SSM II?
I have the A77ii and the Minolta 80-200mm 2.8 HS lens and it is AMAZING. Just to let you know about a few issues. The IBIS reduces micro contrast and sharpness with the Minolta lens. Turn it off and the images are sharper. Likely the focal length feedback from the lens is not accurate enough. Also Sony RAW files unfortunately are compressed. Really wish Sony would allow uncompressed RAW some day. Focus tracking on Sony works better if you turn the AF speed down to medium. This is not the speed of the motor, just the 'hyperness' of the camera trying to find focus. It is too 'hyper" on high and needs to be settled down. And the 12fps mode limits the aperture to f3.5 which makes no sense at all. My Rokinon 135mm f2 is CRAZY sharp as well. I reviewed the A77ii and the 80-200 Minolta on RUclips FYI. PS, IBIS can compensate for rotational movements as well which no lens IS can.
you can match the lowlight of the 20mp sensor and the sony with noise reduction in post and pull the detail down to the 20mp mark and probably get even cleaner images
SAL13518CZ should be updated this year with SSM, better coating and weather sealing. I have used that lens and it has pop! Again, I love all of the old lenses except that I can't stand the noise of the screw drive. I told you about the Nikkor 105 f1/.4. That lens is a beast when it comes to compression!
I love mine except...I've been struggling for about 5 months on an intermittent issue with my a99ii. Seemingly at random, though slightly more often at higher temperatures and after several hours of use, my a99ii will get "stuck" writing an image to the card. I can continue to trigger the shutter, however nothing is being written to the card after the snag. I don't notice until I take my face away from the camera and can see that the writing to card light is stuck on. It will stay on indefinitely. If I try to enter review mode, or if I turn the camera off and on, that's when the glitch comes on fully and I loose complete control of the camera. Full on freeze. Only way to get it back is to pop out the battery, at which point it tells me there was an error writing to card, and it will have to recover data. Doing this, I regain control, but nothing after the snagged image shows up on the card. I've been working back and forth with Sony Pro support- who claims that they cannot replicate the issue, so I'm wondering if anyone else out there has run into this issue? I've played with two other rentals from them, and it's happened with each body (3 total including mine). To answer some initial tech questions upfront: No, it's not the buffer that I'm running up against. Yes, I'm using a SanDisk 300mb/s SDXC Class 10 card, and yes, the issue also happened with a similar quality Lexar card. Getting desperate for help as this is a huge inconvenience and has seriously damaged my performance on several professional jobs. I shoot primarily in bracketed exposure, three single shots, at 3.0 EV differentials. However the issue has come up in the single shot drive mode while being used heavily at a wedding reception. Anyone out there run into anything remotely similar?
Snow, 50 mile race, 300 mile races .... i can't afford the time to hear biographies, weather reports or travel documentaries .... Some of us just need a summary of the results. I think you did a very important test! Please tell us here in the notes at what point in the video you do the summary? Thanks very much! ps: Northrup actually provides a summary of results up front in their videos and then they also often provide a table of contents by topic and time. That is so excellent, I wish that all reviewers would adopt that policy. For example, if autofocus speed is a priority for me and the summary expresses concern about autofocus speed, then I can jump right to the section where they test autofocus.
Art Altman The end is practically a pig cast type Talk. First 10min were examples of us shooting. Listen to it while your doing something else to save time ;) most of my reviews have time tables at the start but this one was shot and laid out differently so that wouldn't have worked. This info is free, so if your not interested in sure where will be other comparison done the way you would like.
I appropriate the feedback I normally don't do these kind of videos normally I am out in the field getting paid to shoot. Tony tested the D5 and his version of sports testing was his daughter running down a dark hallway...
Just to be clear I admire your work a LOT. Just listened to an amazing comparison of laptops where you got into far more important details than any other I have seen (MacBook Pro vs Dell XPS vs Razor). Spot on! Thanks for the prompt response :-)
Hi Max/Paul, just thinking to upgrade from a77 to either a77ii or a99ii - a99ii seems appealing though I am not sure whether my old 35mm/aps-c lenses would work properly, e.g. tamron 150-600 / sigma 17-35/2.8-4.0 or even the original 16-50/2.8 kit lense that came with the a77. You said you could "live with" 79 focus points while using the 80-200/2.8 minolta lens (same I own as well since 15+ years and its absolutely great) but isn't that wasting money forgiving the 390+ additional focus points? (I am not a sports photo guy but more an all-round type - sports, travel, family, nature/animals)
So, the D5 is 20.8 megapixel and the Sony a99ii is 42 megapixel. Try comparing when the a99ii is in APS-C mode, I would be willing to bet the numbers would be much closer.
Bradley Watson Oh the "beast", I used this lens for about 15 years, build like a tank , heavy can't go wrong with this one even on the very used version.(read as no cheap plastic parts and gears but made and built in Japan).I would take this one for birding or if you have to keep the distance from something that can eat you alive, not for walk around get gimbal or monopod .Rendition is amazing (today tipical consumer only want to know sharpness but this is not how to judge the lens), microcontrast, boekeh and color best out Sony 300 f2.8 and open is very sharp stopped down a litle to f4 tack sharp . The little brother 200mm f2.8 is still one of the best 200mm primes I have ever used.
Great video Max! Let me know if you ever travel closer down to Eugene. I'm a videographer and I'd love to help you film! Also, I always find it pretty gratifying to use older lenses on sony bodies. The quality you can get out of old glass is pretty amazing!
Hey Max, I'm just really curious what settings did you guys use when shooting with the a99ii for focusing. Was it set to center with AF speed on fast and af track set to high?
One question: when you did the low light AF test, were you using only the central point? Because only this point is really able to focus at -4EV. Trying to do that with any other ponit or AF mode (wide, area, whatever) would be kinda misleading.
wirton araujo we used a small central cluster on both, as that was waster than using just 1 point. That way the camera had an option of focusing on the nose or eyes or face and sped things up. This was very low light. 2.8 1/100th and ISO 12800 but still underexposed
Question/comment for Paul - he said the Nikon D5's 4k crop was "almost like micro-four thirds" - I thought it was 1.5x, just the same as what you guys shot the a99 II in?
+Max Yuryev Hmm, for the low light the lens often makes a big difference. I wonder if T-stop is quite different on those two lenses. Focusing systems tend to have a sharp cutoffs in performance, that is an f/2.8 amount of light might be snappy still but f/4 start hunting like mad, maybe if the T-stops are right by the cutoff it could be pushing one way or the other.
Thanks for the video guys. I have a99 and I usually use soft, I mean very soft brush to take care of the dust on sensor and the translucent mirror. I have tried everything but I think soft brush works the best for me.
Sony's have noticeably better dynamic range and larger sensor so that gives advantage to make it easier to get a cinematic look (by what most consider cinematic). That doesn't mean you can't with GH5 but I think its easier with Sony.
Max Yuryev thanks Max so you don't think the 4:2:2 and 10bit recording capabilities of the GH5 make it more capable than the Sony a99ii? Seeing as the sony is 4:2:0 and 8 bit? Thank you for helping me bro
If you do HEAVY grading and/or greenscreen with heavy VFX work then yes it would help, for what many do it won't really matter. Sure shooting LOG it does help with banding if you have fine gradations in your shots but I wouldn't really want to shoot LOG with the GH4/5 anyways because the DR isn't a big improvement over Cine-D anyways (about 1 stop better) where the Sony's you have a 2-3 stop difference with S-Log3. On top of that the M43 footage is really noisy with LOG and you'll need to overexpose and de-noise each shot to get good looking footage, where on the Sony you'll only need to in certain shots (it is much better in lowlight). If you're going to go through all that trouble (time&money) to denoise and grade your images and deal with poor lowlight then the project must be worth it, and in that case you might as well rent a Ursa Mini or Red Raven that will be easier to grade and have much better dynamic range than the GH5 while offering RAW and ProRes. That 10bit doesn't make a huge difference for the GH4/5 honestly. It would make a bigger difference for the Sony but even then you don't NEED it for most of the stuff that regular people do with these cameras.
12:50 You can select between uncompressed and compresssed RAW, so there are two settings in full-frame mode. Sony does not have such thing as small RAW, thats true, but to be honest: Is a "small RAW" a RAW anymore? Because by definition you should get the unprocessed and uninterpreted sensor data.
hi max...i want to change my canon 6d and buy new camera...what do you think?i stuck between sony a6500 and panasonic g85...which one is better?...i need great photo quality and sharp 4k video for fashion and indi video clips like music video and short films...please help me to choose...thanks a lot max
If you need great photo and video then a6500. We will have a comparison video coming up between the two cameras so make sure your subbed with notifications enabled.
Thanks! Thrilled with my A99II. Like you. I also have a soft spot - started with the A77 and then the A99 before moving almost entirely to E Mount. Good to be back!
Hi Max, very interesting comparison, anyway you didn't talk about the viewfinder performances, I'm shooting wildlife mostly birds (small ones...) with the a6300 (good camera) but I was very disappointed with it, the lag make it somteimes a useless camera for that purpose, what about the a99ii? Thanks a lot.
Great perspective on the camera from a pro. I think more people should look to those that can push cameras to their limit. I plan to use the A99II with heavy manual glass for products and portraits (the grip is awkward on my A7II), but the Minolta alternatives for cheap zooms were great recommendations for those of us that use AF sparingly.
Great information guys! I was shocked to see the older Minolta... perform better than the new Sony 70-200 f2.8. I wonder if Sony will eventually put all this technology into the smaller bodies of the 7RII with the anticipated a9 model? However, that said does doing away with the Translucent mirror, take away the fast focusing for things like sports? Would it really matter with a full mirrorless system like the a7RII or future versions? Sure buffering system and shooting raw right now up to 12 fps on the a99II vs a a7RII would be an issue but eventually, with what ever Sony is working on for a high end E mount body? That's what I'm really looking forward too. Nice to see comparisons like this of high end Nikon's vs. Sony systems. Thanks for the video and tests!!
Was kinda hard to follow what "This" and "that" camera was all the time, but I'm assuming you were talking about the A99ii at the end? :p I have the camera right next to my keyboard here and I'm quite satisfied atleast :)
I have the 135 f/1.8, and I use it on the a7+LA-EA4. AF-S is acceptable, AF-C is a joke. If you have 2 camera bodies like I do, you can use another camera to track moving subjects and the 135 f/1.8 for non-moving subjects. The image it produces is phenomenally good.
The LA-EA4's biggest issue isn't the AF points (which work reasonably well), but it doesn't have the high torque screw drive AF motor you get in the semi pro series bodies. With the high torque motor it is actually really quite decent. An A99 would work significantly better with that lens and IQ would be essentially identical.
Matt de Byl LA-EA4 works well in bright daylight. However, with the 135ZA attached, its AF capability is worse than the D750 with Sigma 150-600 at 600mm f/6.3! (I was surprised when I found out myself) I really wish that Sony updates the LA-EA systems in the near future.
+Aaron Yang I have the A7II & a77II which are worlds apart in AF speed. i have the LA-EA3 & LA-EA4. I just figured i buy only A mount lenses and use them adapted on E mount. A mount bodies are still the fastest in AF so i figured fast action i'll shoot with A and with the E it doesn't quite matter if the af is slower if i use it for static/studio work and rarely for fast action. I was hoping for a LA-EA4 replacement too as it speeds up AF on the a7/a7II as it's own AF system is SLOOOW. but i don't think it is their interest to keep it going as they'd rather we'd all buy GM lenses at $2k a pop than promote old minolta lenses even though they are just as good and in many cases better...
shooting 2 x a99ii's for weddings, did you notice with yours how bad they are at extreme lowlight autofocus? I am an ex Nikon D750 shooter and they locked first time every time, the A99ii really struggles
Afs, centre point focus, center weighted metering, manual mode. Tried with the tamron 70-200usd and saw 70200g2 same problem. are there any other settings I should look at
We're not comparing by price but more by specs. The A99ii is kinda like a two in one D810 and D5 best of both and also much better video features as well!
No doubt about it, the latest camera isn't going to make you a better photographer, just a poorer one financially. I'm really over the marketing hype that implies the latest and greatest camera from Sony, Nikon etc. will make you a better photographer.
But it isn't. It's a self-imposed Sony design choice - you can take a F/1.4 lens and put something (tape) over the aperture control holding it wide open, and put it back on the camera and it will AF wide open in video mode. I did this with an a99 I had and others have reported the same thing. Basically Sony just hasn't updated their code from the a57/a77 days, or felt the sudden AF in video mode at apertures faster than F/3.5 looked bad. One can only speculate.
Where are the colors of that sony :D I use the 7r2 and I think it makes better colors in video and stills. Those samples from A99II looked like a lot of noise reduction is added and the colors are washed out(video and stills).
Also I was disappointed by the video of the A99II compared to the D5(which is not a video shooter) not in terms of detail but in terms of colours. There is something wrong maybe with the settings.
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A tip : watch series on Flixzone. Been using it for watching a lot of movies lately.
The A99 4K footage looks spectacularly sharp...
one thing to keep in mind regarding the A99 II and dust... it's imperative that you have the camera turned off when swapping lens because if the camera is left on the static charge build-up on the sensor is a massive electro-magnet for dust.
Plus doesn't it have some UltraSonic dust shaker of some sort..
Let's do it again Max! That was fun testing out two top of the line cameras!
Paul Nelson Heck yes! We'll have to do it again!
Paul, really enjoyed your review and analysis on the A99II, I--like you am a hybrid shooter--and do a lot of lifestyle, glamour, sports and model photography. I just got into photography a year ago and bought my first camera, the Sony a6000 and shot UCF Football, Denver nuggets, MAC Football and Basketball Tournaments and was just recently down in Canton at the HOF Induction and out in Park City at Sundance with my new upgrade Sony ARIII and the 18-135 f 1.8. I have been looking around and seeing and hearing nothing but great things about the A99II (along with some bomb-ass Sigma glass!) Excellent video by you and Max. Be cool if we bumped into each other sometime. IG: @robcobb_insc and @inscmediaandphotography
Finally a real pro who actually knows what he is talking about, none of this "it's heavy" or "it won't connect to Instagram"
Max - I have no interest whatsoever in sports photography; I don't shoot stills and could care less about buffer rates; I have no intention of ever buying either one of the cameras you discussed or any of the lenses either for that matter: but this was hands-down not only the best episode you've ever done, it is also the best I've seen yet on any website devoted to camera gear. Thank you so much, and hope you have more guests like Paul Nelson. He was so generous with his time and knowledge.
Thanks for the kind words! Max has been so great with helping me with video editing and advice for free. It was my pleasure to return the favor when he asked me if we could do a review of both cameras.
Jon Pais Thank you Jon that means so much! Yes Paul was generous with his time, knowledge, and financially for this video. I'm glad you enjoyed it and there will be more great things in 2017!
This makes me happy with my purchase of the A99ii. Grate video very informative and glad people are showing that the A mount isn't dead.
Do you still have the Sony A99II?
Looks like the A99ii is a decent all-rounder suited to a photographer who shoots all sorts of genres and occasionally needs video. The D5 is obviously the master for sports only shooting.
onenarrowdoor exactly!
I wouldn't say it's a decent all rounder....it seems to be an incredible camera. I'd take this over the D5, its way more expensive and way bigger! The AF difference really is nothing at all
Nope, depends if that buffer is a problem for work you do, otherwise most people would prefer the ability to crop without losing quality from that better sensor.
Minolta 200 f2.8 HSS will blow away both 80-200 and 70-200 f2.8 with sharpness and rendering...and yep CZ 135 f1.8 is one of the best out there. , 135minolta SFT is a ultimate cream machine when it come to boekeh.
No surprise! A99II did an amazing job!
Excellent comparison. I am a former Nikon shooter, now using Sony with Minolta glass and very happy with my kit bag. So very tempted by the A99 MKii
Damn this is one of your best videos. You are stepping it up a notch with this one
Soren Bagley Thanks! 2017 will be a great year!
Shoot in APS-C to get the RAW file size down, and to increase the buffer to ridiculous. That gives you 18MP files and the best head to head comparo with the D5.
I will give that a try! Thanks!
We really enjoyed your video. A lot more balanced than the DPR review
Thanks for remembering and pointing out that APS-C mode allows 18mp RAW. The reduced AF point coverage from non native lenses will also be widened with APS-C mode.
Minolta also offers a black 80-200/2.8 previous version to the white HS model tested. "The Tuxedo" is great for events and low profile shooting. It has a longer MF focus throw for video because the gearing is not HS... But the new Sony AMount cameras don't require HS Minolta lenses for extreme fast focus. The White HS lens really helped speed up older Minolta cameras with slow motors. The new cameras have much faster motor and are very speedy with "The Tuxedo" 80-200/2.8 APO, which has identical optical formula to the White HS G model. "The Tuxedo" is not officially a G lens. It was before G ever existed. But notice the gold ring around the front. That designates a "gold series" lens... which turned into G series later on. The Tuxedo is a "Pre-G" lens.
Hey Max. I am a subscriber of your channel and have seen few of your videos and I would say that this is one of the best, if not the best video I've seen on your channel. I love the in-depth camera comparisons and the commentary that goes along with it. Thank you.
Keith Brown Thank you Keith! 2017 will be a great year!
That's what's up Max! You're welcome brotha. Keep up the good work and I wish you the very best success. Keep grinding and stay true to yourself and to the idea of making your (Max Yuryev) videos. I look forward to your 2017 videos.
The a99 video has crazy more detail in the shots
It's barely believable! Even downscaled to 1080 it's still a lot sharper than the D5's 4K. Sony is unbeatable in terms of video quality with all their cameras, from compacts to dslr. If only battery life could be as good as the image quality...
Just received my A99ii about 2 weeks ago. I was shooting with an A99 and A77ii before and I absolutely love it. Been taking some test shots with my Zeiss and G lenses around Portland and the PNW, they have been amazing. Definitely a great all around camera to consider if you're looking for a pro level camera.
Don't understand why this camera is not getting universal credit. The eventual E-mount version of it is going to be a serious contender for camera of the year.
Tom Cass e mount version would be a7rii with higher FPS and better buffer maybe dual card slots.
That's becaus the average Canon user allready has good lenses for the canon system. If I have to switch to the a99, I would also have to change the lenses. If the mkIV was like this, it would be only the body that had to be replaced. Kai said that there was something left out in autofocus for video in his review.
I guess you were right, look to the hype on the a7r3
I can explain why the D5 didn't miss a shot:
The closer running of you for catering for the buffer meant the D5 barely had to move it's focal length compared to the Sony having a much larger "movement" of it's elements to cater for, and it actually held up.
There is a reason why the D5 is a$6500 camera! AF, Speed, Buffer, Build and plenty enough resolution all equal to a beast of a sports camera. Sony could have made a $6500 A99II if they wanted to, but it doesn't make sense for them from a business stand point. Dual CPU + 24MP would probably result in endless buffer and 15fps. Build quality and weather sealing will be up to par as well. For the price, A99II sits alone on its own. At 42MP, 11.5fps, 4K video (stuck at f/3.5 when shooting auto), so so buffer and so so battery life is not bad at all at $3200. Minolta makes great lens, but a lot of pro shooters with pro bodies cannot stand the screw drive lenses after using SSM lenses. May the A99III will sport a 50MP sensor and will have the D5's speed and buffer. Good job on the video folks. Keep them coming. BTW Max, what do you think of the A99II's video capability aside from the Sony DSLT f/3.5 aperture issue?
Really interesting to have a video like this Max where someone who actually knows a bit about the ecosystem for the A99 II, considering most people's reactions were 'they don't have any lenses' and 'isn't this system dead?'. So really great video in that regard, thanks Max and Paul! I think you highlight so well at the end that despite not maybe being the best sports / speed camera on the market, this is probably the most complete and flexible camera there is at this point in time.
I did want to just add though, that seems a lot of reviews seem to mix terminology between focus 'tracking' and 'continous autofocus'. Tracking is where the camera uses the sensor and subject information to track a subject around the frame. Tracking can be used with C-AF (obviously) but isn't the same as putting a focus point on a subject and keeping it on the subject. Running straight towards a camera suggests it is a test of the C-AF, rather than the tracking abilities.
For the low light hunting with the Sony 70-200mm SSM, I wonder if this is being affected by the camera trying to use the on sensor phase detect points in addition to the dedicated sensor, those on sensor points do begin to struggle in lower light. Where as the Mino 80-200 the camera doesn't try to use those points. I wonder if there is a way to turn off the on sensor points in lower light that might help avoid that situation?
Good Points Matt and glad you liked it. I can't answer the question about phase (maybe Paul can) but I would guess there would be a way to shut it off.
I'm pretty impressed with the Sony Sports camera image quality
Max and Paul, thanx for the video. Paul is right, it is not about one system or the other. Each system has it's strengths and will make up in the other areas. It is about knowing how to get the best out of them. Great photos Paul
I'm in Salem. We didn't get the the crazy snow storm like you did!
Boy have we been having crazy weather here in the Northwest. In the mountains around town we are well over 100% snowfall for the date.
Overall, really nice job guys with this review. Much more balanced than the DPR review, which missed the forest for the focus on all the trees (pun intended). It's an amazing camera from the standpoint of how much it can do well. Nothing can take this kind of 4k, shoot action and landscape and portraiture, all from one body. If you weight all of those as important, nothing has this kind of decathlete ability. The P mode video restriction is the only real functional blackmark. And that only interferes with some types of video. It's a home run.
Hi Max; good video. Nice to see you getting outside of your comfort zone and see what folks shooting sports deal with. Anyway, couple of things here - 80% rate or whatever IMO just isn't good enough for pros. You had a heavily contrast-y target running dead center of the frame with a very light background - that keeper rate should be much higher esp with the $3k lens. Also I am curious why you didn't mention the video AF F/3.5 limitation during your recommendation. Until Sony really begins focusing on service for pros I'm not sure any of them will take this offering seriously. Competition is good for all of us though and I want Sony to continue to put out offerings like this.
Good testing - But I will say You can Shoot RAW COMPRESSED 12:29 But don't know how it affects the buffer - I haven't tested that to see if there is a difference.
I had the Sony of Raw Compressed for most of the shoot
Good to know - I've not considered the compression raw simple for the fact that storage is cheap - Paul do you think that extra work to compress the file might limit max out the buffer faster? Im a Portraits and Commercial Photographer and don't need 12FPS, so it's something I haven't focused on with my channel, but man love environmental ad shots, so an see why that res+fps makes a difference.
bonjour , j'aimerai avoir votre avis par rapport le sony a99 mark 2 , les tests disent : Après une rafale ou un simple déclenchement (RAW + JPEG), il faut donc "patienter" quelques instants pour le transfert des données. La mémoire tampon permet de déclencher rapidement, mais les menus sont "bloqués" le temps de l'écriture sur la carte. Après une rafale, cela peut monopoliser l'appareil pendant de précieuses et longues secondes.
est ce que ça veut dire après une rafale l'apn reste HS , on ne peut prendre aucune photo durant le temps d'écriture sur la carte ?? c'est handicapant pour les photos sports
Yeah, one of the biggest complains from D5 users that had the previous generation is the DR and the ability to recover highlights and shadows that somehow the new D5 can't do as good.
+Max Yuryev This is the only Sony camera that tempts me right now. Same for the original A99 at that time.
Thank you so much for this review!! I loved to see that Paul really tries to know the gear he uses (differently from some professionals that are good photographers but talk sh*t in reviews just because they don't actually know about the gear). Max, please call him again to talk about his experiences with A99II after some months of use.
wirton araujo Thanks for watching! Yes Paul is very knowledgeable and knows his stuff!
Excellent video Max. I did expect a lot of what you were showing and saying. In fact I got Minolta 400mm F4.5, 300mm f.28, 80-200mm f2.8, Minolta 50mm f1.2 and I also pre-ordered A99II. Here in Canada we do not have it in the stores yet. Also I have herd that first camera bodies had some problems with video. Shooting 4K without being able changing the aperture from 3.5 up or down. I think Sony was fixing it before releasing it to US/Canada market. I am very happy that you actually confirmed my thoughts. I also want to add that I spent about $5,000 for the Minolta lenses listed above. I am also planning to get Minolta 200mm F2.8 and 600 F4 in the near future and selling my Nikon stuff on Kijiji. I love my Nikon but honestly I cannot afford it anymore. Too much. Thanks again, really enjoyed your video! If you need to shoot wildlife come and visit me here in Quebec, Canada. We have amazing places to visit.
Hey Vladimir, I can't confirm that that has changed. We barely shot any video and it was in manual when we did. I was told this is a limitation of the translucent mirror design but who knows. Looks like you have a sweet setup how just need the body! I may take you up on the offer sometime :)
The problem with F3.5 is with the AF in video :) you will not be able to shoot with AF in video except in P mode. It is kinda stupid but... Sony made it that way maybe because they do not want to ruin their E mount system sales...
Love your videos Max, keep killin it!
The Minolta 80-200 2.8 is a fantastic sports lens, even if it wasn't so relatively cheap. I've been shooting sports with mine on the A700 and now A77ii for a few years and it's awesome, really fast and tack sharp (the lens isn't even weather sealed though, so I think Paul has been very lucky with that!). If it's a light weight lens, though, the others he has must weigh a tonne! Could you please say what tracking settings you were using for the running shots on the bridge? Thanks guys, awesome video.
So far it's held up well with the nasty weather here in Portland!
That's awesome. It's my favourite lens of mine by far, but it got dust in it when doing a shoot at a speed car track (a LOT of dust flying about!) so I had t oget it repaired. Other than that, it's as tough and sharp as they come. Glad to hear yours is awesome too! Could you enlighten me as to your tracking settings for the running by any chance?
seems like a great deal for half the prize. i am so jealous of that buffer. my a6300 has a third of the buffer with 24mp
Wow, that's the first time I've heard someone say the lowlight performance for the Nikon D810 wasn't good.
*Amazing sound of Nikon's shutter*
Nice review, the A99ii does seem pretty good and i agree that while 42mp is great it would be nice to have a smaller raw file.
As for me personally, sold off the A-mount bodies, and use a D4 for my sports (D3S as a backup/2nd body). Both come in under the cost of a single A99ii.
Paid sports gig with one body doesnt cut it!
Totally agree the A99II with the 135 zeiss is awesome
And the day has come!! I was waiting for this video. I have not watched it yet, but I am sure is going to be interesting at the least!
Hey Paul and Max, when using the Minolta at 200mm 2.8, do you find the results soft compared with other focal lengths? How does the result of this focal length at 200mm compare with Sony's 70-200 SSM II?
I have the A77ii and the Minolta 80-200mm 2.8 HS lens and it is AMAZING. Just to let you know about a few issues. The IBIS reduces micro contrast and sharpness with the Minolta lens. Turn it off and the images are sharper. Likely the focal length feedback from the lens is not accurate enough. Also Sony RAW files unfortunately are compressed. Really wish Sony would allow uncompressed RAW some day. Focus tracking on Sony works better if you turn the AF speed down to medium. This is not the speed of the motor, just the 'hyperness' of the camera trying to find focus. It is too 'hyper" on high and needs to be settled down. And the 12fps mode limits the aperture to f3.5 which makes no sense at all. My Rokinon 135mm f2 is CRAZY sharp as well. I reviewed the A77ii and the 80-200 Minolta on RUclips FYI.
PS, IBIS can compensate for rotational movements as well which no lens IS can.
you can match the lowlight of the 20mp sensor and the sony with noise reduction in post and pull the detail down to the 20mp mark and probably get even cleaner images
SAL13518CZ should be updated this year with SSM, better coating and weather sealing. I have used that lens and it has pop! Again, I love all of the old lenses except that I can't stand the noise of the screw drive. I told you about the Nikkor 105 f1/.4. That lens is a beast when it comes to compression!
I love mine except...I've been struggling for about 5 months on an intermittent issue with my a99ii. Seemingly at random, though slightly more often at higher temperatures and after several hours of use, my a99ii will get "stuck" writing an image to the card. I can continue to trigger the shutter, however nothing is being written to the card after the snag. I don't notice until I take my face away from the camera and can see that the writing to card light is stuck on. It will stay on indefinitely. If I try to enter review mode, or if I turn the camera off and on, that's when the glitch comes on fully and I loose complete control of the camera. Full on freeze. Only way to get it back is to pop out the battery, at which point it tells me there was an error writing to card, and it will have to recover data. Doing this, I regain control, but nothing after the snagged image shows up on the card.
I've been working back and forth with Sony Pro support- who claims that they cannot replicate the issue, so I'm wondering if anyone else out there has run into this issue? I've played with two other rentals from them, and it's happened with each body (3 total including mine).
To answer some initial tech questions upfront: No, it's not the buffer that I'm running up against. Yes, I'm using a SanDisk 300mb/s SDXC Class 10 card, and yes, the issue also happened with a similar quality Lexar card. Getting desperate for help as this is a huge inconvenience and has seriously damaged my performance on several professional jobs.
I shoot primarily in bracketed exposure, three single shots, at 3.0 EV differentials. However the issue has come up in the single shot drive mode while being used heavily at a wedding reception. Anyone out there run into anything remotely similar?
Snow, 50 mile race, 300 mile races .... i can't afford the time to hear biographies, weather reports or travel documentaries .... Some of us just need a summary of the results. I think you did a very important test! Please tell us here in the notes at what point in the video you do the summary? Thanks very much!
ps: Northrup actually provides a summary of results up front in their videos and then they also often provide a table of contents by topic and time. That is so excellent, I wish that all reviewers would adopt that policy. For example, if autofocus speed is a priority for me and the summary expresses concern about autofocus speed, then I can jump right to the section where they test autofocus.
Art Altman The end is practically a pig cast type Talk. First 10min were examples of us shooting. Listen to it while your doing something else to save time ;) most of my reviews have time tables at the start but this one was shot and laid out differently so that wouldn't have worked. This info is free, so if your not interested in sure where will be other comparison done the way you would like.
I appropriate the feedback I normally don't do these kind of videos normally I am out in the field getting paid to shoot. Tony tested the D5 and his version of sports testing was his daughter running down a dark hallway...
Just to be clear I admire your work a LOT. Just listened to an amazing comparison of laptops where you got into far more important details than any other I have seen (MacBook Pro vs Dell XPS vs Razor). Spot on! Thanks for the prompt response :-)
Hi Max/Paul, just thinking to upgrade from a77 to either a77ii or a99ii - a99ii seems appealing though I am not sure whether my old 35mm/aps-c lenses would work properly, e.g. tamron 150-600 / sigma 17-35/2.8-4.0 or even the original 16-50/2.8 kit lense that came with the a77.
You said you could "live with" 79 focus points while using the 80-200/2.8 minolta lens (same I own as well since 15+ years and its absolutely great) but isn't that wasting money forgiving the 390+ additional focus points? (I am not a sports photo guy but more an all-round type - sports, travel, family, nature/animals)
So, the D5 is 20.8 megapixel and the Sony a99ii is 42 megapixel. Try comparing when the a99ii is in APS-C mode, I would be willing to bet the numbers would be much closer.
I'm really interested in the older Minolta lens
Bradley Watson Which one ? I used almost all
eagleeye photo I'm looking at getting the 300mm f/2.8 APO HS and a 1.4x
Bradley Watson Oh the "beast", I used this lens for about 15 years, build like a tank , heavy can't go wrong with this one even on the very used version.(read as no cheap plastic parts and gears but made and built in Japan).I would take this one for birding or if you have to keep the distance from something that can eat you alive, not for walk around get gimbal or monopod .Rendition is amazing (today tipical consumer only want to know sharpness but this is not how to judge the lens), microcontrast, boekeh and color best out Sony 300 f2.8 and open is very sharp stopped down a litle to f4 tack sharp . The little brother 200mm f2.8 is still one of the best 200mm primes I have ever used.
Great video Max! Let me know if you ever travel closer down to Eugene. I'm a videographer and I'd love to help you film! Also, I always find it pretty gratifying to use older lenses on sony bodies. The quality you can get out of old glass is pretty amazing!
Eric Merrow Thanks for the offer! I'll keep that in mind if I come down to Eugene!
Thumbs up for Paul Nelson, good video.
Thanks!
Paul mentioned a Facebook site where images shot on the A99 II have been posted. What is the link to that site?
I need to get that up! Ive been busy with work :)
Hey Max, I'm just really curious what settings did you guys use when shooting with the a99ii for focusing. Was it set to center with AF speed on fast and af track set to high?
I used 9 point on the D5 and Expanded flexible spot on the Sony. We kept the focus in the center of the camera
Thanks for responding Paul! I'm a fan of your work too!
One question: when you did the low light AF test, were you using only the central point? Because only this point is really able to focus at -4EV. Trying to do that with any other ponit or AF mode (wide, area, whatever) would be kinda misleading.
wirton araujo we used a small central cluster on both, as that was waster than using just 1 point. That way the camera had an option of focusing on the nose or eyes or face and sped things up. This was very low light. 2.8 1/100th and ISO 12800 but still underexposed
I enjoyed the video lot. Nice work guys.
Cactus Tweeter Thanks Cactus!
Great video guys!
+Max Yuryev , have you tried this Minolta lens on e-mount?
Does it work with Sony A to E convertor?
Awesome he had the FDR X3000 mounted on top of his A99ii
That's an interesting video with some very helpful observations. Thank you.
What's that doodad mounted on your hotshoe?
The new Sony Action Cam
Question/comment for Paul - he said the Nikon D5's 4k crop was "almost like micro-four thirds" - I thought it was 1.5x, just the same as what you guys shot the a99 II in?
+Max Yuryev Hmm, for the low light the lens often makes a big difference. I wonder if T-stop is quite different on those two lenses. Focusing systems tend to have a sharp cutoffs in performance, that is an f/2.8 amount of light might be snappy still but f/4 start hunting like mad, maybe if the T-stops are right by the cutoff it could be pushing one way or the other.
Thanks for the video guys. I have a99 and I usually use soft, I mean very soft brush to take care of the dust on sensor and the translucent mirror. I have tried everything but I think soft brush works the best for me.
hey max for cinematic video would you say the a99ii or the gh5? in terms of what you can do in post and grading
Sony's have noticeably better dynamic range and larger sensor so that gives advantage to make it easier to get a cinematic look (by what most consider cinematic). That doesn't mean you can't with GH5 but I think its easier with Sony.
Max Yuryev thanks Max so you don't think the 4:2:2 and 10bit recording capabilities of the GH5 make it more capable than the Sony a99ii? Seeing as the sony is 4:2:0 and 8 bit? Thank you for helping me bro
If you do HEAVY grading and/or greenscreen with heavy VFX work then yes it would help, for what many do it won't really matter. Sure shooting LOG it does help with banding if you have fine gradations in your shots but I wouldn't really want to shoot LOG with the GH4/5 anyways because the DR isn't a big improvement over Cine-D anyways (about 1 stop better) where the Sony's you have a 2-3 stop difference with S-Log3. On top of that the M43 footage is really noisy with LOG and you'll need to overexpose and de-noise each shot to get good looking footage, where on the Sony you'll only need to in certain shots (it is much better in lowlight). If you're going to go through all that trouble (time&money) to denoise and grade your images and deal with poor lowlight then the project must be worth it, and in that case you might as well rent a Ursa Mini or Red Raven that will be easier to grade and have much better dynamic range than the GH5 while offering RAW and ProRes. That 10bit doesn't make a huge difference for the GH4/5 honestly. It would make a bigger difference for the Sony but even then you don't NEED it for most of the stuff that regular people do with these cameras.
What do you guys think of the Dpreview review of the A99ii? Their findings on af weren't great.
HEY! Is the fixed 3.5 fstop still a thing for autofocusing on video? or did they fix that?
They did not I just manual focus everything. It's really easy with focus peaking
Did they do anything about the issues with the A99ii and the aperture in video? Seems like a great camera with one big glaring issue.
The Emo Emu I don't think so, I was told it's a limitation of the camera.
What was on the hot shoe of your cameras? tracking device?
Nope, camera: amzn.to/2kkybFN
25:55 Are you sure the D5 "almost goes down to micro four thirds in 4K"? AFAIK it goes to crop 2,2x, which is even SMALLER than micro 4/3.
Great study. So for an a7rii, which laea adapter to use with that old minolta?
You shot that video with a A6300???? The quality is outstanding! How did you managed the battery life in 4k?
12:50 You can select between uncompressed and compresssed RAW, so there are two settings in full-frame mode.
Sony does not have such thing as small RAW, thats true, but to be honest: Is a "small RAW" a RAW anymore? Because by definition you should get the unprocessed and uninterpreted sensor data.
I really enjoyed this and the A9 video. Both are great. I hope you make more videos together.
hi max...i want to change my canon 6d and buy new camera...what do you think?i stuck between sony a6500 and panasonic g85...which one is better?...i need great photo quality and sharp 4k video for fashion and indi video clips like music video and short films...please help me to choose...thanks a lot max
If you need great photo and video then a6500. We will have a comparison video coming up between the two cameras so make sure your subbed with notifications enabled.
tnx max i'm waiting for that ;)
would like to know the tracking setting he used for the D5 please
great test shots i enjoyed
D5 colors especially on the low light shots were amazingly good compared to the sony, thats always my problem with sony, its not the WB fault only...
thanks for video - would go with Nikon D5 - more lenses better resell value
The high ISO shots from the A99II have more detail, 20mp on the D5 is very little these days. And the A99II video was also a lot sharper.
Could you share your preferred AF settings relative to Tracking Sensitivity and AF Drive Speed? Thanks
Two Twenty Studios sure thing! I will get them to you tonight
Thanks! Thrilled with my A99II. Like you. I also have a soft spot - started with the A77 and then the A99 before moving almost entirely to E Mount. Good to be back!
Is that a camera mounted on the external flash connector?
Yes, you see some of the footage from the Sony action cam in the video.
Thank you for the video, helped me to make final decision about a99ii.
the 80-200 is one of the hardest lenses to get a hold of because it is so good.
Ebay Japan is where I got it :)
Paul Nelson Ive always seen it there, i never knew import tax into the uk was so low, looks like i will be reselling my month old sigma 70-200 soon
Paul Nelson Did you try 200 f2.8 HSS? White paint will get off ,but the rest is solit metal and glass , it is one of the best lenses Minolta made.
Hi Max, very interesting comparison, anyway you didn't talk about the viewfinder performances, I'm shooting wildlife mostly birds (small ones...) with the a6300 (good camera) but I was very disappointed with it, the lag make it somteimes a useless camera for that purpose, what about the a99ii? Thanks a lot.
Great perspective on the camera from a pro. I think more people should look to those that can push cameras to their limit. I plan to use the A99II with heavy manual glass for products and portraits (the grip is awkward on my A7II), but the Minolta alternatives for cheap zooms were great recommendations for those of us that use AF sparingly.
Great information guys! I was shocked to see the older Minolta... perform better than the new Sony 70-200 f2.8. I wonder if Sony will eventually put all this technology into the smaller bodies of the 7RII with the anticipated a9 model? However, that said does doing away with the Translucent mirror, take away the fast focusing for things like sports? Would it really matter with a full mirrorless system like the a7RII or future versions? Sure buffering system and shooting raw right now up to 12 fps on the a99II vs a a7RII would be an issue but eventually, with what ever Sony is working on for a high end E mount body? That's what I'm really looking forward too. Nice to see comparisons like this of high end Nikon's vs. Sony systems. Thanks for the video and tests!!
Was kinda hard to follow what "This" and "that" camera was all the time, but I'm assuming you were talking about the A99ii at the end? :p I have the camera right next to my keyboard here and I'm quite satisfied atleast :)
Marius Volden Yes sorry!
I have the 135 f/1.8, and I use it on the a7+LA-EA4. AF-S is acceptable, AF-C is a joke. If you have 2 camera bodies like I do, you can use another camera to track moving subjects and the 135 f/1.8 for non-moving subjects. The image it produces is phenomenally good.
The LA-EA4's biggest issue isn't the AF points (which work reasonably well), but it doesn't have the high torque screw drive AF motor you get in the semi pro series bodies. With the high torque motor it is actually really quite decent. An A99 would work significantly better with that lens and IQ would be essentially identical.
Matt de Byl LA-EA4 works well in bright daylight. However, with the 135ZA attached, its AF capability is worse than the D750 with Sigma 150-600 at 600mm f/6.3! (I was surprised when I found out myself)
I really wish that Sony updates the LA-EA systems in the near future.
+Aaron Yang I have the A7II & a77II which are worlds apart in AF speed. i have the LA-EA3 & LA-EA4. I just figured i buy only A mount lenses and use them adapted on E mount. A mount bodies are still the fastest in AF so i figured fast action i'll shoot with A and with the E it doesn't quite matter if the af is slower if i use it for static/studio work and rarely for fast action. I was hoping for a LA-EA4 replacement too as it speeds up AF on the a7/a7II as it's own AF system is SLOOOW. but i don't think it is their interest to keep it going as they'd rather we'd all buy GM lenses at $2k a pop than promote old minolta lenses even though they are just as good and in many cases better...
Hi! Sony a99 ii dim lcd when recording 4k video?Like Sony a7s ii.
Nope
do you know if they make a battery grip specific for the a99ii
Brandon Kapana yes, same grip as the a77ii
shooting 2 x a99ii's for weddings, did you notice with yours how bad they are at extreme lowlight autofocus? I am an ex Nikon D750 shooter and they locked first time every time, the A99ii really struggles
I found the A99-2 to struggle a little with subjects that are white in low light. What are your settings?
Afs, centre point focus, center weighted metering, manual mode. Tried with the tamron 70-200usd and saw 70200g2 same problem. are there any other settings I should look at
My settings- Balance Emphasis, AF Speed Fast, AF Track Speed 4, AFS Priority AF, let me know if that helps
This is for AFS and AFC
They didn't put in xqd slots??? Come on Sony!!
Doesn't it make more sense to compare it to the D810? They're in the same price range, the D5 is almost double as much
We're not comparing by price but more by specs. The A99ii is kinda like a two in one D810 and D5 best of both and also much better video features as well!
Would that Minolta lens mount and work on the a7 series cameras?
Only with adapter from Sony/Minolta A mount to Sony E mount
you will need the LA-EA4 adapter from sony.
Croo ookie or use the LA-EA3 adaper and focus manually
Very cool, thanks guys
Croo ookie LA-EA4 adapter with mirror 15 focus points and all metal made old Minolta will serve you for years.
Still missing a a77iii... so long sony, i'm with nikon now
they say this camera 's sensor attacks dust like no other, is this true?
No doubt about it, the latest camera isn't going to make you a better photographer, just a poorer one financially. I'm really over the marketing hype that implies the latest and greatest camera from Sony, Nikon etc. will make you a better photographer.
still have the same video auto focus issue?
Yes, but D5 can't eve AF in video.
Yes its a hardware limitation of the translucent mirror system.
But it isn't. It's a self-imposed Sony design choice - you can take a F/1.4 lens and put something (tape) over the aperture control holding it wide open, and put it back on the camera and it will AF wide open in video mode. I did this with an a99 I had and others have reported the same thing. Basically Sony just hasn't updated their code from the a57/a77 days, or felt the sudden AF in video mode at apertures faster than F/3.5 looked bad. One can only speculate.
Where are the colors of that sony :D I use the 7r2 and I think it makes better colors in video and stills. Those samples from A99II looked like a lot of noise reduction is added and the colors are washed out(video and stills).
Well... it is 1 stop behind. No surprises. :)
Also I was disappointed by the video of the A99II compared to the D5(which is not a video shooter) not in terms of detail but in terms of colours. There is something wrong maybe with the settings.
thank you for this great review
What a strange thing to do: compare images on the back of the camera!