Sony A99 II PDF User Manual
Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II? It happens all too easily, but fortunately Sony makes a soft copy available that you can browse through online, print out, or download (see the pdf file below). It is certainly good practice to carefully familiarize oneself with the many different functionalities and options that the A99 II offers, and the official user manual is without doubt an authoritative and comprehensive source of respective information.
That said, the instruction booklet can be a dry read, so that a dedicated camera guide book from a professional photographer that illustrates the camera's core functions in a real life photography context can be a very helpful complement. Yes, getting one of these camera guides (see here at amazon) would involve an additional expense, but if that book helps to exploit the camera's potential to the full, the (small) additional investment may well be worth it.
Also, you might want to check out the video tutorial on the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II below.
In any case, the A99 II is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera was officially introduced on September 19th, 2016, which means that, as of today, the camera is 2971 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued, but there has not been a direct replacement model for the A99 II from Sony.
Sony's help guide for the A99 II
The camera's help guide is 413 pages long. The pdf version is embedded below. As you browse through, you will hopefully find the information you are looking for. You can also print out a hard copy by right clicking on the manual and then choosing the respective menu option. For convenience, a summary of the key specs of the A99 II is included towards the bottom of this webpage.
Don't forget to bookmark this page for future reference (Ctrl-Shift-D on a Windows PC; Cmd-Shift-D on a Mac). Happy browsing!
Click on the button below to download the pdf version of the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II manual to your computer. The file will open in a new browser window.
If you prefer to read the user guide in another language, please check the respective availability on Sony's support site. That site also provides complementary online resources, such as information on the compatibility of various camera accessories or the availability of firmware updates that are not necessarily comprehensively covered in the instruction manual.
Printed, hardcopy versions of the Sony A99 II manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.
Video tutorial for the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II
Perhaps instead of reading through a manual or operations guide, you might prefer to better familiarize yourself with your A99 II by watching a video tutorial. It can notably help to quickly get to know the key functions and to set up your camera according to your particular preferences and needs.
Once again, the Sony A99 II is a sophisticated imaging tool and not exploiting its capabilities to the full would be a pity. Hence, taking the time to study online information material or to read through a well-written camera guide book is highly recommended to make the most of your purchase.
Sony A99 II FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the A99 II.
What technology is the imaging sensor in the Sony A99 II based on?
The camera is build around a BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.
Which image processing chip is used in the Sony A99 II to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Sony equipped the A99 II with the BIONZ X image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony A99 II?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-25600.
Does the Sony A99 II have a selfie-friendly screen?
Yes, the LCD-screen of the A99 II is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II?
Sony mentions a shutter rating of 300 000 actuations for the A99 II. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the A99 II over, say, three years, one would have to take about 300 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Sony A99 II?
Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your A99 II has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.
Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Sony A99 II?
The A99 II offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.
Does the Sony A99 II feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Sony A99 II for flash photography?
The A99 II's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.
Does the Sony A99 II support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?
Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).
Which battery does the Sony A99 II use?
The camera gets its power from the Sony NP-FM500H (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Sony A99 II?
Yes, Sony offers the VG-C99AM as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Further reading
How does the A99 II stack up against available alternatives? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon M200 vs Sony A9 II
- Canon XC10 vs Sony A99 II
- Fujifilm GFX 100S vs Sony A9 II
- Nikon B700 vs Sony A99 II
- Nikon Coolpix A vs Sony A99 II
- Nikon D750 vs Sony A9 II
- Olympus E-1 vs Sony A99 II
- Olympus E-PL10 vs Sony A9 II
- Panasonic FZ1000 II vs Sony A99 II
- Panasonic G90 vs Sony A99 II
- Panasonic S1R vs Sony A9 II
- Sony A7C R vs Sony A9 II
Core camera specifications
Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Sony Alpha ALT-A99 II.
Camera Model | Sony A99 II | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Sony A mount lenses | |
Launch Date | September 2016 | |
Launch Price | USD 3 199 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | BSI-CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 35.9 x 24.0 mm | |
Sensor Area | 862 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 43.2 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 42.2 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 7 952 x 5 304 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 4.52 μm | |
Pixel Density | 4.90 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | no AA filter | |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 25 600 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 50 - 25 600 ISO | |
Image Processor | BIONZ X | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 92 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 25.4 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.4 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 2317 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2400k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 1229k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Fully flexible screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | Front-flip possible | |
Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 12 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 300 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
UHS card support | UHS-I | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FM500H power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 490 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
143 x 104 x 76 mm (5.6 x 4.1 x 3.0 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 849 g (29.9 oz) |
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