Sony A99 PDF User Manual
Did you lose or misplace the instruction manual that came with your Sony Alpha SLT-A99? 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 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.
In any case, the A99 is an advanced imaging tool, whose many features merit serious attention. This DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera was revealed to the public on September 12th, 2012, which means that, as of today, the camera is 4395 days old (young?). The camera has meanwhile been discontinued and was succeeded by the Sony A99 as a replacement in the same line of cameras.
Sony's instruction manual for the A99
The camera's instruction manual is 100 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 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 SLT-A99 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 manual can sometimes be found online. You can check the availability on amazon and ebay via the buttons below.
Sony A99 FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the A99.
What technology is the imaging sensor in the Sony A99 based on?
The camera features a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.
Which image processing chip is used in the Sony A99 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Sony equipped the A99 with the BIONZ X image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony A99?
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 have a selfie-friendly screen?
Yes, the LCD-screen of the A99 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 SLT-A99?
Sony mentions a shutter rating of 200 000 actuations for the A99. 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 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 200 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Sony A99?
Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your A99 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?
The A99 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 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 for flash photography?
The A99's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.
Does the Sony A99 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 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?
Yes, Sony offers the VG-C99AM as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Does the Sony A99 support geotagging?
The A99 has a built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) module and can embed location information in the EXIF data of the captured image.
Further reading
How does the A99 stack up against available alternatives? In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
Core camera specifications
Here is a list of the main features and technical characteristics of the Sony Alpha SLT-A99.
Camera Model | Sony A99 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Sony A mount lenses | |
Launch Date | September 2012 | |
Launch Price | USD 2 799 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 35.8 x 23.8 mm | |
Sensor Area | 852 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 43 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 6 000 x 4 000 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 5.96 μm | |
Pixel Density | 2.82 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | 1080/60p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 25 600 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 50 - 25 600 ISO | |
Image Processor | BIONZ X | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 89 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 25.0 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 14.0 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1555 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2359k 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 | 6 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 200 000 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 | mini HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | |
Geotagging | GPS built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FM500H power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 500 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
147 x 111 x 78 mm (5.8 x 4.4 x 3.1 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 812 g (28.6 oz) |
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