Search the Community

I am having issues with the latch on my external flash not locking. Is there a repair for this or a quick fix? Shooting this weekend and my local stores do not carry the flash, not to mention it's a pricey flash to replace if there is a fix. ANY help or direction is welcome!!

BMX Racing nationals in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Shot taken with Sony A99 and Sony 24-70 f2.8 ZA SSM

With Sony A99 and the fantastic Tamron 70-200mm f2.8

A lake full of swans before sunset, with some awesome clouds rolling in. Shot this near Ormož, Slovenia with Sony a99 and ZA 24-70 f2.8 SSM

An interesting update! Impelled by GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), yesterday I visited the Sony Store on the lot of Sony Pictures Studios. See pics here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.735923973210728.1073741834.100003793952479&type=1&l=5be36c2bde I wanted to buy an A7Rii but they were out of stock. I asked a store employee about the arrival of the A6100 and he replied that he was not aware of this camera but would check online. He then went to sonyalpharumors.com (LOL) and exclaimed, "Yes! An A6100 is coming soon!" I then asked if they had any A99's for a reasonable price. He replied that they only had a demo that they could sell for $1,500, however he wouldn't recommend buying it because the A99m2 is coming soon! I asked if he was sure of that fact and he said, "A trusted Sony insider told him that the A99m2 is coming soon and that he (the insider) is excited because he's a photographer and is looking forward to using it!"

I have a number of lenses for my a550 but I get a number of water spots when shooting with my el cheapo Sony SAL1855. I think I have narrowed it down to that lens but have tried cleaning the front of the lens and both sides of the clear filter and the spots seem to continue. I'm afraid to clean the inner part of the lens and wouldn't know how to clean inside the camera on the mirror or whatever. Any suggestions.

If anybody out there has an a99 (not an a99II or ANY other Sony camera) please test it with a non dedicated Sony flash at 1/250s shutter speed and tell me if you get a shutter-shadow as if you set your camera above the maximum advertised sync speed of 1/250... like the shadow you would get if you set it at 1/320s (without HSS). Feel free to use both the hot shoe and/or PC connection on the side of the camera. Both connections produce the same result for me. I have two a99s with this problem and after searching (a99 flash sync problem) on the web it appears I'm not alone, several people have had this problem. I've been told this is normal If I'm not using a dedicated Sony on-camera flash. I don't think this is normal. You shouldn't have to use a Sony on-camera dedicated flash to achieve the 1/250s spec advertised sync speed. This is the first Sony/Minolta camera to have a standard universal hot shoe to use aftermarket lighting, it'd be ridiculous to limit the sync speed for doing so. I have previously received input, theories and comments regarding this issue but no actual testing. And some people have said after testing all their Sony cameras they don't have this problem... but they didn't test an a99... So I'd greatly appreciate it if a few people did some testing with their a99. Please do the test indoors in a dimly lit room. It probably won't be noticeable outdoors in daylight. I appreciate any help.

This is my firs post, hope its in the right area?... For several years I have been using defective a99s. I call them defective because they don't flash sync at the advertised 1/250s (non-HSS), in fact even at 1/200s there is still a faint shutter shadow. Its not until I slow it down to 1/160s does the "shutter-to-fast" shadow go away. After researching this to be a common problem with the a99 I have just dealt with it. HOWEVER, I just discovered something interesting! I recently acquired a Hasselblad HV which is basically an a99 with an upgraded external makeover with no changes to the internals... Or so I thought. Just for the heck of it I did a shutter/flash speed test and the HV syncs just fine up to 1/250s. So now I wonder if all a99s have the sync problem or is it limited to some. I would think there would be a major recall or more outcry regarding this problem. Strangely the people that have written internet reviews that described this a99 problem don't think it's much of a big deal. If you have an a99 please test it and let me know your results. Again this is without HSS on. I have done tests using the hot shoe, using the PC plug on the side of the camera, with several brands of flash, wireless systems etc.

My a-mount dinosaur photo, inspired by Greg Watermann. Inspired and very much anti-E. Shot by my a5100 pocket camera. Why mirrorless adapter, you might ask... As I'm waiting for a99II, I have to borrow A7rII for some shoots in extra bad lighting.

Hello everyone, I've released my new timelapse Urban Conformation 74:19: Enjoy

Hello everyone, My new timelapse Urban Conformation 74:19: <iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/143657394" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/143657394">Urban Conformation 74:19 [Florian Rouzaud Cornabas]</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/florianrouzaudcornabas">Florian Rouzaud Cornabas</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p> Enjoy

This is not a scientific test. I shot same scene in RAW with a99 + 70-200 f2.8 GII (1/250; f3.2; ISO 6400; EV comp -0.7; lens zoomed to 200mm end) and with A7RII + 300 mm f2.8 G (1/250; f3.2; ISO 4000; EV comp -0.7). I shot both photos in manual mode, auto ISO. Imported to Lightroom CC, just cropped out about the same fragment and exported. Notice that A7RII used ISO 4000 instead of a99's ISO 6400. I believe, that third-to-half stop loss in mirror causes this compensation. Left A99; Right A7R II

rear control wheel rubber broke after 150k shots and 28 months of use

Shot this portrait at f1.4, using beautiful new Art class lens from Sigma. This is best value 50mm lens in Sony FF system by far IMO.

I shot with borrowed a7r2 whole day, ca 1400 frames. My main camera is a99 for last 2.5 years (i got two bodies), shooting them in average 70 000 shots per year. Now I used LA-EA3 and my a-mount lenses, 24-70 mm ZA, 70-200 G2 and 300 mm f2.8 G. All of my work was in-doors and stage photography. So, here are my quick observations. Pros IQ is absolutely superior to a99. Biggest difference in low light, for example at ISO 6400. Subjectively 2 stops at least. new focusing system works pretty well. Very low rate of out-of focus shots, most are tack sharp. despite of rumors, 300mm f2.8 G focuses fast and accurately EV compensation control is great! Tactile and accessible. Much better that a99 button plus wheel combination. Live highlight zebra is very useful in combination with fast EV compensation Cons Body size is ridiculously small. My fingers got heavy toll, operating such a small body with bigger lens. Not comfortable at all. Shutter button still in unnatural location. back-plane buttons (review, function, etc) small, hard to find without looking to camera. Battery life is super short. Almost unusably short. Thats because body is small and battery is sooo tiiinyy. Exactly the same battery what is found in my a5100. Shutter lag. I shoot ballet and timing is essential. There is definitely something wrong with that. Missed 5x more jumps and fast moving positions etc what usually with my a99. I used front e-shuter mode. Image review slow. Usually I switch auto-review off, because I have effects-on on the EVF. Still, during the shoot I tried to check photos, abt 50% times, camera was busy, writing files, not able to preview, This was really slowing my work down. Magnification is also painfully slow. a7r2 + la-ea3 does not support my favourite 50 mm prime, Sigma 50 mm f1.4 Art. new focus area modes like expand flexible spot not available, using a-mount lenses can't move flexible AF spot around during the shoot charger is slow and flimsy. Dual-battery charger with quick-charge capabilities with this camera is needed. Conclusion a7-family body is not there in usability and UX scale. Most of the technology is sorted out ina7r2, sensor is superior, but body too small. Waiting for a9 or a99II. If Sony builds mirror-less a99II, I would consider it.

Tested Cameras: Sony A99 with Minolta 50mm F1.4 Sony A7R + Sony LA-EA4 Adaptor +with Minolta F1.4 Sony RX100 mk2 - Photos taken on a tripod. Steady Shot is off for all cameras - Apertures are F8 for A99 & A7R. Its F6.3 for RX100 mk2 (which is its sweet spot). - Photos below are 1:2 crops side by side from focus point. - Enviroment were dark. EV is 0 for all cameras. Brightness in RX100 photos are due to its backlit CMOS sensor. ISO 400 ISO 800 ISO 1600: ISO 3200: ISO 6400: ISO 12800

This is my first submission on SAR! Here are some of the pictures from my first trip to China in January. Taken either in the Summer Palace or in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Shot with a Sony A99. Flickr 500px