p.1 #1 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
Hi:
One of my quirky interest is in shooting manual focus lens on DSLR or film SLR, for their shooting experience. The other night, I was talking to Gemini pro, asking "it" what out of the left field cameras that will be fun to shoot with, don't cost a lot of money, and a good platform for manual focus lenses. To my surprise, Gemini's answer was Sony A900 and A99. The first for its big optical viewfinder, and the latter for its upgraded sensor. I'm not familiar with the pricing of the A-mount lenses. I primarily shoot prime lenses between 28mm and 50mm. My go-to setup nowadays is a Nikon D780 and the Zeiss Nikon mount ZF manual focus lens, with the 35mm f2 almost glued to the camera.
I wonder for a fun project, what kind of "new" experience can the A900 bring to the table? I would appreciate your input.
p.1 #2 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
I've had both of those cameras and they are both great. I especially loved the A900; it handled like a dream and, as you mentioned, superb viewfinder.
A-mount lenses are available just about every focal length and price point. Some of them perform very well even by today's standards. Although I no longer have an a-mount body, I have held on to two of my favorite 'fun' lenses: the 200mm ƒ2.8 APO and the 500mm ƒ8 AF Reflex.
p.1 #3 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
I still have an A900 & A99II with a full complement of lenses. Since I usually am a long-range shooter, the 300f2.8, 70/400, and 500f4 are exceptional. The A99II is far superior to the 99 in sensor and auto focus. It doesn't give up much to the newer cameras. The 900 is a bit clunky with its mechanical shutter, but its viewfinder is top-tier. I am comparing it to my A9III and A1, which can use A-mount glass with different adapters.
p.1 #4 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
There was some special color going on with the original Minolta lenses and the a900. Fabulous look. ISO1600 is kinda pushing it, but at base ISO it was quite lovely.
I still love the 100/2. My favorite portrait lens. I use it with the LA-EA5 on my a7IV. Added the 24-70/2.8 and a 70-200/2.8. Great way to get f/2.8 lenses for cheap.
p.1 #5 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
mogul wrote:
I still have an A900 & A99II with a full complement of lenses. Since I usually am a long-range shooter, the 300f2.8, 70/400, and 500f4 are exceptional. The A99II is far superior to the 99 in sensor and auto focus. It doesn't give up much to the newer cameras. The 900 is a bit clunky with its mechanical shutter, but its viewfinder is top-tier. I am comparing it to my A9III and A1, which can use A-mount glass with different adapters.
@mogul Do you by chance own a Mino 80-200/2.8 G HS (white version)?
@mikegao The a900 is a dream to shoot—simple, fantastic ergo and lovely OVF. The colors on the camera are probably my favorite of any camera I’ve shot.
By all modern standards, the camera is pedestrian at best. Having said that, I shot one a couple years ago and still had files that I liked and thought it was a nice experience with the understanding of older sensors and only center-point AF in AF-S really being good—lots of focus and recompose.
The a99 is less special I think but still fun to pick up.
A-mount has some really fantastic glass too—late Mino renders wonderfully
p.1 #6 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
The a900 has fantastic OOC colors, but pretty much any ISO setting is going to be noisier than you'd expect. The OVF is spectacular, but you pay for it in the mirror-slap heard 'round the world. The a99 may not be as special, and you give up a great OVF for a just decent EVF, but it will make using manual lenses easier (I shot mostly Leitaxed Leica R lenses on both it and the a900 and was thrilled to move up the the a99). The sensor in the a99 was the same on in the original a7 and a7II, so front-side illuminated and, again, a bit noisier than you may be accustomed to. The a99II offers the 42MP BSI sensor found in the a7rII and III, which I feel is the best overall sensor Sony's implemented in their cameras to date, so I'd recommend looking at that one, too. Unfortunately, there was no EVF upgrade with that model, so it won't make a ton of difference to your focusing.
There is some great Minolta and Sony-branded glass for the system. I still use the Zony 24/2, Sony-branded 50/2.8 Macro, and the Minolta 80-200/2.8 (first model, all black with the decent focus throw) and love them, and you can easily adapt M42 to A, but everything else that will work requires a mount change. It's certainly not the most flexible SLR mount for adaptation.
p.1 #7 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
Never owned the 80/200, supposed to be good. I do have the sony 70/200 (rebadged Minolta ssm) sharper than given credit for.. Those old film lenses do have a lot of purple fringing. I still own the 600f4, sharp but suffers from PF.
p.1 #8 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Do you by chance own a Mino 80-200/2.8 G HS (white version)?
Quite a lovely lens. I've owned it a couple times. Ultimately gave it up for a 70-200mm GM. But the 80-200mm can make nice images and delivers the beautiful/distinctive Minolta colors/rendering.
p.1 #9 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
MikeEvangelist wrote:
Quite a lovely lens. I've owned it a couple times. Ultimately gave it up for a 70-200mm GM. But the 80-200mm can make nice images and delivers the beautiful/distinctive Minolta colors/rendering.
Here's the lens and a few shots from it.
Yes, it really is a lovely lens. I’ve owned several copies of it since about 2008. I picked it up again two years ago because I enjoyed it so much. But with an LAEA5, I’m pretty sure the motor drives are not as fast as when shot on the a99 and a900. Even with the lens cap on and just racking from infinity to MFD and back seems significantly slower. I was hoping that Mogul could check the speed on a a99ii versus adapted for crippled speed.
Some old files from the Mino 80-200/2.8 on an a900
p.1 #10 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
The A900 was the first digital camera that had enough resolution to be (mostly) satisfying on the amount of detail captured in my landscapes, and I have fond memories of my time with it (16 years ago already). It felt great in hand. My two favorite lenses were the Minolta 100mm f/2 and the 200mm f/2.8 APO.
p.1 #11 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Yes, it really is a lovely lens. I’ve owned several copies of it since about 2008. I picked it up again two years ago because I enjoyed it so much. But with an LAEA5, I’m pretty sure the motor drives are not as fast as when shot on the a99 and a900. Even with the lens cap on and just racking from infinity to MFD and back seems significantly slower. I was hoping that Mogul could check the speed on a a99ii versus adapted for crippled speed.
Some old files from the Mino 80-200/2.8 on an a900
I can verify that for you. The LAEA-5 uses a smaller motor with less torque and the control mechanism isn't as subtle, so it's both slower and less accurate.
p.1 #12 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
freaklikeme wrote:
I can verify that for you. The LAEA-5 uses a smaller motor with less torque and the control mechanism isn't as subtle, so it's both slower and less accurate.
Thanks Brad. The Mino 80-200/2.8 HS was blazing on the a99 and a900, but those AF modules were basic. With tracking and modern AF, I would have purchased an 100/2 and 80-200/2.8 and possibly ZA 135/1.8 but the LAEA5 experience was meh.
P.s. still have the Mino 100/2.8 you recommended—it’s great.
p.1 #13 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Thanks Brad. The Mino 80-200/2.8 HS was blazing on the a99 and a900, but those AF modules were basic. With tracking and modern AF, I would have purchased an 100/2 and 80-200/2.8 and possibly ZA 135/1.8 but the LAEA5 experience was meh.
P.s. still have the Mino 100/2.8 you recommended—it’s great.
Our former Sony rep at work called the 5 the "it's better than nothing" adapter released to ebb the complaints about them ending A-mount production.
Minolta was incapable of making a bad macro, I think. From SR to A, they've all been great, but the A trio (50/2.8, 100/2.8, and 200/4) are special.
p.1 #15 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
freaklikeme wrote:
Our former Sony rep at work called the 5 the "it's better than nothing" adapter released to ebb the complaints about them ending A-mount production.
Minolta was incapable of making a bad macro, I think. From SR to A, they've all been great, but the A trio (50/2.8, 100/2.8, and 200/4) are special.
I appreciate knowing that my suspicion was correct. I asked a couple years ago on these forms if the focus motors on that adapter were crippled, but got no response.
I used to shoot the 50/2.8 macro on a900 and a99 and loved it
Aug 29, 2025 at 09:37 AM
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p.1 #16 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
A99 is 2012 should be pretty modern iq. Not sure about DR, high iso should be pretty good though.
p.1 #17 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
How well is manual focussing supported on these cameras? The old manual focus SLRs had split screens and micro prisms as focussing aids. I found it difficult to focus with the stock screen of my old Pentax DSLRs. I butchered old SLRs for their split screens, cut them to size and installed them in the DSLRs which wirked fine then.
p.1 #18 · Can you tell me more about Sony A900 and A99
Altglas wrote:
How well is manual focussing supported on these cameras? The old manual focus SLRs had split screens and micro prisms as focussing aids. I found it difficult to focus with the stock screen of my old Pentax DSLRs. I butchered old SLRs for their split screens, cut them to size and installed them in the DSLRs which wirked fine then.
I had the M focusing screen for the a900 and it was good to work with for manual focusing. The overall brightness of the OVF helped a lot as well. No spitscreen available for it commercially, but there used be a guy in Taiwan who modified screens for various models. I don't know if he's still in business.
