Sony a99 II vs Sony a57

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a99 II and Sony a57. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Sony.

Sony a99 II were released 2016 and Sony a57 was released 2012. That is a 4 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a99 II 2016
Sony a57 2012

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a99 II has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Sony a57 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a99 II 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Sony a57 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)

Resolution

Sony a99 II has a 42 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a57 has 16 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a99 II 42 MP
42177408 pixels
7952 x 5304
Sony a57 16 MP
16032768 pixels
4912 x 3264

Sony a99 II has a 163 % larger resolution than Sony a57. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Sony a99 II has a larger ISO-range than Sony a57. Sony a99 II has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Sony a57 has 100 to 16000.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a99 II 100-25600
Sony a57 100-16000

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a99 II
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a57

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a99 II can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds and Sony a57 can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a99 II 12
Sony a57 12

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Sony a99 II and Sony a57 can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a99 II weighs 849 gr (equal to 1.87 lb) which is 37% heavier than Sony a57 and its 618 gr (or 1.36 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a99 II 849 gr
1.87 lb
Sony a57 618 gr
1.36 lb

Sony a99 II vs Sony a57 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a99 II and Sony a57, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
Name Sony a99 II Sony a57
Manufacturer Sony Sony
Release Date and Price
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
Release Year 2016 2012
Release Date 2016-09-19 2012-03-13
MSRP 3199 USD 699 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
Camera Type SLT SLT
Sensor
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
Sensor Size Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)
Sensor Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Resolution 7952 x 5304 pixels 4912 x 3264 pixels
Megapixels 42 MP 16 MP
Image Processor Bionz X Bionz
Image
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
ISO Range 100 - 25600 100 - 16000
White Balance Presets 10 9
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift (5-axis for stills and video))
Yes
(Sensor-Shift)
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 399 15
Lens Mount Sony A

See Compatible Lenses
Sony A

See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier Full frame
No multiplier
Example:
24 mm remains 24 mm
50 mm remains 50 mm
100 mm remains 100 mm
200 mm remains 200 mm
APS-C Sensor (1.5x)
1.5x multiplier
Example:
24 mm becomes 36 mm
50 mm becomes 75 mm
100 mm becomes 150 mm
200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
Articulated LCD Tilting Fully articulated
Screen size 3” 3”
Screen dots 1228800 921000
Touch screen No No
Screen type WhiteMagic TFT LCD Xtra Fine TFT drive with TruBlack technology
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 1.04× (0.69× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A N/A
Photography features
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
Frames per second 12 fps 12 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash No Yes
Built-in Flash Range N/A 10 meters
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No No
Metering modes Multi
Center Weighted
Highlight Weighted
Spot
Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
XAVC-S
AVCHD
MPEG4
H.264
AVCHD
Video resolution 1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
1440 x 1080
1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone Yes Yes
Built-in Speakers Yes Yes
Storage
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port Yes No
Headphone Port Yes No
Wireless Yes
Built-in (802.11/b/g/n with NFC)
Yes
Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control Yes (wired, wireless, or smartphone) Yes (Optional)
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony a99 II
Sony a57
Enviromentally sealed Yes No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details NP-FM500H lithium-ion battery & charger
Rechargeable NP-FM500H battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 490 shots 550 shots
Width 143 mm 132 mm
Height 104 mm 98 mm
Depth 76 mm 81 mm
Weight 849 gram 618 gram