Canon 1DX Mark II vs Sony A99 II

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Canon 1DX Mark II vs Sony A99 II

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35mm 864.0mm²
20.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Canon 1DX Mark II Review.
How does it shoot? Canon 1DX Mark II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 1DX Mark II.
Compare Canon 1DX Mark II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon 1DX Mark II conclusion.

35mm 861.6mm²
42.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A99 II Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A99 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A99 II.
Compare Sony A99 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A99 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon 1DX Mark III
Compare 1DX Mark II vs 1DX Mark III
Compare Canon 1DX Mark III vs Sony A99 II

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Differences

Canon 1DX Mark II advantages over Sony A99 II

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Bigger pixels
~ 6.58 vs 4.51 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
1DX Mark II test data on DxO Mark A99 II test data on DxO Mark

3,207 vs 2,317 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

1210 vs 490 shots
Capture more photos
More cross-type AF points
41 vs 15
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
More dots on screen
1620k vs 1229k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
14.0 fps vs 10.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 61 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
14.1 fps vs 11.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
Unlimited vs 25 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
409600 vs 102400 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Sony A99 II advantages over Canon 1DX Mark II

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Lighter weight
849g vs 1544g
Lighter weight
More pixels
42.4 vs 20.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Shoot 4K video
Both provide
Make sure you have a fast computer
On-sensor phase detect
Both provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Top deck display
Both provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Dual card slots
Both provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Slow-motion videos
Both provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

Common Weaknesses

Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash

User reviews

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Adorama
Read A99 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality, especially from RAWs; Fantastic high ISO performance; Fast autofocus with great tracking performance; 14fps burst rate; Amazing buffer capacity; 4K 60p video; Robust build quality.
Very heavy, bulky and expensive; Dual memory card slots use different formats; 29:59 continuous video recording limit; Touchscreen feels underutilized.
Read our Canon 1DX Mark II Review

Superb image quality at low, moderate ISOs; Improved high ISO performance; Fast continuous shooting speeds; Very impressive hybrid autofocus; High-quality 4K UHD video; Rugged camera body.
Multi-selector joystick can be awkward to use; No EVF live view at fastest burst rate; Buffer clearing is slow with no UHS-II support; 4K UHD video isn't as full-featured as E-mount counterparts.
Read our Sony A99 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon EOS-1D C

Canon 1DX Mark II

Canon EOS-1D C

$2999
35mm

Touchscreen
Built-in GPS

$6989
35mm

Compare Canon 1DX Mark II vs Canon EOS-1D C

Sony A99 II

Canon EOS-1D C

$3198
35mm

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$6989
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A99 II vs Canon EOS-1D C

Compared to Nikon D4S

Canon 1DX Mark II

Nikon D4S

$2999
35mm

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

$5399
35mm

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Canon 1DX Mark II vs Nikon D4S

Sony A99 II

Nikon D4S

$3198
35mm

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$5399
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A99 II vs Nikon D4S

Compared to Nikon D5

Canon 1DX Mark II

Nikon D5

$2999
35mm

Higher effective ISO
Built-in GPS

$4911
35mm

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Canon 1DX Mark II vs Nikon D5

Sony A99 II

Nikon D5

$3198
35mm

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$4911
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A99 II vs Nikon D5

Compared to Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon 1DX Mark II

Canon 5D Mark IV

$2999
35mm

Bigger pixels
Longer stills battery life

$2249
35mm

Fast startup
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Canon 1DX Mark II vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Sony A99 II

Canon 5D Mark IV

$3198
35mm

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$2249
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A99 II vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Compared to Nikon D850

Canon 1DX Mark II

Nikon D850

$2999
35mm

Bigger pixels
Higher effective ISO

$2597
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Canon 1DX Mark II vs Nikon D850

Sony A99 II

Nikon D850

$3198
35mm

Tilt-swivel screen
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$2597
35mm

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A99 II vs Nikon D850

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