In an announcement made at the Photokina trade show, Sony Electronics launched its new flagship SLR camera --- Alpha 99 Mark II (A99 II). The new camera is Sony’s much-awaited successor to its current flagship A99 SLR camera which was launched by the company six years back.

Announcing the new A99 II SLR camera, Sony said that the cost of the camera $3,200 USD ($4,000 CA); and it will start shipping in North America in November. Pre-orders for the new Sony camera will begin with effect from September 21.

According to the details divulged by Sony, the forthcoming A99 II SLR camera will be a 42.4-megapixel camera, with 12 frames per second (fps) continuous shooting and internal Ultra High Definition (UHD) 4K video. The camera will boast 399-point autofocus, and 5-axis in-body image stabilization.

The size of the new A99 II camera will be nearly eight percent smaller than the original A99 camera. The A99 II will feature a magnesium alloy body, and will come with a redesigned grip, as well as dual SD card slots.

About the new A99 II SLR camera, which is the first full-frame Sony camera to feature the company’s 4D Focus system, Neil Manowitz – Sony Electronics VP of Digital Imaging – said that the A99 II’s “powerful combination of speed and resolution is simply unmatched in today’s market.”