The Alpha 99 is a model that has been eagerly awaited by many Sony fans for a long time. Its predecessor, the Alpha 900, came out roughly 4 years ago and was a phenomenal camera for the money. At the time, it shared the record for the highest megapixel camera with the Nikon D3x (a model that was widely known for actually getting its sensor from the Sony A900), but cost half the price. So understandably, pro photographers using the Sony system were getting impatient to see what Sony would come up with to top the Alpha 900.