Sony A9 Comparison Review
The Sony Alpha A9 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was officially introduced in April 2017 and is equipped with a full frame sensor. It offers a resolution of 24 megapixel.
Is the Sony A9 a good camera? The A9 has a Camera Elo of 2622. This rating puts the A9 among the top 50 percent of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (full frame cameras), the A9 also ranks among the top 50 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3-star performance rating.
Sony A9 |
---|
Mirrorless system camera |
Sony E mount lenses |
24 MP, Full Frame Sensor |
4K/30p Video |
ISO 100 - 51 200 (50 - 204 800) |
Electronic viewfinder (3686k dots) |
3.0 LCD, 1440k dots |
Tilting touchscreen |
20 shutter flaps per second |
In-body stabilization |
Weathersealed body |
650 shots per battery charge |
127 x 96 x 63 mm, 673 g |
Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.
Body comparison with a credit card
The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size of the Sony A9 vis-à-vis a credit card. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Sony A9 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A9 | 127 mm | 96 mm | 63 mm | 673 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2017 | EUR 5 299 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 II | 134 mm | 91 mm | 67 mm | 574 g | 440 | Y | Sep 2016 | EUR 1 999 | ebay.com | |
3. | Panasonic GH5 | 139 mm | 98 mm | 87 mm | 725 g | 410 | Y | Jan 2017 | EUR 1 999 | ebay.com | |
4. | Sony A7 II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 599 g | 350 | Y | Nov 2014 | EUR 2 099 | ebay.com | |
5. | Sony A7 III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 610 | Y | Feb 2018 | EUR 2 299 | amazon.com | |
6. | Sony A7R II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 625 g | 290 | Y | Jun 2015 | EUR 3 499 | ebay.com | |
7. | Sony A7R III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 650 | Y | Oct 2017 | EUR 3 499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Sony A7R IIIA | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2021 | EUR 3 499 | amazon.com | |
9. | Sony A7R V | 131 mm | 97 mm | 82 mm | 723 g | 530 | Y | Oct 2022 | EUR 4 499 | amazon.com | |
10. | Sony A7S II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 627 g | 370 | Y | Sep 2015 | EUR 3 399 | ebay.com | |
11. | Sony A9 II | 129 mm | 96 mm | 76 mm | 678 g | 690 | Y | Oct 2019 | EUR 5 399 | amazon.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Sony A9 was launched in the US market at a price of $4,499. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide
The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
The Sony A9 features a full frame sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Sony A9 among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A9 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.9 | 13.3 | 3517 | 92 | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 II | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.7 | 12.8 | 1312 | 80 | |
3. | Panasonic GH5 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/60p | 23.9 | 13.0 | 807 | 77 | |
4. | Sony A7 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.9 | 13.6 | 2449 | 90 | |
5. | Sony A7 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3730 | 96 | |
6. | Sony A7R II | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 13.9 | 3434 | 98 | |
7. | Sony A7R III | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
8. | Sony A7R IIIA | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
9. | Sony A7R V | Full Frame | 60.2 | 9504 | 6336 | 8k/24p | 26.5 | 14.8 | 3187 | 100 | |
10. | Sony A7S II | Full Frame | 12.0 | 4240 | 2832 | 4K/30p | 23.6 | 13.3 | 2993 | 85 | |
11. | Sony A9 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 3434 | 93 |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The A9 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the A9 can use is 4K/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A9 has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 3686k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.78x. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Sony A9 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A9 | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 18.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Panasonic GH5 | 3680 | n | 3.2 / 1620 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | n | Y | |
4. | Sony A7 II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1230 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
5. | Sony A7 III | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
6. | Sony A7R II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
7. | Sony A7R III | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
8. | Sony A7R IIIA | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 2340 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
9. | Sony A7R V | 9440 | n | 3.2 / 2100 | full-flex | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
10. | Sony A7S II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
11. | Sony A9 II | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
The LCD screen on the Sony Alpha A9 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.
One feature that differentiates the A9 from many older cameras is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A9 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while cameras without IBIS have to rely on optical image stabilization in OIS-equipped lenses to achieve the same effect.
Connection comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha A9 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A9 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.0 | Y | - | - | |
3. | Panasonic GH5 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
4. | Sony A7 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
5. | Sony A7 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
6. | Sony A7R II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
7. | Sony A7R III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
8. | Sony A7R IIIA | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
9. | Sony A7R V | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
10. | Sony A7S II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
11. | Sony A9 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y |
It is notable that the A9 has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.
Further information on the features and operation of the A9 can be found in the free online Sony A9 Manual or on the Sony support site.
Expert reviews
While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the A9 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A9 | 5/5 | + + | 4.8/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2017 | EUR 5 299 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 II | 5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2016 | EUR 1 999 | ebay.com | |
3. | Panasonic GH5 | 4.5/5 | + + | .. | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2017 | EUR 1 999 | ebay.com | |
4. | Sony A7 II | 5/5 | + | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Nov 2014 | EUR 2 099 | ebay.com | |
5. | Sony A7 III | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2018 | EUR 2 299 | amazon.com | |
6. | Sony A7R II | 5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 90/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Jun 2015 | EUR 3 499 | ebay.com | |
7. | Sony A7R III | .. | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2017 | EUR 3 499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Sony A7R IIIA | .. | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2021 | EUR 3 499 | amazon.com | |
9. | Sony A7R V | 5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 92/100 | .. | .. | Oct 2022 | EUR 4 499 | amazon.com | |
10. | Sony A7S II | 5/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Sep 2015 | EUR 3 399 | ebay.com | |
11. | Sony A9 II | .. | .. | 5/5 | 90/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2019 | EUR 5 399 | amazon.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.
Sony A9 FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the A9.
What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Sony A9?
The camera has a Stacked BSI-CMOS (Stacked Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.
Which image processing chip is used in the Sony A9 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Sony equipped the A9 with the BIONZ X image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Sony A9?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Sony Alpha A9?
Sony mentions a shutter rating of 500 000 actuations for the A9. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the A9 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 500 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Sony A9?
Sony embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your A9 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.
Is completely silent shooting possible with the Sony A9?
The camera has an electronic shutter option, so that it is indeed feasible to capture images without any shutter noise.
Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Sony A9?
The A9 offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.
Does the Sony A9 feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Sony A9 for flash photography?
The A9's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.
Does the Sony A9 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?
Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-II cards (data transfer speed of up to 312 MB/s) in its first slot, and UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s) in its second slot.
Which battery does the Sony A9 use?
The camera gets its power from the Sony NP-FZ100 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Sony A9?
Yes, Sony offers the VG-C3EM as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.
Where can I find the best deals for the Sony A9?
Grey imports from Asia, as found on ebay, are often very attractively priced. However, these cameras come without a warranty from Sony.
Camera to camera comparisons
If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
Camera Model | Sony A9 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
Camera Lens | Sony E mount lenses | |
Launch Date | April 2017 | |
Launch Price | USD 4 499 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | Stacked BSI-CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 35.6 x 23.8 mm | |
Sensor Area | 847 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 42.8 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 6 000 x 4 000 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 5.94 μm | |
Pixel Density | 2.83 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 51 200 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 50 - 204 800 ISO | |
Image Processor | BIONZ X | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 92 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 24.9 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.3 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 3517 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 3686k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 1440k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | No front-flip | |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 20 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 500 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | Electronic Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
UHS card support | Single UHS-II | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FZ100 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 650 shots per charge | |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | |
Body Dimensions |
127 x 96 x 63 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.5 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 673 g (23.7 oz) |
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