The Sony Alpha A9 II is Sony's update to the A9 - the A9 being Sony's flagship camera, aimed at professional sports photographers, and those needing high-speed shooting. The A9 II keeps the same 24mp BSI CMOS sensor, and 20fps continuous shooting, but has a few tweaks and improvements designed to make this a better camera.
Sony Alpha A9 II Features
The Sony Alpha A9 II uses the same 24mp stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor as the A9. The stacked sensor has an internal memory built-in that enables readout to be up to 20x faster. Combining this with an updated BIONZ X image processing engine results in shooting speeds of up to 20fps, without image blackout.
Sony A9 II FF Stacked Cmos Sensor - Image courtesy Sony UK
Shooting at 20fps uses the electronic shutter, which gives speeds of up to 1/32,000 sec, without vibration and of course without the “mirror slap” of the DSLR. Because of the speed of readout, the rolling shutter distortion of electronic shutters is virtually eliminated, and an anti-flicker option can be used to help with artificial lighting. There is also a standard mechanical focal plane shutter that operates from 30 seconds to 1/8000 sec. With the A9 II, a frame rate of up to 10fps is possible using the mechanical shutter.
4D Focus system
The camera can shoot at 20fps continuous shooting, however, it'd not be much use if the focus system couldn't keep up, so thankfully the camera is also able to shoot at 20fps with continuous AF/AE tracking - using Sony's 4D Focus system. The camera has blackout-free shooting, as mentioned, and this is with 60fps live-view, with minimal display lag. The other benefit of shooting at 20fps with an electronic shutter is that the camera can shoot silently, without disrupting people at sporting events. There's anti-flicker shooting, with flicker detection, with shutter operation timed to suppress exposure and colour issues (at high shutter speeds).
There are 693 phase-detection AF points with 425 contrast-detection AF points, covering 93% of the frame. The camera also features AI (Artificial Intelligence) based tracking systems, to detect and track the subject, as well as Face and Eye detection focus, for both humans and animals.
There's a built-in LAN connection, which as been updated to 1000BASE-T, which professional sports photographers will want for ultra-high-speed image transfer at sporting events. As expected, there's also built-in Wi-Fi, NFC, and Bluetooth so you can connect the camera to your smartphone.
The menus feature a "MyMenu" section, where you can add up to 30 of your favourite settings. There's also a joystick on the back for quicker operation, which as also been updated for improved grip. The camera features dual SD card slots, with both of these supporting UHS-II memory cards.
The mechanical shutter is rated for 500,000 shots, although it will probably be difficult to reach this number, as the camera uses the electronic shutter when shooting at 20fps.
The camera weighs 673g with battery and memory card included. The camera uses the Sony Info-Lithium Z (NP-FZ100, 2280mAh) battery that gives up to 690 shots when using the LCD, or 500 when using the EVF. There is an optional battery grip introduced, that holds two batteries, as well as another power accessory that holds 4 batteries, for extended shooting.
Key Features
- 24.2MP Stacked Exmor RS Full-Frame BSI CMOS sensor
- Sony FE full-frame lens mount
- In-camera 5 axis sensor-shift image stabilisation
- 3 inch TFT touch panel monitor with 1.44M dots
- 3,69m dot OLED EVF with 100% frame coverage, 0.78x magnification, 120fps refresh
- 20fps shooting with electronic shutter
- 10fps shooting with mechanical shutter
- ISO range 100-51,200 with mechanical shutter (expands to 50-204,800)
- ISO range 100-25,600 with electronic shutter
- 4D focus and tracking
- FTP file transfer with wired LAN connection
- Wi-Fi wireless LAN
- NFC and Bluetooth
- 4K (UHD) movie shooting
- Battery life 500 using EVF, 690 using monitor
- Creative Styles and Picture Effects, In-camera HDR
Sony Alpha A9 II Handling
The Sony Alpha A9 II has a solid metal body, with excellent build quality. The camera feels extremely solid, which is reassuring considering the intended use of the camera. Professional sports photographers can end up in very challenging situations, and the tough build quality of professional cameras should be high on a manufacturers priority
There's a large grip giving a good area to get a good hold on. The rubber grip continues around to the back of the camera, where a protrusion can be found to give your thumb an area of grip. The camera body is weather-sealed, although you do need to make sure you are using a weather-sealed lens for complete protection of the camera. We used the weather-sealed Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM and Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G lenses.
Design changes - There's a slight change in the design of the top of the A9 II in comparison to the A9 with the AF mode dial locking in a different way. The rear command dial is now on top, the exposure compensation dial is locking, and the shutter release button / on/off button has been redesigned slightly.
The AF-On button has more prominence, and the video button slightly less. The joystick on the back has an improved grip making it easy to change the focus point.
There are no front preview or function buttons, which seems an odd omission when you're used to using other premium/flagship cameras (from other brands). The memory card cover has been redesigned, and both slots are now UHS-II compatible.
See our detailed comparison to see more differences between the A9 and A9 II.
The electronic viewfinder (EVF) is excellent, giving 0.78x magnification, with a high resolution (3.68m dots) and a fast refresh rate (60/120fps), and dioptre adjustment. Whilst not the highest resolution, compared to some alternatives, the view is very clear, and crisp. The rubber surround gives a comfortable area for you to hold the camera up to your eye, however, it isn't as soft as those typically found on DSLRs.
The 3inch touch-screen is tilting, both up and down, and has a resolution of 1.44m dots, with great colour reproduction and very good viewing angles. The touch-screen doesn't provide much functionality, you can use it to set the focus point, and use it in playback, but you can't use it to change settings, either in the menus or the Fn menus.
Focus is rapid and covers an impressive 93% of the frame, and we were impressed by the success rate when tracking birds. The camera has a large buffer, being able to take 239 RAW (compressed) images, and up to 361 JPEG images without slowing down, with full-time AF / AE tracking, when using a UHS-II SD memory card.
With the A9 and A9 II there is no image blackout, and that has to be seen to be fully appreciated - watch a video example here. Coupled with very fast AF this is a powerful combination and the new technology is fully vindicated.
The placement of buttons and dials is well thought out, with dedicated physical controls being a huge advantage compared with delving into menus for day to day operation. The exposure compensation dial is well placed and locking so that you don't accidentally turn it when not needed. Drive options, AF modes, exposure compensation, and the mode dials are lockable/unlockable so that you can adjust these when needed.
There is a top (rear) command wheel, and a front command wheel, as well as a rear scroll wheel, being usable for aperture/shutter speed adjustments when in the appropriate mode. All of these have just the right amount of resistance to avoid them being operated accidentally.
Battery life - According to CIPA standards, Sony claims 500 shots per charge when using the EVF and 690 when using the monitor, a slight improvement over the original A9. This seems reasonable and a day's shooting is easily possible under most circumstances. If more images are planned, then carrying spare batteries is always a good idea. You can also use an external USB charger to power the camera while using the camera.
Sony Alpha A9 II Performance
The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.
Sony Alpha 9 II (ILCE-9M2) Sample Photos
We were impressed by the image quality on offer from the 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master lens and found the 70-200mm f/4 lens to produce good results, whilst also being quite compact and lightweight for a 70-200mm lens. The camera has built-in lens compensation, including peripheral shading (vignetting), chromatic aberration, and distortion correction.
Image Stabilization – The 5-axis image stabilisation system is built into the camera, moving the sensor as needed, and is claimed to offer up to 5 stops advantage. The system did the job very well, and will also help for video recording.
A wide variety of digital filters and colour options are offered including Creative Styles, Picture Effects (digital filters), as well as the previously mentioned D-Range optimization (DRO), and HDR.
Sony Alpha 9 II (ILCE-9M2) ISO test images
Compared to the Sony Alpha A9, there is better retention of fine detail as the ISO speed increases, as well as better colour saturation. Whereas we said we weren't too impressed by ISO6400 and above on the A9, it looks like the A9 II delivers good results at ISO6400, and images taken at ISO12800 may still provide usable results.
Sony Alpha 9 II (ILCE-9M2) White-balance test images
Video - There are four options for the video format. XAVC S 4K supports high bit rates, up to 100mbps, and records at a UHD resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 30, 25 or 24fps. XAVC S HD also supports high bit rates, and high-speed FullHD (1080p) video at 120/100 and 60/50fps, as well as the more standard 30/25/24fps. AVCHD format is suitable for HDTV. MP4 records as AVC movies, suitable for web, tablets, and smartphones. 4K UHD video is recorded to the internal memory card, and the 5-axis in-camera image stabilisation works with any lens. The camera features stereo microphones, plus both microphone and headphone sockets on the side.
In terms of handling, the position of the movie button for starting/stopping recording isn't in the most intuitive position but has been moved a little to make it easier to reach with your thumb. In-camera image stabilisation helps give a more professional look to video, even when hand-holding the camera. However, there are cheaper cameras that office CINE-4K video, as well as 4K at 60fps, so if video is your priority, then there are other options.
If you are holding the camera, then you'll most likely want to pair it with a compact lens, as the camera can feel heavy when paired with a larger lens after extended time.
Value For Money
With an RRP of £4800 body only, you've got to be heavily invested in the system to decide the Sony Alpha A9 II is the camera for you. The A9 had an RRP of £4499, and is now available, brand new, for £2999. There is a range of mirrorless cameras, offering high resolution or high-speed shooting.
Sony Alpha A7R IV, 61mp, 10fps continuous shooting, 4K video, £3199
Sony Alpha A7 III, 24mp, 10fps continuous shooting, 4K video, £1699
Sony Alpha A7S II, 12.2MP, 5fps continuous shooting, 4K video, £1199
Nikon Z6, 24mp, 12fps continuous shooting, IBIS, 4K, £1549 body only
Canon EOS R, 30mp, 8fps continuous shooting, 4K video, £1799 with EF adapter
Olympus OM-D E-M1X, 20mp, 60fps continuous shooting, IBIS, 4K CINE video, £2199 body only
The DSLR manufacturers offer similar speed. Examples where speed is the main criterion, include the:
Canon EOS 1D X MkII, 20mp, 16fps continuous shooting (mirror lock-up), 4K CINE video, £3999
Canon EOS 1D X Mark III, 20mp, 20fps continuous shooting (live-view), 5.5K video, £6499
Nikon D5, 20mp, 14fps continuous shooting (mirror lock-up), 4K UHD video, £5199
Nikon D6, 20mp, 14fps continuous shooting (C-AF), 4K UHD video, £6299
Against these professional DSLRs, the price of the A9 Mark II does start to look more realistic.
Have a look at more Premium Mirrorless Cameras (with EVF), or Full-Frame Mirrorless cameras. You'll also need to buy a memory card and a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - have a look at our complete guide to camera bags.
Sony Alpha A9 II Verdict
At the beginning of this review, we stated that the A9 II is an updated A9, but with a number of tweaks to make the A9 II a better camera (including slightly improved battery life, and a USB Type-C connection), and whilst the camera is definitely capable of delivering high-speed images, and producing great looking images, we wish there were further tweaks that would make the camera even easier to use.
For example, there are a number of usability issues that can make the camera frustrating to use (or simply something you have to put up with), such as the need for the camera to "create an image database" when you put in a different memory card. There is, of course, the frustrating NTSC/PAL switch needed to change frame rates for video, and the consequent "need" for the camera to format the memory card. There's the long-winded menu system that can make it difficult to find settings.
If you already own the Sony Alpha A9, then it's unlikely there's enough on the A9 II to justify the upgrade, unless you specifically need some of the new updates on offer. However, if you had the A9 and then had to replace it, then it would make sense to go for the A9 II instead of the A9. If you find yourself shooting in artificial lighting, then the anti-flicker option will be helpful, as well as the ability to shoot at 10fps using the mechanical shutter.
The A9 II is smaller and cheaper than professional DSLRs from Canon and Nikon (1DX/D6 etc), however, the weight will soon add up once you add some premium lenses to your bag. The A9 Mark II, with the recent introduction of new telephoto lenses (400mm f/2.8, 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3, and 600mm f/4) is now even more geared up for sports and wildlife, and the 20fps continuous shooting, without blackout, is something that many will want.
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