INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
a very impressive camera and its successor retains most of the features that made it a superb snapper for press and sports photographers
All Sony has done is refined the original and given us an incremental upgrade, with some features that are definitely going to prove useful
to the pros.To understand the small differences between the A9 and the A9 II, we should start with the common features the two shooters
share.Sony Alpha A9 vs A9 II: the common features24.2MP Exmor RS stacked full-frame sensor3.69 million dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) with
0.78x magnification and 120Hfps refresh rate1.44 million dot rear LCD touchscreenISO range of 100-51200 (expandable to 204800)20fps burst
speed with AF/AE tracking, blackout-free live view693 phase- and 425 contrast-detect autofocus (AF) points60 AF and auto-exposure
calculations per second computational speedReal-time tracking and real-time eye AF for both animals and humans1/32000 second shutter
speedIt's clear from the list above that Sony has held on to the core specs of the original A9, including not adding Picture Profiles for
connectivity options in the A9 II.Sony Alpha A9 vs A9 II: designAt first glance, the A9 and its successor look quite similar, but the A9 II
inherits the design changes introduced in the Alpha A7R IV
While the new camera sports a deeper grip, it also has a more weatherproof body with double sliding covers over the battery door and card
slots to keep the elements out.It also brings across the control layout from the A7R IV with thicker buttons and dials that offer better
For example, the AF-ON button is larger while the AF joystick has a different texture compared to Sony's older full-frame mirrorless
While the drive dial on the top of the camera remains unchanged from the A9, the exposure compensation dial on the top right corner now
sports a locking button to prevent accidental changes
There's also a redesigned lens lock button on the A9 II, along with better padding for shock absorption around the lens mount.The A9 II is
also marginally bigger than its predecessor, measuring 128.9 x 96.4 x 77.5 mm and weighing in at 678g (the A9 measured 126.9 x 95.6 x 63.0
mm and weighed 588g).Sony Alpha A9 vs A9 II: card slots(Image credit: Sony)For a camera that's focused on the pros, it was important for
the A9 to boast dual card slots
However, only the first slot in the A9 was compatible with the faster UHS-II SD cards
This was a small handicap for those who preferred recording to both slots simultaneously.With the A9 II, that issue has been eliminated,
with both SD card slots now UHS-II compatible.Sony Alpha A9 vs A9 II: image processorThe original A9 already had a fabulous BIONZ X imaging
engine with a front-end LSI (large scale integration) to sustain superior processing speeds.That remains the case in the A9 II, although
Sony says the image processor has been upgraded to improve AF speed and accuracy, while also improving face detect and EVF response times
speedBoth cameras have a continuous shooting speed of up to 20fps
5fps.That has been doubled in the A9 II, with the new camera capable of 20fps with an electronic shutter and 10fps when using the mechanical
This was made possible by a redesigning the shutter mechanism which now features a new internal damper structure to reduce vibration and
life expectancy still at 500,000 actuations.Sony Alpha A9 vs A9 II: anti-flicker mode1: anti-flicker on; 2: anti-flicker mode disabled(Image
credit: Sony)The A9 II brings with it an anti-flicker mode, which was missing from the original A9
indoors or in stadiums at night.While this is a fabulous addition, there are some important caveats: the anti-flicker mode is not available
when shooting video or when using the electronic shutter.Sony Alpha A9 vs A9 II: connectivity(Image credit: Sony)The original Sony Alpha A9
was targeted at the professional press or sports photographer and the successor is no different
For many of them, turnaround times can be very small, with large batches of files that need to be sent back to base (or the client)
practically immediately.For them, the connectivity upgrades in the A9 II are perhaps the most important ones.While the A9 has a LAN terminal
and supports transfer to FTP servers, the A9 II can do so over SSL or TLS encryption (FTPS) for better security
For high-speed data transfers, the A9 II gets a Gigabit Ethernet port, as well as 5GHz wireless support in addition to the existing 2.4GHz
app can save up to 20.The A9 II also has a USB-C port which offers fast transfer speeds thanks to an upgrade to the 3.2 Gen 1 standard.Sony
Alpha A9 vs A9 II: image stabilizationWhen we tested the A9, we had absolutely no complaints when it came to its 5-axis image stabilization,
although, like most Sony cameras, it's not class-leading
For that, we think you ought to look towards Panasonic.The A9 II carries over the 5-axis in-body stabilization system (IBIS) but is now
rated at 5.5 stops as opposed to the A9's 5 stops of stability
It's a small upgrade and it remains to be seen how much of a difference it actually makes in real-world performance tests.Sony Alpha A9 vs
A9 II: real-time eye AFThe original A9 had a brilliant autofocus system, but the successor has been given an upgrade when it comes to
shooting video.A small tweak to the AF algorithm has given the A9 II a faster and more precise Eye AF while shooting movies
The improved algorithm has also made subject tracking while using small apertures (smaller than f/16) easier as well while using Aperture
Drive with the AF mode set to Focus Priority.Sony Alpha A9 vs A9 II: voice memosThis is one feature that many photojournalists will welcome
This is particularly useful when there's another team waiting patiently back at the office to do a quick edit on the images and upload
them to wherever necessary
Sending them instructions, like context of the photo or names of people in the images, so as not to get them mixed up is invaluable.The
audio data is sent with the images to the photo editor even when transferring files via FTP
The voice memo can also be converted to text and included in the photo's metadata when transferring JPEGs to a handheld device when using
the Imaging Edge app.Compared to many other camera upgrades, these tweaks might seem incremental, but then the original A9 was already an
Sony is offering the pros a formidable tool for their trade.JehmAQ8tzfEuLT8ojE6GX.jpg?#
