Sony Alpha A9 review

Verdict

The Sony Alpha A9 is a phenomenal camera. It's not without its faults – we'll be interested to see how the weather-sealing holds up when it's properly exposed to the elements for starters, while the absence of XQD card slots and very limited touchscreen control is disappointing.

Those issues aside, however, the Alpha A9 doesn't fail to impress. The autofocus system Sony has blessed the A9 with is not only incredibly quick, but the tracking performance has to be seen to be believed. 

Partner that with a incredibly rapid 20fps burst shooting speed, and a large and bright EVF that doesn't black out when you're shooting, and you've got a camera that'll mix it with the best that Canon and Nikon has to offer when it comes to shooting sports and other fast-paced action. 

Our only slight reservation about whether the Alpha A9 can succeed in this area is not the camera, but the lens support. While photographers shooting with Canon and Nikon DSLRs have a plethora of long lenses to choose from, the Alpha A9 is limited to a single (variable aperture) dedicated zoom lens with a reach beyond 200mm.

Just as Sony is rolling out a series of dedicated pro service centres to meet  the demands of professionals, we hope to see similar efforts result in some new fast telephoto optics to support this fabulous camera.

Competition

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Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

With the EOS-1D X Mark II, Canon has created a very powerful and versatile camera that's a great choice for professional sport and news photographers thanks to its blistering 14fps burst shooting. It doesn't have the outrageous sensitivity range of the Nikon D5, but it's very capable in low light, delivering excellent images within its standard sensitivity range.

Read our in-depth Canon EOS-1D X Mark II review

Nikon D5

The D5 is Nikon's flagship DSLR, and it certainly doesn't disappoint. It can shoot at 12fps, while the extended ISO range of ISO 3,280,000 has never been seen before in a camera. And that's even before we get to the autofocus system – with a coverage of 173 AF points (99 of which are cross-type), the sophistication and speed of the AF is staggering. The D5 is a phenomenal camera that's used by professionals the world over.

Read our in-depth Nikon D5 review

Sony Alpha A7R III

If you don't quite need the 20fps rapid fire of the Alpha A9 and the advanced AF system but still like the look of the Sony system, take a look at the fabulous Alpha A7R III. With a brilliant 42.4MP full-frame sensor, 10fps burst shooting and great AF system, this is still a camera that's great for shooting action. 

Read our in-depth Sony Alpha A7R III review

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