Software Version 5.0 is now available!
With the release of Sony's Software Version 5.0, the a9 receives a myriad of new features and performance upgrades. The biggest factor here is the autofocus system. The a9 now supports Sony's evolved Real-time Eye AF and tracking functionality that improves the conventional Lock-On functions. Not only has the performance of the a9'a autofocus increased significantly, but the menu has been updated with numerous quality-of-life improvements to make the autofocus system deeper and more customizable. You can read the full list of changes and download the firmware update by following this link to Sony's a9 firmware download page.
In one game-changing leap the revolutionary image sensor and high-speed processing of the α9 reaches performance levels far beyond the incremental improvements gained through decades of mechanical refinement. There is no viewfinder blackout. Continuous shooting speeds exceed those possible with mechanical shutters. Higher shutter speeds are available, and all without noise or vibration. The ability to keep an eye on moving subjects at all times leads to faultless AF and AE tracking, and the photographer’s view is consistently up-to-date with an absolute minimum of lag. In short, the digital promise has been realized at last.
World’s first Full-frame stacked CMOS sensor
From the world’s largest sensor manufacturer comes the world’s first 35mm full-frame stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor with integrated memory and includes a number of features that contribute to outstanding image quality. High sensitivity, a back-illuminated configuration, gapless on-chip lens architecture, and other Sony innovations deliver stunning images in a wide range of photographic situations. This unique 24.2 megapixel sensor, when combined with the refined BIONZ X image processing engine and front-end LSI, delivers approx. 20x faster data readout speed Sony full-frame mirrorless α7 II cameras. The result is unmatched by any DSLR or Mirrorless camera before it.
Up to 20fps Continuous Shooting
Capture fleeting moments and the highest speed subjects with incredible continuous shooting of up to 20fps at full 24.2MP resolution in RAW+JPEG with continuous AF/AE (autofocus and auto exposure) tracking and no EVF or LCD blackout. The large high speed buffer allow for up to 241 RAW images or 362 JPEG images. With camera set to “Hi” continuous shooting mode, UHS-II memory card. Sony tests, compressed RAW or JPEG respectively.
Blackout-free Viewfinder
Ever since the film era, camera mechanisms have been designed with shutter and mirror mechanisms that interrupt the incoming light when creating a photographic image. High continuous shooting speeds pose even more of a problem for traditional DSLRs. It is time for a change. Even at up to 20fps continuous shooting, this isn’t an issue for the groundbreaking α9 mirrorless camera. You have a continuous, uninterrupted view of the subject with a 60 fps live-view refresh rate thanks to the Quad-VGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF (Electronic Viewfinder and minimal display lag while shooting continuous bursts. Display updating will be slower at slow shutter speeds.
693 Detection AF points
In addition to industry-leading speed and innovative silent shooting, the α9 features a fast, wide and dependable 4D Focus system with the world’s most: 693 Phase Detection AF points with wide coverage over 93% of the frame.
Enhanced Eye-AF
Eye AF automatically detects and focuses on the subject’s eye. It has been notably improved in the α9, providing approximately 30% greater eye focus accuracy (Compared to the α7 I) even when shooting a moving subject in continuous AF mode.
Dual media slots (UHS-II SD Card compatible)
Two SD media card slots are provided for still and movie storage (one slot for SD cards or Memory Stick) with the lower card slot being UHS-II compatible for faster write speed.
Z battery with approximately 2.2x the capacity of W batteries
The high-capacity NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Battery has approximately 2.2x the capacity of the NP-FW50 W-series battery and can capture approximately 480 still frames (when using the EVF) on a single charge. But that’s just with the body alone. The optional VG-C3EM vertical grip houses two batteries that let you shoot up to 950 images (when using the EVF) in continuous mode. And when you need serious stamina for long sessions there’s the NPA-MQZ1K Multi Battery Adaptor Kit that can hold up to four batteries.
Full-frame 4K video with full-pixel readout and no pixel binning
The α9 is very capable as a video camera as well, as it offers 4K (3840x2160p) video recording across the full width of the full-frame image sensor. When shooting in this format, the camera uses full pixel readout without pixel binning to collect 6K of information, oversampling it to produce high quality 4K footage with exceptional detail and depth.
