Last Updated on June 30, 2020
If you are a camera enthusiast, you should have set your eyes on the Sony Alpha A9 when it first came out in 2017. As a matter of fact, it wowed sports photographers then. But wait until you see the upgrades that Sony has done to the recent tweaked version of the Sony Alpha A9 with its recent release this year.
Video credit: Jared Polin
What’s New with Sony Alpha A9 II?
You might be confused as to which feature has changed if you are just a casual observer of this camera. Professionals, however, can easily see the upgrades which can help them decide what they need to improve the body or switch into a new system.
Actually, Sony has already made the previous version awesome with its 24MP sensor. This has enabled the device to capture images at 20fps without any viewfinder blackout. In fact, it has become one of the best cameras for pro sports and action photography. So what can you expect when you talk about the upgrades?
New Features Of The Sony A9 II
Design of the body – Among the improvements of the Sony A9 Mark II is visible in its body design, particularly its durability. Although there were no issues reported from the previous design in terms of durability, Sony has beefed up the weather sealing of the camera so that it can cope with the harsh conditions of the outdoors.
- SONY ALPHA A9 II: Compact professional...
- SUPERIOR SPEED: Fastest 35mm full-frame...
- FASTER AUTO FOCUS: Up to 20fps at full...
- ADVANCED SUBJECT RECOGNITION: Real-time...
Sharpness to the image – Another feature that has made the camera even more popular is the improvement to its image sharpness. Thanks to the improvement to the in-body stabilization and its low vibration shutter design. Currently, it is rated at 5.5 stops.
Connectivity upgrade – A lot has been done to the design as well as the connectivity features of the camera. Such would include the 2.4/5GHz wireless LAN support and improvement from the 100MBps to 1GBps Ethernet, and the USB 3.2 Gen 1 port.
Remote Shooting – The camera has also been designed to format a memory card from a remote location, particularly with the addition of the Remote Camera Tool 2.1 software. That has also made it possible to boost its remote shooting capabilities. In addition, it is possible to attach some voice memos to certain images. Such would include giving instructions to the picture desk way back from the base.
BIONZ X image processor speed – Sony has also worked on the A9 Mark II’s image processor speed, which enables the improvement to its viewfinder image latency.
Mechanical Shutter – With the improvement to its mechanical shutter, it is now capable of shooting 10fps as opposed to the previous model’s capacity to shoot at 5fps. Basically, the mechanical shutter is intended to take images even with artificial lighting that can affect the electronic shutter.
Real-time AF tracking technology – The improvement to the AF has also been notable as it is now capable of changing the focus frame color selection, as well as moving the focus frame even when the shutter release or AF On button is half-pressed. With Sony’s real-time AF tracking tech, you can enjoy the new Touch Tracking mechanism from the touchscreen monitor.
Camera settings – If you are transferring settings across different bodies, it is now possible to save and load up to 20 camera settings. So you can now unify the settings on all your cameras in an agency or apply them to load cameras.
Moisture and dust resistance feature – This improvement will keep the camera protected from dust and moisture, particularly the media slot and the battery compartment cover, with its double sliding feature as opposed to just hinged on the A9.
The Verdict
Overall, with a ton of firmware improvements, the A9 Mark II is definitely a different camera than it was first released a couple of years back. In fact, this has made the A9 the fastest and most ferocious full-frame sports camera in its class.
- SONY ALPHA A9 II: Compact professional...
- SUPERIOR SPEED: Fastest 35mm full-frame...
- FASTER AUTO FOCUS: Up to 20fps at full...
- ADVANCED SUBJECT RECOGNITION: Real-time...
