A game-changer for professional photographers

James Artaius

£4,699/$4,499

www.sony.co.uk

To understand the Sony Alpha 9 II, you need to understand that there’s pro shooting and then there’s pro shooting. This latest Sony flagship full-frame mirrorless camera caters firmly to the latter category. The A9 II is not the highest-resolution camera you can get - but it’s designed for speed, not resolution. Its two rivals in the pro sports camera stakes aren’t mirrorless models but DSLRs: the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III and the Nikon D6.

All professional photography has its own challenges and requirements. Yet no matter how frenzied a wedding might be, it will never torture your camera’s autofocus the way that photographing Olympic swimmers in action does - and while you might need a decent burst mode to photograph a dance troupe or catwalk model, decent just doesn’t cut it when you’re shooting champion kickboxers or divers.

It’s in the fire of these elite arenas that the Sony Alpha 9 II has been forged. For photographers who don’t shoot fast action professionally, it may seem like an incremental update over its predecessor. However, put through the rigors of a professional environment, the A9 II proves just how instrumental its upgrades are…

1 The grip on the Alpha 9 II has been beefed up, for improved purchase and more room for fingers.

2 Where Canon and Nikon’s pro cameras offer 20MP sensors, Sony’s 24MP affair means it offers the best resolution.

Specifications

Sensor: 24.2MP full frame Exmor RS CMOS sensor with integral memory

Image processor: Bionz X

AF points: Hybrid AF, 693 points phase detection, 425 contrast detection

ISO range: 100-51,200 (exp. 50-204,800)

Max image size: 6,000 x 4,000

Metering modes: Multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot, spot standard/large, entire screen average, highlight

Video: 4K at 30fps, 24fps; 1080p at 120 fps, 60fps, 30fps, 24fps