Decision tools · Compare
A1 vs A9
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 55MP; the A1 is the most affordable; only the A9 is weather sealed.
Different kinds of camera — their specs aren't comparable, so read the rows as facts, not a contest.
32 specs side by side·14 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
A9 — Professional Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography: The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
Who should buy what
A9 (2017)
is the right camera for you if…
- Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
- Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
- Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
- Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A1Antigravity · 2025 | A9Sony · 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £909Best | £1,026 used |
| Sensor | — | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 55.0MPBest | 24.2MP |
| Video | — | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | — | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | — | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | — | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | — | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | — | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | — | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | — | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Fixed lens (360°, f/2.2) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | — | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | — | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
| Take-off weight | 249 g | — |
| Fly without registering | Yes — under 250 g | — |
| Flight time | 24 min | — |
| Wind resistance | 10.7 m/s | — |
| Obstacle sensing | Omnidirectional | — |
| Video link | OmniLink 360 | — |
| Range | 6.0 km | — |
| Top speed | 16.0 m/s | — |
| Cameras | 1 | — |
| RAW stills | Yes | — |
| Vertical shooting | Not supported | — |
| Intelligent flight | Subject tracking, waypoints, return-to-home | — |
| Storage | 20 GB built in + microSD slot | — |
| Controller in the box | Vision goggles + Grip Motion Controller | — |
| FPV | Yes, goggles in the box | — |
| Folds | Yes | — |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
A1
A9
Portrait
—
7.5/10
Street
—
6.0/10
Travel
—
5.9/10
Wedding & Events
—
7.5/10
Filmmaking
—
6.7/10
Documentary
—
6.8/10
Sports & Action
—
8.2/10
Landscape
—
6.1/10
Wildlife
—
8.2/10
Casual
—
4.6/10
Food
—
6.5/10
Macro
—
5.8/10
Architecture
—
6.0/10
Astrophotography
—
7.3/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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