PowerShot V1vs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Vlogging & Travel — PowerShot V1 (2025): The PowerShot V1 is Canon's best compact camera — a 1-inch stacked sensor, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4K/60p, built-in ND, and an articulating screen in a pocketable body. It is the compact camera Canon's content-creator audience has been waiting for, and a genuine step forward over the G7X series.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): 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
PowerShot V1 (2025)
- Content creators who want Canon's best compact for vlogging and social media
- Travel photographers who want 4K and a zoom lens in one pocketable body
- Vloggers upgrading from G7X series who want better AF and video specs
- Photographers who want a capable compact backup body
A9 (2017)
- 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
Quick take: The a9 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the powershot v1 is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | PowerShot V1 (2025) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £900 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 22.3MP 1-inch Stacked CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 22.3MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 1080p/120p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face and subject detection | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | Optical IS (lens) + electronic stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps (electronic) | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 340g (with battery and card) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 112.0 × 65.0 × 50.0mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Fixed Canon zoom lens (equivalent wide-to-tele) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | PowerShot V1 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with PowerShot V1
Camera family history