G85vs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel & Video — G85 (2016): The G85 is the definitive enthusiast MFT package — combining 4K/30p, Dual I.S. 2 stabilisation, and weather sealing in an affordable, well-built body. It lacks phase-detect AF (contrast-detect only) but covers travel, landscape, and casual video effectively. One of the best-value used-market MFT cameras available — a practical, capable companion for photographers who want reliability over cutting-edge specs.
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
G85 (2016)
- Travel photographers who want weather sealing on a budget
- Vloggers and hybrid shooters
- MFT system users stepping up from entry-level
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 g85 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | G85 (2016) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS (no low-pass filter) | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 16.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, DFD technology | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 (body + lens) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~330 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 426g (body only) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 128.4 × 89.2 × 74.3mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | G85 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wedding & Events | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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