Lumix S9vs A1 II
Lumix
Lumix S9 (2024)
Starting from £1299 new
Best for Travel photographers, content creators & L-mount entry buyers
View Lumix S9
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel Photographers, Content Creators & L-Mount Entry Buyers — Lumix S9 (2024): The most compact full-frame camera available — a perfect travel and content creation companion with brilliant colour science.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work — A1 II (2025): The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
Who should buy what
Lumix S9 (2024)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame quality in the most compact package
- Content creators attracted to Real-time LUT and 10-bit video
- Photographers already in the L-mount ecosystem wanting a lightweight second body
- Lumix S5 II users who want something smaller for travel and casual shooting
A1 II (2025)
- Professional sports and wildlife photographers who need 30fps, 50MP, and the best AF available
- Commercial and advertising photographers who demand 50MP resolution alongside pro video specs
- Photojournalists who need a single body capable of handling every assignment
- Sony system shooters ready to invest in the absolute best
Quick take: The a1 ii has the highest resolution at 50mp; the lumix s9 is the most affordable; only the a1 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Lumix S9 (2024) | A1 II (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,299 | £6,500 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/60p, 1080p/240p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF with subject recognition | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5 stops | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 413g (with battery) | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 124.6 × 73.9 × 52.8mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None — rear screen only | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen (touch drag AF) | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Leica L mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Lumix S9 | A1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | ||
| Wildlife | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Lumix S9
Camera family history