Lumix
S9 2024
Best for Travel photographers, content creators & L-mount entry buyers
£999
new today at Wex Photo Video
Decision tools · Compare
S9 vs A7 IV
Quick take: The A7 IV has the highest resolution at 33MP; the S9 is the most affordable; only the A7 IV is weather sealed.
16 specs side by side·16 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.
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Verdictwhich should you buy?
S9 — Travel Photographers, Content Creators & L-Mount Entry Buyers: The most compact full-frame camera available — a perfect travel and content creation companion with brilliant colour science.
A7 IV — Portrait & Wedding Photography: The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
Who should buy what
S9 (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
A7 IV (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | S9Lumix · 2024 | A7 IVSony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £999Best | £1,799 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 33.0MPBest |
| Video | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/60p, 1080p/240p | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Phase-hybrid AF with subject recognition | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronicBest | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 403g (body only)Best | 659g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 124.6 × 73.9 × 52.8mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | None — rear screen only | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen (touch drag AF) | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Leica L mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Slot 1 CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II, slot 2 SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
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
S9
A7 IV
Portrait
7.3/10
8.2/10
Street
6.9/10
6.5/10
Travel
6.4/10
6.5/10
Wedding & Events
6.0/10
7.9/10
Vlogging & Video
7.3/10
6.2/10
Filmmaking
7.0/10
7.2/10
Documentary
6.9/10
7.4/10
Sports & Action
6.4/10
7.5/10
Landscape
6.5/10
6.7/10
Wildlife
6.7/10
7.8/10
Casual
6.3/10
5.3/10
Food
7.6/10
7.6/10
Macro
8.1/10
7.3/10
Architecture
7.1/10
6.8/10
Astrophotography
7.6/10
7.3/10
Fun & simple
4.2/10
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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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