Z5 IIvs A9 II
Sony
A9 II (2019)
Starting from £3299 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & photojournalism
View A9 II
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Full-Frame Value — Z5 II (2024): The most accessible full-frame mirrorless — dual card slots, weather sealing, and Nikon colour at a sensible price.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Photojournalism — A9 II (2019): The A9 II polished the A9's groundbreaking formula — 20fps blackout-free, improved subject tracking, and a LAN port made it the professional sports standard.
Who should buy what
Z5 II (2024)
- DSLR photographers making the switch to full-frame mirrorless
- Enthusiasts who want full-frame Z quality at the most accessible price
- Z5 owners wanting significantly improved autofocus and uncropped 4K
- Landscape and portrait photographers stepping up from APS-C
A9 II (2019)
- Sports photographers who need 20fps with reliable eye and body tracking
- Photojournalists who need LAN transfer and instant wireless file delivery
- Wildlife photographers who want the fastest Sony AF in a proven body
- A9 owners who need the improved ergonomics, weather sealing, and Ethernet
Quick take: The z5 ii has the highest resolution at 24mp; the z5 ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z5 II (2024) | A9 II (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,299 | £3,299 |
| Sensor | 24.5MP Full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.5MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/30p oversampled, 1080p/120p, N-Log | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) | 693 phase-detect + 425 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 20fps (blackout-free with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~470 shots (CIPA) | ~500 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 700g body only | 678g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.9mm | 128.9 × 96.4 × 77.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount (full-frame) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet (LAN), HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z5 II | A9 II |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Z5 II
Camera family history