Z50vs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Beginner, Travel, Everyday — Z50 (2019): Nikon's Z system at its most accessible.
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
Z50 (2019)
- Nikon DSLR users wanting a lighter mirrorless
- First-time enthusiast camera buyers
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 z50 is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z50 (2019) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £499 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 20.9MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K 30fps (1.5× crop), 1080p 120fps | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 209-point phase-detect hybrid AF | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | None | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | 300 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 397g (body only) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 126.5 × 93.5 × 60.0mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.68× 2.36M-dot | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.2" downward-tilting touchscreen, 1.04M-dot | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-Mount (DX) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Micro USB, Micro HDMI | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z50 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history