Z7 IIvs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Landscape & Studio / High-Resolution — Z7 II (2020): The Z7 II is a landscape and studio camera first, everything else second. 45.7MP with weather sealing and dual card slots is a compelling package. If you need resolution, it delivers. If you don't, the Z6 II is the smarter buy.
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
Z7 II (2020)
- Landscape photographers who print large or need to crop significantly
- Studio and commercial photographers requiring maximum resolution
- Architecture photographers where detail is non-negotiable
- Fine-art photographers who shoot primarily from a tripod
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 z7 ii has the highest resolution at 46mp; the a9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z7 II (2020) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,699 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 45.7MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 493 points, Eye AF, subject tracking | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~420 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 705g (body, battery, card) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z7 II | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
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