OM System OM-1 Mark IIvs A9
OM System
OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Wildlife, birds & outdoor sports
View OM System OM-1 Mark II
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Wildlife, Birds & Outdoor Sports — OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024): OM System's most capable camera — 120fps AF burst, AI subject detection, and IP53 weather sealing make it the best-value pro wildlife camera.
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
OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024)
- Wildlife and bird photographers who need the best subject tracking in MFT
- Sports photographers who want weather sealing and 50fps burst
- OM-1 owners looking for a meaningful autofocus upgrade
- Professionals who need pro-grade weather sealing in the lightest possible system
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. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,999 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 20MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 20.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 1080p/240p, 4K HLG | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | AI subject detection AF (birds, animals, motorsport) | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 120fps with AF tracking | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | 520 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 599g body only | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 134.8 × 91.6 × 72.7mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.83" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM System OM-1 Mark II | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| 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