A1vs A9
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
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
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
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 a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp; the a9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 (2021) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 737g (with battery) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Travel | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A1
Camera family history