A7 IVvs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
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
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
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 a7 iv has the highest resolution at 33mp; the a9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7 IV (2021) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,299 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 33.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~580 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 659g body only | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7 IV | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Travel | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A7 IV
Camera family history