A7R IVvs 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, Commercial — A7R IV (2019): 61MP in a mirrorless body — the resolution benchmark.
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
A7R IV (2019)
- Landscape photographers who print large
- Studio shooters needing maximum detail
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 a7r iv has the highest resolution at 61mp; the a9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7R IV (2019) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,199 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS 35mm | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 61.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K 30fps | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | 567-point phase-detect, real-time tracking | 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 | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | 670 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 665g (body only) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.4 × 77.5mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.78× 5.76M-dot | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.44M-dot | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 2× SD UHS-II / CFexpress Type A | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 4.1, USB-C 3.2 | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R IV | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A7R IV
Camera family history