A7R VIvs A9
Sony
A7R VI (2025)
Starting from £4399 new
Best for Studio, landscape and commercial photographers needing maximum resolution
View A7R VI
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Studio, Landscape And Commercial Photographers Needing Maximum Resolution — A7R VI (2025): The A7R VI cements its place as the resolution flagship of the Sony full-frame range — 61MP, AI-driven autofocus, and 8K video make it as capable for video and action work as it is for studio and landscape photography. The price reflects its position at the top of the lineup, but the capability is hard to match.
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 VI (2025)
- Studio and commercial photographers who need maximum resolution for large prints and heavy cropping
- Landscape photographers who want best-in-class dynamic range and detail
- Hybrid shooters who need 8K video alongside a 61MP stills sensor
- Professionals upgrading from the A7R V who want faster AI-driven autofocus
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 vi has the highest resolution at 61mp; the a9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A7R VI (2025) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,399 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 61MP full-frame stacked back-illuminated CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 61.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 8K 30fps, 4K 120fps oversampled | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | AI processing unit — subject recognition for people, animals, birds and vehicles across the frame | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | In-body 5-axis IS, up to 8.5 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 8fps mechanical / 7fps electronic with full AF/AE tracking | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA, NP-FZ100) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 723g (body with battery and card) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 131.3 × 96.9 × 82.8mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M-dot, up to 120fps | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.2-inch 4-axis multi-angle touchscreen, 3.69M-dot | 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 (10Gbps), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0, 2.5GbE | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A7R VI | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A7R VI
Camera family history