A9vs ZV-E1
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Video Creators, Vloggers & Filmmakers — ZV-E1 (2023): Full-frame video quality in a vlogging body — exceptional low-light performance and a genuinely compact form factor.
Who should buy what
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
ZV-E1 (2023)
- Video creators who want full-frame low-light quality in a compact body
- Vloggers stepping up from APS-C who prioritise image quality over resolution
- Filmmakers who want S-Log3 and cinematic colour in a run-and-gun package
- A7S III users who want the same sensor in a smaller, lighter body
Quick take: The a9 has the highest resolution at 24mp; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A9 (2017) | ZV-E1 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,999 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/60p (S-Cinetone, S-Log3), 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking | Real-time Tracking AF with subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops | IBIS — Active Mode for video |
| Burst Rate | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) | 10fps |
| Battery Life | ~650 shots (CIPA) | ~570 shots (CIPA) / ~105 min video |
| Weight | 673g (with battery and card) | 483g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm | 121.4 × 71.6 × 54.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) | None — screen only |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Single CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm mic, Multi-Interface Shoe |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A9 | ZV-E1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Landscape | — |
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