Upgrade Guide

Sony A7S II→Sony A9

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Sony

A7S II

£799

2015

→

Upgrade to

Sony

£1999 (+£1,200)

2017

✅

Worthwhile

Clear improvements over the A7S II. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.

What's new in the A9

↑

Resolution

24MP vs 12MP (+12MP)
↑

Burst rate

20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) vs 5fps continuous
↑

Battery life

~650 shots (CIPA) vs ~370 shots (CIPA)
↑

Generation

2 years newer (2017 vs 2015)

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A7S II	A9
Price	£799	£1,999
Released	2015	2017	↑
Sensor	12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS	24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS
Resolution	12MP	24MP	↑
Video	4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3	4K/30p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus	169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards	693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking
Stabilisation	5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS)	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops
Burst Rate	5fps continuous	20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE)	↑
Battery Life	~370 shots (CIPA)	~650 shots (CIPA)	↑
Weight	584g body only	673g (with battery and card)	↓
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification	EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free)
Screen	3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots	3.0" tilting touchscreen
Mount	Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Dual SD UHS-I slots	Dual SD UHS-II slots

Compare side-by-side

See A7S II and A9 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A9 against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the A7S II

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