Upgrade Guide

Sony A9→Sony A1

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

You own

Sony

£1999

2017

→

Upgrade to

Sony

£5999 (+£4,000)

2021

✅

Worthwhile

Clear improvements over the A9. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.

What's new in the A1

↑

Resolution

50MP vs 24MP (+26MP)
↑

Stabilisation

Improved — IBIS — up to 5.5 stops
↑

Burst rate

30fps electronic with full AF/AE vs 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE)
↑

Generation

4 years newer (2021 vs 2017)

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A9	A1
Price	£1,999	£5,999
Released	2017	2021	↑
Sensor	24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS	50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS
Resolution	24MP	50MP	↑
Video	4K/30p, 1080p/120p	8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p
Autofocus	693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking	Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points
Stabilisation	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops	IBIS — up to 5.5 stops
Burst Rate	20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE)	30fps electronic with full AF/AE	↑
Battery Life	~650 shots (CIPA)	~430 shots (CIPA)	↓
Weight	673g (with battery and card)	737g (with battery)	↓
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free)	EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps
Screen	3.0" tilting touchscreen	3.0" fully tilting touchscreen
Mount	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)	Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Dual SD UHS-II slots	Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II

Compare side-by-side

See A9 and A1 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A1 against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the A9

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Camera family history