Upgrade Guide

Sony ZV-1 II→Sony A9

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

You own

Sony

ZV-1 II

£649

2023

→

Upgrade to

Sony

£1999 (+£1,350)

2017

✅

Worthwhile

Clear improvements over the ZV-1 II. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.

What's new in the A9

↑

Resolution

24MP vs 20MP (+4MP)
↑

Weather sealing

Added — fully sealed body
↑

Stabilisation

IBIS added — significant for handheld and video
↑

Burst rate

20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) vs 15fps
↑

Battery life

~650 shots (CIPA) vs ~260 shots (CIPA)

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	ZV-1 II	A9
Price	£649	£1,999
Released	2023	2017	↓
Sensor	20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS	24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS
Resolution	20MP	24MP	↑
Video	4K/30p, 1080p/120p	4K/30p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus	Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF	693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking
Stabilisation	Optical SteadyShot (OIS)	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops
Burst Rate	15fps	20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE)	↑
Battery Life	~260 shots (CIPA)	~650 shots (CIPA)	↑
Weight	292g	673g (with battery and card)	↓
Weather Sealed	No	Yes	↑
Viewfinder	None	EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free)
Screen	3.0" fully tilting touchscreen	3.0" tilting touchscreen
Mount	Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Single SD UHS-I slot	Dual SD UHS-II slots

Compare side-by-side

See ZV-1 II and A9 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

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