Welcome to my Sony a9 II (ILCE-9M2) resource page. Here you will find the latest firmware version for the a9II, user guides, FAQs, product images and my accessories guide.
| Latest Firmware | Manual | Accessories | Price Check & Buyer Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Version 1.2.0 | PDF / Online | Accessories | Amazon | B&H |
Sony a9II Forum & Facebook Group
If you are looking for further help and advice on the a9II or would simply like to share your photos, then please head over to our friendly Sony a9II Forum. If you prefer Facebook then I also run the Sony a9 / a9II Shooters Group.
Sony a9II Overview
The Sony a9II was announced in October 2019, 30 months after the first a9 was announced to the world with a stacked sensor and silent shooting speed of 20 frames per second that no other camera on the market could match at the time.
Here are some of the things that the a9II shares in common with its predecessor the a9:
- 24.2MP Exmor RS Stacked sensor
- ISO 100-51200 range (50-204800 extended) with mechanical shutter
- ISO 100-25600 range (50-25600 extended) with electronic shutter
- 20fps with AF/AE tracking, blackout-free live view
- up to 1/32000s with electronic shutter
- 693 phase and 425 contrast detection AF points
- 60 times per second AF calculations
- Real-Time Tracking and Real-Time Eye AF (human and animals)
- 3.69M dots EVF (0.78x, 120hz)
- 1.44M dots LCD screen with touch sensitivity
- No Picture Profiles for video
And here are the new features that the a9II gains:
- Upgraded BIONZ X image processing engine
- Upgraded dust and moisture resistant body with stronger sealing
- Slightly larger grip for increased comfort
- Improved button design and feel with a larger ‘AF-ON’ button; a refined multi-selector joystick design; an exposure compensation dial lock button
- Redesigned mechanical shutter mechanism that is quieter and can now shoot 10 fps compared to 5 fps in the a9
- USB Type-C connector
- Both media slots now support UHS-I and UHS-II SD cards
- A digital audio interface has been added to the camera’s Multi Interface Shoe (MI Shoe) enabling the ECM-B1M Shotgun Microphone or XLR-K3M XLR Adaptor Kit to be connected directly to the MI Shoe
- Anti-flicker shooting mode that allows the camera to detect and adjust the exposure when fluorescent lights are present in the scene.
- Real-time eye autofocus for video
- 5-axis optical in-body image stabilisation system that provides a shutter speed advantage of 5.5 steps, this compares with 5 steps in the a9
- The speed of the camera’s built-in wireless LAN functionality has also been increased, adding a stable and fast 5 GHz (IEEE 802.11ac) band
- Voice Memo function that allows spoken information to be attached to images in the form of voice memos that can be replayed when the images are reviewed
DPReview awarded this camera their Gold Award and concluded their in-depth review with the following:
The Sony Alpha 9 Mark II comes with the best autofocus system we’ve seen. It’s compact yet has a good-sized grip, produces great Raw and JPEG files, offers excellent battery life and solid video capture. That said, we do think its video capabilities and rear screen could be updated, and of course, this is a sports camera, so those looking for maximum resolution or dynamic range are barking up the wrong tree. But the a9 II meets and, in some cases, exceeds the capabilities of its peers and makes for a truly compelling value for sports and action photographers.
DPReview
I own the original Sony a9 myself and didn’t feel like the improvements in the a9II warranted an upgrade this time. Of course, I was thinking with my wallet and if I had money burning a hole in my pocket then I would have upgraded as soon as it hit the shelves!
I also own the Sony a7R IV which features the same body design with improved grip, larger buttons and dual USH-II sd card slots as the a9II, and I definitely find that this camera is a lot more comfortable to hold and easier to press certain buttons especially when wearing gloves in colder weather.
Sony a9II Key Specs
- 24.2 megapixel 35mm full-frame stacked sensor
- ISO 100-51200 range (50-204800 extended) with mechanical shutter
- ISO 100-25600 range (50-25600 extended) with electronic shutter
- 20 fps blackout free continuous shooting with the electronic shutter
- 10 fps continuous shooting with new quieter mechanical shutter
- 693-point phase-detection and 425-point contrast detection AF points
- 5.5-stop (CIPA rated) 5-axis image stabilization
- Dual UHS-II SD card slots
- 3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder (1280 x 960 pixels)
- 1.44M-dot rear touchscreen LCD
- Oversampled full width UHD 4K/24p video (1.24x crop for 30p)
- Gigabit ethernet, 5GHz Wi-Fi
- Support for voice memos
- Battery CIPA rated to 690 shots
- 678g (24oz) with battery and memory card
You can find the full Sony a9II details and specifications over on Sony’s a9II product page.
Sony a9II FAQs
The Sony a9II was announced on October 3rd, 2019 with first shipments beginning in November 2019.
UHS-I and UHS-II SD cards are supported in both slots 1 and 2.
Sony NP-FZ100 battery.
Yes. The Sony a9II is a full-frame 35-mm camera.
Sony claim that the a9II is dust and moisture resistant, they don’t claim that it is fully waterproof and you should therefore use a cover if using the camera in wet weather.
Approx. 24.2 megapixels
No. Pixel Shift can only be found in the Sony a7R III and a7R IV cameras, this has never been a feature of the a9 series.
678g (24oz) with battery and memory card
Power cord
Rechargeable Battery NP-FZ100
Cable Protector
Battery Charger BC-QZ1
Shoulder strap
Body cap
Accessory shoe cap
Eyepiece cup
USB Type-C(TM) cable
The maximum fps (frames per second) for the mechanical shutter of the a9II is 10 fps.
The maximum fps (frames per second) for the electronic shutter of the a9II is 20 fps.
12 FPS with a buffer of 131 frames.
You can find a full list of lenses that support continuous shooting at 20 FPS here.
