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Sony a9 vs a9 II – Key Spec Comparison

You are here: Home / Compare / Sony a9 vs a9 II – Key Spec Comparison

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Last updated: January 27, 2021 by Timothy Mayo - Leave a Comment

Here’s a quick key spec comparison for those of you who are interested in the differences between the a9II and its predecessor the a9.

Sony a9 vs a9II

Key Spec Comparison

SpecificationsSony a9Sony a9 II
Sensor:24.2-megapixel9 35 mm full-frame stacked CMOS sensor24.2-megapixel9 35 mm full-frame stacked CMOS sensor
Processor:BIONZ XBIONZ X
ISO Sensitivity Electronic Shutter:ISO 100-25600, Expanded ISO 50 to ISO 25600ISO 100-25600, Expanded ISO 50 to ISO 25600
ISO Sensitivity Mechanical Shutter:ISO 100-51200, Expanded ISO 50 to ISO 204800ISO 100-51200, Expanded ISO 50 to ISO 204800
Continuous Shooting Electronic Shutter:20fps with AF/AE tracking20fps with AF/AE tracking
Continuous Shooting Mechanical Shutter:5 FPS10 FPS
Autofocus Points:693 phase and 425 contrast detection points693 phase and 425 contrast detection points
Stabilization:5-axis (5.0-stops)5-axis (5.5-stops)
EVF:3.6 million dots3.6 million dots
LCD:1.4 million dots1.4 million dots
Image Buffer:362 JPEG, 241 RAW, 222 RAW+JPEG, 118 RAW (Uncompressed)361 JPEG, 239 RAW, 226 RAW+JPEG, 131 RAW (Uncompressed)
Electronic Shutter:1/32000 to 30 sec1/32000 to 30 sec
Mechanical Shutter:1/8000 to 30 sec1/8000 to 30 sec
Memory Card Slots:Two Slots. Slot 1 (UHS II/I), Slot 2 (UHS I)Two Slots. Slot 1 (UHS II/I), Slot 2 (UHS II/I)
Wireless LAN (Built-In):IEEE 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz band)IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz band/5GHz band)
LAN Terminal:100BASE-TX (100Mbps)1000BASE-T (1000Mbps)
USB:USB 2.0USB 3.2 Gen 1.
Dimensions (W X H X D):Approx. 126.9mm x 95.6mm x 63.0mmApprox. 128.9mm x 96.4mm x 77.5mm
Weight:588g (1lb 4.7 oz)678g (1lb 8.0 oz)
Battery Life Stills:Approx. 480 shots (Viewfinder) / approx. 650 shots (LCD monitor)Approx. 500 shots (Viewfinder) / approx. 690 shots (LCD monitor)
Price (MRRP):$3,498.00 / £3,399.00$4,500.00 / £4,800.00

Sony a9 II – So What’s Actually New?

If you take a quick look at the above comparison table you’ll probably be left wondering if the a9 II has anything new to offer over the a9 at all, thankfully it does!

Upgraded BIONZ X Processor

According to Sony they have upgraded the BIONZ X Image-Processing engine and front-end LSI for improved autofocus speed and precision, face detection and EVF response. They have also tuned their AF algorithms to achieve even more reliable tracking of fast and unpredictable moving subjects.

Improved Grip & Dust & Moisture Resistant Body

The Sony a9 II also gets the new deeper grip that was first introduced with the a7R IV. The new body design features more prominent control buttons with improved ergonomics including lock/release buttons on the EV Compensation Dial and Drive Mode Dial. Sony has also improved the weather-sealing around ports and doors.

Dual UHS-II SD Card Slots

Just like with the a7R IV, the a9 II now supports UHS-II memory cards in both slots 1 and 2. So you are no longer handicapped to UHS I speeds if you decide to simultaneously record to both slots.

Voice Memo

The a9 II has a new voice memo recording feature that allows you to record up to a 60 second voice memo and attach to images via a .wav file that can be replayed when images are reviewed.

New Low-Vibration 10 FPS Mechanical Shutter

Sony a9 II also gets a new low-vibration shutter which improves the mechanical frame rate from 5 FPS on the a9 to 10 FPS on the a9 II. The mechanical shutter is now also quieter and has better vibration dampening. It’s also compatible with Anti-flicker shooting which automatically detects flicker and adjust shutter timing to eliminate exposure and color variations when shooting under flickering lights.

USB 3.2 Type-C Connection

The a9 II now supports fast 3.2 Gen 1 data transfer speeds for high-speed PC Remote tethering and data transfer.

Upgraded High-Speed 1000BASE-T and 5GHZ FTP Background Transfer

The a9 II now also gets a 1000BASE-T LAN port for high-speed data transfer including remote shooting. The 5 GHz wireless LAN support also allows lower interference for high-speed data transfer. It’s now also possible to save FTP settings and reload them onto any a9 II body. Up to 10 sets of FTP settings can be saved to SD card separately from normal shooting settings. Imaging Edge Mobile app can be used to save up to 20 sets of settings.

5.5 Stop 5-Axis Image Stabilization

The Sony a9 II gets a slight stabilization improvement at 5.5 stops compared with 5 stops for the a9.

New & Improved Menu Settings

The a9 II menu now includes separate Fn Button settings for stills & video as well as the ability to Save & Load camera settings via SD card.

Real-Time Eye AF for Movies and Improved Tracking

Real-Time Eye AF is now supported for Movie recording and there is also improved Real Time Tracking for Movies. There are still no picture profiles however.

MI Shoe with Digital Audio Interface

The Sony a9 II also get the new MI Shoe Digital Audio Interface like was introduced with the a7R IV. This means that it will also support accessories like the Sony ECM-B1M Digital Shotgun Microphone.

Check Price & Buyer Reviews for Sony a9

At: Amazon | B&H Photo

Check Price & Buyer Reviews for Sony a9II

At: Amazon | B&H Photo

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About Timothy Mayo

I love shooting wildlife the most but will happily point my camera at pretty much anything. I started Alpha Shooters in 2017 to share my own photographic journey and experiences shooting with Sony Alpha. The site has since evolved into a popular community and resource. You can also find out more about my story here or follow me on Instagram if you wish. I also have a YouTube Channel but haven't published much content over the past year due to spending more time changing smelly nappies and also launching our community forums. However, I do plan to get back to creating content for YouTube in 2021!

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