PR

• World’s first full-frame stacked CMOS sensor, 24.2 MP resolution
• Blackout-Free Continuous Shooting at up to 20fps for up to 241 RAW/ 362 JPEG images
• Silent, Vibration-free shooting at speeds up to 1/32,000 sec
• 693 point focal plane phase detection AF points with 60 AF/AE tracking calculations per second
• Extensive professional features including Ethernet port for file transfer, Dual SD card slots and extended battery life
• 5-axis in-body image stabilisation with a 5.0 step[ix]shutter speed advantage

The most technologically advanced, innovative digital camera that Sony has ever created, the new α9 offers a level of imaging performance that is simply unmatched by any camera ever created – mirrorless, SLR or otherwise.

The new camera offers many impressive capabilities that are simply not possible with a modern digital SLR camera including high-speed, blackout-free continuous shooting at up to 20fpsiv, 60 AF/AE tracking calculations per second, a maximum shutter speed of up to 1/32,000 second and much more. These are made possible thanks to its 35mm full-frame stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor – the world’s first of its kind – which enables data speed processing at up to 20x faster than previous Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras. This unique sensor is paired with a brand new, upgraded BIONZ X processing engine and front-end LSI that maximises overall performance.

This industry-leading speed and innovative silent shooting is combined with a focusing system that features an incredible 693 phase detection AF points. Covering approximately 93% of the frame, the focusing system ensures that even the fastest moving subjects are reliably captured and tracked across the frame.

The new α9 also features a vibration free, fully electronic, completely silent anti-distortion shutter with absolutely no mechanical mirror or shutter noise, making it an extremely powerful photographic tool for any shooting situation that demands quiet operation. To ensure maximum usability and reliability, the camera features a new Z battery with approximately 2.2x the capacity of W batteries, as well as dual SD media card slots, including one that supports UHS-II cards. An Ethernet port (wired LAN terminal) is available as well, and there are i a wide variety of new settings, controls and customisability options that are essential for working professionals.

A New Standard of Speed and Focusing Accuracy

Critical to the record-breaking speed of the new α9 is the combination of the new stacked 24.2 MP Exmor RS image sensor, new BIONZ X processor and front end LSI.

The immense processing power from these new components allows for faster AF/AE calculation while also reducing EVF display latency. The processor and front end LSI are also responsible for the larger continuous shooting buffer, enabling photographers to shoot at a blazing 20 fps with continuous AF/AE tracking for up to 362 JPEG or 241 RAW images.

The camera’s innovative AF system tracks complex, erratic motion with higher accuracy than ever before, with the ability to calculate AF/AE at up to 60 times per second, regardless of shutter release and frame capture. Further, when the shutter is released while shooting stills, the electronic viewfinder functions with absolutely no blackout, giving the user a seamless live view of their subject at all times. This feature truly combines all of the benefits of an electronic viewfinder with the immediacy and “in the moment” advantages that not even the finest optical viewfinders can match, and is available in all still image modes[xiii] including high speed 20 fps continuous shooting.

With 693 focal plane phase detection AF points covering approximately 93% of the frame, the camera ensures improved precision and unfailing focus in scenes where focus might otherwise be difficult to achieve. The Fast Hybrid AF system – pairing the speed and excellent tracking performance of phase detection AF with the precision of contrast AF – achieves approximately 25% faster performance when compared with α7R II, ensuring all fast-moving subjects are captured.

Professional Capabilities in a Compact Body

Sony’s new full-frame camera is equipped with a variety of enhanced capabilities that give it a true professional operational style.

The α9 features an all-new, high-resolution, high-luminance Quad-VGA OLED Tru-Finder with approximately 3,686k dots for extremely accurate, true-to-life detail reproduction. The new Tru-Finder, which is the highest resolution viewfinder Sony has ever incorporated in an α camera, features an optical design that includes a double-sided aspherical element, helping it to achieve 0.78x magnification and a level of corner to corner sharpness that is simply outstanding. The EVF also utilizes a ZEISS® T* Coating to greatly reduce reflections, and has a fluorine coating on the outer lens that repels dirt.

This all adds up to a luminance that is 2x higher than the XGA OLED Tru-Finder from the α7R II, creating a viewfinder image with a brightness level that is nearly identical to the actual scene being framed, ensuring the most natural shooting experience. The frame rate of the Tru-Finder is even customisable, with options to set it for 60 fps or 120 fps to best match the action.

The α9 is equipped with an innovative 5-axis image stabilization system that provides a shutter speed advantage of 5.0 steps, ensuring the full power of the new sensor can be realized, even in challenging lighting. With a simple half press of the shutter button, the effect of the image stabilization can be monitored in the viewfinder or on the LCD screen, allowing framing and focus to be accurately checked and continually monitored.

The α9 also offers an Ethernet port (wired LAN terminal), allowing convenient transfer of still image files to a specified FTP server at high speeds, making it an ideal choice for studio photography, high-profile news and sporting events and more. In addition, there is a sync terminal, enabling external flash units and cables to be connected directly for convenient flash sync.

@apefos

Seems like it is old LSI.

Sensor

via http://www.photographyblog.com/news/sony_a9_hands_on_photos/

Sony is no way better than Canon and Nikon. Just a master of disapointment.

Why?

No S-Log, no Cine Profiles (i bet you can buy those on top), no touch screen, no 10 bit, no 422, no hevc, no articulalting screen, no 240 fps, no 4k 60p, no higher bitrates, no dual pixel video AF, just a photo camera with limited video mode. A photo camera! 2017! hahahahaha! Sleep well Sony. Better EVF, better burst, better autofocus, that`s it. A second sd card slot and a bigger battery is a big invention after 36 years of digital imaging? Maybe there was a resaon for the ridiculously small batteries in the past: To pretend invention.

Comon Sony. I know, it's a sports photo camera, but shouldn't a super mega high priced sports camera be not on top of the video specs? They want to seperate video and photo like canon does. Same stupid suicidal greedy vultures! If you castrate your products to get higher margins, it´s the first step in the coffin. Some Pros may switch, but i don`t see a reason to leave Canon for just nearly the same castrated photo camera. For video i stick to my Samsung Nx1 and still my Gh2. I am so disappointed, i really was hoping that we get finally (after waiting all these years) a video ff dslm without bending artefacts and a better autofocus. But no: a photo camera. What a desaster. This is truely no product to be discussed on a video relatetd site.

I strongly believe there will be a Sony mirrorless with 4k 60p. 10bit 422 maybe...

We don't know at this moment what Sony will do...

Maybe A7S III in same price range of A7S II. Maybe A9S with astronomical price.

Maybe A6700 in same price range of A6500. Maybe A7000 or A9000 with astronomical price.

I fail to understand what this camera is offering for the substantial price increase...better battery life, incremental photo upgrades for certain kinds of photography, and 4 frames a second short of an insane raw mode. What gives?

Samples

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/sony-alpha-a9-sample-photos--30861

Looking for parts

and fact that OLED EVF and screen are same as for all top level cameras now..

estimated cost (with mass production and excluding setup and research) is around $500-700. Below $1000 for sure. So, Sony set new margin record with this camera.

Maybe there going for that rich snob appeal.