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Serious speed: Sony a9 real world samples gallery

27 Apr

The Sony a9 made headlines shortly after its announcement due in no small part to its laundry list of impressive specifications. With 20fps burst shooting, 693 autofocus points and a 3.7m dot electronic OLED viewfinder with no blackout at all in continuous shooting, this camera’s got some serious specs and Sony has made some serious claims about its performance.

During our time in New York for the announcement, we were able to learn the ins-and-outs of the camera while photographing hockey players, figure skaters, and a full-on track meet to see just how the camera fared – and it fared well. But don’t take our word for it, check it out for yourself in our real world samples gallery. The AF system combined with 20 fps allowed us to nail the exact moment, while the excellent JPEG engine retained detail and minimized noise even at ISOs in the thousands.

See the Sony a9 real world samples gallery

But we’ve also been hard at work digging into the Sony a9 as much as we could, given our limited time with it and lack of Raw support. Our shooting experience has been updated with impressions of both JPEG image quality and autofocus performance.

DPR’s updated impressions of the Sony a9

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Alpha-better: Sony a9 versus a7R II

26 Apr

Sony a9 versus a7R II

The Sony a9 is a masterpiece of technology. Even if you have no intention of ever dropping $ 4500 to buy one, you have to admit that its key specifications are impressive. Aimed squarely at action photographers, it’s much faster than the a7R II, with a more sophisticated AF system, but it can’t match the older camera for sheer resolution.

In this article, we’ll be comparing the a9 and a7R II directly, looking in detail at exactly where their differences lie. For some photographers, the a9 might meet their needs admirably, whereas for others, the older a7R II might be just as good – or better. Read on to decide for yourself.

Resolution

Perhaps the most fundamental difference between these two cameras is their sensors. The a9 offers a resolution of 24MP, putting it in the middle of the pack in terms of full-frame cameras’ pixel-count.

On the other hand, the 42MP sensor inside the 7R II offers the highest resolution of any Sony Alpha. In the entire full-frame market, it is second only to the Canon EOS 5DS/R when it comes to nominal resolution.

Having so many pixels at your disposal is great for certain kinds of photography, like landscape and studio work, but of course it comes at the expense of large file sizes, and reduced operational speed.

Our verdict: If you need the pixels, save some cash and buy an a7R II. If you need speed, read on…

Speed

The a9, on the other hand, features a significantly lower-resolution 24MP sensor, but one that’s been optimized for speed, rather than pure resolution. A maximum frame rate of 20 fps makes the a7R II look prehistoric, and 60 fps live view is available even during burst shooting. You don’t need that kind of performance for landscapes, but for sports and action, it’s extremely appealing. You can thank a stacked CMOS design, with built-in buffer memory for these tricks. In the image above, the sensor (1) sends data the signal processing circuitry (2) and on to a buffer (3) before pushing this data to the Bionz processor (4).

But of course, a fast frame rate isn’t useful without…

Autofocus

…a decent autofocus system.

The a7R II impressed us when it was released, offering probably the best all-around AF performance of any full-frame mirrorless camera. Its 399-point on-sensor PDAF system is very capable, and allowed for very good autofocus with adapted Canon EF lenses, as well as lenses from Sony’s own A-mount line.

The a9 takes things to a whole new level, offering 693 phase-detection points (represented above). Sony claims that autofocus acquisition has been improved by 25%, and eye and face-detection rates have improved by 30% compared to the a7R II.

Autofocus

We’ve yet to formally test the a9, but impressions from our initial shooting are extremely favorable. While it’s too early to say whether Canon and Nikon sports photographers will be tempted to make the switch, it certainly looks like the a9 can hold its own when it comes to capturing fast action.

For Sony shooters though, if autofocus performance is a priority, the a9 is a clear winner.

Ergonomics

In terms of body design and handling, the a9 is a mixed bag when compared to the a7R II. Cosmetically, the two cameras are similar, but the a9 feels heftier and a little more substantial (it’s barely any larger, but it is slightly heavier). The most important changes are in how the controls work and feel, and the addition of a much more streamlined GUI.

For starters, the buttons and dials on the a9 just feel nicer than they do on the a7R II. Less mushy, more ‘clicky’. This, coupled with the reduced lagginess in control response makes the a9 feel more responsive than the a7R II even before you’ve taken a picture. The addition of an AF positioning joystick is another welcome improvement over the a7R II, which will be appreciated by all photographers – not just sports and action shooters.

The a9’s menu system is vastly improved compared to the a7R II – a long overdue change that we’re very pleased to (finally) see.

Viewfinder

The a7R II’s viewfinder is really nice, but the a9’s is better. It offers greater resolution (3.7 million dots as opposed to 2.3M) and a higher framerate of 120 fps. This drops to 60 fps during continuous shooting, but a 60 fps refresh rate during 20fps shooting is nothing to sneeze at.

LCD

The a9’s rear LCD may sound like it only offers only a modest increase in resolution compared to the a7R II (1.44M dots compared to 1.23M) but there’s been a move from a 640 x 480 pixels to 800 x 600, which should be appreciable. The difference is that the previous panel had red, green, blue and white dots at each position, whereas the new screen uses three dots per pixel (red, green and blue, with some green positions replaced by white).

Furthermore, the addition of touch-sensitivity is a welcome (and again, overdue) upgrade compared to the older camera. Finally, it seems, Sony is getting the message that all the features in the world can’t make up for a poor user experience.

PC sync socket

Well now, this is interesting… the action-oriented a9 has an ethernet socket, which makes sense for pro sports photographers, but it also has a PC sync socket, while Sony’s high-resolution flagship studio camera, the a7R II doesn’t?

We’d be pretty confident that few, if any a9 buyers will ever use their camera’s PC sync socket. Many won’t use the Ethernet port either, but at least it’s an indication of the intended user-base. To us, the addition of a PC sync socket is a pretty good indication that a higher-resolution sister model is on its way. The a9 represents the third ergonomic iteration of the full-frame Alpha series, so it makes sense that physically, any future a9-series models will share the same basic chassis. Is there a higher resolution a9R in the works? If Sony’s past release schedules are any guide, we’d say it’s a near-certainty.

Video

As well as being highly capable stills cameras, the a9 and a7R II both offer advanced 4K video specifications. In terms of sheer output quality, the a9 is likely to offer the best-looking footage, thanks to 2.4X oversampling from 6K with no pixel-binning, no line-skipping, and no crop factor. The incredibly fast readout speed of the new sensor means that there’s little or no impact from rolling shutter, too.

Both cameras offer headphone and microphone ports, plus HDMI and USB (the a9 is pictured above), although it’s a shame that even the a9 is still limited to an old-style micr USB 2 port. Despite the incredible speed of the camera, we’ll have to wait for a super-high-speed USB 3.0 interface.

No S-Log

Oddly though, the a9 lacks S-Log, and does not feature any of the Picture Profiles found on previous a7-series cameras (an example of what ungraded S-Log footage looks like is shown above). This limits its usefulness as part of a professional video rig, because it reduces the potential for grading footage in video editing software. Sony says this is because the a9 is offered primarily at stills photographers, but then why add 2.4X oversampled 4K video at all?

Whatever the explanation, we’re hoping that S-Log will be added via firmware. Unless, of course, its exclusion leave room for an a9S or some other, more video-centric model?

Our verdict: If you can live without S-Log, the a9 will capture better full-frame 4K video. Oh, and there’s something else it has to offer, too…

Card slots

The a9 offers twin card slots, one of which supports UHS-II media. This is an obvious improvement over the a7R II’s single slot, and one that might prove to be a big deal depending on the kind of photography you do. Having two slots is always useful for redundancy if nothing else, and for mixed stills and video shooters, it’s handy to be able to record movies to one card, and stills to the other.

We wish the a9 offered support for the much faster XQD card format, but we suspect that if it comes at all, XQD will arrive in the next generation of Alpha bodies. For now, two slots of any kind are definitely better than one.

New battery

Oh happy day – we had almost given up hope. One of our perennial complaints about the a7-series was battery life. The weedy little FW50 inside the a7R II provides enough endurance for a couple of hundred stills, but for video work its low capacity of 7.7Wh meant frequent battery swapping during a typical day of filming.

The a9 is introduced with a new NP-FZ100 battery, providing more than twice the capacity (16.4Wh). The boosted battery capacity, and a claimed 40% general reduction in power consumption compared to the a7R II should mean that the new camera will last a lot longer on a single charge.

The introduction of a separate external 4-battery power pack, aimed at videographers and compatible with the a9 and all previous a7-series bodies is good to see, too.

Final verdict

The a9 is faster in all respects than the a7R II. Judging by our initial impressions, it should be a very capable tool for sports and action photography, certainly compared to its predecessor. Whether it can compete against the likes of Canon’s EOS-1D X Mark II and the Nikon D5 is another matter of course, and we’ll be testing that soon enough.

From a more general user experience point of view the a9 is improved, too. Finally, a full-frame Sony camera with a menu system that doesn’t make us want to scream, and a touch-screen! Wonders will never cease…

Is there anything the a7R II can do that the a9 can’t? Not much, but the differences are important.

Having almost 20 million more pixels means the a7R II can produce bigger prints, which might be a big deal for landscape and studio photographers. The a7R II’s autofocus system isn’t as good as the a9’s, but it’s still very good, and 5 fps is enough for most everyday shooting. For general photography (and more specialized high-resolution work) the a7R II will do the job admirably, for a lot less money than the a9. For now at least, the option of shooting in S-Log might make the a7R II a more attractive camera for video professionals too, despite the better resolution offered by the a9’s oversampled footage. Its lower capacity battery life is still a limitation, but the release of the NPA-MQZ1K Multi-Battery Adaptor Kit will definitely help.

Ultimately, for Sony shooters that really need speed, the a9 is clearly a better camera than the a7R II. The option of 20 fps continuous shooting with a 60 fps live view feed should prove addictive for anyone shooting fast action. The a9 also looks like a better camera for 4K video, thanks to 2.4X oversampling from 6K, and a new – larger – battery.

What do you think of the new a9? Let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Here’s how much it would actually cost a pro to switch from Canon to Sony

25 Apr

Read on for a non-scientific look at the cost of switching from Canon to Sony. Note: you’ll need a lot more cash than shown here.

The Sony a9 is here and with the ability to shoot 20 fps with AF-C, it’s likely to make a lot of sports photographers curious about switching to the Sony mirrorless system. We’re already impressed as heck. After all, it is meant to face off directly with the Canon 1DX II and Nikon D5.

We’ve talked about the structural considerations that may prevent some working pros from switching systems. But let’s imagine that those logistical concerns aren’t a problem, or you’re a freelance photographer who isn’t working with an employer’s supply of lenses. What would it actually cost in dollars and cents to switch systems?

We surveyed four Seattle photojournalists and found out what equipment they consider essential on assignments. Interestingly, their kits all consisted of a lot of the same gear and all four shoot Canon. Once we got a sense of what goes into a pro’s bag, we estimated what kind of money that kit might fetch if it were to be flipped. Finally, using our grand total, we looked at how much kit they could replace if they went Sony.

Before diving in, it is worth noting that switching brands is never a cost-effective move. And someone truly considering making the move from Canon to Sony, or Nikon to Canon, or Nikon to Sony, can assume a loss going in. Also all pricing estimates are current as of publishing, but are subject to change with time.

In the bag: the ideal kit

Below we’ve listed out a sports photography kit based on our feedback from working photojournalists. All four photographers shoot with two bodies minimum, and occasionally use a third. Interestingly, none have upgraded to the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II or 5D Mark IV, though for the ‘Value if purchased new,’ column we used the price of the latest version of each camera, since that’s what they’d likely buy, if anything needed replacing.

We look to used camera retailer KEH for pricing estimates. Note: selling used gear is not an exact science – you might be able to get more or less depending where you sell – but KEH tends to be a good industry standard. And for the sake of simplicity, we assumed all gear is in well-used but working condition (KEH calls this category ‘Excellent,’ just below ‘Excellent Plus’ and ‘Like new minus’). Below we’ve broken down the payout for the whole haul of gear, plus the cost if purchased new for comparison.

	Estimated value on KEH (w/ accessories)	Value if purchased new
Canon 1DX (x2)	$ 2000 x2	$ 6000* x2 (1DX II)
Canon 5D Mark III	$ 1200	$ 3500* (5D IV)
Canon 35mm F2 IS	$ 275	$ 550
Canon 85mm F1.8	$ 200	$ 350
Canon 135mm F2	$ 500	$ 1000
Canon 16-35mm F2.8 III	$ 1030	$ 2000
Canon 24-70mm F2.8	$ 435	$ 1700* (version II)
Canon 70-200 L IS II	$ 1030	$ 1900
Canon 300mm F2.8 IS II	$ 2950	$ 6100
Canon 580 EX II	$ 140	$ 480* (600EX)
Canon LP-E6N battery (3)	$ 0	$ 65 x3
Canon LP-E4N (2)	$ 30 x2	$ 165 x2
Grand total:	$ 11,820	$ 30,105

*This number reflects the price of upgrading to the latest version of each piece of gear

Wowza that’s a lot of kit. For the most part we’re looking recouping less than half the new value for each lens sold used (ouch!). So with $ 11,820 in pocket, how much kit could be bought back in Sony gear? Read on…

Making the switch

It isn’t completely fair to price it out what previously was used equipment against brand new Sony gear. So to make things more even, we’ve included new and used prices where applicable.

“There is no exact replacement for each
piece of kit.”

Also important: the Sony FE system is nowhere near as vast as the Canon EF lens family and as such, there are not exact replacements for each piece of kit, something you can read more about in our recent article Sony a9: Why being better might not be enough.

One example of this: all four photographers mentioned using a prime tele – either a 300mm F2.8 or 400mm F2.8 (we used the former in our example). Sony does not yet have a 300mm F2.8 – the closest lens they make is the new 100-40mm F4.5-5.6, which is far from a perfect substitute. We’ve included it in our chart below, but this lack of long primes is certainly something that may keep sports shooters from switching.

Equivalent Sony gear	Estimated price new	Estimated price used if applicable
Sony a9 (x2)	$ 4500 x2	n/a
Sony a7II	$ 1550	$ 1200 (Ebay)
Sony 35mm F2.8	$ 800	$ 620 (KEH)
Sony 85mm F1.8	$ 600	n/a
Sony Zeiss Batis 135mm F2.8	$ 2000	n/a
Sony 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS	$ 1350	$ 790
Sony 24-70mm F2.8 GM	$ 2200	$ 2000 (KEH)
Sony 70-200mm F2.8 GM	$ 2600	n/a
Sony 100-400mm GM	$ 2500	n/a
Sony HVL-F60M flash	$ 550	n/a
Sony a9 vertical grip	$ 350 x2	n/a
Sony NPFW50 battery (3)	$ 50 x3	n/a
Sony a9 battery (2)	$ 80 x2	n/a
Grand total:	$ 24,160	$ 22,870

Full system switch

Using our example, the cheapest one could go full-on Sony, with most of the same kit is $ 22,870. After applying the $ 11,820 discount from having sold off all the Canon equipment, a photojournalist would still have to cough up about $ 11,050 to make the switch. Or they could simply take that $ 11,820 and buy a couple of a9 bodies and maybe a lens.

“A photojournalist would still have to cough up about $ 11,050 to make the switch.”

But wait…

Although there’s a drop in performance and features when using Canon glass on a Sony a9 with adapter, for some photographers this lower performance level may still be sufficient (at least in the short term). In that case our photojournalists would only need to switch their cameras, batteries and flashguns.

Just swap the bodies

Two Sony a9 bodies with grips, and a used a7 II with batteries and flash would cost about $ 11,760 plus another $ 800 for two metabones adapters bringing the grand total to: $ 12,560. If our photojournalists were to sell their Canon bodies and accessories to KEH, it would put $ 5,400 in their pocket, meaning they’d have to shell out about $ 7,160 to make the switch. This doesn’t sound quite so bad. Another option would be to simply switch one body for the Sony a9 to get the fast burst rate, and hang onto the rest of the gear.

“Another option would be to simply switch one body for the Sony a9 to get the fast burst rate, and hang onto the rest of the gear.”

On the other hand, if or when our photojournalist upgrades to the latest versions of their camera bodies – having sold their current models and used the cash to step up – it would cost $ 10,300 to make the upgrade to two 1DX II and a 5D IV, so that cost is probably waiting for them at some point down the line.

Notably, if they were starting fresh with a new system, the cost of entry is somewhat similar: $ 30,105 for the full kit in Canon and $ 24,160 for the kit in Sony. However, these numbers are skewed by the fact that we are comparing a $ 6100 Canon tele prime to a $ 2500 Sony tele zoom. If we ignore those two, the price difference is even closer: $ 24,005 for the Canon sports kit and $ 21,660 for the Sony.

The takeaway

Switching systems is a headache and sports photography gear is crazy expensive. Like cars, cameras lose a lot of value as soon as they go from ‘new’ to ‘used’ condition – essentially, as soon as you take them home from the store. Not for nothing are most pro photographers familiar with the concept of depreciation from their tax returns.

It’s hard to say whether sports photographers or publications out there are considering making a switch to the Sony system with the introduction of the a9. The four photojournalists we spoke with all seemed intrigued by what it offers, though. Whether they’d actually considering switching is another story.

“Switching systems is a headache and sports photography gear is crazy expensive.”

One thing is for certain: Sony is pushing deep into territory previously only inhabited by Canon and Nikon and it is only a matter of time before making the switch to mirrorless doesn’t seem so crazy – even for pro sports shooters. Then again, the camera is only one part of the equation. A 20 fps bursts with continuous AF and no black out seems nice, but if you don’t have the right glass for the job, that spec won’t get you far.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sony a9: Why being better might not be enough

24 Apr

The Sony a9 is an impressive looking camera. At 20 frames per second, its able to shoot much faster than either of the professional sports cameras from the two big DSLR makers.

The Sony is also smaller and lighter than these cameras (even with a battery grip added, to get nearer to matching their battery endurance), and has autofocus coverage across a much wider region of the frame than a DSLR AF system can offer. On top of this, it’s $ 1500 cheaper than Canon’s EOS-1D X II and $ 2000 less than Nikon’s D5.

And, most importantly, my colleagues who’ve shot with the camera say that the AF performance is within the realms of that offered by the current generation of pro DSLRs.

So, game, set and match, Sony?

Our initial impressions, as well as the underlying specifications, suggest Sony’s a9 is a highly capable piece of kit. But is that enough for it to elbow its way to the sidelines of the world’s sports pitches?

Well, not necessarily. For moneyed enthusiasts, the Sony looks like a pretty competitive option. Though, of course, the cost isn’t just about buying the body. If you have to make a switch to a completely new system, the costs extend to every item you need to replace.

However, there are a number of factors that make it more difficult for a working professional to change systems. We spoke to a couple of photojournalists at The Seattle Times about the factors beyond sticker price that might stand in the way of switching (not specifically to Sony but to any other system).

Lenses

Lenses are one of the biggest factors in deciding whether to swap systems. Not only are lenses every bit as important as cameras themselves when making images but also, especially at the pro and sports end of the market, can easily cost more than a camera body. Often the bulk of the cost of changing systems lies in the need to sell your existing lenses and buy new ones, with the precise cost depending on which lenses you need.

Lens availability is another significant hurdle. Sony has been making strides with its GM lens series but there’s a distinct lack of the long and fast telephoto lenses that sports shooters depend on.

‘Go to any sporting event: the Olympics, the Super Bowl and it comes down to the same basic configurations: short zoom, long zoom, super telephoto’

‘Go to any sporting event: the Olympics, the Super Bowl and it comes down to the same basic configurations: short zoom, long zoom, super telephoto. Essentially a 16-35, 70-200 and 400 mm F2.8,’ explains Seattle Times photographer Dean Rutz.

‘What all these companies lack is the super prime telephoto,’ he says: ‘I can’t logically make the switch without a 400mm F2.8 or equivalent. At least a 300mm F2.8. A 70-200 equivalent isn’t sufficient.’

Bettina Hansen, Rutz’s colleague at the Seattle Times agrees: ‘for sports I use a 16-35, 70-200 and one of either the Canon 200-400, 400 F2.8 or 500 F4.’

Sony has introduced a 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM alongside the a9, but that’s not the same as having a 400mm F2.8 available.

Then, of course, there’s the issue of who owns the lenses. If your employer has spent money on a particular lens system or the rental house with which you have an account and a working relationship only supports certain systems, then this can become a significant barrier to switching.

This is certainly the case for Rutz: ‘my employer provides a generous amount of Canon gear for my work, which is predominantly sports related.’

‘The Times owns everything [I use],’ says Hansen. ‘Changing isn’t totally impossible, though. Our boss did say: “let us know what you want, next time we have to replace gear,” but we tend to replace bodies one year and lenses the next. Those super-telephotos are used on a pool basis, so you can’t necessarily change while everyone’s on another system.’

Sony has clearly looked at the needs of a range of pros, with the inclusion of features such as an Ethernet connector. ‘That’s how the wires do big events,’ says Hansen: ‘Olympics, World Series, etc – the shooters sit in designated spots and images transmit instantly to editors as they are shot via Ethernet.’

The short flange-back distance of the a9 leaves enough room to fit an adapter to allow the mounting of any DSLR lens, but there’ll be a significant change in performance associated with this. Sony only promises 10 frame per second shooting when adapting its own A-mount lenses, and we’re told that both subject tracking (Lock-on AF) and Eye-AF will be unavailable when using non-native mount lenses (this has always been the case even with previous a7 bodies).

‘Performance reportedly will degrade with the adapter,’ says Rutz: ‘I’d need to see the practical application of it before committing.’

Accessories

As well as bodies and lenses, changing systems incurs a range of associated expenses, Hansen points out.

‘Rain gear is important for sports like football,’ she says: ‘We use Think Tank Hydrophobia rain gear, which isn’t cheap. That’s pretty popular among photojournalists.’

‘The other thing is cards: we’ve invested heavily in Compact Flash,’ she says. ‘That might not seem like much, but we have nine photographers at the moment, so it really adds up. Then there’s cases. We’ve got bags that are designed to perfectly fit a pro level DSLR and everything you need to shoot a football game and get it on a plane. Are we going to have to replace those, too?’

Some of these expenses are likely to be small, but it’s all a question of unknowns.

Support

Professional gear tends to be built pretty tough, but it’s not indestructible. Focus motors fail, lenses get dropped, sensors need cleaning. Working professionals, particularly photojournalists and sports photographers need a good degree of support if anything goes wrong: since neither the news nor a big game will wait for their gear to get fixed.

This is what the competition looks like: Canon Professional Service’s loan stock for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

As a results, Canon, Nikon and Sony all have ‘Pro’ support schemes that promise a certain level of service, usually including a defined repair period and loan equipment being available in the meantime.

‘CPS is huge to us,’ Hansen stresses: ‘For instance, say I am shooting a Seahawks game, I break a lens, shear it off at the lens mount or it gets stuck on the camera: I can send it in and have a loaner pretty quick. Canon also has a rep in Seattle so we can just go to him if we need something, he’ll often come to the games.’

Sony’s Pro Support program has been expanded to include more countries, but can it offer the degree of service that pro sports shooters have come to expect?

Sony has said it’s beefing-up its Pro support system, opening two walk-in support centers and extending coverage to Canada. The program is also available in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the United Kingdom, though the service level may differ across territories.

This is a key requirement, says Rutz: ‘the challengers need better pro services and outreach, as well as big primes, to be able to push the other companies off their perch.’ One thing in Sony’s favor? If you mostly use the electronic shutter, your mechanical shutter will have a longer life. That’s something, at least.

Familiarity

Then, beyond the practical concerns, there are the personal aspects. Canon and Nikon’s pro cameras have been carefully iterated, generation to generation, so they include the improvements asked for, while also maintaining backwards-compatibility so that users who have spent years with one brand will find the latest model immediately familiar.

Rutz gives just a small example: ‘I think most sports photographers rely on back-button focus to balance framing and frame rate in a rapid-fire sequence. Canon has a big, fat button on the back of their cameras that’s easy to find, on the fly but most other cameras have made that button too flush to be as instinctive. That’s an area that needs to be addressed.’

Interestingly, Hansen highlights exactly the same thing: ‘Back button focus is one of the first things you learn when you’re getting into photojournalism and sports photography.’

Sony has clearly heard about this need and has added a dedicated AF-On button on the a9, so it’ll be interesting how our pros get on with it, once they’ve had a chance to use the camera.

The Sony a9 has a dedicated AF-On button, but is it pronounced and well-positioned enough to ensure your thumb hits it without having to think?

That said, if the performance gain is sufficient, most pros will take the time to learn new tricks and work around any oddities. ‘The quirks of these new systems can be mitigated – honestly – if there’s less difference in fundamental performance than what you’re already used to,’ says Rutz.

‘It does take time to get used to these new cameras,’ he says: ‘but most [professionals] I know are geeks and they’re more than willing to play with the assets until they get the swing of it.’

Hansen, having already moved from Nikon to Canon, agrees: ‘If you’re in the field, you’re always experimenting. Learning a new system isn’t so hard. You find the menus that are important to you and you learn those.’

‘Familiarity helps, though,’ Rutz says: ‘At a point photography is reflexive and the camera has to fit into that, versus you having to adapt to the camera.’

A question of inertia

Overall, then, there are a series of factors beyond just the cost that contribute to the inertia that acts against working professionals changing systems. As such, being better might not be enough for Sony’s a9 to make a significant dent in the pro sports market.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sony a9 shooting experience: Here’s why I’m impressed

24 Apr

Introduction

Sony’s looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

When I started shooting sports for college publications, I was stuck working with 3 fps. Then I graduated to a new camera offering 5 fps, and gravitated towards weddings and events. Now that I’ve been with DPReview for a year and a half, I’ve gotten used to 12, 14, 18 and 24 frames per second for shooting just about everything.

To be blunt, past a certain threshold, burst shooting speeds don’t net me appreciably more keepers in my usual style of photography. But that won’t be the case with everyone, and honestly, it doesn’t hinder my enthusiasm with regards to the new Sony a9, even though that’s one of its headline features. Even setting burst speeds aside, this camera is among the best I’ve ever used, bar none. Here’s why.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony’s always left me feeling a little conflicted.

On one hand, the technology and features crammed into the company’s cameras are always impressive; during my interview for this job, our own Rishi Sanyal showed me Eye AF on an a7R II, and I accidentally blurted out an expletive as my jaw dropped – it was something I’d never seen before. On the other hand, I’ve consistently found the usability of Sony’s cameras to be a primary concern for me. The interface and general operation were laggy enough to be irksome, I got lost in the menus all the time (movie options should never be nonsensically shuffled among stills options), and there were times that I felt I was fighting the camera to get it to just do what I wanted.

Sony’s RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn’t seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations.
Photo by Samuel Spencer

The list of qualms I have with the a7-series in particular is full of items that, on their own, are quite insignificant; but as the list grows, they all combine to make for cameras that I almost never choose for personal work or play. But the sheer volume of improvements and refinements in the a9 are having me singing a different tune.

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The buttons and dials all come with better haptic feedback. The AF joystick replaces an eternity of clicks when moving the AF point. When you flip the screen out, the eye sensor is disabled, which resulted in fewer missed shots when working at odd angles. Boot-up time is shorter. Battery life is way better. The interface is more responsive. I don’t get lost in the menus at all anymore. All of these changes add up to a camera that is more transparent, in the sense that it just ‘gets out of the way’ more than any previous Sony camera I’ve used, and lets me get on with taking pictures.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony’s a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

Even if you don’t use the full 20 fps (electronic shutter) burst speed, shooting anything you could want without any intrusive shutter noise (important for delicate moments during, say a wedding reception) without any blackout whatsoever is a revelation. Sure, the RX100 V and Olympus E-M1 II both also offer fully electronic shutters and silent operation, but neither has a full-frame image sensor, neither can show you a live view during bursts (only slideshows of images being taken), and the a9 suppresses rolling shutter so ably that it’s one more thing that I almost never have to worry about.

I had a big hand in the reviews of Nikon’s D5 and Canon’s EOS-1D X Mark II, and while the optical viewfinder blackout on both of those cameras is incredibly short, I have to stress that the Sony a9 goes one step further in that it shows no blackout whatsoever. None. This camera makes it easier than ever to simply follow the action, and catch exactly the moment you want.

An additional plus – this camera has taken the preliminary crown (review units are forthcoming) for the best mirrorless autofocus system I’ve ever used. We were given the opportunity to photograph hockey, figure skating and a full-on track meet, and the a9 rarely let me down. Watch our site next week, when we’ll be able to post actual photos and videos from these events for you to examine for yourself.

What’s the catch?

Okay, there’s a few catches here.

First of all, do you need 20 fps? I don’t. There are, of course, those that will. But that feature, that incredibly fast readout speed of that new 24MP sensor, is something you’re paying for if you shell out $ 4,500 for this new camera, even if you’re only interested in the other (not insignificant) improvements outlined above.

I shot over 2,800 images during our shooting experience with Sony in New York. That caused me worries about card space (even with a 128GB card), cost me hard drive space, and cost me time during downloading and editing. I’m no pro sports shooter, so take this with a grain of salt, but I’m having a hard time convincing myself that I got an appreciably greater number of keepers because of the a9’s burst rate than I would have with a slower-shooting camera. Heck, I even switched to 10fps halfway through to save card space, and I still came away with images I was pleased with. And it’s worth noting that the absence of any blackout whatsoever is still incredibly awesome, even at 10fps.

This image is from the first occasion where I really soaked a camera in the name of a shoot; photographing the King County Search and Rescue team during a training exercise as part of my job for Puget Sound Energy. That D800 and 24-70mm F2.8 are still in good working order, though the rubber zoom ring on the lens had started to come a little loose.
ISO 1600 | F4 | 1/100 sec
Photo copyright Puget Sound Energy, image via Flickr

Also, Sony’s made claims that the a9 is weather resistant, but after handling the camera and flipping out the port doors, battery door and memory card doors, I just don’t have the same faith that it would survive a downpour that a D5, 1D X II or E-M1 II could shrug off. That said, this isn’t necessarily a common requirement, but it’s something to keep in mind. Were I to take a personal a9 into a rainstorm, I’d gaff tape the heck out of it.

And lastly, where are the XQD card slots? Yes, the a9 has an amazing buffer that I never once hit, but that buffer takes a good amount of time to clear. Incorporating XQD cards would also have meant my download times would be appreciably reduced at the end of the day, plus they’re simply more durable for demanding situations. After having used them extensively on Nikon’s D500 and D5, I’m sold: for sports cameras, faster media is the way to go.

The wrap

Looking forward – does the a9 have what it takes to steal the hearts of sports shooters around the globe? Only time will tell. Okay, time, durability and quality of professional service and support.

Professional sports and action photographers have demanding jobs, and it goes without saying that learning a new camera system is not usually something they’re looking to add to their workload. But the a9 might just be worth it.

Sony says it’s rolling out more robust professional support, with one-day turnaround for loaner units when a camera needs repair, and walk-in service centers in New York and Los Angeles (with more coming soon), and better support throughout Canada. That’s promising, for sure, but in a chicken-and-egg dilemma, do you want to be among the first to adopt the Sony system and test the validity of those claims for yourself, or wait to see what other professionals who switch have to say?

For a professional wedding and event photographer who isn’t spending hours in inclement weather, I’d say the Sony a9 is worth a look if you’re used to Dx-series cameras from Nikon, and 1D-series models from Canon. With the a9, you’ll save a ton of weight, have a higher frame rate (again, only relevant if you need it), and likely have an easier time following the action than with even the best DSLRs.

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn’t something to be sneezed at – and it’s something we’ll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

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Sony a9 shooting experience: Here’s why I’m impressed

23 Apr

Introduction

Sony’s looking to storm the sports photography market with its new a9 mirrorless camera.

Background

During my time at DPReview, Sony’s always left me feeling a little conflicted.

Sony’s RX100 V is an incredibly capable pocket camera, but the series hasn’t seen any ergonomic or UI improvements in two generations.
Photo by Samuel Spencer

So, what exactly has changed with the a9?

Despite similarities to the a7-series at first glance, a lot.

The controls, the feel and the operation of the new a9 have all been improved relative to Sony’s a7-series of full frame mirrorless cameras.

What’s the catch?

Okay, there’s a few catches here.

And lastly, where are the XQD card slots? Yes, the a9 has an amazing buffer that I never once hit, but that buffer takes a good amount of time to clear. Incorporating XQD cards would also have meant my download times would be closer to three minutes instead of thirty at the end of the day, plus they’re simply more durable for demanding situations. After having used them extensively on Nikon’s D500 and D5, I’m sold: for sports cameras, faster media is the way to go.

The wrap

But it must be said, the cost of switching systems isn’t something to be sneezed at – and it’s something we’ll be looking at in detail in a forthcoming article, so stay tuned.

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The Sony a9 is a 24MP sports-shooting powerhouse

23 Apr

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Sony has announced the alpha 9 high-end full frame mirrorless camera at a live event in New York. The a9 has a 24MP, stacked CMOS sensor for super-fast readout, allowing a completely silent electronic shutter. It can shoot at 20 frames per second for more 241 compressed Raw frames. It can performing AF/AE calculations at 60 fps, all while providing a 60 fps live feed (meaning no blackout) during bursts. Sony claims improved subject tracking and Eye AF speeds, and focus down to -3 EV with F2 lens (a whole stop better than the a7R II).

The camera primarily uses an electronic shutter but also features a mechanical shutter mechanism, allowing a flash sync speed of up to 1/250th of a second.

Sony is also expanding its Pro support program, adding support for Canada and opening two walk-in centers in the USA (New York and Los Angeles).

The camera features 693 on-sensor phase detection points, covering 93% of the frame. It also has five-axis image stabilization that offers 5 stops of correction.

The a9 has a 1280 x 960 (QuadVGA) resolution viewfinder that runs at 120 fps with very low latency.

It has twin SD card slots (one of which supports UHS-II cards) and Sony says the battery has twice the capacity of previous models. A battery grip holding two batteries will also be available.

Features such as an AF joystick, AF mode dial and customizable ‘My Menu’ have been added. You can also instantly switch to one other AF area mode by assigning it to a custom button, to quickly adapt to changing scenarios.

The company says it’s the most capable camera ever: mirrorless or DSLR. Sony stresses it’s not even largely about physical differences between mirrorless and DSLR anymore, but instead about the capabilities of mirrorless that give it advantages over DSLRs. We’ll be curious to put these claims to the test.

The a9 will be available in May 2017 at a cost of around $ 4500/£4500.

Press Release

Sony’s New ?9 Camera Revolutionizes the Professional Imaging Market

Groundbreaking Full-frame Mirrorless Camera Delivers Unmatched Speed, Versatility and Usability

World’s First¹ full-frame stacked CMOS sensor, 24.2 MP²resolution
Blackout-Free Continuous Shooting³ at up to 20fps⁴ for up to 241 RAW⁵/ 362 JPEG⁶ images
Silent⁷, Vibration-free shooting at speeds up to 1/32,000 sec⁸
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 stabilization with a 5.0 step⁹shutter speed advantage

NEW YORK, Apr. 19, 2017 – Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging and the world’s largest image sensor manufacturer, has today introduced their new revolutionary digital camera, the ?9 (model ILCE-9).

The most technologically advanced, innovative digital camera that Sony has ever created, the new ?9 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 shooting³ at up to 20fps⁴, 60 AF/AE tracking calculations per second¹⁰, a maximum shutter speed of up to 1/32,000 second⁸ 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 cameras¹¹. This unique sensor is paired with a brand new, upgraded BIONZ X processing engine and front end LSI that maximizes overall performance.

This industry-leading speed and innovative silent shooting⁷ 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 ?9 also features a vibration free, fully electronic, completely silent anti-distortion shutter⁷ 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 is a wide variety of new settings, controls and customizability options that are essential for working pros.

“This camera breaks through all barriers and limitations of today’s professional digital cameras, with an overall feature set that simply cannot be matched considering the restrictions of mechanical SLR cameras” said Neal Manowitz, Vice President of Digital Imaging at Sony Electronics. “But what excites us most about the ?9 – more than its extensive product specs – is that it allows professionals to see, follow and capture the action in ways that were never before possible, unlocking an endless amount of new creative potential.”

A New Standard of Speed and Focusing Accuracy

Critical to the record-breaking speed of the new ?9 is the combination of the new stacked 24.2 MP² 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 fps⁴ with continuous AF/AE tracking for up to 362 JPEG⁶ or 241 RAW⁵ 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 second¹⁰, 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 times¹². 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 including high speed 20 fps⁴ 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 ?7R 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 ?9 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 ever for a Sony ? camera, incorporates 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 ?7R 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 customizable, with options to set it for 60 fps or 120 fps¹³to best match the action.

The ?9 is equipped with an innovative 5-axis image stabilization system that provides a shutter speed advantage of 5.0 steps⁹, ensuring the full resolving power of the new sensor can be realized, even in challenging lighting. Also, 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 ?9 also offers an Ethernet port (wired LAN terminal), allowing convenient transfer of still image files to a specified FTP server at high-speed, making it an ideal choice for studio photography, high-profile news and sporting events and more. There is a sync terminal as well, enabling external flash units and cables to be connected directly for convenient flash sync.

New Features for Fast Operation

Sony’s new ?9 has several new and updated focus functions that support faster, easier focusing in a variety of situations. The camera features a multi-selector joystick on the back of the camera, allowing shooters to easily shift focus point within the frame by pressing the multi-selector in any direction up, down, left or right when shooting in Zone, Flexible Spot or Expanded Flexible Spot focus area modes. The new model also offers touch focusing on the rear LCD screen for easily selecting of and shifting focus towards a desired focus point or subject.

New for Sony E-mount cameras, the ?9 includes the addition of separate drive mode and focus mode dials, plus a new “AF ON” button that can be pressed to activate autofocus directly when shooting still images or movies.

Additional new capabilities include the “AF Area Registration”, which allows frequently used focus area to be memorized and recalled via custom button assignments. There is also the ability to assign specific settings (exposure, shutter speed, drive mode, etc) to a custom button to be instantly recalled when needed. The camera can memorize and automatically recall the last focus point used in a vertical or horizontal orientation as well, instantly switching back to it when that specific orientation is used again.

For enhanced customization, a “My Menu” feature is available, allowing up to 30 menu items to be registered in a custom menu for instant recall when needed.

Double Battery Life, Double Memory

The innovative ?9 camera features an all-new Sony battery (model NP-FZ100) with 2.2x the capacity of previous Sony full-frame models, allowing for much longer shooting performance.

Also, based on extensive customer feedback, the new camera offers two separate media card slots, including one for UHS-II media. The same data can simultaneously be recorded to both cards, or the user can choose to separate RAW / JPEG or still images / movies. Movies can also simultaneously be recorded to two cards for backup and more efficient data management.

High Sensitivity and Wide Dynamic Range

The unique design of the ?9 image sensor represents the pinnacle of Sony device technology. The 24.2 MP² full-frame stacked CMOS sensor is back-illuminated, allowing to capture maximum light and produce outstanding, true-to-life image quality. The sensor also enables the diverse ISO range of 100 – 51200, expandable to 50 – 204800¹⁴, ensuring optimum image quality with minimum noise at all settings.

The enhanced BIONZ X processor plays a large part in image quality as well, as it helps to minimize noise in the higher sensitivity range while also reducing the need to limit ISO sensitivity in situations where the highest quality image is required.

The new ?9 also supports uncompressed 14-bit RAW, ensuring users can get the most out of the wide dynamic range of the sensor.

4K Video Capture

The new ?9 is very capable as a video camera as well, as it offers 4K (3840x2160p) video recording across the full width of the full-frame image sensor^{15, 16}. When shooting in this format, the camera uses full pixel readout without pixel binning to collect 6K of information, oversampling it to produce high quality 4K footage with exceptional detail and depth. Recording is also available in the popular Super 35mm size.

Additionally, the camera can record Full HD at 120 fps at up to 100 Mbps, which allows footage to be reviewed and eventually edited into 4x or 5x slow motion video files in Full HD resolution with AF tracking¹⁷.

New Accessories

Sony has released a variety of new accessories to compliment the new ?9 camera, including:

NP-FZ100 Rechargeable Battery – high-capacity battery with approximately 2.2x the capacity of the NP-FW50 W-series battery. It also supports InfoLITHIUM® technology, making it possible to view the remaining battery power as both a percentage display and five step icon on the camera’s LCD screen.
VG-C3EM Vertical Grip – provides same operation, handling and design as the?9 camera, doubles battery life and allows USB battery-charging via the camera body.
NPA-MQZ1K Multi-Battery Adaptor Kit – External multi-battery adaptor kit capable of functioning as an external power supply for four Z series batteries and as a quick charger. Kit comes with two packs of NP-FZ100 rechargeable batteries.
GP-X1EM Grip Extension – Grip extender with same look, feel and design as ?9 body. Enables more solid hold on camera.
FDA-EP18 Eyepiece Cup –eye piece cup with locking mechanism
BC-QZ1 Battery Charger –quick-charging battery charger. Charges one new Z series battery in approximately 2.5 hours.
PCK–LG1 Screen Protect Glass Sheet – hard, shatterproof glass screen protector with anti-stain coating to prevent fingerprints. Compatible with touch operation and tilting LCD screen

Pricing and Availability

The Sony ?9 Full-frame Interchangeable Lens Camera will ship this May for about $ 4,500 US and $ 6,000 CA. It will be sold at a variety of Sony authorized dealers throughout North America.

Notes to Editors:

As of April 19th, 2017
Approx. effective
Electronic shutter mode. At apertures smaller than F11 (F-numbers higher than F11), focus will not track the subject and focus points will be fixed on the first frame. Display updating will be slower at slow shutter speeds.
“Hi” continuous shooting mode. The maximum frame rate will depend on the shooting mode and lens used. Visit Sony’s support web page for lens compatibility information.
“Hi” continuous shooting mode, compressed RAW, UHS-II memory card. Sony tests.
“Hi” continuous shooting mode, UHS-II memory card. Sony tests.
Silent shooting is possible when Shutter Type is set to “Electronic” and Audio signals is set to “Off.”
1/32000 shutter speed is available only in the S and M modes. The highest shutter speed in all other modes is 1/16000.
CIPA standards. Pitch/yaw stabilization only. Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens. Long exposure NR off.
At shutter speeds higher than 1/125 sec, smooth and blackout-free live view images are shown in EVF.
Compared to the front-illuminated CMOS image sensor in the ?7 II.
Display updating will be slower at slow shutter speeds.
When the auto or electronic shutter mode is selected the viewfinder frame rate is fixed at 60 fps during continuous shooting.
Still images, mechanical shutter: ISO 100 – 51200 expandable to ISO 50 – 204800.
Still images, electronic shutter: ISO 100 – 25600 expandable to ISO 50 – 25600.
Movie recording: ISO 100 – 51200 expandable to ISO 100 – 102400.
In full-frame shooting, the angle of view will be narrower under the following conditions: When [File Format] is set to [XAVC S 4K] and [ Record Setting] is set to [30p]
Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card required for XAVC S format movie recording. UHS Speed Class U3 required for 100Mbps or higher recording.
Sound not recorded. Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory card required.

Sony Alpha a9 specifications

Price
MSRP	$ 4500/£4500
Body type
Body type	SLR-style mirrorless
Body material	Magnesium alloy
Sensor
Max resolution	6000 x 4000
Image ratio w:h	3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	24 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	28 megapixels
Sensor size	Full frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm)
Sensor type	BSI-CMOS
Processor	BIONZ X
Color space	sRGB, Adobe RGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, ISO 100-51200 (expands to 50-204800)
Boosted ISO (minimum)	50
Boosted ISO (maximum)	204800
White balance presets	10
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	Sensor-shift
Image stabilization notes	5-axis
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Extra fine, fine, standard
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.31) Raw (Sony ARW)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi-area Center Selective single-point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Number of focus points	693
Lens mount	Sony E
Focal length multiplier	1×
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Tilting
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,440,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder magnification	0.78×
Viewfinder resolution	3,686,400
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/8000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/32000 sec
Exposure modes	Program Aperture priority Shutter priority Manual
Built-in flash	No
External flash	Yes (via hot shoe or flash sync port)
Flash modes	Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Red-eye reduction, Wireless, Hi-speed sync
Flash X sync speed	1/250 sec
Drive modes	Single Continuous (H/M/L) Self-timer Bracketing (AE, WB, DRO)
Continuous drive	20.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2, 5, 10 secs + continuous)
Metering modes	Multi Center-weighted Highlight-weighted Average Spot
Exposure compensation	±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±5 (3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV, 2 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	Yes (3 frames, H/L selectable)
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots (UHS-II compatible)
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone port	Yes
Headphone port	Yes
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n + NFC + Bluetooth
Remote control	Yes (Wired or wireless)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	NP-FZ100
Battery Life (CIPA)	650
Weight (inc. batteries)	673 g (1.48 lb / 23.74 oz)
Dimensions	127 x 96 x 63 mm (5 x 3.78 x 2.48″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
GPS	None

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Professional powerhouse: Hands-on with the full-frame Sony Alpha a9

23 Apr

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

We got a chance to get our hands on the Sony alpha 9 immediately after its announcement. Our first reaction? Continuous shooting with full time live view isn’t a gimmick: you can follow the action without any interruption.

This is an entirely different beast compared to the a6500, which only had 8 fps live view during continuous shooting. This is a nearly 8-fold increase in frame rate: actual 60 fps live view during bursts (120 fps when not shooting).

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

It feels more substantially built than the existing a7 cameras, but without it becoming hefty. Sony says the a9 is ‘well sealed – especially around most buttons and dials’ for dust and moisture resistance. Whether it’s up there with the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II or Nikon D5 remains to be seen.

The camera’s grip is a little deeper than the a7 cameras, which means it’s more comfortable to hold with larger, heavier lenses such as the 24-70mm F2.8 GM.

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

Despite the fairly radical specifications, the a9 retains the same fundamental form factor as the existing series II a7 cameras. However, as you’ll be aware if you were following the camera’s launch, just about everything inside the body shell has been revised to optimize speed. And outside the shell too – far more direct controls, like the AF and drive mode dials up top.

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

Here’s just some of the cleverness that lives inside the camera: the processing board with twin SD card slots, a 3.7m dot OLED viewfinder and a beefed-up lens mount with more screws for greater strength and durability. But the big news is the 24MP stacked CMOS sensor, mounted on a 5-axis stabilized cradle.

The 24.2MP stacked CMOS design includes memory for buffering immediately behind the pixel layer. This and the (comparatively) modest pixel count are key to the camera’s fast readout, which underpins the camera’s headline features: 20 frames per second shooting, 60 fps AF/AE calculations for improved subject tracking, and a fully electronic (truly silent) shutter with minimal rolling shutter.

The Bionz X processor itself is also new (relative to the a7R II and a99 II), and comes with a front-end LSI. These improvements help increase processing speeds 1.8-fold and the buffer 6-fold relative to the a7R II, allowing for 241 continuous compressed Raws during 20 fps bursts. These improvements also help reduce power consumption by 40% compared to the a7R II.

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

Although it looks a lot like an second-generation a7 series camera, the a9 features a range of improvements, many of them things that photographers (including us) have been requesting for some time.

The most obvious of these is the AF point joystick on the camera’s rear panel. This and the dedicated AF-On button (as opposed to the recessed button switchable between AF/MF and AEL on previous cameras) will be immediately welcome by anyone who’s shot with an existing Sony camera. The joystick is responsive, but often as you’re using it it accidentally registers a center (downward press), which can be assigned to any function custom buttons can be assigned to. For now, we suggest assigning it to ‘Not Set’ (nothing) so you don’t inadvertently activate something else (like center point AF-S, which it’s set to by default) while trying to move your AF point.

There have been changes to the elements that have been carried over too. For example, the dial on the rear plate of the camera is larger and has more noticeable ‘clicks’ as you turn it, making it far easier to use with precision. The buttons also have a more direct feel, rather than the slightly spongy sensation of the ones on the existing models (particularly the a7R II and a7S II.

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

Our first impressions of the camera are that everything is that bit faster. Startup time is reduced (30% faster than a7R II), as is the speed at which the viewfinder panel is activated when you pull the camera up to your eye. AF is faster as well: 25% faster AF acquisition speeds, and 30% higher detection rate when it comes to Eye AF and face detection, compared to the a7R II. Low light AF speeds and performance should be improved as well, as Sony now claims AF at -3 EV with F2 lenses (1 EV better than the a7R II).

We’re also impressed with the new quad VGA viewfinder. Its offers a crisp, detailed view and fast enough refresh rate to follow action (120 fps, dropping to 60 fps during bursts). Since it’s OLED, it’s nice and contrasty. We wish the LCD had improved though: Nikon and Canon DSLRs offer retina-esque displays on their newer cameras that make shot images look that much more inspiring.

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

Other changes include the addition of a physical control for switching between MF and the camera’s different AF modes. This, along with the ability to assign an AF area mode (with or without AF activation, a la Nikon D5/500) to the camera’s custom buttons, should make the a9 as quick to operate as it is at shooting.

Unfortunately, as of now, only one AF area can be assigned as ‘Reg. AF Area’ (oddly by long-pressing the Fn button while in that AF area mode), so you’ll only be able to instantly switch to one other AF area mode from the one that is currently engaged. We’ve requested Sony to enable multiple AF area modes to be assignable to multiple buttons, directly via the menu, as opposed to having only one ‘Registered AF Area’ the camera can store in memory. This might allow you to quickly switch between, say, Lock-on AF, complete Auto (when Lock-on fails), and good old center point. It would be even nicer if one could specify AF-S vs. AF-C for any of these modes so that, for example, I could generally keep the camera in AF-C, but always fall back to good old center-focus-and-recompose when all else fails.

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

Stills aren’t the only area that gains massive improvements over previous models: Full-frame 4K video is now oversampled 2.4-fold from 6K footage. No pixel-binning, no line skipping. This leads to incredibly crisp footage but, more importantly, with extremely low rolling shutter thanks to the incredibly fast readout speeds of the new stacked CMOS sensor.

Which makes it all the more a shame that, for some reason, Sony decided to forego S-Log (and Picture Profiles entirely) on this camera. Sony claims this is because the camera is aimed at professional stills shooters, but for a camera that shoots such good full-frame 4K, we feel it’s a bit of a shame.

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

The a9 uses a new battery. The ‘Type Z’ NP-FZ100 is bigger than the existing batteries and offers significantly more capacity: 16.4Wh to be exact, up from 7.7Wh in the older, ‘W’ type packs used in previous models. This allows the camera to achieve a rating of 650 shots per charge, based on CIPA standard tests.

As always, it’s quite common to be able to get many more shots out of a battery than the rating suggests, but the higher rating should mean the a9 will regularly be able to shoot for twice as long as most of the a7 series before needing a battery swap.

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

Announced alongside the a9 is an accessory that should excite existing E-mount camera owners, particularly videographers.

The NPA-MQZ1K Multi-Battery Adaptor Kit comes with two of the new NP-FZ100 batteries and has space for another two. It not only works as a charging station for up to four Z type batteries but also has a dummy battery that allows it to be used as an external power pack. The unit is compatible not only with the a9 but also with the a7, a7R, a7S, a7 II, a7R II, a7S II, a6000, a6300, a6500, a5000, a5100 and RX10 III, providing up to 8x their current battery capacity. It include tripod-style mounting sockets, for attachment to a video rig.

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

The ports on the camera’s left flank are all fairly familiar: headphone, mic, USB and HDMI. What’s slightly unexpected is that, despite the camera’s speed, the USB port is only version 2, rather than the much faster USB 3.

As you can see, the doors aren’t especially substantial, which is presumably why Sony isn’t making particularly strong claims about weatherproofing.

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

The a9 is the first Sony to feature an Ethernet port, making clear its pitch-side intentions.

We’re surprised to see a traditional flash sync socket, for studio work. We’d expect that of Sony’s current models: the higher-resolution a7R II (which, curiously, lacks a flash sync socket) would appeal more to studio photographers. A hint perhaps that there’s a higher-resolution a9-series body on the way…

Hands on with the Sony a9 (ILCE-9)

An optional VG-C3EM battery grip doubles the camera’s battery life. The grip itself holds two batteries but fills the battery compartment, meaning you end up with two batteries in total, rather than three. Still, a rating of around 1300 shots per charge with two batteries puts the a9 will into DSLR territory in terms of longevity.

What do you make of the Sony a9? Let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Frederik Buyckx named Sony World Photography Awards 2017 Photographer of the Year

21 Apr

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Belgian photographer Frederik Buyckx has been named the Sony World Photography Awards 2017 Photographer of the Year. Buyckx is a freelance photographer for the Belgian newspaper De Standaard and will receive the $ 25,000 prize for his winning series of images entitle ‘Whiteout’, which was shot in the Balkans, Scandinavia and Central Asia, all remote areas where people often live in isolation and in close contact with nature.

“There is a peculiar transformation of nature when winter comes, when snow and ice start to dominate the landscape and when humans and animals have to deal with the extreme weather,” Buyckx says. “The series investigates this struggle against disappearance.”

Chosen from the winners of the Awards’ 10 Professional categories, Chair of Judges Zelda Cheatle said of Buyckx’s images: “I have chosen a series of landscapes so that we may return to the essence of looking at photography. Landscape is often overlooked but it is central to our existence. These are beautiful pictures made by a serious photographer, and they are to be enjoyed.”

This year the contest received more 227,000 entries from 183 countries, making it the world’s largest photography competition. An exhibition of all winning and shortlisted images and a selection of rare photographs by British photographer Martin Parr, who is this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography prize, will run at Somerset House in London from now until 7 May.

The annual Sony World Photography Awards are free to enter and open to all photographers. The 2018 Sony World Photography Awards open for entries on 1 June 2017. You can find the full list of of this year’s winners below and see a selection of shortlisted and winning images on the World Photography Organisation website.

Professional Category Winners and Finalists

An expert panel of international judges were challenged to find the best photography series (between 5-10 images) across the ten Professional categories. The winning and finalist photographers are:

Architecture winner: Dongni, China
2nd – Julien Chatelin, France / 3rd – Diego Mayon, Italy

Conceptual winner – Sabine Cattaneo, Switzerland
2nd – Gao Peng, China / 3rd – Alexander Anufriev, Russian Federation

Contemporary Issues winner – Tasneem Alsultan, Saudi Arabia
2nd – Li Sony, China / 3rd – Lorzenzo Maccotta, Italy

Current Affairs & News winner – Alessio Romenzi, Italy
2nd – Joe Raedle, United States / 3rd – Ivor Prickett, Ireland

Daily Life winner: Sandra Hoyn, Germany
2nd – Christina Simons, Iceland / 3rd – Alice Cannara Malan, Italy

Landscape winner: Frederik Buyckx, Belgium
2nd – Kurt Tong, United Kingdom / 3rd – Peter Franck, Landscape

Natural World winner: Will Burrard-Lucas, United Kingdom
2nd – Ami Vitale, United States / 3rd – Christian Vizl, Mexico

Portraiture winner: George Mayer, Russian Federation
2nd – Romina Ressia, Argentina / 3rd – Ren shi Chen, China

Still Life winner: Henry Agudelo , Columbia
2nd – Shinya Masuda, Japan / 3rd – Christoffer Askman, Denmark

Sport winner: Yuan Peng, China
2nd – Eduard Korniyenko, Russian Federation / 3rd – Jason O’Brien, Australia

OPEN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR – Alexander Vinogradov, Russia
YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR – Katelyn Wang, US
STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR – Michelle Daiana Gentile, Argentina

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Finally! Sony NPA-MQZ1K Multi-Battery Adaptor Kit provides power for E-mount users

20 Apr

Announced alongside the a9 is an accessory that should excite existing E-mount camera owners, particularly videographers: the NPA-MQZ1K Multi-Battery Adaptor Kit. It comes with two of the new NP-FZ100 batteries and has space for another two. The kit not only works as a charging station for up to four Z type batteries, but also has a dummy battery that allows it to be used as an external power pack.

The unit is compatible not only with the a9 but also with the a7, a7R, a7S, a7 II, a7R II, a7S II, a6000, a6300, a6500, a5000, a5100 and RX10 III, providing up to 8x their current battery capacity. It includes tripod-style mounting sockets for attachment to a video rig.

The dummy battery is the same shape as the a9’s new ‘Z type’ battery but has an outer shell that can be removed, revealing a ‘W type’ adapter, which can slot into cameras that use the NP-FW50 battery.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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