Sony Alpha A9 II Review
We've aggregated 6 high-signal reviews and 1 live retailer price below.
Our editorial take on the Sony Alpha A9 II
The Sony Alpha A9 II refines rather than reimagines the original A9, focusing on workflow enhancements for professional sports and news photographers. At its core, the A9 II retains the 24.2-megapixel stacked BSI CMOS sensor and blazing 20 fps electronic shutter from its predecessor, paired with 693 phase-detection AF points, 5.5-stop in-body stabilization, and real-time tracking with eye autofocus for humans and animals. The improvements are largely ergonomic and connectivity-focused: a redesigned grip, new rear controls, a mechanical rear dial lock, and crucially, a 1000BASE-T Ethernet port for wired tethering and background FTP transfer, allowing photographers to transmit images mid-shoot without interrupting capture.
Reviewers consistently noted that this is an iterative update, not a generational leap. The lack of major sensor or autofocus upgrades disappointed those hoping for more dramatic gains, and the video specs remain modest (8-bit 4K 30p, no 10-bit or 4K 60p) in an era when competitors were pushing further. Still, the refinements matter to working pros who prioritize reliability, speed, and seamless integration into established workflows. The silent electronic shutter, massive buffer (239 raw frames), and anti-flicker shooting remain class-leading. For sports shooters already invested in Sony E-mount, the A9 II delivers incremental but meaningful improvements. For everyone else, it's an expensive niche tool that doesn't justify the $4,500 price unless you need exactly what it offers.
- Blazing 20 fps silent electronic shutter with no viewfinder blackout
- Exceptional autofocus with 693 phase-detection points and real-time tracking
- Extensive weather sealing and improved ergonomics for pro use
- Background FTP transfer and Gigabit Ethernet for seamless file delivery
- Massive buffer holds 239 raw frames at full speed
- Minimal sensor and autofocus upgrades over the original A9
- Video specs lag behind competitors (8-bit 4K 30p only)
- Expensive at $4,500 for an iterative update
- Touchscreen limited to focus selection and menu navigation
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About this product
Pro sports refresh.
Specs
- Battery
- NP-FZ100, 2280 mAh, approx. 500 shots (EVF), 690 shots (LCD)
- Weight Grams
- 678 g (body with battery and card)
- Dimensions Mm
- 128.9 x 96.4 x 77.5 mm
- Build Material
- Magnesium alloy
- Weather Sealing
- Yes, extensive sealing against dust and moisture
- Bit Depth
- 8-bit 4:2:0
- Raw Video
- No
- Log Profiles
- S-Log3, S-Cinetone
- Internal Codecs
- XAVC S, AVCHD
- Max Frame Rate 4k
- 4K 30p
- Max Frame Rate Hd
- 1080p 120 fps
- Max Video Bitrate
- 100 Mbps
- Max Recording Time
- 29 min 50 sec
- Max Video Resolution
- 4K UHD (3840 x 2160)
- Voice Memo
- Up to 60 seconds per image
- Ftp Transfer
- Background FTP transfer support, up to 10 FTP server settings
- Ethernet Port
- 1000BASE-T
- Raw Bit Depth
- 14-bit uncompressed
- Buffer Capacity
- 239 raw, 361 JPEG
- Silent Shooting
- Yes (electronic shutter)
- Af Ae Calculations
- 60 times per second
- Shutter Durability
- 500,000 actuations
- Viewfinder Coverage
- 93% AF area coverage
- Anti Flicker Shooting
- Yes, detects 100 Hz and 120 Hz
- Vertical Grip Compatible
- VG-C4EM
- Sensor Size
- Full-frame (35.6 x 23.8 mm)
- Sensor Type
- Stacked BSI CMOS
- Image Processor
- BIONZ X
- Low Pass Filter
- No
- Effective Megapixels
- 24.2 MP
- Release Date
- November 2019
- Announced Date
- October 2019
- Launch Price Usd
- $4,499.99
- Dual Native Iso
- No
- Iso Range Video
- 100-51200 (100-102400 extended)
- Iso Range Stills
- 100-51200 (50-204800 extended)
- Continuous Shooting
- 20 fps e-shutter, 10 fps mechanical
- Shutter Speed Electronic
- 1/32000 to 30 s
- Shutter Speed Mechanical
- 1/8000 to 30 s
- Viewfinder
- OLED EVF, 3.69 million dots, 0.78x magnification, 120 fps refresh rate
- Rear Screen
- 3.0-inch tilting touchscreen LCD, 1.44 million dots, tilts 107 degrees up, 41 degrees down
- Touchscreen
- Yes
- Lens Mount
- Sony E
- Crop Factor
- 1.0x
- Usb
- USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, Micro-USB 2.0
- Hdmi
- Micro-HDMI (uncompressed 4:2:2 8-bit output)
- Audio Io
- 3.5mm microphone input, 3.5mm headphone output, Multi Interface Shoe with digital audio interface
- Wireless
- Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC
- Card Slots
- 2x SD UHS-II
- Ibis
- 5-axis, 5.5 stops
- Af Points
- 693 phase-detection, 425 contrast-detection
- Af System
- Fast Hybrid AF (phase-detection + contrast-detection)
- Af Low Light
- -3 EV
- Subject Detection
- Real-time Eye AF (human and animal), Real-time Tracking
Where to buy
Live prices from retailers. We earn a small commission when you click through - never affects ranking.
- B&H Photonew● In stockBest price$4,498Buy
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