KUCHING: Sony has introduced its new revolutionary digital camera, the a9 (model ILCE-9) which offers a level of imaging performance and features never before seen in any camera, mirrorless, SLR or otherwise.
The new camera offers many capabilities that are not possible with a modern digital SLR camera including high-speed, blackout-free continuous shooting at up to 20fps, 60 AF/AE tracking calculations per second,10 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 per cent of the frame, the focusing system ensures that even the fastest moving subjects are reliably captured and tracked across the frame.
Aside from that, the new a9 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 is a wide variety of new settings, controls and customisability options that are essential for working professionals.
The a9 also 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 a9 is equipped with an innovative five-axis image stabilisation system that provides a shutter speed advantage of 5.0 steps, ensuring the full power of the new sensor can be realised, even in challenging lighting.
Besides that, the new a9 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 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 easy selection of, and shifting focus towards a desired focus point or subject.
Additional new capabilities include the ‘AF Area Registration’, which allows frequently used focus areas to be memorised and recalled via custom button assignments.
The a9 camera features an all-new Sony battery (model NP-FZ100) with 2.2-folds the capacity of previous Sony full-frame models and it also offers two separate media card slots, including one for UHS-II media.
The a9 interchangeable lens camera will be available in selected Asia Pacific countries from June 2017.
Technical Specifications
a9
Lens compatibility: Sony E-mount lenses
Type: 35mm full frame (35.6×23.8mm), Exmor RS CMOS sensor
Number Of pixels (effective): Approximate 24.2 megapixels
ISO sensitivity (recommended exposure index): (Still images) Mechanical Shutter – ISO 100-51200 (ISO numbers up from ISO 50 to ISO 204800 can be set as expanded ISO range), AUTO (ISO 100-6400, selectable lower limit and upper limit), electronic shutter – ISO 100-25600 (ISO numbers up from ISO 50 can be set as expanded ISO range), AUTO (ISO 100-6400, selectable lower limit and upper limit), (Movies) ISO 100-51200 equivalent (ISO numbers up to ISO 102400 can be set as expanded ISO range., AUTO (ISO 100-6400, selectable lower limit and upper limit)
Battery life (still images): Approximately 480 shots (Viewfinder)/approximately 650 shots (LCD monitor) (CIPA standard) 24
Viewfinder type: 1.3 cm (0.5 type) electronic viewfinder (color), Quad-VGA OLED
Type: 7.5cm (3.0-type) type TF
Weight (with battery and memory card included): Approximately 673g/approximately 1 lb 7.7 oz
Dimensions (W x H x D): Approximately 126.9mm x 95.6mm x 63.0mm/Approximately 5 x 3 7/8 x 2 1/2 inches