GAME OVER Canon & Nikon! Sony a9 III vs R3, Z8 & Z9

Visit our sponsor Adorama at sdp.io/adorama to buy your cameras, lenses & more!
Buy the Sony a9 III at SDP.io/a93 for $6,000
Buy the Sony a1 at SDP.io/a1 for $6,500
Buy the Canon R3 at SDP.io/R3 for $5,000
Buy the Nikon Z8 at SDP.io/Z8 for $4,000
Buy the Nikon Z9 at SDP.io/Z9 for $5,500
Tony & Chelsea Northrup review the AMAZING Sony a9 III - the world's GREATEST sports camera with 120 FPS raw and a GLOBAL SHUTTER. The autofocus is absolutely stunning for sports photography and the 2024 Olympics!
There's a catch, though... the competition is pretty good in this segment! Sony's own a1 offers 30 FPS (significantly fewer), but still enough for most sports, and it has twice the megapixels making it more versatile. The Canon R3 technically offers about 190 frames per second, but that high frame rate isn't nearly as useful, and we found the autofocus wasn't nearly as good as the Sony's. The Nikon Z8 and Z9 offer 120 FPS, but only in JPG, and only at 11 megapixels. Still, they have a maximum of 45 frames per secondd (at 20 FPS raw), so they're overall more versatile cameras.
We weigh the advantages and disadvantages to tell you which you should buy!
0:00 Introduction
0:48 Sony a9 III specs
1:22 Sony a9 III autofocus review
1:55 Sony a9 III global shutter
2:12 Sony a9 III banding
2:47 Sony a9 III 120 frames per second raw
3:31 Sony a9 III global shutter with strobes
6:02 Max shutter speed, FPS & buffering
7:12 Sony a9 III 4k video
7:40 Sony a9 III battery life
7:49 Sony a9 III base ISO 250
8:21 Sony a9 III IBIS (stabilization)
9:19 Sony a9 III vs Sony a1
10:14 Sony a9 III vs Canon R3
11:50 Sony a9 III vs Nikon Z8 & Z9
13:30 Summary

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Visit our sponsor Adorama at sdp.io/adorama to buy your cameras, lenses & more! Buy the Sony a9 III at SDP.io/a93 for $6,000 Buy the Sony a1 at SDP.io/a1 for $6,500 Buy the Canon R3 at SDP.io/R3 for $5,000 Buy the Nikon Z8 at SDP.io/Z8 for $4,000 Buy the Nikon Z9 at SDP.io/Z9 for $5,500

[@Smarthalayla]

The camera is to expensive. $1000 is the right price.

[@bobsardjono]

the global shutter is great, but can we close down its shutter angle let's say to 90º or 45º?

[@Anon-zl4ne]

FYI, the Nikon Z8 and Z9 do allow to you set a button to change the frames per second, and/or AF mode, and/or exposure settings, etc. So what you said toward the end about the workflow was incorrect. I have programmed a button on my Z8 to instantly go to Animal AF with 3D subject tracking, 20 FPS, 2500 shutter speed, F4, auto ISO and +0.3 exposure.

[@seanmolincreative]

Well that was certainly a surprise to see my Reddit post and concert photos referenced when referring to the LED banding issue. And now after shooting over 100 acts with the Z8 I can confirm that it's something that isn't often a problem but it does pop up from time to time under certain conditions worse than others, but it's never made it so I couldn't deliver a photo - I've never had a client or casual follower notice or say anything (and even on that Reddit post other photographers wanted to see examples that showed it even more because it was so subtle in these). The problem gets worse the faster the shutter speed. I just shot John Mayer a few weeks ago and he had a HUGE screen behind him and I was able to lower the shutter speed to make it a non-issue. Also, I think a HUGE point that was worth verbalizing when comparing the Z8 to anything else is the price. $4k is really still just the ultimate value in the pro mirrorless workspace right now for what the Z8 offers. Would I love a global shutter? Of course, but I was able to get two Z8s for just 33% more than the one Sony, and I will be thrilled to use them for several years until Nikon certainly has global shutter sensors of their own.

[@krishnastock]

...Till Nikon has the version of the Sony sensor that Sony will sell them! Sony always keeps the best tech for themselves!

[@EmilWall]

The noise that the R3 is doing at around 10:47 after pressing the shutter button is so cute! It’s like ”yes master I do my best” and then immediately fainting with the text ”BUSY” displayed at the back

[@qamstel]

What I learned from this video is that I need a Z8 😂

[@lenzielenski3276]

Then you took the wrong lesson. Skill, knowledge and technique can't be bought. The 'professional' world has gone from photographers to picture takers and button pushers.

[@qamstel]

@@lenzielenski3276 Thank you for the cardboard cutout comment. I can find it in every thread in similar form all over the place. If a pro wants a new camera that doesn't make him/her a button pusher. And honestly a button pusher will not buy a 6k camera.

[@lenzielenski3276]

@@qamstel Being oft repeated doesn't make it any less true. In fact, the reverse is much more likely. And yes, button pushers buy $1000 golf clubs, hyper cars and all kinds of other things they could and will never use to their fullest extent. Teslas are expensive and their auto-drive is a nifty feature. It still doesn't stop them from having accidents. Technology is grand but will never exceed the human mind, AI included. I stand by my statement. I'll toss you a roll of film and let's see what you can do without the gadgets.

[@ppBizU]

After watching this, the Z8 is getting even more compelling. For sport I rarely need more than JPEG. Processing burst of 120FPS RAWs must be a nightmare. However, I see RAW being more useful for the "artistic sport", where you're really try to expose the portrait aspect - then I believe 120FPS RAW makes sense.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Yeah I was shocked how well the Z8 compares, especially at a 30% discount. The 120 FPS autofocus worked great and I thought 11 MP JPG was fine for sports.

[@amermeleitor]

When I watched the videos about the A9III I was all in hype, but you are right, 120 raw bursts could be more a problem when searching the images, the ISO limitation could be a problem too, and for some people the resolution is maybe too low. And we don't know about the quality of raw files, DR, noise, etc. Even with the A9III in the market the Z8 / Z9 seems like better alternatives in more uses cases.

[@troy5568]

Still, the A9 III captures images and videos WITHOUT any rolling shutter distortions at all. It's something that the Z8 simply cannot do regardless of how fast the sensor readout is on that one.

[@amermeleitor]

@@troy5568 the possible distortions are minimal and 99% of the time non existent, even with fast moving subjects. It's not like a normal sensor, not like even the R3. It would be great if Tony and Chelsea compares the Z9 and the A9III

[@seanmolincreative]

@@troy5568 They touched on this in the video, but even a non-global stacked sensor camera like the Z8 has almost non-existent rolling shutter. You're absolutely right that the A9 III will have *none*, but the Z8 still has *practically none* under 99% of situations. It's splitting hairs on some level, and definitely not worth changing systems or prematurely upgrading for.

[@billgraves2259]

awesome specs - but lets keep it real. Nikon's Z9 was announced 2 yrs ago with pre-capture, everybody was excited about that. It took 2 yrs for Sony to match it. I wonder how long it will take Nikon or Canon to come up with their own global shutter, or high speed flash sync or any of the other stuff. Eventually everybody catches up. I cant imagine what the entry level full frame camera will look like in 2030, but I'm excited to find out.

[@harvey6864]

And Olympus/OM had pre-capture long before that. And it is better than Nikon although with a smaller sensor.

[@PwodYxp]

Z9H is rumored

[@PwodYxp]

@Broskisnowski switching batteries illegal now? You can disable it aswell.

[@typhoon-7]

Think of every outstanding photo you've seen of a bird in flight, a frog in mid leap or an athlete frozen in the moment or triumph, all pin sharp and beautifully exposed.... Not one of those was taken with a global shutter sensor. It's very clever but you don't need it to take good photos so the game is very much not over. As always; you need a good photographer with some good glass. Those are the key ingredients. The best wildlife photo I've seen was a sea eagle caught exactly as it grabbed a fish from a crystal clear river. Perfectly captured, razor sharp. It was taken by a Nikon D700 with a 10 year old Nikkor lens.

[@thedarkslide]

I've found Matt Granger's comments insightful - I agree with him in that the a9 III is a niche product that comes with limitations yet to be evaluated, like the limited ISO range it offers compared to other cameras.

[@ShizzBeatsmusic]

Great review, from a Z8 user I think cost and performance is still better. This camera is aimed for sport photography for the upcoming Olympic Games. 1/80000 comes with a price tag of 17k using that flash. Z8 has better video specs and a solid camera spec side. Shooting basketball and football with this camera is a blast and I’m sure other sports it’s awesome. They all serve each level of photographer. Sony a9iii at $6000 without good glass. You can get you a Z8 with each of these lens that fits your shooting nikkor 135mm, 70-200, 100-400 or 400mm (F4.5) and be super happy. Waiting for that DR test. But to each it’s own thank you for some Tony&Chelsea for the video….

[@nickcarneyphotography]

Yeah I don't own either camera but clearly this is a sports photographer's camera and good for them, it's a beast, but the Z8 is still the best all-around performer for the price of any camera IMO.

[@1bozina]

As a Nikon and Fuji shooter I welcome this advancement that Sony will be bringing to market as it will benefit photographers regardless of what "brand" they shoot as the A9III will cause Sony's competitors to compete. Thanks for the video!

[@Chris-13]

For what I do , my Z9 is the perfect camera, if you can’t get the photo you want with the Z9 you should look at training yourself rather than chasing the latest new thing .

[@phelanwolf6747]

@@Chris-13nice for you but your statement is just bragging and pulling down other people. Using your own argument, why do you even have a Z9, with sufficient skill you could do most of the things with a D3400. There is no downside in having the camera brands push each other to our benefit as photographers.

[@1bozina]

@@phelanwolf6747 I agree wholeheartedly with you! My point was that the advancements in any camera brand, whether it's Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fuji - whatever brand, promotes competition and that is a good thing for all of us as photographers. Over the last year or so the Z9/Z8 brought some advancements to the market and now it's Sony leap-frogging with a new advancement. I'm not sure why Chris-13 felt the need to reply the way he did and you are right, he kind of shot himself in the foot claiming that it would be better to get training than chasing the latest new thing but at the same time was saying he was shooting with one of latest the newest things?!? The technology available to photographers today is awesome and it's obvious that it's only going to keep getting better...

[@atrix19851185]

I would like to see a similar test with the A9-III to the one you referenced with the Hasselblad leaf shutter. I would like to see if the A9-III's ability to shift the flash timing will allow it to be pushed to even faster shutter speeds and still sync than the Hasselblad was able to. I doubt it will be possible to push it all the way to 1/80,000sec for the reasons you noted in this video but I would be curious to see how far it can be pushed.

[@steven871]

Editing 120 frames a second is my worst nightmare!

[@aliendroneservices6621]

AI is your friend here. Also, as a rule, sports photos aren't edited. Just dump them to the magazine editor who hired you.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

It wasn't as bad as I thought. The import takes FOREVER but culling using thumbnails was pretty quick once LR processed the previews.

[@colinbradbury2334]

@@aliendroneservices6621 "Sports photos aren't edited"? Only if you're shooting tethered for a big agency and the images go direct to an in-house editor. But no way would a newspaper or magazine accept a dump of thousands of images from a match with no culling or editing.

[@alphajam1]

The question on flicker and banding: since there maybe some instances of banding, flicker will be there also in led lights. In order for the camera to eliminate flicker it will automatically slow the shutter down, even with the a9iii. You can do this yourself with a some test shots. I found most lights, I can eliminate banding at 1/800th and below and use in camera flicker reduction. This is more than adequate for concert lighting and stopping action. I never ran into banding in sports stadiums and arenas. The global shutter is great for speedlights out doors, though using 800ws strobes there isn't a need for high speeds that I ran into. So I would rather have a 45 megapixel camera and dynamic range, a camera that can do all of what I need, and a cheaper backup camera. I had no issues with the z8 or the z9 in regards to rolling shutter.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Yeah correct you just need longer shutter speeds to remove banding. For me, in concerts, I almost always try to show some motion so I'm below 1/60 and it's never a problem. And of course I established that it's not really a common problem in sports.

[@alphajam1]

I usually get rid of banding at 1/800th sec and below doing dance comps with led lights. I do have examples and sample photos, 1/640th 1/800th of a second will cover all of the jumps. And I'm not sure why you need high shutters for concerts. @@TonyAndChelsea

[@noonsound4894]

Good video guys. Appreciate the work you put in to it, especially the early comparisons and sobering thoughts.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Thank you!

[@erbterb]

Synching with flashes could work if the camera could delay read until the flash has maximum output. That would be a good machine learning or lookup table solution. Press button, activate flash, wait for peak output, read sensor.

[@alphajam1]

It's never over. It's a subscription. Camera bodies change like I do socks, well almost. Lenses are the most important part of the camera.

[@thekingofhearts8687]

As a sony a7iv user, the nikon Z8 is such a tempting camera for me. I love the versatility , the design, the grip, the raw files, the video options and the tele lenses so much.

[@stevelink3]

I agree! The new Nikkor 180-600 f/5.6-6.3 telephoto zoom is a fantastic lens for the money! Works flawlessly on a Z8...My only gripe with ANY Nikkor telephoto lens is that they do not come with an Arca-Swiss compatible tripod collar/foot! Why they do this is beyond me. However, I got a $40 Promaster QR plate that IS Arca-Swiss compatible, and it works just fine on the tripod collar foot of the 180-600.

[@thekingofhearts8687]

@@stevelink3 also the pf prime lenses are fantastic.... Extremely light and portable and produce fantastic results!

[@scotthayesproductions5715]

Nikon is offering killer trade in deals right now on the Z8, it's worth dumping your sony kit. Video is incredible. WAY sharper than anything Sony currently has.

[@thekingofhearts8687]

@@scotthayesproductions5715 As much as I would love to, its hard to justify the cost as I am a hobbyist and do not earn from photography and I am too heavily invested in the e mount.

[@castielvargastv7931]

The nikons price is crazy good for what it kan do and the video specs blow me away.

[@PixelSplash999]

I understand how an electronic and mechanical shutter works. I would love for Tony to explain what the sensor is doing. I get the electronic shutter sensor reads from top to bottom on regular cameras, but with a mechanical shutter is the sensor acting like a global sensor (all switched on at once) waiting for the mechanical shutter to paint the light over it?

[@alecaguilara]

Feels like I'm going to be sticking to my a1 for awhile. (Things I'd like to see on a new a1- version 2). That new multi tilt screen, precapture, 4k 240, a better back display, keep the 50 megapixles, don't need more than 30 fps, 8 stop ibs

[@ddnn3]

In the video section, you neglected to mention the benefits of global shutter! Handheld, whip pans, and sideways tracking shots won't have the jelly/rolling shutter effect due to that global shutter. Very useful for fast moving action. (I can see a film productions using a9iii as crash cams/mounting to vehicles in action movies.)

[@futurfoto680]

Thank you for this excellent early assessment! I've heard a few rumblings about the A9III possibly having more limited dynamic range and less light sensitivity (more noise) due to the stacked sensor design (plus limited higher iso settings). Have you found any evidence of either of these in your usage so far? And is the AF as good in lower light as say, the A7RV (i.e.: in a less well-lit concert)?

[@starbase218]

So sports AF is better on the Z9 (and therefore Z8 I presume) than on the R3? Interesting. I think all 3 brands are kicking it, though I guess that Canon is now a bit behind. No stacked sensor camera at about the 4K mark to compete against the Z8, and their flagship camera also falls short of the other two. Though we are talking about details here of course. I'm wondering if e.g. Nikon can implement a firmware feature to be able to momentarily switch to 60 or 120fps with one of the function buttons on the Z8 and Z9. Global shutter seems to have some real advantages in specific situations. Concert photography being the most mainstream I think. Other than that though, I think this camera is still great, but not necessarily because of that global shutter. And some doubts remain about noise/DR performance.

[@starbase218]

Oh I will say this: you are still surprised that Nikon is now beating Canon. So, you are biased. You did not expect it. You’ve pretty much condemned Nikon to last place AF-wise in all the videos looking at it. Maybe you should get the word out that it’s a flagship camera, competing quite well against the others?

[@jimmiemahathey7209]

Okay I have been shooting with a Nikon D7500 cropped sensor camera. I am wanting to move in to a full frame camera now and have had my eye on the Nikon D 850 for some time now. But now just maybe considering a Mirrorless camera such as the Nikon Z 8. either way I will need to build a lens inventory I like the DSLR and I feel confident with them. I also understand the industry is moving to Mirrorless and soon there may not be the support for DSLR systems. What do you two suggest please give me some advise in this move to full frame. Thanks Jim

[@rjderama]

As a Kai Wong acolyte, I’m gonna point out that you got the tilt and flip descriptions mixed up on the “tilty-flippy screen”, Tony :). Great review guys!!!

[@GrantSR]

I love how y'all actually do the math and make the tough comparisons. Even though I still feel no need to give up my A7R2.

[@Mr09260]

Far better too keep your far more Practical A7R2 which is a great Sony camera

[@innercynic2784]

It definitely ups the game but it's far from over. First and foremost is the ridiculous price tag. That alone will keep the majority of users away. When it finally trickles down to us mere mortals the competition will have had time to study it and do likewise. This is no different than in the audio realm where 32bit float is entering the arena more and more but even then it hasn't completely captured the market because the software to process it hasn't caught up. It's getting there. And even then it isn't necessary to have it to make great audio. Same can be said for photography or video. It's getting there.

[@ncerda]

It would be awesome if you shared which IPhone you used to record the video! Thanks

[@morpheus3190]

I’ll just make do with my z7II.. lol. Great specs and global shutter is great, but I’ll wait for it to migrate down to less expensive cameras. Not willing to give up 45 mp for 24mp for my needs. Don’t really do sports and z7II is ok for wildlife. 120 frames per second would make me spend more hours than I already do sorting through pics. A9iii is great for high level pros, but not for most amateurs.

[@keepingtherubberdown5715]

For the auto focus are you using the tracking auto focus or just set to wide box?

[@rudolfappel7236]

Great and honest review, good job in translating the tech details in simple English.

[@johnforbes4795]

Interesting technology, but not a game changer for me and my use-case. In 2021 I traded my Nikon Z6ii for a Z7ii because I was unhappy with the 24MP and wanted the higher resolution of the Z7ii to pair with my Nikon D850. Since then I've traded the Z7ii and D850 for a Z9 and Z8 because I wanted the 20fps and very good autofocus to go along with the 45.7MP sensors. I love the improved 20 fps of the Z8 and Z9 versus my 9fps using the D850 with the Nikon battery grip attached. I actually dial it down to 15fps because it gets the movement moment I want (primarily dog movement in conformation dog shows). Two weeks ago I shot over 14,000 frames in two days. If I actually used 20 fps (RAW) versus the 15fps, I would theoretically shoot 33 percent more FPS and 33 % more post-processing time and another 31 GB in photo-file data to my computer. If I was shooting at 30fps RAW that's taking the post-processing from about 40 hours to 80 hours and double the data. If I were just shooting a photo of the occasional bird, or other wildlife, then I could up the fps and pay for the post-processing piper without too much angst. But even then, I would not be happy with 24MP photos. Speaking of being theoretical; if I depressed the shutter for the same span of time with the A9III that I do with the Z8/Z9, I would be creating 112,000 frames or 420 GB of file data @ 120fps with a 24MP sensor creating a RAW file of 30mb versus about 58mb of the Z8/Z9. and their 62 GB in file data. Crazy...not to speak of the significant post-processing in just culling through photos. So, like I said, interesting technology, but it's not a game changer for me.

[@johnbunani1341]

10:53 correction: the R3 allows for full raw capture in the 195fps mode, not just jpg only. The z9/z8 are jpg only in the high fps modes

[@TonyAndChelsea]

ah my mistake.

[@TheArtist441]

Daaayyyymmnnn, Sony just blew my mind here. Not exactly the model I'm looking for - I still really love my A7RIII, but the innovation here is really impressive! Now that they've done global shutter, maybe we could get it in the A7R line up at some point? That would be sweet! Great job on brining us the info Tony & Chelsea!!

[@sneakergearz]

You kept notating the A9 shooting 4k/240, just confirming that was a mistake? Did you find the dynamic range worse than the A1 or Z8/9 or about the same in just your use?

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Yeah sorry it's a mistake, it's 4k/120. We have to wait for raw processing to test dynamic range.

[@matthew8169]

Can you compare panasonic s5 too nikon z5 and see what is different between the two and what have better images quality ?

[@thehyperspeed]

Im just interested on the vlogging it self. This using pocket 3 right?

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Yeah. I thought it worked really well.

[@yamint]

I use nikon d70 to shoot portrait outdoor and it can sync with my yongnuo 560 flash at 1/8000 with flash power set above 1/32. Hasselblad cannot even sync the flash at 1/1250 😅

[@NicolasAlexanderOtto]

I loved that nerdy intermission. Thats the kind of stuff I love your channel for. That said I am a landscape photographer, so I would never need an A9III anyway, but still interesting piece of gear!

[@mikehines14]

Can you test fps in the different raw modes? Curious if it's only 120 fps in compressed raw and they lowered it for uncompressed.

[@HomyarMistry-HomzPrints]

Can u tell us more about freezing a file from video footage shot on A9. Is the file quality usuable as pro photo...

[@michaelsurratt9593]

One question I have is the magic C5 button to take it to 120fps. What is the process? Is it a one touch toggle or is it a tap to go from 10 to 30, tap twice to go from 30 to 60, etc. or do you have to press and hold the C5 + the shutter? Or do you use the C5 instead of the shutter? This isn’t clear. Please advise. Thanks

[@TonyAndChelsea]

It's 120 as long as you hold it in. It's a little hard to hit so I would reprogram it to the AF-On button.

[@michaelsurratt9593]

@@TonyAndChelsea so you have to hold the c5 AND the shutter? A two buttons at the same time sequence?

[@RakavyYuval]

What is exciting is that now it is obvious what the A1-II is going to be. In essence the A1 was a high-resolution version of the A9-II, so it highly likely that the A1-II will be a high-resolution version of the A9-III, a 50Mp (at least) camera with global shutter. That is the camera I will wait for! I understand that there are already rumors that Sony is going to release yet another high-end camera shortly, so I don't think we will have to wait too long for A1-II. It also makes sense that the two sensors were developed in parallel.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Wow what do you think the a1 II will cost if this is $6k?? Gotta be at least $9k!

[@SamW604]

Questions for future A93 reviews: (1) Is there any real world improvement in the A93's image stabilization when shooting video?; (2) Can the A93's front FPS button be set to other FPS numbers besides 120 or is it fixed at 120 FPS? Thanks.

[@evenhandedcommentor6102]

The c5 button can be set to slower speeds than 120fps.

[@robbieadams9837]

This is fantastic news for ALL camera users. This will push Nikon, Canon and the rest to follow. Competition is key. Great video guys! 👍🏾 Great comparison 👌🏾

[@CharlesBorowicz1]

Thank you for this. The comparisons really help put everything in perspective

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Thanks. It was definitely more work to shoot with 4 cameras, and it meant this took longer for us to publish, but I think it's really valuable to see how it compares to competition.

[@TomatenDK]

I got the a7iv 6 months ago and would like faster fps than 10 fps for birds. Im still an (experienced) amateur. Im VERY worried about the 250 iso and the 24 mp :( I feel like if I want to upgrade my a7iv, then the A1 is the only one better for me ? And if so - no way im buying that old camera at this point, with potential new and better models coming soon.

[@UCVolley]

I bought a Sony A9 specifically for shooting my son's volleyball games. I'm really glad I did: picking out the perfect contact moment from a 20fps burst is highly likely. With my 5fps A6500 was more likely a miss. 120fps: it's guaranteed. I took around 30,000 shots; five are timeless and totally justify the investment. If my son were playing this year, I think I'd have to risk annoying the wife to pay the $$$$$ for the A9III.

[@UCVolley]

So, volleyball shooters: pay for the FPS! It makes a difference. I have one shot that illustrates this very well. I had placed a poster on the gym wall of my son in mid swing. I didn't plan it but got that in the background of one of his approaches. I was able to select the shot in which his arms were perfectly mirroring the background shot. search dash on the ucvolley site - third shot down.

[@southbridgeforestHOA]

5:58 looks like it was shot in daylight! Good to know that 1/640th of a second is about as fast as one can go and still use strobes. I would of guessed 1/1000 or maybe even 1/2000. One could use several strobes at lower power, but that would be a pain in the butt. The inventor of the flash Edgerton, has a book thats probably 30 years old and I think his custom flash units were shooting much much shorter durations.

[@BikeStuffPDX]

What are you using for the walking shots?

[@Battlem0nk]

How are pre-capture images organized on the memory card?

[@jaimeduncan6167]

The A9 is, probably, the camera from the future, but I would love to see dynamic range tests, including shadow recovery in low light and highlights recovery. It seems to me that the Sony does not record raw video but I am not sure. Unless the sensor has some inherent flaw this camera is a revolution. If dynamic range suffers to much then one will need to ask if it will be better to just have a stack sensor that reads 3 times faster than the Nikon and get the best of both worlds.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

No mention of raw video. We'll do image quality tests as soon as we can!

[@noctivagance_imagery]

but can't you adjust the flash timing in the Sony menu? petapixel showed the example of the shutter being too fast for the flash, but showed how to change the function in menu so you can sync at any speed

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Yeah, I did that every time I tested it. Here's a detailed comparison: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rp-lZq2nq5iWZpI

[@prodigy2k7]

9:32 I think you MIs-spoke about which camera has more MP for cropping in sports?

[@sturm3n]

Yours is the first coverage I've seen that says the a9 III does 4K 240 fps. Is that an S&Q mode? Is it in 4:2:2 10-bit?

[@TonyAndChelsea]

I think that's an error, sorry about that. I'll double-check.

[@BruceLeroyUK]

Was thinking, I wonder if Jared is there also and boom spotted him in the background!

[@ChuckAinsworth]

Can you please compare the new a9 to the a7siii. Looking for guidance in choosing the best Sony for low light video for wildlife and some action photos in low light.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Yeah that would be an interesting comparison!

[@johndonegan8110]

Great video. Thanks for the straightforward review. There are so many you tubers gushing over the Sony marketing blurb. Good to see real world Analysis

[@MannyG32968]

Thanks for the excellent review... as always - this came is so sick and got my on order!

[@DaytonPruet]

Appreciate the video, with all the pros and cons between the brands and bodies. I am curious how much one would find a professional photographer would sell a collection of high-end lenses to change camera bodies. I have found this to be a long time talking point on many forums over the years.

[@Hkmmotologs]

A professional won't but many rich/clueless hobbyist or enthusiast wannabe professionals will as we have seen many times. And there are a million of these Influencer youtubers videos with title "I changed from this to that" on a weekly basis.

[@anthonyc1883]

@@Hkmmotologs So true. The Next Big Thing is always right around the corner, and then it is time for a whole new round of "Time to Switch?!?" videos.

[@DaytonPruet]

@@anthonyc1883 I have switched from not owning any DSLRs like I did a decade ago, to now owning a used D850, D800, 3 Nikkor f/1.8G primes and 2 f/4 VR zooms. I am back in my happy place shooting Nikon like I did with my D100, D200 and D300 many years ago. I currently do not need to shoot more than 2-3 FPS, so the D850 is an awesome camera for my hobby usage. Oh and Nikkor F mount lenses are great and not $$$, and they work on Z mount mirrorless Nikons.

[@noPrinting]

Well done.. thank you... A9III Specifications ...(.ISO 250-25600 ..is Weak.. like the battery) Sensor Full frame global shutter Exmore RS CMOS Effective megapixels 24.6MP Autofocus Phase detection, 759 points stills, 627 points video, AI-based Real-time Recognition AF ISO 250-25600 (exp to 125-51200 for stills) Burst shooting 120fps RAW + JPEG, full res, blackout-free, with AF/AE Max shutter speed 1/80,000 sec (1/16,000 sec for continuous) Video 4K 60p (oversampled 6K), 4K 120p (uncropped) Image stabilization Up to 8 stops Screen 3.2-in 2095k-dot 4-axis angle monitor EVF 9437k-dot Quad XGA OLED Storage 2x SD UHS-II / CFexpress A hybrid Weight 702g (1lb 8.8oz) Size 136.1 x 96.9 x 82.9 mm (5 3/8 x 3 7/8 x 3 3/8 inches)

[@xmeda]

Fast frame rate also needs deep buffer. This camera can record about 1.5s which is not much. Maybe next time. Usable buffers start around 3-4s and ideally it will cover at least 10s of continuous shooting. And of course we can shoot with much less FPS and get more seconds in buffer, but then the peak performance is kinda lost. But such sensor in future will be good for mult shots combined into one photo with reduced noise and increased dynamic range. Imagine you are going to take one 1/1000s picture, but camera does 4-5 subframes instead + noise pattern frame and then recalculates whole image as stack. It will result into really high ISO shots without noticeable noise and probably around 20EV dynamic range. More frames will allow even more. Maybe next Alpha one generation.. Top LCD panel would be nice.. latest Fuji cameras like GFX100II and XH-2 have perfect one. That should be standard feature on any advanced camera.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Agreed! Chelsea and I were just saying that this sensor could be amazing for computational photography... If only Sony had more emphasis on software.

[@vangerz3746]

Interesting to see Sonys Global Shutter VS Nikons StackSensor image quality in rolling shutter.

[@johnrpittenger]

Wow thanks for the explanation on using a flash. That makes me not want to switch cameras.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Glad it was helpful! It's really complex so I'm glad my explanation made sense.

[@AndrewOzete-ui5fs]

Thanks T&C. Nice to hear the direct comparisons.

[@lcador9]

Excellent assessment. The Nikon Z8 appears to be the much more versatile all around camera which is supported by a much more diverse telephoto lineup and at a price of $4000 rather than $6000. The global shutter provides little meaningful performance advantage to the vast majority of photographers. I sure would not give up my A1 for the A9 lll.

[@izziereal2010]

On a different subject, will you cover the Nikon ZF? I would not mention it in a video for a Sony camera, but it's been almost two months since its announcement and there's no mention of the ZF. Thanks.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Yeah we pre-ordered one on day 1 and it still hasn't arrived!

[@izziereal2010]

@@TonyAndChelsea Thank you for the reply.

[@TheMarcaf25r]

How much light is going to come through the lens at a shutterspeed of 1/80000 of a sec.? Will that be usable at ISO 100 with a f2,8 lens for example?

[@TonyAndChelsea]

I personally have never needed anything over 1/8,000, even with a fast lens in sunlight. You'd need some big continuous lights to really take advantage of that, or you'd have to be using that one specific Profoto P-11 strobe system at it's minimum power output. Still, it's cool that it's possible, in the same way that it's cool a Bugatti can drive 200 MPH... but you probably won't use it.

[@steven871]

No, because minimum iso is 250 on this camera

[@ktcool4660]

Is it motion blur or the volley players are out of focus? You have to nail exposure all the time with A9III.

[@spolen23]

I am going on Safari in June and also going to see gorillas in Rwanda. Was hoping the R5 mk II was going to be out. Should I go R3 or would you recommend something else? a9 III?? Please help!!!

[@jason-740]

Nikon Z8, no question. The R3 mk II will cost more, even if it’s out before then.

[@floydbrown2142]

I would hope the a9III, is wider & has more room between the lens’s mounting and ones finger grip handhold area than the original.

[@MattHalpain]

Excellent review. Fun to see the cutting edge of Camera tech.

[@tomlew55]

Good video. Since image quality can no longer improve to noticeable differences, camera manufacturers are searching for selling points. They are getting desperate to maintain their market share. 120 fps reminds me of the Spaceballs movie quote: "Lightspeed is too slow, we'll have to go right to ludicrous speed." Yes, pre burst and the global thing are interesting features for sport and wildlife photographers, but for me it doesn't matter much. I'm more interested in Ansel Adams' artistic work as opposed to capturing the precise moment when a hand strikes a volleyball. Just my opinion, but spray and pray doesn't take much skill.

[@GastonShutters]

Nice comparison as always. But any 24MP full frame camera is no match for a 24MP with global shutter. Excited for the future of the whole Sony line up. Next an APSC with Global shutter could be in the horizon. That could be the ultimate wildlife camera

[@aliendroneservices6621]

Global-shutter will never be featured on any wildlife camera.

[@starbase218]

Err, why would you need a global shutter for wildlife? There's not going to be any artificial lighting that might cause banding, right? And there are some concerns about noise and dynamic range of the A9 III, because of the global shutter sensor.

[@troy5568]

That's why you get two bodies for best versatility in everything: A9 III for fast-moving subjects, and A1 for everything else.

[@photoboyjet]

I shoot a lot of stage performances, and LED stage lighting is becoming more and more common (cheaper than incandescent lighting and LEDs don't require gels for color changes). Banding is a big problem when shooting stills of fast-moving dancers and stage action.

[@scottrobert]

it was a pleasure seeing you again! great review!

[@iransirijillo]

Great info/coverage on the sync speed, very few talk about this(surprised?) Looks like a great camera for the right pro but super overkill for everyone

[@ishfaq2634]

How is it different from a CCD sensor?

[@bobhuynh1974]

In the video the graphics for the A9III spec showed 4K at 240fps, not 120fps. Is that right??

[@TonyAndChelsea]

It's 120; my mistake.

[@rbrtmllr]

Real world flash sync testing at full and 1/4 power on AD600's, 200's, and flash heads please!

[@kevinhawkins82]

Very Good Video! Lots of good info. The Sony looks like a great Sports camera. My Nikon Z8 is too, and $2000 cheaper. Keep the great videos coming!

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Yeah honestly the Z8 came out looking fantastic in this comparison. The pics were awesome and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference in those shoots.

[@upupa_epops_1000]

the good thing is we will strat to see this tech from all camera manufacturers. but the problem is the investment ppl have in lenses. its not an easy cost-free change over if ppl were to switch to Sony. but good on Sony for bringing aGS. quite the surprise and good timing on their part with Canon soon to release the R1. can u imagine the negative press ifCanon don't have a GS on the R1. if the R1 issuddenly delayed then we willknow they don't.

[@javidharoonpkm2443]

Base ISO 250, will it affect the dynamic range…

[@AB_223]

That new grip is exciting. If that was on a A7 V next year I’d definitely buy it.

[@ShutterSnapMastery]

So, what is the difference between Global shutter and stacked sensor in terms of solving the rolling shutter issue? Isn't that like a stacked sensor was the solution to address the rolling shutter issue? What are the advantages of having a Global shutter over a stacked sensor?

[@TonyAndChelsea]

stacked sensors have a short readout speed, global shutters have a 0 ms readout speed. In this video, during the R3 comparison, I show myself swinging a golf club. That little curve is from a stacked sensor. It would be straight with a global sensor. It's really not that much of a difference.

[@ShutterSnapMastery]

Thanks@@TonyAndChelsea

[@kenjiburtley2088]

I'm curious to see what the canon R1 will bring.

[@DJVARAO]

Awesome technology, as only Sony can do it. However, I hope they release a medium format one with the same basic capabilities, but oriented to studio photography.

[@TomasRamoska]

I need non of those features 😂 as Portrait and Wedding photographer.

[@SeanBigard]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the detailed segment on flash sync speed!

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Glad it was helpful!

[@irajnaghash]

I wish u show the pictures and compare.

[@Bo_Hazem]

I think you made a mistake there with A9 III doing 4K@240fps.

[@storybabble]

Thanks guys. Very informative as usual.

[@spitfire1962]

Can you set the boost button to any fps or does it only do 120fps?

[@TechnoBabble]

Since you can manually choose the fps of each burst mode setting I'll assume that it's behavior is that it sets the camera to Hi+ and not specifically 120fps.

[@djepodjepo]

Does the new firmware update for a1/a7siii include animal auto focus for video?

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Sadly no. It was really disappointing.

[@djepodjepo]

@@TonyAndChelsea bummer.

[@zeus.edwards2662]

Well cameras certainly taking the fun out of photography, there goes the fun of trying to get the shot. Waiting to see what photographers do with strobes and flashes

[@HR-wd6cw]

People, please don't fall for the bait. The A9 is not necessarily better than the Z8 or Canon's R3. It depends largely on your use case. If you're shooting landscapes, the R3 or Z8 may be a better options (cleaner images potentially at low ISO), but if you're shooting video the A9 may be a better choice due to no rolling shutter effects, and for portrait shooters, no sync speed may open up a world of new possibilities (we can get similar results with HSS and other cameras, but at a "cost"). Just keep in mind that they all have something to offer. The key is to find the camera that works for you and your needs. This would be simply overkill for my needs shooting landscapes (and the res is a bit lower than I'd like for printing). So it's not a good match for my use, but it doesn't mean it's a bad camera or that the other's aren't good. As Scott Kelby said once in a seminar I went to "Don't worry about stuff that doesn't matter" (meaning to your photography). If you don't shoot video, then video specs are pretty much irrelevant and you shouldn't get overly upset over specs and features that don't apply to your work. Worry about what actually matters to YOUR photography and your work. In fact, worry less about gear. You'll feel better and you can go back and focus on what's important in photgraphy -- and it's not gear.

[@harrison00xXx]

Yep, just to add: With higher ISOs R3 and Z8 will be for sure MUCH BETTER than the A9 III

[@trekkeruss]

I don’t see bait, I see it as an option. Sony makes different cameras for different use cases. In your case, for example, they have the A7R series. Whether you buy into that design philosophy is up to you.

[@suresh1957]

Makes perfect sense.

[@tonygerassi1502]

Exactly. Get the system that does what you need and there’s no need to switch because they all have their pros and cons. Sony has GM Primes, still waiting for the 2 year old RF 35 1.4 L. Canon has 20-40 fps fast electronic in their entry bodies, Sony entry is limited to 10. Sony has the A1 that can shoot 20+fps at 50 MP redundant, the canon R5 is limited to 20 fps on the cf express and not redundant. The fastest canon redundant is limited to 24 MP of the R6ii or R3. Canon has every great white you can imagine, Sony has a few. Sony has third party glass, canon has the best most expensive glass. Sony is small and compact, canon is larger in the hand and more comfortable for people with longer fingers. It all depends on your preferences and what you want out of a camera system.

[@jayc9184]

Sorry dude, aliasing and jello. It has to go, there is no Hype.

[@baotcreekdisco]

Thank you for this amazing review ❤️

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Our pleasure!

[@lyndonjones388]

If all these cameras took the same lenses, this type o comparison would be worthwhile. "Normal" people would not selll all their equipment, at a loss to take advantage of a new camera. Perhaps comparing cameras should also incorporate the. available lenses for the system. Just a thought.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Yeah we definitely consider the overall infrastructure, and that's the biggest reason I didn't include competitors like Olympus and Sony. But for sports, the big 3 have a pretty similar lens lineup. They mostly have all the bases covered, though there are a few unique lenses like Canons 100-300 f2.8 that might push specific types of sports photographers to one system or the other.

[@waynedennyphoto]

Kind of burst my bubble with the flash info, but definitely appreciate you putting it out there. It'd be a bummer to think you just dropped 6k on the camera only to find out you also need a 17k flash to get the absolute most out of it.

[@AleMarchAMP]

Did I miss the magnifier glass on Jared? We saw him but was he not flagged? 😂 I think I end up being more focused on theses then the actuel camera review 😜Nice where is Charly game

[@TonyAndChelsea]

I tagged him

[@middletonduff]

The global shutter is a look to the future. But 6K for a 24mp camera? That’s a lot of money for a global shutter. ISO lowest is 250 on A9III, the Z9 is 64 and the colo(u)rs coming out of the Nikon still blow anything else out the window. Comparing a 49MP camera to a 24 MP camera isn’t a fair comparison