Sony a9 Review: Is the HYPE real? vs a7R II, Canon 1DX II, Nikon D5, D500

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Full review with pictures and video from the Sony a9 vs the Sony a7R II, Canon 1DX II, Nikon D5, and Nikon D500. We test image quality, high-ISO image quality, dynamic range, video quality, handling, sports, action, portraits, eye-detect focusing, battery life, buffering, slow motion, lock-on AF, silent shutter, rolling shutter, electronic vs mechanic shutter, weather proofing, and more! We also test the Sony 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 GM G-Master lens!
Sony a9 on Amazon: help.tc/a9
Sony 100-400 GM on Amazon: help.tc/s400
Sony 70-200 GM on Amazon: help.tc/s200gm
Sony 24-70 GM on Amazon: help.tc/s70gm
UHS-II SD for a9 on Amazon: help.tc/uhs2
Our video books: sdp.io/store
Watch Jordan's video review: • Using The Sony A9 To S...
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Our camera recommendations:
STARTER CAMERAS:
Basic Starter Camera ($280 used at Amazon): Canon T3 help.tc/t3
Better Starter Camera ($500 at Amazon): Nikon D5300 help.tc/d5300
Better Travel Camera ($500 at Amazon): Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II help.tc/em10ii
LANDSCAPE CAMERAS:
Good ($550 at Amazon): Sony a6000 help.tc/a6000
Better ($1,400) at Amazon: Nikon D5500 help.tc/D5500 & Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 help.tc/s35
Best ($3,150) at Amazon: Pentax K-1 help.tc/K1 & Pentax 24-70 f/2.8 help.tc/p24
PORTRAIT CAMERAS:
Beginner ($950 at Amazon): Canon T6i help.tc/t6i & Canon 50mm f/1.8 help.tc/c50
Better ($3,000 at Amazon): Nikon D610 help.tc/d610 & Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 help.tc/t200
Best ($5,300) at Amazon: Nikon D810 help.tc/d810 & Nikon 70-200 f/2.8E help.tc/n200e
WILDLIFE CAMERAS:
Starter ($1,100 at Amazon): Canon 7D help.tc/7D & Canon 400mm f/5.6 help.tc/c400
Great ($3,200 at Amazon): Nikon D500 help.tc/d500 & Nikon 200-500 f/5.6 help.tc/n500
VIDEO CAMERAS:
Beginner ($500 at Amazon): Panasonic G7 help.tc/g7 & Panasonic 14-42mm help.tc/p42
Better ($1,400 at Amazon): Panasonic GH4 amzn.to/2p5dAmD & Panasonic 14-140 f/3.5-5.6 help.tc/p140
Best ($4,300 at Amazon): Panasonic GH5 help.tc/gh5 & Metabones Speed Booster XL help.tc/mbxl & Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 help.tc/s35 & Sigma 50-100 f/1.8 help.tc/s100
DRONES:
Beginner ($400 at Amazon): DJI Phantom 3 help.tc/p3
Travel ($1,000 at Amazon): DJI Mavic Pro help.tc/Mavic
Better Image Quality ($1,500 at Amazon): DJI Phantom 4 Pro help.tc/p4p

[@TonyAndChelsea]

NOTE: Buffer clearing times might be ~30 seconds with one card and ~2 minutes with two cards. I may have had a faulty UHS-II card, because my buffer clearing performance matched Max's UHS-I measurements. Both the card and camera were pre-production, so it seems like something went wrong. LINKS: Jordan's review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3ncnmiKZ8Sri68 Sony a9: sdp.io/a9 Sony 100-400 GM: sdp.io/s400 Sony 70-200 GM: sdp.io/s200gm Sony 24-70 GM: sdp.io/s70gm UHS-II SD for a9: amzn.to/2qbhRZW Our video books: sdp.io/store

[@sjs2657g]

Did Sony purposely choose to a photo shoot at an ice rink, so that their cameras didn't overheat? Enquiring minds want to know.

[@elias38]

I want to see their next photo shoot in Death Valley, CA in August.)

[@cjeff77]

Would really like some kind of comparison viewpoint between A9 and the A99ii - I'm coming from the A99i and would like to see the difference in Focus Accuracy and ability to track fast moving objects at the 8FPS (mechanical shutter) from the A99ii - I realise A9 has no blackout and will technically be better, but will the A99ii do the job? Refresh rate an EVF blackout/lag make the A99i impossible to to do fast panning shots in mult mode. Any idea on the Focusing speed with an A-Mount Lens on the A9?

[@dead_philosopher]

Tony & Chelsea Northrup, can you guys do a review on the sony flashes? That would be really great!!!

[@konradhenrykowicz1859]

Tested with SONY 500/4 and it sucks.

[@cameralabs]

Great review guys, really enjoyed it - very thorough. I think we all need a Jordan Drake section going forward...

[@MaksimYuryev]

Enjoying your video guys, Great Job!

[@shreyasrao125]

Max Yuryev saw them on your A9 video! :)

[@damaster692]

Max bro. Everyone knows that you don't stick your fingers inside there . I usually hold the big lenses by the lense and the camera by the front of the grip . try it itll be a lot more comfortable.

[@MaksimYuryev]

You leave a gap between your palm and the grip (like claw gripping a mouse) instead of wrapping you're a hand around the grip? I've never seen anyone do that (not that you can't) I support the lens with my left hand as well but have a hold on the camera. I had this same issue with the a6300 but sony changed the grip a bit for the a6500 to give a little bit more room and it made a big difference, but I came to find that the a9 has the same issue as the a6300, least with the large G Master lenses.

[@jaimeduncan6167]

Your reviews were also Excellent, I believe that anyone considering this machine, in particular to replace a Nikon or Canon system should see both. They complement each other.

[@meiing996]

Max Yuryev -Use Vertical Grip & a Cam Cage. Bigger more comfortable grip. Btw I like ur videos Max

[@FireBlade57]

Finally! I've been sitting in front of my computer hitting F5 all day!

[@FelipeFigueroaG]

Notification squad brah

[@Valadhiel76]

Me, too!

[@thegougy]

20fps dude.. :))

[@twit_t9668]

i went deaf pressing the F5 cuz its bound to volume up

[@UnknownGunslinger]

I've been watching you guys for years. I just wanted to say I love you and I appreciate you! Even though I don't see myself affording this camera anytime soon I love watching your detailed reviews of them 😊

[@dw6600]

That eye detection AF looks very, very nice...

[@thephotovideoshow]

Good review. Pretty much in line with what I was expecting from this camera. And @Jordan nailed it with the shortsightedness of not including picture profiles!

[@eastonchang]

Great review! I can't wait to see an a9R variant of some sort in the future. My days with Canon are so numbered.

[@sjwatson7]

I'm so glad you guys mentioned the quiet shutter for weddings and events! I spoke about in our video. That was a HUGE advantage. Love this review guys! So good to meet you!

[@3BMEP]

I envy your knowledge -- and your ability to get these out so quickly!

[@theory8sf]

It nice to see some of my favorite youtubers collaborating in the same video!

[@SwanandRides]

four of the best reviewers are working together.. that's fantastic..good to see that.. Tony Chelsea Jordan and Chris

[@shadabshaikh4543]

thank you for this video! competition is good for consumers!!

[@ClaudioVidalDias]

And there you have it. Yet another great review! Thanks guys

[@itschriswinter]

Ooh looking forward to watching this. 1am here though. Thats 20fps though.. damn

[@SunnySummerSkies]

Chris Winter agreed, 20 fps is pretty sweet.

[@hongk0ngfu3y]

its going to get to the point were you just video what every your capturing at 8k then pull a still from it.

[@itschriswinter]

For sure I'd love to get one. Not sure if I can afford it just yet though. We'll see, looks sweet

[@OmdaX]

and i still can not afford canon 600d or 700d

[@OmdaX]

nah I can not afford the camera because the economy in Egypt is low

[@bcnewsvideo]

Really appreciate your unbiased reviews of the products. Very informative KZbin channel, thank you.

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

This camera really should have a quad-processor that would substantially help alleviate the buffer/image-review issue...

[@owengee7415]

but it would overheat

[@Jessehermansonphotography]

Streets of Vancouver true but not many people shoot 200 continuous shots

[@davidkmillerphotography]

I believe the problem is that it's being bottle necked because of the speed of the SD card and could have been addressed if Sony would have used a XQD card as opposed to SD cards

[@hankroest6836]

SD card manufacturers (including Sony) need to have pressure put on them to improve sustained (rather than peak) write speed.

[@jaimeduncan6167]

Part of the issue is the cards, but it will help. They are fixed on mirrorless => little. Maybe they are right, but as Tonny mention in the video XQD will help this camera a lot. Besides why a slow card on the second slot?

[@jppellissier]

Much appreciated for the honest reviews guys.

[@AustrianGeek]

Well - All sports shooting leaving aside: It´s actually THE BEST camera for event and wedding shooting on the market ... (For example: Grabbing the finest shot of the bridal bouquet catch ^^. Or being able to shoot the mood of an event without disturbing anyone ... And still getting the full frame look and high ISO performance - It´s worth ALOT!)

[@AustrianGeek]

I know (about the high iso performance vs. the A7r II). But it´s about the combination of speed, silence and still very good high ISO performance. Btw.: Shot mainly on Micro 4/3 til now (Olympus and Panasonic) - So the high ISO would be a HUGE step up - And i love to shoot silent. Keeps everyone more natural (especially people which normaly don´t want to get photographed). Would love to get one - But the price ... ^^

[@TonyAndChelsea]

+1 to this. That's definitely how I would have pitched the camera.

[@AustrianGeek]

That´s true. The longer focal lengths are missing in the Sony lineup (and the Leica 100-400 is quite nice). According silent shutter though: It´s more like "having the option" to switch to full silent shutter which is nice. I first also didn´t use it that much - But used it more and more over time. You can still switch to the mechanical one - For certain portrait shots for example (where it´s needed as a feedback for the model / shot person - as you mentioned already). But I wouldn´t want to miss the silent shutter anymore (at least as an option).

[@johnallenmagee]

You're exactly correct. Accidently left my Fuji in electronic shutter mode, the model I was shooting became anoyed. It through her timing completely off. No matter how I tried to give the cue vocally, she wanted the cue from the camera shutter. So back on it went :)

[@gnomehanslan1430]

The silent shutter makes it perfect for street photography. Some people don't want to hear a shutter sound in public.

[@JinMizushima]

Thank you for reviewing the photo capabilities of this camera. Its hard to find it nowadays

[@MichielVanhoudt]

Dear Sigma and Tamron, do your stuff.

[@ObelixCMM]

Perfect time for Sigma to release new 500mm f4 in native E-mount

[@jaimeduncan6167]

The high-end Flash manufacturers are reacting already, Sigma and Tamron should not be that far. Once we have them is judgment day for Nikon and Canon, but more for Nikon.

[@adrianserrano4461]

or 100-800mm f1.2

[@showbissydney1587]

Electronic shutter will always have banding issues when shooting indoors. The same way that when shooting video indoors you must use 1/60th or 1/125th to avoid banding/flickering.

[@spincitysd]

Never say "always" unless you like being proven wrong. Sony has already done a very good job of eliminating banding in real world photography via their new imaging chips. Who knows what advances their sensors may achieve in the future?

[@artmaltman]

Great review, concise and to the point as usual. Thanks for pointing out the buffer write problem; people forget that a buffer can be deep but slow to write.

[@scdobserver835]

woof! all the a9 reviews! I can't watch all at the same time!!!

[@hamzagardee7593]

I've been waiting for this review since the camera was released! Thanks for the fantastic review, Tony and Chelsea :)

[@danieljones8706]

It's great that the A9 can do sports, but all Canon and Nikon have to do to beat it is put a mirrorless sensor and EVF into a 1D or D500. Actually, if Canon wanted to be really aggressive, they could make the 7Dmk3 mirrorless, keep the DSLR body, add a good EVF and then you've got the A9 on the run. It'd be a fraction of the price too.

[@mohammedfuadh9096]

Daniel Jones and The badass lens selection. Would have to make superb adapters as The mirrorless one would have the mirrorless mount

[@Biker_Gremling]

I'm really looking forwards to the Canon M1, but I'm expecting that to be a mirror-less 5Dsr.

[@alisamaan]

Canon can do that, but Canon business approach doesn't think to move forward like your thinking

[@ArmTheCreative]

Canon just sticks to great photographers. They are out there shooting. Not watching this video.

[@danieljones8706]

To the people who say that Canon can't do it, you should check CanonRumors more often. They've been putting patents for a lot of sensor tech lately, including a curved sensor and a global electronic shutter (so no rolling shutter issues). So if they made a pro mirrorless DSLR replacement, I wouldn't be surprised by them having the tech, but I would be surprised by the time table. Canon and Nikon don't jump onto new tech or trends because they want to make sure to do it well. They simply traded innovation for reliability and consistency, which is pretty important for professional work.

[@acanuck1679]

Thanks for a great video review of what does look like an astonishing camera. The buffer issue is, of course, a serious weakness but, as you suggested, it likely wouldn't be a show-stopper. The work done here by Chelsea and Tony was excellent and, contrary to what some mistakenly suggest, it was also unbiased. You two rock!

[@darrenholmes1398]

Everyone continues to compare this to the 1DX II and the D5 and their relative $. For sports and wildlife the D500 is still the best....rugged, great image qualitt, crop factor, and lens selection with a better buffer

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Agreed, we sold the D5 & kept the D500.

[@alonsofotografia7259]

Such a pitty, you could just use both so you don't need to use TCs "that much" when more reach is needed.

[@rmrm3602]

1DX II is by FAR the best all round camera. Just watch Michael The Maven video - it explains perfectly why.

[@TenantRepGuru]

Welcome to the world of Sony. They've been kicking Nikon and Canon's butt for years. Now you finally get it.

[@shadabshaikh4543]

I am now hoping to soon see more mirrorless cameras from Canon nd Nikon

[@elias38]

Something tells me if they do this then it's going to be an instant threat to their DSLRs.

[@shadabshaikh4543]

Fuji Sony and Panasonic mirrorless already are a major threat to dslrs.

[@MarkKeefer]

Thanks for doing this video, Chelsea and Tony. Looks like an amazing camera. The silent shutter and frame rate are wild. - Cheers, Mark.

[@fynthemtns]

If Sony doesn't change the design of their camera bodies people who use DSLRs won't be switching. The grip is simply painful for people with large hands. They make this amazing camera with the ability to challenge the D500 in wildlife photography but the long focal length lenses are nonexistent... Kinda seems like putting the carriage before the horse. The price point is also a massive issue. No one who has a $2000 D500 is going to switch to a $4500 platform that is painful to use for long periods and is very unbalanced with large lenses. Sony did an awesome job, fixing 2 big issues I had with their cameras, the battery life and focusing system but I just can't get over the price, design and lacking lens selection, as I am sure many other people can not as well.

[@TheHikeChoseMe]

you are right. my small female hands picked up an a7 the other day, and even for me it felt way small. it didn't feel good in the hand.

[@RussEastburn]

I shot Hockey as my main bread and butter for 20 plus years. All I can say is for action sports 10 shots per second is plenty fast if you know what you're doing. Now the focus tracking speed that's important. The bend in the stick Tony was from him taking the shot the stick flexes which increases the velocity of the puck.

[@JMHSPhoto]

A few things. This as a sports unit, no. Optics are not there. In sports your image background is in a lot of cases, equally as important as the subject. Without the wide apertures of f/2.8, there is too much in focus. They have no long fixed glass in the 300-500mm range with 2.8 openings. Deal beaker. in my own case, trying to switch over from a Nikon system would involve trying to swap out about $26.000.00 of glass and trying to get the 'best' price for it. But that's way before the memory speeds... Write speeds, and all the complications that come with that, also places this in the odd-ball category. It's pro prices, that no pro will use, and it's priced out a little high for Mom & Pop kids sports. And WHY, would Sony, inventors of the XQD format, NOT use the tech in their own body? That's a real mystery. The 20 FPS is nice.. But if you're a 'spray & pray shooter... You're just getting into the field of sports. If you can't cover it at 11-14 FPS, you should probably stick to weddings. The hand grip room is also a deal breaker. 2 hours per game, all hugging something that doesn't want to be hugged.. I'm out. And lastly, thanks for reviewing the way you do. That kid over on the other channel with bobble-heads and opinion based crap is a dolt.

[@Sijoitusmatkani]

Agree. As a hobbyist, having spend lot of money to my D750 and 300mm f2.8 VRII and it's a truly fantastic package. Time and time again i just wonder how stunning details i get with it. In my case, would i spend thousands of Euros to get better fps and EVF, slower lenses or some Nikon-Sony adapters - i don't think so. But, we all can do whatever we want.

[@spincitysd]

Meh, the optics will come. Sony is doing a good enough job there. And as the installed base grows you will see the Independents jump into the game as well. Can't speak for the buffer or the lack of support for the XQD, that may be a firmware up grade or the A9ii, and yes there will be an A9ii because constant process improvement seems to be in Sony's DNA. As for all that lovely Nikon glass, eh, I guess for those truly invested in the system, their hope Nikon can stay in the game. My guess is that the A9 will be followed up by a A9S video version and a A9R high megapixel version with the whole cycle repeating as it does in the a7 series. That's going to be a lot of pressure on the incumbents. More than likely people deeply invested in Canon or Nikon won't be impressed, but others may opt for Sony, we'll see.

[@maksn5751]

Really solid video guys. One of your better ones.

[@Thevikingcam]

What? takes over 3 min to empty buffer when using dual cards? Big no go...

[@kiwipics]

terosyva .. well sais

[@kiwipics]

terosyva well said

[@stephensarmento3529]

How often do you shoot 200 raw files in a row??Most people wont even come close to that but at that point you might as well be shooting video. lol

[@Thevikingcam]

Most, the PRO sports shooters (to whom this camera is supposed to point) shoot that most of the time..

[@Thevikingcam]

Well if you compare a9 with D5 , is it so much behind of D5.

[@jinhobaek]

Great review. Always enjoying watching it.

[@petersagi275]

Okay, so everybody talked about the 20FPS as a revelation for sport photography and IT IS, but nobody mentioned that it's not with C-AF (you mentioned it drops to 10-15FPS), and only 5FPS with mechanical shutter, which may needed in some scenarios. I'm sure the A9 is still great, but I feel it's a quite different card game now!

[@hankroest6836]

CARD GAME is right because the SD card manufacturers now seem to be limiting buffer performance with poor SUSTAINED write speeds.

[@ObelixCMM]

I don't think that is correct, there are many examples of 20 fps and tracking AF. As far as I know, only restriction on 20fps is uncompressed RAW

[@5up3rAIN002]

Péter Sági Eh no. 5fps with mechanical shutter is correct, but it still has 20fps with tracking focus and electronic shutter.

[@hankroest6836]

@Kdr, I know. I saw. Go figure. Will they improve their sustained write speeds before the a9s comes out? I wonder. Video shooters want colour depth and that stresses the card's internals. Going XQD would be a cop-out, I think.

[@wilsonnguyenprod]

Great review guys. Really enjoy this video. The 100-400 GM is a monster when pair with Sony A9.

[@jonneymendoza]

Think i may cancel my pre order. the buffer rate seems like an issue,(cant access the menu) no PlayMemory App, no S Log. Not as sharp as my a7r2 when pixel peeping

[@DiiZeh_]

I love your work, guys!

[@kh.g4049]

Bright future ahead.

[@yallfolks8702]

Thank you Tony and Chelsea.

[@JakobDahljd]

"1dx is uncomfortably big" Well... No. I have to rest my pinky just over the edge of the grip to not cramp up. The 1dx is almost the perfect size. ;) I tried holding a SONY A7R ll and it's WAY to small for me. I have trouble holding a normal size dslr. But great review. Thanks.

[@chirag4]

you are so correct. I agree.

[@michael_sterling]

Yep.

[@matts6282]

Great review, but hard to take these with a grain of salt when Sony flies all these vloggers in on their dime to test their product. New York, Thailand you name it.

[@lonelyboyll08]

May be it's designed by Asians for Asians?

[@JakobDahljd]

***** no. The camera takes the picture. The photographer points the camera at what he or she wants to capture. Why do Sony users always have to comment about Canon and Nikon users commenting about Sony cameras? Chill dude. T & C gave their reasons for why this is good and why people should switch. I gave my reason as to why I'm not switching. They really are WAY to small to handel. So my personal opinion is actually fact. Who knew? 🤔

[@ArnoldWatson]

Awesome and quite thorough review!

[@103703878]

Nice try sony but i'll be sticking to my d750..... 3 mins to clear the buffer... lol what good is 2o fps then...

[@adrianserrano4461]

I know, right? I hope it has a 10fps mode, never heard of it though

[@JCBShortFilms]

This comment has kinda aged poorly haha 😆 Sony has come a long ways!

[@christopherxavier4952]

Thanks for the very thorough review guys; though I wish the X-T2 review you guys did would had been as detailed as this one

[@leeshengyuan145]

I can't go bck to DSLR aft using Sony a7Rii and a6500😂😂😂

[@TheHikeChoseMe]

as a hobbyist, mirrorless cameras look fun to me. I don't care so much about fast AF or FPS as I mostly shoot landscape and architecture. when I do want to shoot wildlife, my measly 5fps works just fine. shooting a lot of long exposure photos I love my dslr battery life. but for a neat compact street camera, or a vacation camera, mirrorless would be perfect.

[@benhalstead1869]

I haven't seen 1 legit sports photographer on the entire KZbin that used or has input on the A9. Also why did Sony only invite video & portrait guys mostly. Mark said it's a sports & wildlife photo camera. Why? Build quality?

[@LinkThreeMedia]

Hey that last shot was actually quite beautiful!

[@alejandrocifuentesh]

16:14 Chelsea looks like: "Ok, there goes $4.500... - sigh -, but it's a good camera", after that, when you really like it, it will be like 9:20 Tony and Chelsea fighting to use the camera :-D

[@Photomeike]

Good Review. Pretty much covered all of the points. I think if they would have put all of these features in an A99 style body they would have been able to make the camera a bit more robust and comfortable for people with bigger hands. But still could win the size argument against the D5s and the 1Ds. Plus if the camera was a lil bigger they probably could have fit their beloved XQD card slot in the camera. 🤷🏾‍♂️ I can't wait to VLOG a wedding with it 😅

[@AcidTripwire]

Taking 2 or 3 minutes to clear the buffer and not being able to operate the camera during that time haunted me for the rest of the video, that's just a complete failure. All the bells and whistles of the Sony are great and everything looks amazing on paper, but in fundamental areas it falls apart, whereas 'dinosaur' DSLRs just work without issue. They're far from dead.

[@ivodelev9794]

they advertise it for sports camera when in reality is a portrait and wedding camera.... 3 min to clear the buffer sony, please...

[@tom20152]

I don't think people take 200+ shoots continuously. If you do 50-100 shots and then a break, the buffer time won't be that bad. I saw one reviewer said that.

[@danieljones8706]

The buffer gets me too. 2 full minutes is an eternity in photography terms. I was also a little surprised by the lack of S-Log for video, especially since video has been such a strong selling point for Sony's mirrorless line.

[@davidpavlich8939]

And remember, Daniel, that's two minutes with ONE MEMORY CARD, the faster SD card, in the camera. In a professional shoot setting, the photographer will most certainly have 2 cards in place. That means 3+ minutes if the buffer is filled.

[@tamasvarga67]

Yeah, it's nice upgrade to the A7 line but not a 1DXII/D5 killer...

[@cobyst10]

thanks for the balanced review. I'm really considering switching from a DSLR to a mirrorles camera. keep it on!

[@kh.g4049]

@16:20 who is she?

[@OrjanB]

Great work again you two!

[@tobiasgebhardt1]

Yeah sure, a professional sports and wildlife camera with a fullframe sensor (wildlife photographers always crop and for cropping a sensor with more photosites per squarecentimeter is much better) and only two serious lenses avaible. Beyond that, this camera is only ergonomically ok with a battery grip. Otherwise balancing a big lens is impossible. Thats a joke. Go with either a Nikon D500 or a Canon 7D MkII if you want to do anything serious.

[@bensslightnature]

thanks for telling us something that has been told countless times..

[@tobiasgebhardt1]

you're welcome.

[@LiquidNS]

Tobias G. I actually recently purchase a 7d mkii and it just makes my hand cramp really bad due to my small hands. Sony, Panasonic, and Olympus just fits smaller hands so much better

[@Rafaelinux]

Hey, I always watch your videos, but this one excels, it also has a way better color grading :D

[@ItsDSP]

Honestly, that camera isn't worth the money. For much cheaper you can get the X-T2. The buffer isn't as big BUT the wait time for it to clear is just seconds. Plus the autofocus is much better than the D500. It's faster and locks on better. ISO performance is also great on the X-T2.

[@lonelyboyll08]

but still it's apc-s camera, way too noisy at high ISOs. If what Tony claimed it's true about 5 hours of shooting and 6500 frames with a single charge, you think noone would appreciate it?

[@biffy7]

As usual excellent video. Currently shooting D810, D4 and I am very impressed with what the a9 can do. Can't wait to see Canon and Nikon's response. I don't know if there is enough to of a market for all three to compete. BTW great, great promotion by Sony. Loved the hockey "fight".

[@SimonBauer]

The hype is reaaaaalllll nice

[@Abbyrathore]

love your videos.The details you guys share is spot onn. thanx :)

[@floex831]

Waiting 2 minutes at a wedding is a no-no. At the Olympics, that's a HELL NO!.

[@yifengchen3431]

floex831 please see MAX video, This Tony guy choose the wrong slot

[@floex831]

Yifeng Chen oh boy. This may still be an issue when shooting backup as the other slot is only UHS-I. It won't be able to keep up with the UHS-II cards. And the camera is bricked when writing to the card/s.

[@insertcoolnamelater9334]

I love it how all the KZbin camera people are all friendly to each other and cooperate.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Well, not *all* the KZbin camera people, but most of us :D

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Well, not *all* the KZbin camera people, but most of us :D

[@insertcoolnamelater9334]

Well, all my favorites at least ;)

[@tahronfields]

I'll keep my Canon 1DX Mark II all day everyday.

[@espresso4eva]

I'll keep it too... In my drawer.

[@tahronfields]

you don't have one jackass.

[@espresso4eva]

I don't, it was a joke. However, your uneducated response confirms that money can't buy good manners - only good cameras.

[@DrFearCo]

Same thing happened when digital came out. Old crotchety people and companies who refused to adapt stuck with film and eventually either switch late or fade away. Started a huge fight on a froknowsphoto video saying that in 5 years you will not be able to buy a new DSLR anymore. If Canon and Nikon refuse to acknowledge this, they will have to stay in business by making E-Mount glass ;)

[@JUNO-69]

But you can still acknowledge the Sony is an amazing piece of technology right?

[@stevenlui8105]

Great and thorough review as usual! As an owner of D5, D500 and X-T2, the most attractive feature to me is the silent shutter! It's so convenient in certain situations such as shooting wildlife. I am still not convinced by Sony's telephoto lenses for now at least.

[@peterzpictstube]

This camera cost twice what it is really worth.

[@frenchfries8745]

peterzpictstube why look at competitors prices

[@peterzpictstube]

My beef is hardware wise there is little difference to justify the price increase over its predecessor the A7m2. Yes it can do neat tricks but it is not built for market it is going after. The body is small for handling big glass its storage media is substandard and limits performance.

[@frenchfries8745]

peterzpictstube yes maybe it has some limits but also has some impressive advantages and worth considering in my opinion

[@adrianserrano4461]

look at the competition.

[@andyroye5622]

Sounds like your going to replace both the D5 & 1DX mk ii with the Sony a9?

[@abdelmouttalebazeddine72]

dslr era is over e-mount has just 7 years ;)

[@fatdoi003]

if NIkon/Canon come out with similar products then yes but for Sony, their glass department still decades behind

[@shang-hsienyang1284]

The main problem is still lack of support from 3rd parties especially Tamron.

[@kiwipics]

Abdelmouttaleb Azeddine ... I've tried several mirrorless cameras, and nothing has convinced me to make the very expensive move from DSLR.

[@elias38]

It's really up to a new generation to decide but for now, it is safe. I wanted to get Sony a7 but its menu system, the size of the camera is not my cup of tea. Besides, I just can't believe that a camera that looks like point and shoot can compete with a full frame DSLR.

[@martinaee]

I mean... probably not. One isn't "superior" to the other in terms of actually getting shots so it's not like people are going to stop loving DSLRs. They will improve to. There is something about having an actual optical viewfinder that just isn't there yet with mirrorless cameras.

[@loprtq]

Amazing review.. What camera do you reccomend for a starter. I have looked at the d5300 and 700d. Keep doing what you do and get some more reviews on the more budgetfriendly cameraes!

[@3treesphotography62]

World's most expensive wedding ceremony and funeral camera. Not a single pro sports photographer at this event for a reason

[@adrianserrano4461]

No tree photographer for a reason too

[@roberthagqvist]

Thank you very much! Quite satified with the Panasonic Micro 4/3 cameras and the nice lenses that I have for videoworks, I miss the depth of field isolation I had in the old stills days. Despite a very limited budget, you gave me a lot of inspiration to think over complementing with full frame. Again, Thank you very much!

[@ghffrsfygdhfjkjiysdz]

2:48 Tony is holding the camera plus a lens with 3 fingers. Like a BOSS.

[@Speak_Out_and_Remove_All_Doubt]

Great early look guys, good to see Sony invited at least one reviewer that isn't on the Sony payrole! Questions: Are all features available with 3rd party glass unlike 4D focus on the A99ii? And how does it play with adaptors?

[@Pheonix2022]

Those long jumpers were gorgeous. Surprised no one else brought it up.

[@AnnieMaitor]

As maximum fps and memory card technology continues to increase, you've got to wonder at what point we're actually going to be shooting what is effectively video clips for sports and fast moving wildlife and picking out frames. As you mention in the example of the puck strike - getting that point of contact happens in a fraction of a second and I can see the allure of the faster speeds however seeing you scroll through shots at 20fps felt strangely less like 'stills photography' and more like snapshotting video. Thanks for the review guys.

[@jonphillips5550]

Super chill vid. When Chelsea calls for blood during the hockey fight. Lol. Thank you for your chill, Tony. Chelsea, be chill like Tony. No blood you know.

[@sunnyjessy3469]

Best info about A9: Thanks for that.. keep it up

[@CoffeeWithCaleb]

Hey Tony and Chelsea :D, will you guys ever do more videos on macro type photography? Thanks for everything :)

[@4xoverland]

New sub to your channel. Thanks for being brand neutral. We all have our favourites. And you no doubt also do. And that's okay, But thanks for being honest.

[@QuadHealer]

Great review! I primarily shoot studio shots and am very surprised that the flash sync speed is only 1/160s. That is what I get with my old mechanical DSLR Canon EOS 5D Mark III. My Canon EOS 1Dx Mark 1 gets 1/200 no problem, and the reason I cannot get to 1/250 is likely due to cheap flash triggers. I struggle getting the shutter speed fast enough if I zoom in with my favorite 70-200mm and there is movement, so I had very much hoped that mirrorless would have given me even faster flash sync speeds (although 1/200 is usually enough). I guess it is not time to make the switch just yet. It is still a very nice camera though!

[@DreamhopMusic]

You just won a subscriber :)

[@finallyanime]

Being able to put "COMPLETELY silent wedding photographers" as a top bullet point definitely pretty cool

[@sceneris7519]

like the way u reivew a9, well done, there's pros and cons as well.

[@peturstefansson]

When the buffer was full and the files were moved too the card you didn't mention if they were raw og jpg files. Great review by the way.

[@jasonsamuels5692]

Higher frame rate will most likely capture the moment you want versus a lower frame rate. The A9 is extremely unique and would like to see a similar product from other brands.

[@clairebinder166]

Can't wait to get my hand on one(or more and try) as a pro shooter my biggest interest is shooting straight to an ftp. Hope to get a remote into the goal with life FTP so we can share the pics right away that would be awesome but will need some geek work(RapseryPI, ...) This could be a great addition to my A99II and A99's. Yes buffer clear can be slow still don't expect to fill it with that size very often

[@aaronleung7902]

Thanks for the honest review.

[@drivingparadox]

Thanks for the review and hearing the video view as well.

[@LEXPIX]

Nicely done. Like you mentioned, I too prefer the larger grips and ergonomics of the D5, 1Dx and the balance with larger lenses the Sony doesn't offer in that form factor. Also wish Sony would have some type of a top display screen, maybe OLED or something. The dials alone seems very entry level-ish looking. And what's up with the limited touch screen capability for menus and what not?

[@ObelixCMM]

In my opinion top display screen is waist of valuable space for any camera with EVF

[@ghostechvids]

Great job on the review! Can't consider Sony a serious contender with such a small body and bad buffer speed. Thank you for making this video.

[@paulinefollett3099]

Great review. Things at Sony are getting very interesting. The a9 looks very impressive.

[@MaZEEZaM]

I could imagine the silent shutter would not only be great for wildlife and weddings, I would think it would be a huge plus for journalists and those on the receiving end of a mass of photographers. It's probably the future standard for all camera brands given it's benefits.

[@whidbeyphoto]

I'm a wildlife photographer who shoots a lot in Africa. Schlepping a Canon and long lens halfway around the world means a camera bag heavier than my main bag. So Sony mirrorless is an appealing alternative, but until now not good for tracking, burst rate, or good long focal length glass. So the A9 seems to solve most of these limitations, and I've been reading these reviews to decide if I should buy it. I think I'll wait, primarily due to the high price. Hopefully, they will continue to improve, and deal with the buffer issue , the lack of glass; and lower the price point. Until then I'll keep hauling my Canon around the world.

[@cooloox]

Hi Tony, any comments about image quality? Those close up face shots at around 10:37 into the video look strange. The lady's neck looks like a clone job gone wrong (when people keep cloning from the same source point and it looks patchy). Maybe the camera is applying too much noise removal, I don't know, but it doesn't look good. Tremendous video, btw, thoroughly entertaining and great to watch.

[@arndsan]

great review format. !!!

[@dimitrimoonlight]

great review! Ole! thanks.

[@nicholasxayasith55]

Nice review as always. I'm liking the completely silent shutter on the A9 and the fact it can get fps speeds at least as good as the top-line Nikon & Canon cameras when actively auto focusing... but Sony continues to baffle me with some of their decisions. Why no XQD cards? I mean, if your marketing department is trying to sell this thing as a replacement to the D5 or 1DX for sports and action professionals, why in the HELL would you give it two SD slots and make one if them UHS-I ? Because not being able to do anything with the camera for a solid 2 minutes while the buffer clears wasn't annoying enough, let's really piss people off who need to write uncompressed RAW copys to both card slots? I can be impressed by a lot of the tech the A9 has, but I'm not entirely convinced to ditch my DSLRs in favor of of it just yet. I do hope Nikon and Canon collectively s**t their shorts upon announcement of this camera, and the fact Sony lobbed this bombshell mirrorless model in their direction, gets both of them to REALLY start innovating. "Canikon" may now be forced to redesign and overhaul for the better, what a DSLR of the future, is. Fixed-mirror, wholly electronic shutters? EVFs? Who knows. What I like most about the A9, is it'll undoubtedly drive the other manufacturers to step up their own game.

[@ZuDummZumFeuern]

Hey Tony & Chelsey. I like your video a lot. Wich camera gear u use for record this video?

[@TonyAndChelsea]

+ZuDummZumFeuern the Sony a9 & Sony 24-70 GM sdp.io/s70gm

[@jakelindsay6251]

"I don't know how I can ever go back to a DSLR." That right there, might be the biggest endorsement as I never thought I'd here Tony say that. Impressive. Hoping that A9R becomes a reality. And FWIW, there is a slight bend in the stick when a hockey player really gets after it.