Upgrade Your Gear: My New A9iii Camera! 📸

[@Jonathantuba]

I was surprised myself when I heard Mark had exchanged his beloved A1 for the A9iii - I did not think I had been that persuasive, but I think the tipping factor was when we both photographed a Buzzard taking off with difficult background and all my A9iii images locked on focus, while Mark admitted that was not the case with the A1. Anyway congratulations to Mark for his new A9iii, and I think he already knows why I have been raving about it! Yes it would be nice to have more megapixels, but the thing is the A9iii just captures images that would have been missed previously, and I would rather have a 24mp image to work with than no image at all, as I would have missed. In fact only last week I went out with the A1 for the first time for a while and on that one shoot missed two images I would almost certainly of captured had I taken the A9iii. So my A1 has been largely relegated to being a second body for when I go on safari.

[@CamillaI]

The only downside apart from the MP is the 6,000 images I took in four hours . Hopefully you will introduce me to Photo Mechanic on your return from your Bear Hunt please Jonathan 😢

[@anthonylujan]

Hi Mark, wow what an investment this year! I'm gonna hang back and wait until the new A1 comes out. So thrilled for you! Can't wait to see your future videos.

[@CamillaI]

Yes certainly gone all in on the new Tech and the 300mm is a dream with the TC's. I certainly don't blame you holding back awesome 👍

[@stuartblink]

The pre-capture is such a great feature and I think you will love the potential to capture the unexpected or unpredictable. I use Fujifilm cameras, they call it ‘Pre ES’ and and along with bird tracking AF it’s opened up wildlife photography as a new interest for me. I have been an amateur photographer for 35 years- but these steps forward in technology are making wildlife photography so much more rewarding and enjoyable.

[@CamillaI]

Yes this has certainly opened up new avenues for me . A burst is always a revelation now ! 🤔

[@nicbridgephotography]

Congratulations on the new purchase. Looking forward to seeing future videos with you out and about with it. All the best!

[@CamillaI]

Thanks! You too! Awesome

[@frostybe3r]

What a bizzare change but fair enough

[@CamillaI]

Video coming on " The 5 reasons you need the Sony A9III for your wildlife photography"

[@frostybe3r]

@@CamillaI Maybe you do but I don't 🤣

[@CamillaI]

@@frostybe3r Good point 👍

[@frostybe3r]

@@CamillaI I just want a firmware update for the A1 for better tracking features

[@CamillaI]

@@frostybe3r Yes the A9III certainly has a better tracking AF

[@holgerkrieg3587]

Owning both (a1 & a9 III) I can only repeat myself: the a1 is still a very good camera for most of the time. I would never sell it, at least until the a1 II will come out.

[@CamillaI]

Agreed if you have the A1 you don't need a A9III for wildlife. It's just when you feel a need for speed 👌

[@holgerkrieg3587]

@@CamillaI that’s right, but I also want to point out, that working with the a9 III in combination with a flash is something very special and opens a new dimension of creativity 🤩.

[@CamillaI]

@@holgerkrieg3587 I missed that one ,good point . I must start using flash with my insect photography. Dragonflies coming . I am getting the Drop in Polariser too for the 300mm 🤔

[@leonkirkbride6559]

Definitely wouldn't trade in the A1 personally , I'd have to have both . Anyway have fun with your purchase Mark looks a great bit of kit

[@CamillaI]

Fair enough . I could have kept both but only use one normally, so I am waiting & getting ready for the A1 2 🤔

[@TheLDunn1]

Interesting part of the review at the end re cropability. So, in summary, with the A1 you can shoot from a greater distance, or shoot smaller birds and rely on cropping to fill the frame…..but, there is a high probability that you won’t capture the ideal ‘moment’ (due to lack of pre capture and super high fps)…..OR you can capture the moment, but risk not having enough pixels covering your subject. It’s maybe also worth keeping in mind the advances in upscaling technology, which might help mitigate the lower MP count on the A9iii, but there is nothing that can mitigate missing the ideal shot (excluding Ai to ‘make stuff up’) Equipment choice is often a compromise, it’s about choosing what is the least compromise for you & what you wish to shoot. This is why I run multiple systems & pick the most appropriate one when I go out to shoot - you usually have some idea of what you expect to encounter. The last shot shared in this video was quite a crop on the A9iii image, and it still looked great. I also note that my A7Siii, with its minimal 12MP, can still be used to shoot stills that look more than acceptable. Maybe it’s worth experimenting on how much you can lower the resolution of a shot before it becomes significantly noticeable…..or, to put it another way, at what point do you stop really noticing more MP’s? Another way to consider it is if you are Printing on A4 paper (or there abouts, 8.3”x11.7”) & at the often recommended 300 DPi, then your image resolution needs to be ~ 3500 x 2500 (11.7x300 & 8.3x300) which equates to ‘only’ 8.7mp!….so, the A9iii provides some cropability IF your shot is intended for an A4 print. Just a thought.

[@CamillaI]

Well I think you have just about come to the same conclusion as "Camilla & I" . Basically you get shots with the A9III you won't with the A1. If you are close enough the DXO software upscaling is incredible these days ! The A1 is better in low light but not massively. The A1 is more "cropable" but it still doesn't beat being close enough to your subject in the first place. Next week I am photographing small birds in poor light with the A9III cropping & DXO Deep prime X Denoise 👌

[@TheLDunn1]

@@CamillaI looking forward to next weeks video! I’m based in Southampton, and yesterday was my first day of early retirement (Friday was my last day of work after 33 years). So, I now have a lot more free time, and will be hoping to get out and do more photography now!

[@CamillaI]

@@TheLDunn1 Sounds good enjoy 🖐

[@philgowerbirdphotography]

Very brave move Mark and thanks for your honest views.

[@CamillaI]

Very welcome Phil it is certainly more advanced than the A1

[@cameraprepper7938]

This week I just got the Sony A7RV, with the new EVF, the new IBIS and the Bird and Animal eye detections combined with the 61 megapixels, I will say it is superior to both the A1 and the A9III !

[@CamillaI]

An amazing camera and in some situations superior 👌🤔

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@CamillaI I will say in any situation, unless you are a speed junky 😄

[@cameraprepper7938]

For all of us that do not need the speed of the Sony A9III there are cheaper options like Sony A7IV, Sony A7RIIIA, Sony A7RIVA and Sony A7RV. I am going to upgrade one of my Sony A7RIV Cameras to Sony A7RV, because I do most of my Photography with manual focusing, so I will do better with the viewfinder in the A7RV, also the IBIS is better, so not the same need for tripod work.

[@CamillaI]

Very good point thanks for commenting not everyone goes for speed 👍

[@ajs1501]

I new you would get a A9iii😊

[@CamillaI]

I felt "A NEED FOR SPEED" ! I think it was Top Gun 😀

[@goranagnehall9793]

Take a look at Pmr Patrick murphy racey videos about A9III default is 250 but in menu you can change it to 125. Go to menu 17/62 in the "pink" exposure , ISO range limit and just change it to 125 .He explains the camera really well. As a pro photographer he has way to few viewers and subscribers

[@CamillaI]

Yes I have followed Patrick for many years . I will change the ISO limit thanks . But it is a bit like going to 50 ISO when your base ISO is 100. He doesn't mention any loss of quality but everyone else seems to 🤔

[@Wim-Minnaard]

Congrats on the purchase👍 I was blown away by the footage Jan Wegener managed to get from the Azure kingfisher in flight @120 fps from the A9 3. Should you be in a position to shoot one of our own kingfishers at that speed… much obliged😏

[@CamillaI]

Thanks very much. I was only going to my local Kingfisher sites last week as it happens. But unfortunately no shots 😢

[@handyman1196]

Great video .. Thanks for sharing!

[@CamillaI]

Thanks for watching!

[@markwalker8374]

Nice review Mark though very different conclusions to that of the Arash Hazeghi review. Could I ask that you stop holding the review item in your hand when you do a piece to camera, you have this habit of constantly lifting it up and down and waggling it around making it hard to watch.

[@CamillaI]

Noted. I still get a buzz from new equipment. I will endeavour to put it down while reviewing in future 👌

[@kayt4553]

What a surprise ... watched the video with Jonathan and noticed you were struggling :) I am struggling on a daily basis whether or not to buy this technical marvel. However, I do agree with others here that as a wildlife photographer the only real reason to buy is the pre-capture feature really. Interesting to hear retail prices are already coming down in the UK. Not yet here in Europe ...

[@CamillaI]

Well I am giving the high tech a go before the A1 2 mainly, Next week's video recorded today should be on the key feature Procapture . 6K images holding me up ! 🤔

[@isotechimages.9130]

As a Canon shooter l think the A9iii is the best wildlife camera on the market but l am surprised you were prepared to take the megapixel hit for crops sake.😂😂

[@CamillaI]

It is a hit, but the same MP count as the Canon R3 I believe ! & In almost every other respect it is superior 🤔

[@PeterLewis21]

Interesting video the size of the image crops went from 30 million to 2.3 million pixels, the 30 million pixel crop coming from the Sony A1. Personally i try not to to crop at all, the skill is getting the picture right in camera, if i do crop i hardly ever go below 20 million pixels and would not go below 16 million pixels. Because i do not see the point of spending £6000 pounds on a Camera, to get image sizes that came with Cameras 15+ years ago.? This is a habit i picked up from my slide shooting days, you could not crop a slide, so everything had to be right in Camera, and the Picture Library i supplied wanted 16 million pixel images.

[@CamillaI]

Thanks very much. As usual it is best to get the image right in Camera. I can remember slide days too wow we have come a long way in a short time

[@JoeMaranophotography]

Had a photo that was a finalist image in the capturing the moment 2019 competition. Taken on a few hundred pound Lumix cameras with 16 megapixels. Sometimes the gear gets in the way of creativity and hard work. That said to some people £6000 is like what £100 is to me so to them and them only I say get whatever you like! To the rest of us I say do what you can and be smug about it whilst doing so 😂

[@IMDABROWN]

I'm shocked, congrats once you get past the resolution downgrade you'll be more than satisfied.

[@CamillaI]

Well it is a bit of a leap in the dark 6K shots today !!

[@richardbierman9856]

Dude! Get a Nikon!

[@CamillaI]

Dude I have had Nikon before D850 D750 D500, but I went mirrorless before Nikon did 🤔

[@richardbierman9856]

@@CamillaI Well I waited!Currently, Nikon are kicking butt!

[@JoeMaranophotography]

If kicking butt means spending a lot of money 😂​@@richardbierman9856

[@stuartblink]

The pre-capture is such a great feature and I think you will love the potential to capture the unexpected or unpredictable. I use Fujifilm cameras, they call it ‘Pre ES’ and and along with bird tracking AF it’s opened up wildlife photography as a new interest for me. I have been an amateur photographer for 35 years- but these steps forward in technology are making wildlife photography so much more rewarding and enjoyable.

[@CamillaI]

From what I have seen so far I wholeheartedly agree 👍

[@RichardBedford-p3q]

Would not mind one, but have 2 A1 cameras already. Can't get around the A9iii's 24mp sensor and poor low light performance. A9iii seems to be for people who want to get images of birds taking off. I think the real issue for UK bird photographers is getting close enough to the birds on a regular basis to be able to use this camera. I don't believe that at normal UK distances, I could make this camera work for me, especially coming from the A1 and a 600mm f4. I've not managed it and I've been doing BIF work since the 1990s. Thank you for posting this video!

[@CamillaI]

Two A1’s are certainly a great combo . The A9III is certainly a different beast 6K images today in 4hours !!!

[@RichardBedford-p3q]

@@CamillaI Wow, that's a lot of images to look through. That is one other reason why I'm not sold on the A9iii, but that's not a great reason, I know.

[@CamillaI]

@@RichardBedford-p3q Tell me about it just gone through 5,000 images so many repeats . I must get Photo mechanic

[@DennisJacobsenWildlife]

Nice episode and congrats on the new "toy" Mark 😊

[@CamillaI]

Thank you so much 😀 I think you have had more Toys than "Camilla & I" in the last 3 years, haven't you ?😉

[@mcr8759]

Congrats on the new purchase, you held out longer than I thought :-) . Sounds like you got a good deal on a great camera. I am definitely excited for the A1 M2 but I think it will be more than a year’s wait. Are you going to keep your 6700 now? And it seems like you are really enjoying your 300mm GM 2.8 lens with TCs, is that lens turning into your go to lens now days? Looking forward to more content on the A9III and 300mm GM, thanks!!

[@CamillaI]

Thanks 👍 Well I will use the A6700 as a second body and the video is very good . I will probably trade it in for the A1 2. In the interim more coming next week . Pre capture one of the main items I bought the A9III for 👌

[@gerrywatkins846]

Hi Mark, I am just about to purchase the A9iii ,thank you for a brilliant video ,look forward to seeing your work with this camera

[@CamillaI]

Good choice! Technically it is superior to the A1 it is only the resolution which is not as good. You will get shots you wouldn't have with any other Camera 🙂

[@gerrywatkins846]

Hi mark thank you for your reply ,looking forward to it in fact can’t wait lol

[@paule621]

Hi there i am quite new to this wildlife photography and currently use the combination of A7RV and the 200-600mm . Would love the A1 and 600f4 ! Can i ask what raw filles you shoot in please ? Compressed or uncompressed ? Many Thanks and really enjoy your videos. Thank you for taking the time to make them .

[@CamillaI]

Well thanks for commenting. You have a very good combination there . I shoot lossless compressed Raw. There is very little difference between the two. In so doing it for the higher frame rate with the A1

[@paule621]

@@CamillaI many thanks 🙏

[@sabelli33]

Hi Camilla! You know what I say? I saw your videos with photos taken with the A1 and I can only say that I find them with more detail than the A9III! With all due respect for the high technology that it brings! I say this because I had a Sony A7III and I modestly moved on to an A7IV always with a Sony 200/600 and I see the difference and how! For me Sony should bring out an A1 with all the technology of the A9III but with 33 megapixels not more to avoid noise and files that are too large! I apologize I don't want to compare my camera and lens that are not at those levels!

[@CamillaI]

Yes I am hoping the A1 mark II is a compromise between the two . 50-60fps with a 33-35 mp would be fine by me. Online it is difficult to distinguish between the A1 & A9 III . But there is a difference when I print larger images .

[@davidsherrington59]

24mp sensor not good enough for cropping wildlife images. Poor low light capabilities. Good sports camera though

[@CamillaI]

Well I still crop around 100% with the A9III and 24mp does seem to be enough, the Canon R3 is also 24 mp and the Olympus micro 4/3rds is only 20 & they don't seem to complain. I am starting to realise as long as you get close enough to your subject sharpness is more important, high Iso is handled in DXO or even Lightroom Denoise 🤔

[@TheLDunn1]

A9iii is not shown on Castle Cameras website.

[@CamillaI]

Yes pretty poor that, best to ring 👌

[@TheLDunn1]

I was a long term Canon shooter ever since they introduced the Eos system ~1987, when I got the Eos 620 film camera. Various upgrades along the way culminating in an Eos 5Dii in 2008. Year after year went by as I waited for Canon to introduce something that compelled me to upgrade (I really wanted a moveable LCD). In 2017 i finally upgraded, but to a Sony A7Riii & Metabones adapter so i could instantly have a full lens line up adapting my Eos lenses to the Sony….without that, i doubt if i would have switched systems. Over the subsequent years, i have added some Sony native lenses. Im now looking at upgrading the A7Riii, and have been considering the A9iii & the A7Rv oh, I have picked up an A7Siii for low light work a few years back. I also shoot with a GFX 50r, which I really do enjoy & it’s my preferred camera when shooting static subjects (typically landscapes) where I’m on a tripod, manual exposure & manual focus. This results in the Sony being reserved when I’m shooting high speed subjects where good AF & image stabilisation & maybe longer lenses are required, & the AF systems on the latest Sony’s have moved on a bit since the A7R3 now, AND the LCD is more flexible in its articulation, which is something that has always appealed since my 5D2. Im torn though, due to the ‘only’ 24mp of the A9iii, vs the 60mp of the A7Rv, purely due to the flexibility it gives to crop….however, I keep Reminding myself that 24mp was enough on my old 5D2 for many years, and the A9iii would have been my ‘perfect’ camera not so long ago due to its LCD articulation & great Af….with the massive added bonus of pre capture. I think, if the A7Rv had pre capture, then I’d probably be more tempted with that. Pre capture feels like one of those ‘enabler’ technologies which will allow you to capture shots without requiring luck of lots of attempts to get, in short, it opens up new opportunities.

[@stefangoldensteinwildlife9929]

Hey. great upgrade. Greets Stefan

[@CamillaI]

Well it is certainly keeping me busy 🙂

[@allenfutrelle9090]

My question is what kind of deal did you get trading the a1 for the a9 III? I have the a1 and the a7R IV, but would love to trade one for the a9 III.

[@CamillaI]

Well I got 3.5K for my A1 and the A9III was reduced to 5.5k . The redundant grip I purchased meant I had to part with another £1700 . But I thought it would be worth giving speed a try loved the A9 & A9II. 👌

[@RichardBedford-p3q]

Can't get over the fact that you swapped your A1 for the A9iii. Surely, the best all round single Sony camera is still the A1? Good luck with it, what a brave move!

[@CamillaI]

Yes it is a bit of a leap in the dark. The Technology is amazing and I will be getting the A1 2 . Just getting used to the Camera is very interesting and challenging 🤔

[@RichardBedford-p3q]

@@CamillaI I do respect you for doing this. I wouldn't although I'm running 2 Sony A1 cameras and an A7RV. I had looked at the A9iii fleetingly, and having previously owned the A9 and A9ii on a Sony 600mm f4 with & without 1.4 tc, realised I could not generally get close enough to wild birds in the UK to make this set-up work for my BIF work...birds generally too small in the frame and no cropping power. To add insult to injury, many pros reach for the A1 in low light conditions as opposed to the A9iii. That, I find shocking. I'd be interested to see how you get on generally with the usually more distant wild birds we have in the UK. Best wishes, Richard Bedford RSPB Agency Bird Photographer.

[@CamillaI]

@@RichardBedford-p3q Well certainly a leap in the dark mainly for the features of the A9III. A1 2 is on order. But I may sacrifice MP in the Short term. I have been experimenting with the recovery Software these days . Half the job is in DXO Denoise software & Lightroom . But Jonathan also recons the sharpness of the lens is the critical factor not the number of MP . Which is a very interesting angle. But I still think you have to get close enough to your subject, then noise reduction works exceptionally well or is that the lens sharpness is coming through. I agree here in the UK you need a minimum of 600mm for small birds. The 300mm has exceptional sharpness even with the 2.0 TC . The A9III & 300mm combo I thought was just for the Sports Photographers. But now I see its roll for a lightweight get anywhere Wildlife Photographer too more coming on "C&I"