Sony Alpha A9 II

From £4,399 | $5,750 www.sony.co.uk A few tweaks can go a long way

Until May 2017, the kings of professional sports and press photography were the Canon EOS 1D X Mark II and the Nikon D5. Then Sony launched the Alpha A9 and changed the game. Smaller, lighter and ridiculously fast, the original full-frame mirrorless sports shooter from Sony was one of the best we had tested.

Fast forward to 2020 and the second generation A9 is on the market, trying to tempt pros to upgrade. However, Sony has mostly held on to the core specs from the first-gen A9 and has chosen to make what, on paper, seems like only incremental upgrades to the A9 II. Those little tweaks may not mean much to the average user, but professionals in the field who rely on ridiculously quick turnovers and need highspeed performance will be the ones to appreciate what the Sony Alpha A9 II has to offer. The latest model does not disappoint, but do the small changes make the Alpha A9 II a worthwhile purchase?

Design and features

There’s a total of 43 features that are different in the Sony Alpha A9 II compared to its predecessor, with only a few subtle physical differences that make this newer model an absolute pleasure to use.

One of those design changes is the larger and deeper grip that, even for those with small hands, makes the camera quite comfortable to hold and use for hours on end. The AF-ON button is now larger and more prominent, while the multi-selector joystick is now textured and thus more tactile, making it easier to find and use without taking your eye away from the viewfinder.