Sony α9 ILCE

Recent market statistics confirm that mirrorless cameras represent the only sector of the ‘serious’ camera market that is showing any real growth. The α9 is smaller and faster than either the Canon 1DX Mk II or Nikon D5, its high ISO images are noticeably better, and its video quality is superior. It's also cheaper.

In the α9, Sony has issued a real challenge to Canon and Nikon that mirrorless cameras can compete with the best pro DSLRs and, in many ways, out-perform them. Photographers who shoot video as well as stills will find the α9 easier and more comfortable to operate and usable in a wider range of conditions than the top DSLRs from either of the traditional manufacturers.

That's not to say the top DSLRs are inferior in all respects; both have more comprehensive environmental sealing and both provide direct voice-memo support. But, without a reflex mirror, the α9 can provide completely silent shooting with no viewfinder blackout, something no DSLR can match.

Sony's latest FE-mount camera, the α9, created a sensation on the Web when it was announced in mid-April with considerable fanfare from the company. Claimed as ‘groundbreaking’ it features a new 24.2-megapixel full-frame stacked CMOS sensor "" the first of its kind "" which can boost data processing by 20x compared with the company's α7 cameras.

Angled front view of the α9 camera, shown with the FE2470GM lens that was used for our review. (Source: Sony.)

The review camera was supplied with the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM (model SEL2470GM) lens, which we reviewed in June 2016 with the Sony's high-resolution α7R Mark II camera. The α9's body shares many features with the α7R Mark II, including the 5-axis stabilisation system and tilting monitor, although the latter's resolution is a little higher.

Who's it For? Sony's press releases imply the new camera is geared for speed, which suggests its target market is sports photographers. But other features of the α9 will widen its appeal to well-heeled enthusiasts and professional photographers who are looking for the technological advancements and convenience features that have been absent from DSLR cameras to date.

Price-wise, the α9 is positioned just below the top pro DSLRs from Canon and Nikon but above the Sony α99, the flagship A-mount model. The α9 comes with Sony's latest AF system which has 693 phase detection AF points covering approximately 93% of the frame and is capable of 60 AF/AE tracking calculations per second. On paper, it looks competitive with leading DSLR cameras.

In addition, the body-integrated stabilisation system enables Sony's cameras to be fitted with smaller and lighter lenses and covers all angles of view from ultra-wide to extended telephoto. The company is gradually building up a portfolio of ‘FE’ lenses for its full frame E-mount cameras, although lens choice remains much less than Canon and Nikon offer.

This will be an issue for potential buyers of the α9 because Sony doesn't have any fast telephoto prime lenses with focal lengths beyond 100mm for shooting sports or wildlife outdoors. However, indoor sports and event photography (weddings, functions, etc.) are well catered for with the 24-70mm and 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses. When this review was published buyers the following Sony FE mount lenses were available:

Wide angle prime: 28mm f/2, 35mm f/1.4 ZA, 35mm f/2.8 ZA

Wide angle zoom: 12-24mm f/4 G, 16-35mm f/2.8 GM, 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS

Standard prime: 50mm f/1.4 ZA, 50mm f/1.8, 55mm f/1.8 ZA

Standard zoom: 24-70mm f/2.8 GM, 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS, FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS, 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS, PZ 28-135mm f/4 G OSS

Telephoto prime: 85mm f/1.4 GM, 85mm f/1.8, 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS

Telephoto zoom: 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS, 70-200mm f/4 G OSS, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS, 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6

Macro: 50mm f/2.8 Macro, 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS

Additional lenses are available from third-party manufacturers like Zeiss, Samyang, Laowa and Voigtlø¤nder, but options are limited and many are manual focus only.

Build and Ergonomics As mentioned above, in many ways the α9 resembles an upgraded Mark II α7 body, taking in the tilting monitor, dual control dials and positions of controls like the on/off switch and shutter button. And, like the α7 cameras, the α9 has a scattering of programmable function buttons and an EV dial on the top panel in the rear right corner.

Front view of the α9 camera with no lens fitted. (Source: Sony.)

No major design changes have occurred on the front panel, which has a generous grip containing an embedded remote sensor plus a Wi-Fi antenna. The lens release button is in the same place as on α7 cameras.

Top view of the α9 camera with no lens fitted. (Source: Sony.)

The main change on the top panel is the addition of stacked drive and focus mode selection dials on the left side of the EVF housing. Each has its own locking button, a nice touch. Drive modes include self-timer and bracketing settings, while the focus modes cover AF-S, AF-C, DMF and MF settings.

The mode dial on the α9 has a few extra settings, among them the Slow & Quick Motion movie mode, ported across from the α6500 plus three Custom settings instead of two. The α7 cameras’ Sweep Panorama mode has been eliminated and it's largely irrelevant in this camera. A central locking button prevents the dial from being re-set accidentally.

Rear view of the Sony α9 camera. (Source: Sony.)

Sony has increased the resolution of the LCD monitor on the rear panel to 1,440,000 dots, but otherwise it's much the same touch-enabled 3-inch TFT LCD screen as used on the α7S II. It can be tilted up through roughly 107 degrees and down by about 41 degrees and provides five steps of brightness control plus a Sunny Weather mode for outdoor shooting.

A new joystick has been added to the rear panel, enabling users to select individual points or groups of points from the 693-point AF sensor array. It's usable when shooting in the Zone, Flexible Spot or Expanded Flexible Spot focus area modes. Touch AF is also supported.

Additional facilities include AF Area Registration, which allows frequently-used focus areas to be memorised and recalled via custom button assignments. The camera can also memorise and automatically recall the last focus point used in a vertical or horizontal orientation.

Separate buttons above the joystick access the AF-On and AE-lock functions, which double as enlarge and index view toggles in playback mode. The Movie button sits to the left of the AF-On button, just below the EVF housing, not the most convenient place but reasonable immune to accidental mis-use.

The EVF is a new OLED Tru-Finder with approximately 3,686,000 dots, the highest resolution Sony has provided thus far. Sony claims it ‘functions with absolutely no blackout’ providing a live view of the scene at all times. Its optical design includes a double-sided aspherical element, which boosts corner sharpness. Zeiss T* Coating minimises internal reflections while a fluorine coating on the outer lens repels dust and grease.

The EVF provides a 0.78x magnification and has double the brightness of the XGA OLED Tru-Finder in the α7R II. It also supports a customisable frame rate, with options to set it for 60 fps or 120 fps, depending on the subject. We found it to be highly responsive and as comfortable to sue as an optical finder.

Atop the EVF is a Multi-Interface Shoe, which accepts accessory flashguns and other compatible accessories. Dioptre adjustments for the EVF are made via a semi-embedded wheel on the right side of the EVF, just above the movie button.

Side views of the α9 body without a lens, showing the memory card and interface port locations, with the NFC logo on the former showing the contact point for connecting the camera to a smart device. (Source: Sony.)

On the left side panel are three compartments that house the various interface ports. The largest houses an Ethernet port (wired LAN terminal) for transferring still images to an FTP server at high speeds. Below it is a sync terminal for connecting external flash units and cables. The LAN terminal enables FTP file transfer and images can also be encrypted and sent via a FTPS connection.

Rearwards lie two smaller compartments, the upper one housing the microphone and headphone jacks while the lower contains the USB and HDMI ports. The former is USB 2.0 compatible.

The memory card compartment on the right side panel has a sliding lock and twin card compartments. Unfortunately, only Slot 1 (the lower slot) is compatible with UHS-II media, which you’ll need if you want to record 4K movies. We’re not sure why Sony opted for two SD slots instead of devoting one slot to the faster XQD cards, which would be better suited to the α9's burst speeds and video capabilities.

According to Sony, Class 10 or higher SDHC/SDXC memory cards are required for XAVC S format movie recording and UHS Speed Class U3 is necessary for 100Mbps or higher recording. This tends to limit your options for configuring which files are sent to which card, although JPEG images should be happy to go to slower cards.

You can record JPEGs to one card and raw files to the other or stills to one and movies to the other. But you can't record movies in different formats or at different resolutions and frame rates to separate cards. Simultaneous recording to both cards is supported.

As usual, the battery is installed in a compartment in the grip, which is accessed via a door in the base plate with a conventional sliding lock. The relatively large FZ100 battery is CIPA rated for roughly 450 shots/charge with the EVF (650 shots/charge with the monitor), which is just over twice the capacity of the batteries in Sony's previous full-frame models, although well below that of similar DSLRs.

The metal-lined tripod socket is in line with the optical axis of the lens and there's a two-battery vertical grip option, which supports USB battery-charging via the camera body. The camera's chassis is made from rigid magnesium alloy, which provides a robust platform for mounting larger lenses. The body also has extensive dust- and moisture-resistant sealing.

Internal Features Inside the camera, the main feature is the fully electronic, anti-distortion shutter, which Sony claims is vibration free and immune from shutter noise. Users can choose between two shutter options: The mechanical shutter, which supports shutter speeds from 1/8000 to 30 seconds plus Bulb; or the electronic shutter with an upper limit of 1/32000 second.

The electronic shutter is blackout-free and it can operate silently when the audio signals are switched off in the menu. The mechanical shutter always produces a sound and viewfinder blackout occurs, albeit very briefly.

The shutter is rated for 500,000 cycles. The electronic shutter mode is the default for movie recording because it minimises the rolling shutter effect that can occur with mechanical shutters. The Auto setting in the Shutter Type sub-menu will select the most appropriate shutter for the shooting conditions.

The new Fast Hybrid AF system combines the speed of phase detection AF with the precision of contrast AF to deliver a 25% improvement over the performance of the α7R II. It uses 693 point focal plane phase detection AF points covering roughly 93% of the frame. In continuous AF mode, the camera can make 60 AF/AE tracking calculations per second to keep moving subjects sharply focused.

Sony's menu systems have always been complex and the α9's is particularly so, with six ‘folders’ covering stills and movie shooting, network connections, playback, set-up functions and a My Menu folder for customising controls. The stills folder has 13 pages and the movie folder, nine, for example. The My Menu folder allows up to 30 menu items to be registered in a custom menu for instant recall when needed.

The α9 includes Sony's built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, along with NFC and Bluetooth 4.1 functions. The system supports the usual image transfer and remote control functions via the PlayMemories Mobile app, which also allows geotagging data to be transferred to image files via Bluetooth from a connected smartphone.

Sensor and Image ProcessingThe 35.6 x 23.8mm Exmor RS CMOS sensor is back-illuminated and offers an effective resolution of 24.2-megapixels. It features stacked electronics and gapless microlenses plus copper and aluminium wiring for efficient data transfer. The sensor is partnered with the latest BIONZ X processing chip plus a front end LSI (large scale integrated circuit) to provide the processing power the camera requires.

Native ISO sensitivity settings range from 100 to 25600 with the electronic shutter, with up to ISO 204800 available when the mechanical shutter is selected. Both shutters support a low sensitivity equivalent to ISO 50 and but the electronic shutter tops out at ISO 25600. Movie settings are restricted to ISO 100 to 102400.

The α9 supports JPEG and 14-bit RAW file formats and offers losslessly compressed and uncompressed settings for the latter. A RAW+JPEG setting is available but you can't adjust image sizes. Typical file sizes are shown in the table below.

Aspect ratio

Pixels

Typical file sizes

ARW.RAW

JPEG Extra-fine

JPEG Fine

JPEG Standard

3:2

6000 x 4000

27.8MB

18.9MB

10.2MB

7.1MB

3936 x 2634

n.a.

10.2MB

5.8MB

4.3MB

3008 x 2000

7.8MB

4.4MB

3.4MB

16:9

6000 x 3376

16.1MB

8.9MB

6.4MB

3936 x 2216

9.0MB

5.2MB

3.6MB

3008 x 1688

6.9MB

4.0MB

3.2MB

Continuous shooting is possible at up to 20 frames/second (fps) with AF/AE tracking, but only when the electronic shutter is selected. You’ll need a UHS Speed Class U3 card to get the maximum speed and capacity.

Rates of 10 fps and five fps are also available with the electronic shutter but if you opt for the mechanical shutter, the maximum burst rate is only five frames/second, with a low rate of 2.5 fps also available. The buffer memory can hold up to 362 JPEGs, regardless of size and quality settings, or up to 241 compressed ARW.RAW frames.

For uncompressed raw files, the limit is 128 frames or 118 RAW+JPEG pairs. Shooting to both cards is likely to reduce the buffer capacity and will probably slow capture rates, regardless of file format or resolution settings.

The camera's menu also includes an APS-C/Super 35mm crop mode that enables cropped-frame E mount lenses to be used and crops the sensor accordingly. This reduces the maximum effective resolution to 10 megapixels. The cropped mode is useful when shooting movies because it can provide an effective focal length extension of 1.5x.

Video The α9 has similar video recording capabilities to the α7S II, which we reviewed in January 2016. It supports full pixel readout without pixel binning for both UHD 4K and Full HD 1080p movies and also includes the Slow & Quick Motion modes, introduced in the α6500 (INSERT LINK), which let users choose from eight frame rates between one and 100 frames/second (fps) to create speeded-up motion or slow-motion movies in the camera.

Three video codecs are supported: the proprietary XAVC S (for 4K and high bit rate FHD recordings) plus the regular AVCHD and MP4 formats. PAL format users can select from the following formats, frame sizes and frame rates:

Frames are cropped slightly in the 4K recordings but not with the others. The Slow and Quick Motion modes record at a resolution of 1920 x 1080p and support frame rates of 1fps, 2fps, 3fps, 6fps, 12fps, 25fps, 50fps or 100fps. Playback can be selected from 25 fps or 50 fps.

The picture profile settings provided in the α7S II don't seem to be included in the α9. Nor is the S-LOG profile, which is strange. The closest option is the Neutral setting in the Creative Style menu. 4K video is recorded with 8-bit depth and 4:2:2 colour subsampling, which is pretty standard for a high-end ‘pro-sumer’ camera.

We were unable to test the camera's ability to record video to an external recorder, although this is possible. With 4K UHD clips, clean HDMI can be delivered with the full 8-bit depth and 4:2:2 colour subsampling.

Playback and Software Like other recent Sony cameras we’ve reviewed, the playback options are pretty standard and not particularly well covered in the basic printed manual that comes with the camera. Even if you follow the link to the more detailed online user guide, you could find it difficult to take advantage of some of the camera's capabilities. Its contents are scanty and can be difficult to follow.

The software must also be downloaded, again via a link in the printed manual. But, again, its value is limited. Sony's PlayMemories Home is available free of charge and is required if you want to import video clips recorded with the camera into your computer.

But can't be used for editing XAVC S clips and has limited functionality with AVCHD movies. Sony recommends the following video editors for photographers who want to edit movies taken with its 4K-enabled cameras: Adobe Premiere Elements, Apple's iMovie 10, CyberLink PowerDirector, Pinnacle Studio 18 Ultimate and Sony Movie Studio Platinum.

Performance We tested the review camera with two lenses: the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM (model SEL2470GM) lens, which was reviewed in June 2016 and the new Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens, which is reviewed separately. The FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens was used for our Imatest tests.

One thing that really surprised us was the quality of images captured at high ISO settings by the review camera. Subjective assessment of test shots taken at night showed the ISO 204800 setting delivered results that were comparable with the ISO 12800 setting on the Nikon D7500, the last interchangeable-lens camera we reviewed. Sure, the D7500 is a cropped sensor camera, whereas the α9 has a 36 x 24 mm sensor. Noise can be seen in both shots but the fact that the α9 is being used at four f-stops faster is impressive.

The Imatest results from the α9 confirm the solid high-ISO performance. The graph below, showing our test results across the camera's ISO settings shows a gradual loss of resolution as sensitivity is increased. Most significantly, there is no sudden drop in resolution at the top sensitivity settings.

Imatest also revealed that the review camera was capable of meeting expectations for its 24-megapixel sensor, both with JPEGs and ARW.RAW files that we had converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw, our preferred raw file converter. Slight edge softening was present at the three focal lengths we tested: 24mm, 35mm and 50mm. The 50mm focal length delivered the highest central resolution by a small margin.

We were unable to test flash performance since the α9 lacks a built-in flash and an external flash was not provided. Auto white balance performance was better than average, with only traces of colour casts present in shots taken under incandescent, fluorescent and LED lighting. These were easily removed with even basic editing software and there are enough in-camera adjustments to tweak colour reproduction on-the-fly.

The monitor provided good enough colour reproduction to make it usable for on-the-spot colour adjustments. As usual, the white balance pre-sets tended to over-correct, although custom measurement provided accurate colour renditions.

Video quality was outstanding at all resolution and frame rate settings. We were particularly impressed by the review camera's performance at high ISO settings, although noise and softening became visible between ISO 12800 and ISO 51200. Still frames from two clips shot with 4K and Full HD resolution are reproduced below.

Still frame from XAVC S 4K (3840 x 2160) movie at 25p, 100M, recorded at the highest sensitivity setting (ISO 12800).

We were also impressed by the dynamic range in video clips recorded in outdoor conditions. The camera was able to retain highlight details without blocking up shadows to the point where no details could be extracted, although some noise was inevitable when dealing with deeply shadowed areas.

The α9 records two-channel stereo soundtracks for all video formats, using Linear Pulse Code Modulated Audio (LPCM) for XAVC S clips and Dolby Digital for AVCHD clips. MP4 clips are recorded with AAC-LC format. We weren't able to test the camera with external microphones but audio quality from the built-in microphones was very good, particularly with the XAVC S clips.

Autofocusing in movie mode was also excellent and the AF system was able to track moving subjects and swap between subjects as they moved in and out of the frame with only brief (but visible) delays. The touch screen is handy when you need to change focus quickly and for racking focus in and out, even though it doesn't provide instant feedback visually.

Our timing tests were carried out with a 64GB Lexar Professional SDXC card, which is rated at 300MB/second. The review camera powered up less than a second, which was good by current standards.

Regardless of which shutter was used, we measured an average capture lag of 0.05 seconds, which was eliminated when shots were pre-focused. Regardless of whether we were shooting JPEGs, ARW.RAW files or RAW+JPEG pairs, processing was almost instantaneous and shot-to-shot times depended upon how quickly we could keep pressing the shutter button. Because the α9 has a huge buffer memory we had to limit the bursts we took in all formats to ‘workable’ size.

Using the mechanical shutter in the high-speed mode the review camera recorded 52 high-resolution JPEG frames in 9.1 seconds without showing any sign of slowing. This equates to just over five frames/second. Processing this burst of shots took 10.4 seconds.

The same frame rate applied with both ARW.RAW files (compressed and uncompressed) and RAW+JPEG pairs. Processing was completed within two seconds of the end of each raw only burst and four seconds of the RAW+JPEG burst.

With the electronic shutter, the camera recorded 88 large/fine JPEG frames in 3.9 seconds before slowing, which equates to just over 22 fps. It took 27.1 seconds to clear the buffer memory. With ARW.RAW files and RAW+JPEG pairs, the same frame rates were recorded but processing times were cut to between 10 and 12 seconds.

It is interesting to note the time spent processing JPEG files, which is much longer than for raw files, regardless of whether they are compressed. But, even with this limitation, the α9 provides impressive continuous shooting performance.

Sports shooters who prefer to record JPEGs should take note of the protracted buffer clearing times because you can't use the menu "" or take additional shots "" while files are being processed. We’d suggest using the electronic shutter and keeping bursts short if you are required to shoot JPEGs.

Because we reviewed the α9 in the middle of winter, we weren't able to test claims of the camera over-heating, although we suspect some of the early reports came about when the camera was used in the hot summer sun. The problem is likely to be confined to early releases, since Sony released v.1.01 firmware in early June to improve the ‘overheating warning functionality’ by ‘changing specifications’.

It's probable this update increased the temperatures at which the overheating warning indicator switched, based upon the premise that it had been set too low for ‘normal’ shooting conditions. We found the camera became a little warm to the touch when shooting movie clips longer than a couple of minutes; but it quickly cooled down once recording ceased. We’ve noticed the same phenomenon with other cameras we’ve tested, including the α6500 and the Panasonic GH5 and concluded that, with sensible use, it wasn't a serious issue for most users.

Conclusion Recent market statistics confirm that mirrorless cameras represent the only sector of the ‘serious’ camera market that is showing any real growth. The α9 is smaller and faster than either the Canon 1DX Mk II or Nikon D5 and its high ISO images are noticeably better and its video quality is superior. It's also cheaper.

In the α9, Sony has issued a real challenge to Canon and Nikon that mirrorless cameras can compete with the best pro DSLRs and, in many ways, out-perform them. Photographers who shoot video as well as stills will find the α9 easier and more comfortable to operate and usable in a wider range of conditions than the top DSLRs from either of the traditional manufacturers.

That's not to say the top DSLRs are inferior in all respects; both have more comprehensive environmental sealing and both provide direct voice-memo support. But, without a reflex mirror, the α9 can provide completely silent shooting with no viewfinder blackout, something no DSLR can match.

The α9 has been on sale for a month or two and discounting has already become established. Most online re-sellers have the body listed below Sony's RRP of AU$6,999, with a typical range of AU$5754 to AU$6799. You should expect to pay about $500 less than the RRP in a reputable store.

B&H and Adorama, which market aggressively to Australian consumers, have the α9 body listed at US$4498, which was equivalent to AU$5714.26 when this review was published. But B&H won't ship to Australia due to ‘certain conditions’, which we suspect relate to GST (which must be charged on items valued at more than AU$1000). Adorama charges US$98, which is about AU$125, for shipping. To that you’ll need to add 10% GST, which will take the price you pay very close to the average local price so you’d be better off shopping at your local camera store.

Image sensor: 35.6 x 23.8mm Exmor RS CMOS sensor with 28.3 million photosites (24.2 megapixels effective) Image processor: BIONZ X A/D processing: 14-bit RAW Lens mount: Sony E-mount Focal length crop factor: 1x, 1.5x selectable Digital zoom: Smart zoom (Still images): 35mm full frame: M:approx 1.5x, S:approx 2x, APS-C: M:approx 1.3x, S:approx 2x, Digital zoom (Still images): 35mm full frame: L:approx 4x, M:approx 6.1x, S:approx 8x, APS-C: L:approx 4x, M:approx 5.2x, S:approx 8x, Digital zoom (Movie): 35mm full frame: approx 4x, APS-C: approx 4x Image formats: Stills: JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver.2.31, MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.3 format); Movies: XAVC S, AVCHD, MP4 all with MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression Image Sizes: Stills "" 3:2 aspect: 6000 x 4000, 3936 x 2624, 3008 x 2000; 16:9 aspect: 6000 x 3376, 3936 x 2216, 3008 x 1688; APS-C crops available; Movies: XAVC S 4K: 3840 x 2160 (25p, 100M), 3840 x 2160 (25p, 60M), XAVC S HD:1920 x 1080 (100p, 100M), 1920 x 1080 (100p, 60M), 1920 x 1080 (50p, 50M), 1920 x 1080 (25p, 50M), AVCHD:1920 x 1080 (50p, 28M, PS), 1920 x 1080 (50i, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080 (50i, 17M, FH), 1920 x 1080 (25p, 24M, FX), 1920 x 1080 (25p, 17M, FH), AVC MP4:1920 x 1080 (50p, 28M), 1920 x 1080 (25p, 16M), 1280 x 720 (25p, 6M) Image Stabilisation: Image Sensor-Shift mechanism with 5-axis compensation; up to 5.0 stops of shake correction Dust removal: Charge protection coating on optical filter and image sensor shift mechanism Shutter (speed range): Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type shutter with mechanical / electronic modes; Mechanical Shutter:1/8000 to 30 sec, Bulb; Electronic Shutter: 1/32000 to 30 sec, [Still images, Continuous shooting]; flash sync at 1/250 sec. Exposure Compensation: +/-5 EV in 1/3EV or 1/2EV steps (+/-EV for movies) Exposure bracketing: 3/5/9 frames selectable. With 3 or 5 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 EV increments, with 9 frames, in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1.0 EV increments. Other bracketing options: WB – 3 frames, H/L selectable; Flash – 3/5/9 frames selectable Self-timer: 2, 5 or 10 seconds delay plus continuous and bracketing modes Focus system: Fast Hybrid AF(phase-detection AF/contrast-detection AF) with 693 points (phase-detection AF), APS-C mode with FF lens: 299 points (phase-detection AF), with APS-C lens: 221 points (phase-detection AF) / 25 points (contrast-detection AF) Focus modes: AF-S (Single-shot AF), AF-C ( Continuous AF), DMF (Direct Manual Focus), Manual Focus Focus area selections: Wide (693 points (phase-detection AF), 25 points(contrast-detection AF)) / Zone / Centre / Flexible Spot (S/M/L) /Expanded Flexible Spot/ Lock-on AF ( Wide / Zone / Centre / Flexible Spot (S/M/L)/Expanded Flexible Spot) Exposure metering: 1200-zone evaluative metering with Multi-segment, Centre-weighted and Spot metering patterns Shooting modes: AUTO (iAuto), Programmed AE (P), Aperture priority (A), Shutter-speed priority (S), Manual (M), Movie (P / A / S / M), Slow & Quick Motion (P / A / S / M) Picture Effect modes: Posterisation (Colour), Posterisation (B/W), Pop Colour, Retro Photo, Partial Colour (R/G/B/Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera (Normal / Cool / Warm / Green / Magenta), Soft High-key Creative Style modes: Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn leaves, Black & White, Sepia, Style Box(1-6), (Contrast (-3 to +3 steps), Saturation (-3 to +3 steps), Sharpness (-3 to +3 steps)) Dynamic Range Functions: Off, Dynamic Range Optimiser (Auto/Level (1-5)), Auto High Dynamic Range (Auto Exposure Difference, Exposure Difference Level (1-6 EV, 1.0 EV step)) Colour space options: sRGB standard (with sYCC gamut) and Adobe RGB standard compatible with TRILUMINOS Colour ISO range: AUTO (ISO 100-6400, selectable lower limit and upper limit); Still images: Mechanical Shutter: ISO 100-51200 (plus expansion to ISO 50 and ISO 204800); Electronic Shutter: ISO 100-25600 (with expansion to ISO 50); Movies: ISO 100-51200 (plus expansion to ISO 102400) White balance: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent (Warm White / Cool White / Day White / Daylight), Flash,Underwater, Colour Temperature (2500 to 9900K) & colour filter adjustments (G7 to M7(57-step), A7 to B7(29-step)), Custom Flash: External flashguns only Flash modes: Flash off, Autoflash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Red-eye reduction (on/off selectable), Wireless, Hi-speed sync. Flash exposure adjustment: +/- 3.0 EV (switchable between 1/3 and 1/2 EV steps) Sequence shooting: Max. 20 frames/sec. with electronic shutter; 5 fps with mechanical shutter Buffer capacity: JPEG Extra fine L: 362 frames; RAW+JPG: 222 frames; uncompressed RAW: 128 frames Storage Media: Dual slots; Slot 1 for SD (UHS-I/II compliant) memory card, Slot 2 for Memory Stick Duo / SD (UHS-I compliant) memory card Viewfinder: 1.3 cm (0.5 type) Quad-VGA OLED EVF with 3,686,400 dots, 100% frame coverage, approx. 23 mm eyepoint, 60/120 fps refresh rate, -4.0 to +3.0 dpt adjustment LCD monitor: Tilting (up ~ 107 degrees, down ~ 41 degrees), 3-inch LCD touch panel screen with 1,440,000 dots and brightness control (5 steps between -2 and +2), Sunny Weather mode Playback functions: Single (with or without shooting information Y RGB histogram & highlight/shadow warning), 9/25-frame index view, Enlarged display mode (L: 15.0x, M: 9.84x, S: 7.52x), Auto Review (10/5/2 sec, Off), Image orientation (Auto/Manual/Off selectable), Slideshow, Folder selection (Date/ Still/ MP4/ AVCHD/XAVC S HD/XAVC S 4K), Forward/Rewind (movie), Delete, Protect Interface terminals: Mass-storage, MTP, PC remote; Multi/micro USB, HDMI micro connector (Type-D), BRAVIA Sync (Control for HDMI), PhotoTV HD, 4K movie output/4K still image PB, 3.5 mm Stereo mini jacks for MIC and headphones, PC remote, LAN terminal Wi-Fi function: IEEE 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz band), NFC forum Type 3 Tag compatible, Bluetooth Standard Ver. 4.1 (2.4GHz band) Power supply: NP-FZ100 rechargeable Li-ion battery pack; CIPA rated for approx. 480 shots/charge with Viewfinder/ approx. 650 shots/charge with LCD monitor Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 126.9 x 95.6 x 63.0 mm Weight: Approx. 673 grams with battery and card

Distributor: Sony Australia; 1300 720 071; www.sony.com.au

Based on JPEG files taken with the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens.

Based on ARW.RAW files processed with Adobe Camera Raw.

Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.

Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.

Auto white balance with LED lighting.

58mm focal length, 30-second exposure at ISO 50, f/2.8.

58mm focal length, 30-second exposure at ISO 100, f/2.8.

58mm focal length, 30-second exposure at ISO 400, f/4.

58mm focal length, 10-second exposure at ISO 6400, f/7.1.

58mm focal length, 3.2-second exposure at ISO 25600, f/9.

58mm focal length, 1.3-second exposure at ISO 51200, f/11.

58mm focal length, 0.6-second exposure at ISO 102400, f/11.

58mm focal length, 1/3-second exposure at ISO 204800, f/11.

Close-up: 70mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/500 second at f/2.8.

70mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/25 second at f/5.

59mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/160 second at f/8.

70mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/125 second at f/3.5.

70mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/80 second at f/2.8.

55mm focal length, ISO 6400, 1/160 second at f/6.3.

66mm focal length, ISO 3200, 1/4000 second at f/6.3.

66mm focal length, ISO 6400, 1/320 second at f/5.6.

24mm focal length, ISO 12800, 1/200 second at f/6.3.

70mm focal length, ISO 6400, 1/400 second at f/5.6.

24mm focal length, ISO 6400, 1/250 second at f/4.5.

70mm focal length, ISO 32000, 1/500 second at f/8.

70mm focal length, ISO 32000, 1/250 second at f/8.

24mm focal length, ISO 6400, 1/200 second at f/4.

70mm focal length, ISO 6400, 1/200 second at f/6.3.

Still frame from XAVC S 4K (3840 x 2160) movie at 25p, 100M.

Still frame from XAVC S 4K (3840 x 2160) movie at 25p, 60M.

Still frame from XAVC S FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 100p, 100M.

Still frame from XAVC S FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 100p, 60M

Still frame from XAVC S FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 50p, 50M.

Still frame from XAVC S FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 25p, 50M.

Still frame from AVCHD FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 50p, 28M ( PS).

Still frame from AVCHD FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 50i, 24M (FX).

Still frame from AVCHD FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 50i, 17M (FH).

Still frame from AVCHD FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 25p, 24M (FX).

Still frame from AVCHD FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 25p, 17M (FH).

Still frame from AVC MP4 FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 50p, 28M,

Still frame from AVC MP4 FHD (1920 x 1080) movie at 25p, 16M.

Still frame from AVC MP4 HD (1280 x 720 ) movie at 25p, 6M.

Additional image samples can be found with our review of the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens.

RRP: AU$6,999; US$4,500