How much dynamic range does the Sony A9 offer?
According to measurements carried out by DXO Mark, the sensor in the Sony Alpha A9 provides a maximum of 13.3 EV of dynamic range (DR). DR is defined as the ratio between the highest and lowest brightness a camera can capture. A value of 12 EV or above is considered excellent.
High dynamic range of a camera sensor is particularly desirable for scenes with a mix of very bright and very dark parts, such as in some landscape photography settings. It helps to avoid that highlights get washed out or that detail in shadows is lost.
Sensor specs and performance
The table below compares the sensor specs of the Sony A9 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). In addition to dynamic range (DXO Landscape), the listing also covers color depth (DXO Portrait) and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A9 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.9 | 13.3 | 3517 | 92 | |
2. | Nikon Z6 | Full Frame | 24.3 | 6048 | 4024 | 4K/30p | 25.3 | 14.3 | 3299 | 95 | |
3. | Sony A7 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.9 | 13.6 | 2449 | 90 | |
4. | Sony A7 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3730 | 96 | |
5. | Sony A7R II | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 13.9 | 3434 | 98 | |
6. | Sony A7R III | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
7. | Sony A7R IIIA | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
8. | Sony A7R V | Full Frame | 60.2 | 9504 | 6336 | 8k/24p | 26.5 | 14.8 | 3187 | 100 | |
9. | Sony A7S II | Full Frame | 12.0 | 4240 | 2832 | 4K/30p | 23.6 | 13.3 | 2993 | 85 | |
10. | Sony A9 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 3434 | 93 | |
11. | Sony A99 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 1555 | 89 |
In the United States, the A9 was initially launched in April 2017 at a price of $4,499.
Camera to camera comparisons
If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
Camera Model | Sony A9 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
Camera Lens | Sony E mount lenses | |
Launch Date | April 2017 | |
Launch Price | USD 4 499 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | Stacked BSI-CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 35.6 x 23.8 mm | |
Sensor Area | 847 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 42.8 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 6 000 x 4 000 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 5.94 μm | |
Pixel Density | 2.83 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 51 200 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 50 - 204 800 ISO | |
Image Processor | BIONZ X | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 92 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 24.9 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.3 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 3517 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 3686k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 1440k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | No front-flip | |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 20 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 500 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | Electronic Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | |
UHS card support | Single UHS-II | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FZ100 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 650 shots per charge | |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | |
Body Dimensions |
127 x 96 x 63 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.5 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 673 g (23.7 oz) |
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