Sony A9 vs A7 II

The Sony Alpha A9 and the Sony Alpha A7 II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in April 2017 and November 2014. Both the A9 and the A7 II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Sony A9		Sony A7 II
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Sony E mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (3686k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1440k dots		3.0" LCD – 1230k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
20 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
650 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
127 x 96 x 63 mm, 673 g		127 x 96 x 60 mm, 599 g

Check A9 offers at
ebay.com
Check A7 II offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A9 and the Sony Alpha A7 II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sony A9 and the Sony A7 II. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

In this particular case, the Sony A9 and the Sony A7 II have exactly the same width and height, and, thus, have identically-sized bodies. However, the A7 II is markedly lighter (11 percent) than the A9. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Sony FE Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the A9 gets 650 shots out of its Sony NP-FZ100 battery, while the A7 II can take 350 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	1,999	ebay.com
4.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	1,699	ebay.com
5.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
6.		Sony A7C	124 mm	71 mm	60 mm	509 g	740	Y	Sep 2020	1,799	amazon.com
7.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
8.		Sony A7R II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	625 g	290	Y	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
9.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
10.		Sony A7R IIIA	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
11.		Sony A7R V	131 mm	97 mm	82 mm	723 g	530	Y	Oct 2022	3,899	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7S II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	627 g	370	Y	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	4,499	amazon.com
14.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The A7 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 56 percent) than the A9, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A7 II is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the A7 II has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the A7 II has a lower pixel density and marginally larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.97μm versus 5.94μm for the A9), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the A9 is much more recent (by 2 years and 4 months) than the A7 II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The Sony Alpha A9 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7 II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the A9 is build around a Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, while the A7 II uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		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.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
3.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
4.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
5.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
6.		Sony A7C	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3407	95
7.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
8.		Sony A7R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	13.9	3434	98
9.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
10.		Sony A7R IIIA	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
11.		Sony A7R V	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	8k/24p	26.5	14.8	3187	100
12.		Sony A7S II	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/30p	23.6	13.3	2993	85
13.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
14.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A9 provides a higher video resolution than the A7 II. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the A7 II is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A9 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the A7 II (3686k vs 2400k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony A9, the Sony A7 II, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
2.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
3.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Sony A7C	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
7.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
8.		Sony A7R II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
9.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Sony A7R IIIA	3686	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Sony A7R V	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Sony A7S II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The A9 has a touchscreen, while the A7 II has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A9 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the A9 and the A7 II write their files to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A9 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A7 II only has one slot. The A9 supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the A7 II can use UHS-I cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Alpha A9 and Sony Alpha A7 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
6.		Sony A7C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
7.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Sony A7R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
10.		Sony A7R IIIA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
11.		Sony A7R V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony A7S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A9 (unlike the A7 II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the A9 and the A7 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A7 II was replaced by the Sony A7 III, while the A9 was followed by the Sony A9 II. Further information on the features and operation of the A9 and A7 II can be found, respectively, in the Sony A9 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7 II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A9 or the Sony A7 II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A9:

• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (3686k vs 2400k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.71x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1440k vs 1230k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (20 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (650 versus 350) on a single battery charge.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 4 months of technical progress since the A7 II launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7 II:

• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 74g or 11 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (56 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in November 2014).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A9 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 3 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A9 and the Sony A7 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A9 or the A7 II. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	4,499	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	1,999	ebay.com
4.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,699	ebay.com
5.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
6.		Sony A7C	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	86/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2020	1,799	amazon.com
7.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
8.		Sony A7R II	5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
9.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
10.		Sony A7R IIIA	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
11.		Sony A7R V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	92/100	..	..	Oct 2022	3,899	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7S II	5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	4,499	amazon.com
14.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check A9 offers at
ebay.com
Check A7 II offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, 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.

~

Check A9 offers at
ebay.com
Check A7 II offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.