Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

Add a single link to a post and the genius admins bury the post in the links section -- even if the post had substance enough to stand on its own and should remain where it was posted. Inclusion of a link to support statements should never cause a post to be moved to the links & resources section.

Here's my original post without any link, but instead with references to some fancy writin' on the Web you can search for if so inclined:

"Sony a9 Sensor One of the Best Ever Tested, DxOMark Finds" exclaims PetaPixel in a (shockingly) Sony-favorable article. What follows are opinion and highlights as understood and written by this lizard.

News and reviews about Sony's remarkable grand slam a9 keep getting better. DxO Mark has finished its evaluation of the a9 sensor and has given it an overall score of 92, placing it 12th among all full frame cameras. This sensor has proven to be good-to-outstanding in every category from landscape to sports to astro. Its ISO performance is second only to Sony's a7S, and overall it performs similarly to a lower resolution a7Rii sensor.

Apparently Sony was not content producing a beast with hardware eclipsing the very best CaNikon has to offer, but instead it did so with a sensor that beat them handily as well.

You can see the usual results and comparison at at dxo.com, or if interested, you can read an in-depth analysis by searching for the PetaPixel article title I referenced above and following the embedded clickable transport thingy (that was a close one. Almost used the dreaded L-word) to go to and read DxO's comprehensive analysis, or you can search for the DxO article entitled "Sony a9 sensor review Game changer."

There. Isn't it much easier now that you have to search for the articles yourself to read more about what I've said?

chaman

Has Sony improved their customer support?

What about the overheating thats been reported?

They are still lacking the glass variety that Canon and Nikon offers although some advances have been made, are they going to keep putting out more lenses instead of a new body almost every year?

Battery life, is it better than DSLRs ones?

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

12th in the standing...

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

Customer support has improved, even to the point that they now cater to professionals with overnight replacements and more.

The overheating NON-issue was overblown by writers grasping for something negative to write about. Still, it was resolved with a firmware update as the warning indicator on a few models came on at too low a temp - but none shut down, just warned of a possible temp issue (and we all know how prudent it is to condemn an entire line for something reported on a few models.)

Sony likely will never have a gazillion lenses as do CaNikon, so for that one photographer who actually needs a gazillion lenses, Sony ain't the ticket. For the rest of us, Sony has it covered pretty well with only a couple of holes (notably a 400mm fast prime) which will be filled this year with premium G Master glass. Sony also continues to release consumer/enthusiast lenses which are more affordable, yet often outperform competitors' premium lenses (recently, an 85mm f1.8 that bests any 85mm by CaNikon), and third-parties such as Tamron, Sigma, and Rokinon, et al, nicely compliment Sony's offerings. There simply is no shortage of available glass in the FE mount.

Battery life is greatly improved in the a9, but not where even I would like it to be. I believe the a9 is rated at 480 shots, but I've read anecdotal reports of users getting much more than that. An EVF will always reduce battery life, but even so, Sony doesn't seem to put a premium on it. I keep a USB charger in my truck for each battery type my Sony bodies use. I keep an extra, charged battery in each camera bag and in the truck for an easy swap as needed, then a discharged battery goes on the charger. The only time battery life was an issue was one night when I wanted a long sequence of the night sky, but the battery died before I had the length I wanted (now, though, I have an adapter I plug into any USB 5v battery pack - the kind used to charge cell phones - and I can go all night long).

I'll probably never get an a9, but it really does seem to be a camera that does it all and does it all very well.

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

Yeah, all those darn Sony sensors above it taking up spots 1-11.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

What I do is

(1) post a link to the article in the L&R section

(2) include a link to (1) in my post here

BebuLamar

Good camera. Don't like it.

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

That sounds like a good way to do it. Thanks.

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

Blunt, but I respect that. When I bought my a7R I didn't like the form factor - and I still don't particularly, preferring the feel of my a77ii which is much bulkier and tough-feeling. But when I view the images my a7R gives me, I'm sure glad to have it!

I really don't understand Sony's thinking with these smaller bodies. Sure, they save maybe a half pound and a little bulk, but being full frame, the lenses are as large & heavy as those on a more traditional-style body, so it's really moot. I guess in some other countries the smaller frame is desirable, but I think I'd prefer a larger frame and bigger battery. On the other hand, what matters most it what the camera can do, and the a9 is no slouch in this regard.

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

^^DG, Sony designed the smaller E mount bodies to be able to take lenses from almost any other manufacturer so long as there is an adapter for them available.

You can fit so many different lenses on the E mounts because of the short distance from the mount ring to the sensor.

You can put a Canon EF mount lens on an E mount camera with the EF to E adapter... but there is no EF to A adapter because the larger distance between the mount ring and sensor as well as the presence of a mirror preclude most lenses designed for other DSLRs from being used.

So the E mount is really insidious; it gives Canikon users a high quality, feature packed camera with exceptional image quality alternative for their existing lenses. The plan is working; Sony is making money selling cameras, something few other manufacturers can claim.

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

BTW, I wonder if this thread will get moved if someone other than the OP posts the link:

https://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Sony/a9

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

Thanks, Cholly - I was wondering if you'd seen the article or the DxO sensor review.

I wasn't referring to the lens-to-sensor distance, but to the overall size of the body. The smaller body to me just feels more delicate, and I've read a few complaints by large-handed users about the smaller size.

While on the topic of using other brands' lenses, I seem to recall that the a9 will still shot at 10fps with autofocus using Canon lenses. Is this true?

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

DG, I have HUGE hands, and that's the main reason why I got rid of MY A7RII; it was just too small in my mitts.

Yes; the A9 can shoot up to 15 fps with the right combination of adapter and non native lens, but 10 fps is typical for the longer Canon primes with metabones III and IV adapters. Performance is better with Metabones V and Sigma MC 11 adapters.

Focus peaking, excellent 4K, the best AF in the business, eye AF, Face detection AF, a deeeeeeep buffer, fantastic low light and dynamic range performance, and a great price will get people with existing Canon and Nikon glass to buy it and eventually invest in E mount lenses to utilize the full potential of this beast of a camera.

Small size or not, because of the A9, I'm STRONGLY tempted to jump BACK into the E mount ranks, buy the VG, and just roll the dice.

Desert Gecko Loc: desert southwest, USA

This camera is indeed hard to ignore. I'm not ready to upgrade at the moment, but when I am ready, I don't know what I'll do. A99ii or a9? With either, I will no longer need two bodies as I currently have, one for action & one for landscapes/astro. I currently have all a-mount glass which I adapt to my a7R, so for that I'm leaning toward the a99ii. Well, and it is $1300 cheaper. But the low-light capabilities and more of the a9 would be nice at tines. Decisions, decisions...

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Is that sensors or censors?