Sony
Alpha a9 + FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS Lens
Full-frame Mirrorless Digital Camera Kit
Built for speed, the Alpha a9 from Sony is a mirrorless digital camera that offers multimedia capabilities alongside high-speed processing. The a9 is built around a 24.2MP full-frame Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor and BIONZ X image processor, making it possible to shoot at up to 20 fps for up to 362 consecutive JPEGs, or 241 raw frames, record internal UHD 4K video and enjoy an expanded sensitivity range to ISO 204,800 with reduced noise for clean image quality in a variety of lighting conditions. Additionally, uncompressed raw files can be recorded in 14-bit for greater colour fidelity and post-production flexibility.
This is complimented by a 693-point phase-detection autofocus system along with 25 contrast-detection areas that covers 93% of the image area for quick and precise focusing even in challenging lighting conditions. The use of phase-detection points enables the use of A-mount lenses via the optional LA-EA3 or LA-EA1 lens mount adapters with full continuous AF/AE tracking compatibility. A Peaking MF function is also available to benefit manual focus control.
Additionally, the a9 features 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilisation to minimise the appearance of camera shake when shooting handheld. This system compensates for five different types of camera shake. For long focal lengths, the system will correct for pitch and yaw adjustments, horizontal and vertical shift compensation will benefit macro and high-magnification imagery, and roll compensation will be useful in any situation. All 5 axes of stabilisation will function at all times, even when used with third-party lenses and adapters or lenses with built-in optical stabilisation.
Video recording is available with internal recording of UHD 4K movies in multiple frame rates up to 30 fps and, based on the Super35mm recording area and effective 20MP (6000 x 3376) resolution, 2.4x oversampling renders greater detail and full pixel readout is possible, that is void of pixel binning, for higher quality imagery with reduced moiré and aliasing. 4K video recording also allows you to capture 8MP stills during playback by taking a frame grab from a movie and storing it as a separate file.
Full HD 1080p recording is also supported in frame rates up to 120 fps, and both resolutions utilise the 100 Mbps XAVC S format contained within an MP4 wrapper with 4:2:0 sampling. The high-speed, 120 fps recording also makes 4x and 5x slow-motion movie recording possible with the frame rate set to either 30p or 24p. An uncompressed HDMI output is also available and allows an optional external recorder to be used for clean 4K recording with 4:2:2 sampling.
All this is housed in a durable and lightweight fully weather-sealed magnesium-alloy body with a 3.686m-dot resolution quad-VGA OLED Tru-Finder with 120 fps refresh rate for clear, bright, and smooth eye-level viewing. Alternatively, a 3.0" 1.44m-dot tilting touchscreen LCD is available for live view shooting and menu navigation. The touchscreen makes Touch Focus possible, and the tilting design allows you to work from both high and low angles. Dual SD memory card slots, a customisable menu system, and a variety of physical control dials further round out the camera's intuitive design. The camera is completed with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless image sharing and remote camera control from linked mobile devices.
Here the a9 is kitted with the FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS from Sony, a sharp short-telephoto lens designed to deliver stunning bokeh in a portrait-length lens. Created for use with full-frame Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, it can also be used on APS-C models where it will provide a 150mm equivalent focal length.
It features Smooth Trans Focus technology which uses an apodization filter to produce smooth, rounded out-of-focus bokeh. This element, which resembles a radially graduated ND filter that tapers from clear in the centre to more dense around the edges, produces more circular out-of-focus highlights for more pleasing selective focus and shallow depth of field effects. A rounded 11-blade diaphragm further contributes to an attractive bokeh quality.
This is combined with an optical design that uses one aspherical element and one extra-low dispersion element to control both spherical and chromatic aberrations. A Nano AR coating has also been applied to the lens elements to reduce lens flare and ghosting and produce contrast-rich images with true colour, even when working in bright lighting conditions.
A Direct Drive SSM system and internal focus mechanism ensures fast, quiet and smooth autofocus performance. A ring-switch permits selecting between two focusing ranges, including a dedicated close-up range for working with subjects as close as 57 cm away with a 0.25x maximum magnification. Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation is also included and helps to capture sharp handheld images by minimising the appearance of camera shake. This stabilisation system can also be combined with select camera's sensor-shift type image stabilisation for more effective control of camera blur.
The lens is completed with a durable physical construction that is dust- and moisture-sealed for peace of mind when working in difficult environments. The manual aperture ring can also be de-clicked for smooth, silent aperture switching to benefit video applications.