Sony
Alpha a9 II + 85mm f/1.4 GM FE
Full-frame Mirrorless Digital Camera Body + Portrait-length Prime Lens Kit
This kit brings together the Sony Alpha a9 II and the 85mm f/1.4 GM FE prime lens, an ideal combination for portraiture.
The Alpha a9 II from Sony is a full-frame mirrorless digital camera that offers faster performance, enhanced suconnectivitiy and refined body design while retaining the impressive feature-set of its predecessor. The a9 II combines the proven 24.2MP full-frame Exmor RS BSI stacked CMOS sensor with an updated BIONZ X image processor to achieve markedly quick and responsive performance, rendering it possible to shoot at up to 20 fps using an electronic shutter, or up to 10 fps with a mechanical shutter; A wide sensitivity range that can be expanded up to ISO 204800 with reduced noise to achieve clean images in a variety of lighting conditions is also supported. Additionally, for greater colour fidelity and post-production flexibility, uncompressed raw files can be recorded in 14-bit. A high-speed front-end large-scale integration (LSI) supports the processor to realise faster processing times as well as a wide dynamic range with smooth tonal rendering. A 693-point phase-detection autofocus system along with 425 contrast-detection areas that covers 93% of the image area supports quick and precise focusing in a variety of lighting conditions, as well as an intelligent High-density Tracking AF Technology adept at tracking moving subjects; Updated AF algorithms improve maintenance of critical focus on subjects with erractic and unpredictable movements. Also supporting subject tracking is a quick AF/AE metering system that functions at 60 times per second, rendering it capable of continuously evaluating the scene to lock on and keep track of a moving subject. An automatic anti-flicker shooting minimises flicker effect for more consistent still imagery results by timing shutter action. The use of electronic shutter renders blackout-free monitoring via the electronic viewfinder, thus affording greater accuracy compositions of moving subjects. Thanks to the use of phase-detection points, A-mount lenses can be used 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.
The a9 II also supports UHD 4K video recording in mulitple frame rates up to 30fps, with full-frame 4K recording quality improved when workimg at mid to high sensitivities to allow full use of the entire sensor width; Full HD recording is also supported up to 120 fps. High-speed, 120 fps recording as well as Slow-motion movie recording set to frame rates of either 30p or 24p are also available. Enabled by uncompressed HDMI output, an optional external recording can also be used for clean 4K recording with 4:2:2 sampling. Handheld shooting of both stills and videos are benefitted by the enhanced 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilisation system which compensates for five different types of camera shake for up to 5.5 stops. You can use any lens with the a9 II without fear of encountering blur from camera shake as all 5 axes of stabilisation will function at all times with all lenses.
Complementing and benefitting the imaging capabilities, the physical design of the a9 II is updated to feature a more ergonomic body shape, enhanced weather-sealing for use in inclement weather conditions, and improved connectivity. All this is housed in a durable and lightweight fully weather-sealed magnesium-alloy body with a 3.69m-dot resolution Quad-VGA OLED Tru-Finder with 120 fps refresh rate for clear, bright eye-level viewing. Additionally, a rear 3.0" 1.44m-dot tilting touchscreen LCD is available for live view shooting, intuitive menu navigation and control over shooting settings, and playback; the tilting design allows you to work from both high and low angles. Dual UHS-II SD memory card slots offer flexible file storage and handling, or can be used for overflow recording. In addition to the micro-USB port, an added USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port provides for faster, more reliable tethering support. An improved 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet port enables faster wired LAN sharing and remote camera operation. The camera is completed with built-in 5 GHz (802.11 ac) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless image sharing and remote camera control from linked mobile devices. Your stills can come alive with its own narration or background music via Voice Memos which enables you to record up to 60-second sound clips with each photo. These memos, which are saved as WAV audio files, can be attached to the files and played when images are reviewed. Alternatively, you can use the Transfer & Tagging add-on on a smartphone to manually or automatically convert this audio into text to be included in the image's metadata. Last but not least, the a9 II can save up to ten sets of both FTP and camera settings, making it easier when the camera is shared by multiple photographers.
The Alpha a9 II is paired here with the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM FE, a fast short-telephoto prime lens designed for full-frame E-mount mirrorless digital cameras; however it is also compatible with APS-C models where it will provide a 127.5mm equivalent focal length. It offers a flattering perspective for portraiture, and with a fast maximum aperture of f/1.4 it is well-suited to working in low light while also offering extended control over depth of field. An 11-blade circular diaphragm ensures smooth and pleasing out of focus areas.
As part of Sony's G Master series this lens is designed to produce exceptional imagery. Optically the lens features three extra-low dispersion elements and one XA (extreme aspherical) element to reduce chromatic and spherical aberrations for sharp, clear, images. A Nano AR coating has also been applied to control ghosting and lens flare.
It uses a linear SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor) and internal focus mechanism for fast and quiet autofocus performance, and features a dedicated focus hold button, AF/MF switch, and manual aperture ring. This manual aperture ring can be de-clicked for smooth, silent operation for video applications. It is also dust and moisture-sealed and features rubberized control rings, designed for ease of use in colder temperatures.