Nearly 4 years later, this review is INSANELY good! Just found your channel, Wes and it's superb! Awesome content, love your cadence and tone of voice. Appreciate you being so thorough.
For more, higher res pictures from this review, check out the blog: www.wesperryphotography.com/blog/2017/6/6/julie-erics-wedding For more of my wedding work, (mostly with the a9), head on over to my website: www.wesperryphotography.com/weddings/
I work for Sony - I watched the video - and thanks for sharing your insights. As you know, we really do listen to our customers and we will make every effort to improve on your suggestions. Thanks again for sharing this video and your experiences.
+El Deane Naude Thanks! After wedding season I'll be making a video more specifically about any suggestions for software improvements I have. 😉 The only thing that obviously can't be fixed and that I (as well as most, apparently) can't wrap my head around is the odd choice of having one UHS-ii slot and one UHS-i slot. I'd love to know what the actual design/engineering decision behind that one was.
I totally agree, I also have this camera and have been telling everyone this is the best camera i've ever had, it's just two handfuls but once you get it all locked in it's the best. Great truthly review thanks Wes Perry
LOL Yeah i don't focus on all of the stuff i don't really need. Ii customize my camera buttons and make sure i don't have to keep going inside the menu for anything for the most part and i'm good. The rest i'll learn slowly over time.
Great, thorough video. Glad to see you did the pros and cons. It was great seeing an honest review with both the good and the bad. Tired of seeing all of the fanboys who only have glowing reviews, without stating the downsides.
A channel with focus on wedding photography is quite interesting. I shoot some each year, and I'm usually always trying to balance what gear would be best for hobby and what gear will be best for commercial uses. Subbed and looking forward to more great videos.
Hi Wes, great honest review. I thank you for pointing out the flaws as well as the great features of the Sony A9. I'd certainly turn to your channel for future gear reviews.
Tremendous video! I'm not a Sony shooter and don't plan to be one, but this video was excellent and showcased what a terrific camera the A9 really is. Subscribed right away.
+JTGphotos I really like the small size, and additionally I use the Spider Pro Holster, and the grip would greatly change how well it hangs on my belt. I'm perfectly fine with changing the batteries a couple times during the day, anyway. If I could do it 5 times with the a7ii, I'm sure I can deal with it once or twice with the a9 ;)
It's only worth what they charge, because of the deficiencies of the A7rii that you covered. It's a, 'must have' because of the better focusing, low light focusing (a7rii has left me challenged and missing shots) so, my guess is, i'll dump my A7rii while keeping my A6500 and the A9. I don't need the 85meg files that are choking Lr, and, I can still do enlargements as necessary. Should have less cropping with the focus point availability, so framing shots should be much easier which they have been for me.
Hey, Wes. Great review! I'm going to go in a different direction and ask you absolutely nothing about the a9. INSTEAD, I'm going to ask you about your experiences with Sony lenses. I currently own all Canon gear (5D3 + a ton of L primes and zooms), as well as an A7RII with a 55 1.8 and Batis 25. I'm kind-of/sort-of considering switching completely to Sony. However, I'm a little concerned about how well the Sony G Master and G Master-esque (I'm looking at you Sony Zeiss 35 1.4) lenses render. What lenses do you shoot with when using your Sony? I obviously know that you shoot the 90 macro. If you shoot with Sony or Sony/Zeiss "pro" lenses, does it feel front-heavy, and if so, does it start to hurt your hand or just become uncomfortable as the day wears on? Do you have advice on going with the f1.8 options vs the G Master or G Master-eque lenses (e.g. 50 1.4)? Thanks for your reply (assuming you reply)!
+Fatfaso I do use the 35 1.4 quite a bit and am looking at the 85 1.4 as my next lens, as I generally work with a camera on each hip. I love the rendering of the 35, but it's a bit high in CA, and nowhere near as sharp as the 55 and the 90 (but then again, what is? They're two of the sharpest lenses ever made). As far as balance goes, unless you're always shooting one handed, it doesn't really matter. You just get used to a different balance. Everyone says "unbalanced", but what does that even mean? It's just differently balanced.
That depends on your shooting style. If you’re a natural light shooter, there’s not that much of a reason to pay significantly more for the a9ii. A used a9 can be had for really cheap now, and if you don’t use flash much (requiring mechanical shutter), the camera will last pretty much forever. If you’re big on flash, though, the a9ii bears consideration for sure. The mechanical shutter in the a9 hasn’t aged well both technologically and physically (mine has gotten slower. I’m having doubts about the 500k actuation life).
THANK YOU! What a great unbiased review from a working professional. I noticed that you use flash in your work, how bad is the shutter lag and how loud is it compared to a7rll. I had a900 and a99. The latter was super laggy with flash and in general shot to shot, so is a7rll. How is a9 in this regard? P.S. I am now shooting with Canon 5Dmk3 and it flies, very little delay. What is your experience? How comfortable are holding it with a flash mounted on it? Can you record the lag through a viewfinder, please? THANK YOU
+Sergei Zhukov It literally has the same shutter as the a7Rii in it. Which is disappointing when the a99ii has such a vastly superior mechanical shutter in it that they could have borrowed instead. Maybe it takes up more space? I'm fine with using it with a flash in the shoe, although I very rarely do so. I'll keep the shutter through viewfinder test in mind. I don't think it matters if you do it through the viewfinder or the screen, though, as they're basically the same thing.
Been shooting weddings for 15 years. For the past few years, I've been using a couple of Nikon D800. I've been wanted to go mirrorless, waiting for something to come close (speed, quality, battery life)........I haven't found it, until now it seems. This is pricey, but that's ok if it suits my workflow. Have you used a D800? or equivalent? Comparisons?.......that aside, great video. You have my subscription and I'm looking forward to more reviews.
Do you do video too? And have you used the A9 for it? I cant find a real review in videos with the A9 online... Do you know if it has the classic Sony video features like peaking?
+Dino Argentiero It has focus peaking and exposure zebras, but not SLog. I just do hobby video (TH-cam), but haven't used this camera for that yet, since I'm largely making videos About it still ;) I don't think Sony intends if for use as a serious video camera, although it does produce good quality with reduced motion effects.
Great review Wes - you were a brave man using that in production with only one battery, although you obviously had a backup plan. On menu design - you and the Northrup's are spot on! I think the best menu design at the moment is the Black Magic Design Ursa Mini Pro. It just completely simplifies things - its not perfect but it's logical and intuitive including having the format card menu on the opening page and not buried in some menu on the second page. Branching menus would be better and they sort of do that but they could take it another step.
+MondoTV I had another camera attached to my hip the whole day (in case this new, somewhat untested, camera failed), and also never let the battery go below 25%. No chances were taken ;) I haven't seen the Black Magic menus. I'll have to have a look. Thanks!
Hi Wes, first of all your videos are very professional and complete. I'm a professional wedding photographer. I've change my life, in better ,from Nikon to Sony A9. But... in these 4 years with A9 i get some issues not in line with a professional reliability of high end camera. For instance, after 2 years, suddenly the shoot button half pressed didn't focuses (changed by service) And now, suddenly, during a wedding, flexible spot tracking doesn't work in AF-C, no face recognition, much less eye focus. I find the solution on the group:remove the battery for a few minutes and everything is back as before. My question is: do you, anyone reading this post, had some issues like that and which is the solution you find. And, today, after 5 years from this video and i imagine a lot of work, do you always recommend the Sony A9 Thx so much. Corrado
The only issue I’ve had was the one with the shutter button after a few years, which I also had replaced. I hadn’t heard of the one about the focus not quite working before 🤔
Great points said Wes! Thanks for the info. I shoot Canon currently and have been chewing on going to Sony for quote some time. Question 1: Do you know how well this body will preform with a Adapter for Canon Glass? 2: I shoot photo and Video in one day, how quickly and efficiently can you switch from video settings to photo?
+Ed Runyon 1) Although I don't have first hand experience, from tests of others, this camera shoots adapted glass better than any previous Sony. The newer and shorter the lens, the better it works. Super long glass (300-600mm) many say increases your chance of hunting. With regards to speed, it's going to be faster than many Canons actually are with the native glass (with the exception of maybe the 5Div, 1Dxii). 2) Switching between video and photo is just a matter of turning the top dial. Video specific settings are set in advance and remain set when you return.
Thanks so much for the quick reply! I will be taking it into high consideration. I currently use a 5d mark iv for photo's and a EOS M5 for video. but my wife who shoots with me needs an upgrade from her 6d.
Wes Perry Yes, the refresh is only going to have 1 card slot though, and as wedding photogs it's pretty important to us. obviously there is a lot to consider.
If you're shooting stuff requiring good AF performance, you are going to want native glass. Also, if you're not buying this specific camera for AF performance, I have to wonder if you wouldn't better be served by the next revision of the A7R.
Hi, is there anything you have to do to not have bandings such as downloading specific firmware? I just bough an a9 and I have a big banding when taking photos in both mechanical and electric shutter mode in my house.
Hi Wes, if you fire 5-6 images off then hit the video record button, do you still get they're unable to operate message like with the A7rii? I like my A7rii what the operation speed really slows me down. If this is fixed the camera will be 100% worth the money. Thanks
+Lee Harrison Yes and no. Depends how fast you're pressing that record button, and which memory cards you're writing to (and how fast). If you're writing to a 300mbps UHS-ii card in slot 1, 5-6 images write in less than a second. If you're writing to a super slow card, though, you'll be stuck waiting for up to 5 seconds. But your initial assumption is still correct, it won't record while the buffer is emptying. The execution is quite different when the images it takes are about half the size, and the write speed is much faster. A little math lands me at this camera writing images out to a fast SD in card one 11.67x faster than the a7Rii. Conclusion: same problem, but Much smaller.
High, I'm here in Riverview and was surprised to find this great review. Perhaps we will cross paths someday. As for the price, it is significantly less expensive than a D5 or a 1DxMkii and offers a similar level of performance for wedding work. I can't afford one but for my purposes that level is truly overkill. Please continue to produce these quality videos.
Good review. When it comes to Menu layouts, I reckon that Panasonic & Nikon are the best. They are clear and put together in an orderly fashion, unlike Sony's. And when it comes to touchscreen functionality, my Panasonic G80/85 has full touchscreen functions for shooting, playback and menu options-take that Sony!
Wes, after using Sonys extensively for the past decade (A7, A7R2, A73, A7R4, A7CR), I finally have a used A9 (original) on the way to dip my toes into this ol' beast. Hey, it's the only way I can afford it! :P. Your insights about it are great to watch, thanks!
+A View to the World Well that's good to hear, since I don't do much of anything to achieve it. Haha. I suspect that the white countertop I sit at makes it easy for my camera to auto white balance the video. I'm only willing to go so far to make myself look pleasing during wedding photography season ;)
Thinking of selling the Canon 5D MKIII Few questions for you: Dynamic range compared to MKIII? Shooting with flash and HSS? You mentioned it a bit in the video having to switch to mechanical, do you have any issues connecting wise etc? The size of the camera and button layout looks a little crammed, what's your thoughts? Is it something you just get used to? How do you find the skin tones and AWB? Can you switch touch screen off? As I am not a fan of that at all What's it like looking through the viewfinder stabilization wise? I am really considering selling up all my equipment and switching.. Ultimately I am going to make a decision for my self but some opinions would be great. Thanks.
+Stocksy I see the message now. Canada is currently having a network outage. Which seems an odd thing to be able to say about a place this size 🤔 Dynamic range is well beyond the 5Dmiii, not so much with the mkIV, though. As long as you have a properly compatible flash system, there isn't anything terribly interesting or difficult about it. You just have to remember to disable electronic first curtain shutter when shooting at HSS speeds (or always leave it turned off). DSLR's don't have an electronic first curtain shutter by default like a mirrorless camera, and thus would only be a thing during mirror lock up mode. I definitely think the buttons are just something you get used to. Once their locations are memorized, I don't ever really consider it. Touch screen can be disabled. I'm getting used to using it now, though, and it's functionality will likely be expanded with later firmware updates. When you half press the shutter button, on sensor and in lens stabilization are activated, and everything gets real smooooth. What you see in the viewfinder is the same as what you see on the back screen. (Except higher quality in the viewfinder). Might as well rent one to try it, if such services exist where you are (not so where I am).
Many thanks for your review, Iám a wedding photographer, I have a Canon 1DX MKII and a 5D MKIV and i also use an A7s for video I found that the MKIV is a little to big files for me (30mpx) so the IDX makes me feel more confortable I want to ask you, do you think this camera can be better than the 1DX MKII? I mean battery life, fast response, focusing...
+Marc Romo de Vivar The battery life is unlikely to be better, unless you use the battery grip, then it would be comparable (the battery in the 1Dx is half the size of the a9 itself). Focusing is as good or better, according to most who have used both. The only thing it would be much slower at would be flash work. The mechanical shutter is much slower than the one in the 1Dxii. But then there's the electronic shutter that is way faster than anything the 1Dxii can do. I was shooting a bride approaching the church the other day at f1.4 1/32,000s. Just try that with a Canon ;) The high noon sun made the photos look rather unflattering, but still. It's something new for sure. Haha.
Wes, how is the manual shutter speed on the A9? We use light shaping equipment whereby we use the mechanical shutter rather than our electronic. Are there any concerns or comments that you could share? Thank you, JP
+John Peterka Could you be more specific? TD exactly the same as the manual shutter in the a7ii and a7Rii. Not nearly as speedy as the one in the a6500 or a99ii.
Bang on. Got mine on the 25th and have done 2 weddings a marathon a mountain bike race and little league baseball and yesterday a family portrait session. It's perfect for my needs. Biggest issue is the menu system which again changed . If they were all the same I wouldn't mind but they keep changing it on every model . Sigh. Good review thx
+Aydin Odyakmaz The only saving grace for the menu system is that you can take an hour and go through everything and put the only items you use the favorites and function menus. If you're careful enough about that, you'll never have to dive into the whole menu again! Which really shouldn't be something to dread, but such as it is for now :)
+nolaPIC Not that I'm aware of....that would certainly be nice. I'm going to make a video on my settings and how to set them (two videos from now), that I'll have to research that topic further for.
Pretty Apt video, sometime less is more. One question since you own A7 Mark 2, I currently use Nikon D3300+18-135+SB700, want to upgrade to full frame, considering A7 II+24-105 F4. Will it be great combination.
Although the a7ii is a little slow in the autofocus dept, it would still be an upgrade in that from the D3300, with a wider focus point spread and eye-af (but only in af-a mode). And the 24-105 is apparently a phenomenal lens. Much better than other manufacturer’s 24-105’s, which are usually designed with “kit lens” quality, the Sony one is designed to be “semi-pro” quality. The only thing you’ll lose is a little reach in the focal length.
Nice Review...Thanks....Keep up....I have a Question... The launching reviews of A9 mentioned that the Electronic Shutter was capable of sync. with Flash at 160 [250 with mechanical shutter].Is it True or all False
For some reason, at launch, Sony (or someone?) mentioned in passing that it could do up to 1/160s, but it completely switches to mechanical and doesn't allow you to even try working a flash with the electronic shutter turned on. Now, I'm using Godox flashes, so maybe it's possible with Sony flashes, but from what I've heard, it's entirely impossible (at present). It could be that they had meant for it to work, but just haven't gotten around to making the firmware do it yet?
Thanks for the video Wes! If you had to choose just one camera for your work - would it be A9 or A7R III? I have a7r iii at the moment and thinking of swapping to A9 as it seems to tick more boxes for my own needs. Wildlife/nature/event photography and some sports all seem to be more suitable for A9.
Apparently I chose the a9 😏 But aside from that I’m trying to decide between an a7Riii, a7iii or another a9 as a second body (which currently is a very tired a7ii).
Hello, I just want to ask one simple question about an issue that I have only heard mentioning once in all the reviews I have seen on the a9 and I will go straight to the point. Is dust a problem for a mirrorless camera such as this one? Does changing lenses frequently lead to - as inevitably does for any DSLR camera - a nitoceable build up of dust on the sensor since there s nothing between the lens and the sensor?
+Diego Solari I suspect that you don’t hear about it much because most people don’t have an issue with it. After 10 weddings with the a9, and lots of lens changes, I think I might have one piece of very small dust on the sensor. It can only be seen in pictures where my aperture is smaller than f7.1 (which doesn’t happen very often). On my a7ii, which I’ve been to about 20 weddings with, I think I have a couple specks of similarly inconsequential size. I’ll be sending them to Sony Pro Support sometime this winter for cleaning regardless. I’m pretty careful when changing lenses. Always make sure to turn off the camera and wait a couple seconds for the sensor to discharge, never leave the body exposed for longer than necessary. Before and after events, and sometimes in between during downtime I use a rocket blower on the sensor and lenses, which I think prevents anything much from building up if it does get in there.
Thank you for the extraordinarily fast reply :D that's truly appreciated. The video I was referring to was from Tyler Stalman, I won't link it, if people want to see it they can look it up, but it's fair to point out it wasn't something that was made up and it just made me curious. First hand reviews probably wouldn't have the chance to address the issue if there was one. So thank you again for clearing that up for me.
+Diego Solari I just rewatched his video (I’ve seen it before) and a couple comments: The speck of dust he showed as a previous issue is large enough to be seen on the sensor with the naked eye. Maybe I’m more cautious than anyone should be expected to be, but I check my sensor for dust visually a Lot. Like every 2nd or 3rd time I change lenses. Maybe he’s just so used to not caring at all that he needs to change his workflow a bit? Also, the video clip he showed was shot at a very narrow aperture, and that might be his thing, which would make sensor dust a much bigger problem for him. I rarely shoot anything narrower than f2.8, so it takes much larger and more persistent dust to be of any issue for me.
Great review! Maybe, the best one... My question: with this camera, which lens is better (Sony 90f/.2.8 Macro or Sony 100f/.2.8 STF)... For portrait and why not macro! I saw, the Sony Macro is fast enough, sharp, beautiful colors, great IQ and macro too... Sound like a winner with Sony A9... What do you think?
+Gustavo Ulloa Depends on whether you're shooting outside or in studio. In studio, the STF isn't terribly useful, because: A) it costs more B) you need a ton of light (T5.6) C) the bokeh effects are rather lost in a shallow setting with no distant background in studio While outdoors the Macro isn't so useful: A) it's actually a somewhat slow focusing lens compared to other FE lenses B) at f2.8 the bokeh has a nervous quality. It only smoothes out around f3.5 to f4.5. If you're looking for subject isolation and a pleasing background blur, the STF is much better at that.(this is because macro shots are usually taken at higher f stops as the depth of field becomes too shallow, so it's tuned for that use) I Love using the 90 for indoor portraiture, because it is SHAAARP, but outdoors I have to remind myself to keep it in the bag, lest I get bothered by the bokeh in post. All that being said, I personally prefer the 85GM's rendering for outdoor portraiture. I find the out of focus rendition of the STF to look a bit fake (I know, it's real!), so to their each their own ;)
Love your review, have a question if I may. I have seen and heard of comments regarding the live view exposure being changed when a flash gun or a hot shoe commander is attached to the Sony A9 etc? I have noticed when photographers are using Off Camera Flash they always switch off the commander on the hot shoe off to evaluate the ambient exposure, then switch the flash back on for the shot. I believe it has something to do with the Setting Effect? not allowing the original live view exposure to be seen. As a wedding photographer using a lot of flash, you may be the ideal person to ask.
Yep, it does that. Used to be easiest to switch the controller off and on, but with latest firmware you can map a button to Live View Setting Effect On/Off so you can just use a button on the camera to toggle it quickly.
1. How do i keep my display off - and have it turn on only when i say hit the menu button or review button -- when i am taking photos its fine, since the EV is on - but when i put my camera down - the display turns on -- feel like its a huge waste of battery.... 2. when in af-c is it constantly pulling focus? even when i just put my camera down?
+Ojas Ray 1) Actually the EVF uses more power than the display (counter intuitive, I know), so I wouldn't worry about that first one. I have a button on the back set to shortcut to the display brightness menu so I can quickly turn it up and down. 2) There is a setting in the menu called "prefocus" that you'll want to turn off (if it isn't already). It operates whether in AF-C or AF-S and makes no sense to have on at all. When that's off, it only pulls focus when you tell it to (as it should be).
Great video Wes ... very informative. I mostly shoot wildlife with my A9 and couldn’t be happier with the results. Only draw back is 7,000.00 Canadian price by the time you add the dreaded HST. ...Looking forward to your next video.
I’ll be producing regularly starting in December. At least if you want another one there are some great sales on right now...a year and a half after I bought mine 😉
The a9 is more comparable to the 1Dxii, so way beyond the 5Diii. Except for flash work, which it wasn’t well designed for. The a7iii is also better than the 5Diii in pretty much every way. More comparable to the 5Div, but with a lot more features, and a lower price than anything is compares to as well. a7iii: amzn.to/2L4CQs2
you're a good photo mate...... im a wedding photog too and your stuff is very nice... i shoot with the A7R2 which i love with a passion... wonderfing whether its worth getting the A9
+robbyjai Thanks! That largely depends on your style of shooting. If you shoot fewer, bigger shots, then the a7Rii will still yield better image quality. I deliver a lot of photos, and shoot quickly in a discrete, candid manner for most of the day, so the a9 is more ideal for me.
A real great review! Thank you very much! Did you have any issues trying to get the pictures into LR or PS? And how was your experience while editing the pictures when it comes to dynamic range? Very important for a wedding photographer... ;-)
+Dino Argentiero I use Capture One Pro, which was updated for this camera long before Adobe's programs were (Sony and Capture One have a deal), so no issues there. Dynamic range appears to be about the same as the a7ii, but not as good as the a7Rii.
Oh thats a surprise, since the say the A9 has a great sensor and it is a sports camera - who shoots sport would love to have a good dynamic range. :-) I think its still enough for weddings... Thanks for the fast answer!
+Dino Argentiero That puts it in the same place as the 1DXii, and better than the D5, in terms of DR. While high ISO performance is great, and the noise pattern for that is good, the noise produced when you push it past it's ideal DR in shadows is a bit odd.
love that you mentioned we need touch screen capabilities in the menu screen, but when you touch the screen you get finger smudges and fingerprint marks which would lead to a dirtier screen. Perhaps someone needs to invent or produce rather a touchscreen pen, like people use for their iPads, that can be used on the screen so it does not get dirty.
+Andrew Gipe My iPhone remains usable even after touched. We just need higher quality screens (brighter, scratch resistant gorilla glass 5, higher res still) with good oleophobic coatings.
+Andy Davison I'm using the Godox system. X1T-s trigger, V860ii speedlights and AD200 moonlight/speedlight. They're fantastic, and with their lithium ion batteries, they last forever and recycle like a beast. Check further back in my channel for my reviews and comparisons of those.
Quality work speaks itself. Better contents than the so called- artisan, pros without much details with irrelevant pictures. i think you can use some compression and de-esser on your audio signal. Thank You.
Very informative review. Thank you. I think this is a fantastic camera body if people shoot photo for living. Or if you have enough cash to spend. I don't, unfortunately. That's why I went for a a7rII. Maybe in the future if the price drops a little bit or if I do need faster focus on people, then I can still grab this camera and use the other one as a back up for its higher resolution.
+KuangTu They're definitely quite different tools. The a7Rii still has overall better image quality, both in pixel count and ISO performance. The a9 is just king of speed and reliability.
In a perfect world, Sony would give us a 30 mp camera with the same body as the a9 and same AF system, but with a much lower burst rate and a cheaper price. Will it happen? Beats me, but a man can dream...
+Fatfaso Of course lots of people are expecting an a9R with high res, but that's all conjecture at this point. The rapid refresh of the a7 series to the a7ii series got everyone expecting Sony to keep refreshing every year, when that's clearly not going to be the case going forward.
+Jose Pinto Ribeiro I use off camera flash quite a bit, especially during receptions (Godox 2.4Ghz system). But Sony e-mount cameras don't have focus assist beam compatibility, even with native Sony flashes. This is because their in sensor autofocus points don't see infrared light, so the beams are largely useless. That being said, I have literally had absolutely zero use for a focus assist light with the a9. It can be almost pitch dark, and it has no trouble focusing (at least with the lenses I'm using).
Great stuff here Wes! Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge! LOL 'nerd' and 'nose'. I fit the same model! Yes, the touch screen functionality for menus would be great. Perhaps a 'Hey Sonia...' voice recognition is in the future - although that would not be welcome at weddings unless everyone else is talking with Siri or Cortana. Then 'Sonia' might feel neglected. 'Hey Sonia, set AFC and Eye AF on.'
+Denes Szakacs I’m hoping that that comes to the a9 through an update as well, but I can’t say that that’s ever been an issue for me. Like ever. With the custom buttons and Function menu set up the way you want it, menu diving just doesn’t happen all that much.
Awesome vid thanks! I’m also a wedding photographer and currently on 2 Canon 5D III’s. I typically shoot back button focus and focus recompose as for me I find it the quickest and easiest for me to get my shots consistently. But I am very interested in moving to Sony and especially the focusing abilities. I know that I’ll need to change the way I focus however and learn to use different methods to benefit from all the fantastic features the a9 offers. I would just like to ask you; how you use the focusing of the a9 in various wedding scenarios and which focus options you find the most useful in a wedding? Outside of eye AF of course as I can see how easy eye AF would be to use. But for instance, when not using eye AF do you use the zone focusing or single point focus moving it with the joystick perhaps? Thanks for your insights!
When I think there’s a chance that the eye will go away (like the kiss in the ceremony...never use Eye-AF because at the pivotal moment it goes away and the camera has to make some choices), I use either medium moveable spot, or medium expandable spot. You can move it around with the touch screen or the thumb stick. I also have the AEL button remapped with a recall custom hold button to instantly switch to auto everything. So if something crazy goes down, I just have to hold that button and exposure goes auto, focus area wide, and I can just spray and pray. I probably only use that once in a wedding day, but the ability to do that in and of itself is a game changer. Sometimes things happen fast and they’re over before you know it.
Wes Perry wow thank you very much for replying with all this info! Very helpful and much appreciated. I will be renting the camera soon to try out and will try these focusing methods. I really like that full auto option idea that you mention. As you say, sometimes there can be a crazy moment where you have no time to really change your settings and if there’s a full auto option to spray and pray then that would be the “icing on the cake” as a back up feature to try get at least one good shot in that moment. Very helpful thanks.
They’re not even remotely comparable. He a7ii is most definitely unreliable (although some would argue otherwise, let’s be real here). The a7Rii has about 2x better AF than the a7ii, and then the a9 is probably 3-4x better than the a7Rii. It’s a whole other ballgame in a whole other league.
Most would say that the autofocus on the a9 is better than the 5Div, but ever so slightly worse than the 1Dxii. But the 1Dxii doesn’t have Eye-AF or a silent shutter 👌🏻😉
Did you notice any noise in the shadows when you try to recover them? I do. Lot lot of noise in backlight situation (extreme conditions I know!), even with 100 ISO only. And some occasional banding ...
+pincopallo6 Probably a little less noise than the a7ii, which was pretty clean to begin with. I haven't made a direct comparison test yet. I was assuming that DxO would do a better job at that than me soon enough anyway. I'm not sure what you mean by noise in backlight situations. I didn't notice anything untoward. And I've managed to find the dreaded "red channel banding" in 3 out of the 4000 photos I've taken. And it wasn't visible when not zoomed in on my 5K iMac. So I don't consider that to be an issue in any way.
hey! I just got the A9 and would love to know how to set up the face recognition/eye AF button on the back. If you have the time to walk me through it in a reply I'd appreciate it so much!
+Sydney Angel You just need to go into the menu to Custom Key (Shoot) and then choose your favourite button (I use the AF-On button, since I don't use back button autofocus), then choose Eye AF in the menu for it. Then from that point on, pressing and holding that button will activate Eye Autofocus. I recommend leaving the camera in AF-C for most human subject photos.
+Sydney Angel Also, face recognition is an option that just appears in the main menus without digging (maybe even in the fn menu as well? Can't quite remember). It's not too hard to find with a bit of scrolling ;)
+Keith Smathers I’ve tried the register faces function, but I didn’t find it fast enough/accurate enough to really be useful. During the reception I’ll usually just switch to spot to avoid grabbing focus on the wrong person.
Silent shooting could come in handy while shooting an intimate moment such as the bride getting ready where you don't want shutter noise from a DSLR becoming a nuisance and then making the photographer not shoot confidently and missing shots.
+Mandeep Kalsi I get rave comments at every wedding now, about how they were so comfortable with me just hanging out with them, not making any sounds, and not seeming like a photographer the whole time.
i have no doubt it is not expensive for pro. Will sony able to sell enough of it from pro alone? What about amateur ? What about beginner? We dun buy camera?
+chianghai Loh I think they will. There were a lot of pros waiting to jump ship for a bunch of simple things like dual card slots, high frame rates and fast autofocus. Probably won't be a lot of beginner/amateur sales, though.
+Selvin R. Monzón That's an excellent question. All we have are rumors at this point, though. So any serious decisions probably shouldn't be based on them. Hard to say exactly how many a9 features will or won't be carried through to the "mark iii" line of a7 cameras.
I assume Sony is going to come out pretty soon with the "Mark 2" version of this camera, just like they did with the a7. I hope they fix the issues that you refer to in this video. Thanks for sharing this video!
+Carlos Read That seems pretty unlikely. I doubt we'll see a new one in under 2.5-3 years. Possibly an a9S or R within a year. Most of the real issues in this model can be fixed through firmware. Those that can't aren't issues for me anyway (or for most people). They spent a Lot of money on R&D for this camera, much more than the original a7. That camera was built using the sensor developed for the d610, in a modified RX1 body. The a9 is a totally custom developed sensor in a totally custom built body. They're going to be working hard to recoup all those costs with this model, so the firmware updates will keep coming for a while.
Hope tou are right, because I am saving for my A9, and I would hate to see Sony come put with a new version of the same camera in a few months time. Thanks again for your video. I had seen several other reporting on this camera, but must weren't wedding photograpers. You have helped me make my decision to buy this camera!
+Carlos Read It's probably best not to dive in to a new piece of electronics these days in the first couple months anyway. There are always bugs to be ironed out first 👌🏻
Great review, I feel the same about a lot of it. I have shoot 2 weddings now. The outdoor midday wedding it did overheat. NO video just images. Also, I am having issue with Lexar 150mbs cards. I get a unable to write error. Thank you!
Hi in eye af and you have numerous faces in frame groom friends ect but I want the bride & she isn’t closest to the camera how does it do in that scenario cheers
I would toggle to a point AF and put the point somewhere near her face. You can save faces to the camera for automatic priority, but it doesn’t work amazingly, and especially isn’t effective when faces are smaller in the frame.
Nice video Perry, can you give me some advice? As a lifestyle stock photographer (www.shutterstock.com/g/kerkez) will A9 have enough image quality as I currently have on Nikon D750? Or it is better to consider A7R3?!? I looked at least 10 time all your videos about A9 and I am still not sure what to do.
There’s a bit of push pull on that one. The a9 has better high iso performance, but marginally lower dynamic range. I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t be able to accomplish that sort of work with it (great work, by the way!). The a7iii actually has the next generation version of the sensor in the D750, while the one in the a9 is a whole other thing. So the a7iii gets slightly better dynamic range and better high iso than the D750. I wouldn’t necessarily look at the a7Riii unless you really have a reason for all those extra pixels.
@@WesPerry Thank you very much for advice! I went today and bought A9 bundled with Sony 128gb SD UHS-II 300mbs for 3240€, so wish me luck. I hope that I made the right decision!
Good luck! Sorry I was late responding. When you put a link in your comment TH-cam automatically puts it in the spam folder, so I only found it when I went to empty that out.
@@WesPerry Thanks for your reply, in my country the new A9 2 is $8000, and the A9 3 is over $9000, I would like to put the Sony 90mm macro you like so much with the Sony A9 but not if the camera is too old now days as far as focus tracking and EVF resolution go.
It's not just GM lenses. There are quite a few, but they're all newer. Most FE lenses will do at least 15fps. See this link for the full rundown: support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/www/support/ilc/products/ilce9/continuousshooting/en/index.html?id=spt
Nearly 4 years later, this review is INSANELY good! Just found your channel, Wes and it's superb! Awesome content, love your cadence and tone of voice. Appreciate you being so thorough.
It’s been a long time!
Much has changed, but also much hasn’t 😉
Wes, great review, one of the best I've seen on the A9 so far. Cheers.
For more, higher res pictures from this review, check out the blog: www.wesperryphotography.com/blog/2017/6/6/julie-erics-wedding
For more of my wedding work, (mostly with the a9), head on over to my website: www.wesperryphotography.com/weddings/
I work for Sony - I watched the video - and thanks for sharing your insights. As you know, we really do listen to our customers and we will make every effort to improve on your suggestions. Thanks again for sharing this video and your experiences.
+El Deane Naude Thanks!
After wedding season I'll be making a video more specifically about any suggestions for software improvements I have. 😉
The only thing that obviously can't be fixed and that I (as well as most, apparently) can't wrap my head around is the odd choice of having one UHS-ii slot and one UHS-i slot. I'd love to know what the actual design/engineering decision behind that one was.
If you still work for Sony, we need updates on the a1 please!! Lol
I totally agree, I also have this camera and have been telling everyone this is the best camera i've ever had, it's just two handfuls but once you get it all locked in it's the best. Great truthly review thanks Wes Perry
There are so many settings, I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to say that I have it "all locked in"! haha
LOL Yeah i don't focus on all of the stuff i don't really need. Ii customize my camera buttons and make sure i don't have to keep going inside the menu for anything for the most part and i'm good. The rest i'll learn slowly over time.
Great, thorough video. Glad to see you did the pros and cons.
It was great seeing an honest review with both the good and the bad. Tired of seeing all of the fanboys who only have glowing reviews, without stating the downsides.
One of the best reviews I've seen of this camera yet, well done. Definitely subbed.
+Superformance72 Super! 😏
the best review for sony a9 ever i have seen!! thanku for shaing ur experience Wes Perry
A channel with focus on wedding photography is quite interesting. I shoot some each year, and I'm usually always trying to balance what gear would be best for hobby and what gear will be best for commercial uses. Subbed and looking forward to more great videos.
I'm not a Sony shooter but what an excellent review. I love your eloquent delivery-got yourself a new subscriber
Hi Wes, great honest review. I thank you for pointing out the flaws as well as the great features of the Sony A9.
I'd certainly turn to your channel for future gear reviews.
Tremendous video! I'm not a Sony shooter and don't plan to be one, but this video was excellent and showcased what a terrific camera the A9 really is. Subscribed right away.
great summary, and ALL valid points, most of which are my gripes and concerns with it as well.
One of the best videos I've seen in awhile on Sony gear. Subbed!
Thank you for a nice review. Really good job and good luck with next videos!
Great review Wes. You should seriously consider getting the vertical grip, holds 2 batteries and completely changes the A9 ergonomics
+JTGphotos I really like the small size, and additionally I use the Spider Pro Holster, and the grip would greatly change how well it hangs on my belt. I'm perfectly fine with changing the batteries a couple times during the day, anyway. If I could do it 5 times with the a7ii, I'm sure I can deal with it once or twice with the a9 ;)
Excellent review, very articulate! As a brand new a9 owner I really appreciated your pros & cons.
Thanks for providing this video. Great job!
This is a dope as review. Really concise man
It's only worth what they charge, because of the deficiencies of the A7rii that you covered. It's a, 'must have' because of the better focusing, low light focusing (a7rii has left me challenged and missing shots) so, my guess is, i'll dump my A7rii while keeping my A6500 and the A9. I don't need the 85meg files that are choking Lr, and, I can still do enlargements as necessary. Should have less cropping with the focus point availability, so framing shots should be much easier which they have been for me.
Excellent review - thanks for sharing and so evidently being objective!
Hey, Wes. Great review! I'm going to go in a different direction and ask you absolutely nothing about the a9. INSTEAD, I'm going to ask you about your experiences with Sony lenses. I currently own all Canon gear (5D3 + a ton of L primes and zooms), as well as an A7RII with a 55 1.8 and Batis 25. I'm kind-of/sort-of considering switching completely to Sony. However, I'm a little concerned about how well the Sony G Master and G Master-esque (I'm looking at you Sony Zeiss 35 1.4) lenses render.
What lenses do you shoot with when using your Sony? I obviously know that you shoot the 90 macro. If you shoot with Sony or Sony/Zeiss "pro" lenses, does it feel front-heavy, and if so, does it start to hurt your hand or just become uncomfortable as the day wears on? Do you have advice on going with the f1.8 options vs the G Master or G Master-eque lenses (e.g. 50 1.4)?
Thanks for your reply (assuming you reply)!
+Fatfaso I do use the 35 1.4 quite a bit and am looking at the 85 1.4 as my next lens, as I generally work with a camera on each hip. I love the rendering of the 35, but it's a bit high in CA, and nowhere near as sharp as the 55 and the 90 (but then again, what is? They're two of the sharpest lenses ever made).
As far as balance goes, unless you're always shooting one handed, it doesn't really matter. You just get used to a different balance. Everyone says "unbalanced", but what does that even mean? It's just differently balanced.
Great review, the A9 certainly makes a wedding photographers job a bit easier other than the fact you have more images to review later.
Subbed! Great vid man
Hi, thanks for the review,
do you still recommend this camera rather than the a9ii in 2021 ? Or is any other better option for weddings? Thanks
That depends on your shooting style. If you’re a natural light shooter, there’s not that much of a reason to pay significantly more for the a9ii. A used a9 can be had for really cheap now, and if you don’t use flash much (requiring mechanical shutter), the camera will last pretty much forever.
If you’re big on flash, though, the a9ii bears consideration for sure. The mechanical shutter in the a9 hasn’t aged well both technologically and physically (mine has gotten slower. I’m having doubts about the 500k actuation life).
THANK YOU! What a great unbiased review from a working professional. I noticed that you use flash in your work, how bad is the shutter lag and how loud is it compared to a7rll. I had a900 and a99. The latter was super laggy with flash and in general shot to shot, so is a7rll. How is a9 in this regard? P.S. I am now shooting with Canon 5Dmk3 and it flies, very little delay. What is your experience? How comfortable are holding it with a flash mounted on it? Can you record the lag through a viewfinder, please? THANK YOU
+Sergei Zhukov It literally has the same shutter as the a7Rii in it. Which is disappointing when the a99ii has such a vastly superior mechanical shutter in it that they could have borrowed instead. Maybe it takes up more space?
I'm fine with using it with a flash in the shoe, although I very rarely do so.
I'll keep the shutter through viewfinder test in mind. I don't think it matters if you do it through the viewfinder or the screen, though, as they're basically the same thing.
awesome review... appreciate the circular loading graphics that pointed features of the camera.
+Venkateswara Rao If you like those you'll love my previous camera body comparison video 👌🏻
Been shooting weddings for 15 years. For the past few years, I've been using a couple of Nikon D800. I've been wanted to go mirrorless, waiting for something to come close (speed, quality, battery life)........I haven't found it, until now it seems. This is pricey, but that's ok if it suits my workflow. Have you used a D800? or equivalent? Comparisons?.......that aside, great video. You have my subscription and I'm looking forward to more reviews.
Do you do video too? And have you used the A9 for it? I cant find a real review in videos with the A9 online... Do you know if it has the classic Sony video features like peaking?
+Dino Argentiero It has focus peaking and exposure zebras, but not SLog. I just do hobby video (TH-cam), but haven't used this camera for that yet, since I'm largely making videos About it still ;)
I don't think Sony intends if for use as a serious video camera, although it does produce good quality with reduced motion effects.
I love watching ur videos Wes..thanks for the amazing content..putting my hands into A9 fingers 🤞..your video helped me lean towards it more..cheers
Wow this is an old one, too! Glad I could help! :)
Great review Wes - you were a brave man using that in production with only one battery, although you obviously had a backup plan. On menu design - you and the Northrup's are spot on! I think the best menu design at the moment is the Black Magic Design Ursa Mini Pro. It just completely simplifies things - its not perfect but it's logical and intuitive including having the format card menu on the opening page and not buried in some menu on the second page. Branching menus would be better and they sort of do that but they could take it another step.
+MondoTV I had another camera attached to my hip the whole day (in case this new, somewhat untested, camera failed), and also never let the battery go below 25%. No chances were taken ;)
I haven't seen the Black Magic menus. I'll have to have a look. Thanks!
Hi Wes, first of all your videos are very professional and complete. I'm a professional wedding photographer. I've change my life, in better ,from Nikon to Sony A9. But... in these 4 years with A9 i get some issues not in line with a professional reliability of high end camera. For instance, after 2 years, suddenly the shoot button half pressed didn't focuses (changed by service) And now, suddenly, during a wedding, flexible spot tracking doesn't work in AF-C, no face recognition, much less eye focus. I find the solution on the group:remove the battery for a few minutes and everything is back as before. My question is: do you, anyone reading this post, had some issues like that and which is the solution you find. And, today, after 5 years from this video and i imagine a lot of work, do you always recommend the Sony A9 Thx so much. Corrado
The only issue I’ve had was the one with the shutter button after a few years, which I also had replaced. I hadn’t heard of the one about the focus not quite working before 🤔
@@WesPerry thx Wes you're really kind
Great points said Wes! Thanks for the info. I shoot Canon currently and have been chewing on going to Sony for quote some time. Question 1: Do you know how well this body will preform with a Adapter for Canon Glass? 2: I shoot photo and Video in one day, how quickly and efficiently can you switch from video settings to photo?
+Ed Runyon 1) Although I don't have first hand experience, from tests of others, this camera shoots adapted glass better than any previous Sony. The newer and shorter the lens, the better it works. Super long glass (300-600mm) many say increases your chance of hunting. With regards to speed, it's going to be faster than many Canons actually are with the native glass (with the exception of maybe the 5Div, 1Dxii).
2) Switching between video and photo is just a matter of turning the top dial. Video specific settings are set in advance and remain set when you return.
Thanks so much for the quick reply! I will be taking it into high consideration. I currently use a 5d mark iv for photo's and a EOS M5 for video. but my wife who shoots with me needs an upgrade from her 6d.
+Ed Runyon Word is a new 6Dii is coming out later this summer, but that it's video capabilities will greatly limited.
Wes Perry Yes, the refresh is only going to have 1 card slot though, and as wedding photogs it's pretty important to us. obviously there is a lot to consider.
If you're shooting stuff requiring good AF performance, you are going to want native glass. Also, if you're not buying this specific camera for AF performance, I have to wonder if you wouldn't better be served by the next revision of the A7R.
Hi, is there anything you have to do to not have bandings such as downloading specific firmware? I just bough an a9 and I have a big banding when taking photos in both mechanical and electric shutter mode in my house.
Easy fix: get better lightbulbs 😂
Hi Wes, if you fire 5-6 images off then hit the video record button, do you still get they're unable to operate message like with the A7rii?
I like my A7rii what the operation speed really slows me down. If this is fixed the camera will be 100% worth the money.
Thanks
+Lee Harrison Yes and no. Depends how fast you're pressing that record button, and which memory cards you're writing to (and how fast). If you're writing to a 300mbps UHS-ii card in slot 1, 5-6 images write in less than a second. If you're writing to a super slow card, though, you'll be stuck waiting for up to 5 seconds.
But your initial assumption is still correct, it won't record while the buffer is emptying.
The execution is quite different when the images it takes are about half the size, and the write speed is much faster. A little math lands me at this camera writing images out to a fast SD in card one 11.67x faster than the a7Rii.
Conclusion: same problem, but Much smaller.
Wes Perry thanks so much for the reply, helps me out a lot.
High, I'm here in Riverview and was surprised to find this great review. Perhaps we will cross paths someday. As for the price, it is significantly less expensive than a D5 or a 1DxMkii and offers a similar level of performance for wedding work. I can't afford one but for my purposes that level is truly overkill. Please continue to produce these quality videos.
+Ira Crummey Thanks, Ira! Ive seen you appearing by-times in the Moncton Photography Facebook group :)
Great review. Thank your very much for this.
Very honest review. Thank you !
Thanks for a great review! You've gained a subscriber! :)
Good review. When it comes to Menu layouts, I reckon that Panasonic & Nikon are the best. They are clear and put together in an orderly fashion, unlike Sony's. And when it comes to touchscreen functionality, my Panasonic G80/85 has full touchscreen functions for shooting, playback and menu options-take that Sony!
Wes, after using Sonys extensively for the past decade (A7, A7R2, A73, A7R4, A7CR), I finally have a used A9 (original) on the way to dip my toes into this ol' beast. Hey, it's the only way I can afford it! :P. Your insights about it are great to watch, thanks!
The white balance of this video is very nice.
+A View to the World Well that's good to hear, since I don't do much of anything to achieve it. Haha. I suspect that the white countertop I sit at makes it easy for my camera to auto white balance the video. I'm only willing to go so far to make myself look pleasing during wedding photography season ;)
I think I should consider the white set up. Thx.
Thinking of selling the Canon 5D MKIII
Few questions for you:
Dynamic range compared to MKIII?
Shooting with flash and HSS? You mentioned it a bit in the video having to switch to mechanical, do you have any issues connecting wise etc?
The size of the camera and button layout looks a little crammed, what's your thoughts? Is it something you just get used to?
How do you find the skin tones and AWB?
Can you switch touch screen off? As I am not a fan of that at all
What's it like looking through the viewfinder stabilization wise?
I am really considering selling up all my equipment and switching.. Ultimately I am going to make a decision for my self but some opinions would be great.
Thanks.
+Stocksy I see the message now. Canada is currently having a network outage. Which seems an odd thing to be able to say about a place this size 🤔
Dynamic range is well beyond the 5Dmiii, not so much with the mkIV, though.
As long as you have a properly compatible flash system, there isn't anything terribly interesting or difficult about it. You just have to remember to disable electronic first curtain shutter when shooting at HSS speeds (or always leave it turned off). DSLR's don't have an electronic first curtain shutter by default like a mirrorless camera, and thus would only be a thing during mirror lock up mode.
I definitely think the buttons are just something you get used to. Once their locations are memorized, I don't ever really consider it.
Touch screen can be disabled. I'm getting used to using it now, though, and it's functionality will likely be expanded with later firmware updates.
When you half press the shutter button, on sensor and in lens stabilization are activated, and everything gets real smooooth. What you see in the viewfinder is the same as what you see on the back screen. (Except higher quality in the viewfinder).
Might as well rent one to try it, if such services exist where you are (not so where I am).
Many thanks for your review, Iám a wedding photographer, I have a Canon 1DX MKII and a 5D MKIV and i also use an A7s for video
I found that the MKIV is a little to big files for me (30mpx) so the IDX makes me feel more confortable
I want to ask you, do you think this camera can be better than the 1DX MKII? I mean battery life, fast response, focusing...
+Marc Romo de Vivar The battery life is unlikely to be better, unless you use the battery grip, then it would be comparable (the battery in the 1Dx is half the size of the a9 itself).
Focusing is as good or better, according to most who have used both. The only thing it would be much slower at would be flash work. The mechanical shutter is much slower than the one in the 1Dxii. But then there's the electronic shutter that is way faster than anything the 1Dxii can do. I was shooting a bride approaching the church the other day at f1.4 1/32,000s. Just try that with a Canon ;)
The high noon sun made the photos look rather unflattering, but still. It's something new for sure. Haha.
What Lens are you using with the Sony a9 ? (For the black and white wedding photos you showed in this video)????
+Ryan Levin mostly the Sony Zeiss 35 f1.4
thanks for the quick reply.. If you wanna shoot in Chicago, keep me posted, i can recommend you...
+Ryan Levin Haha, I’d love to, but I’m not exactly going to be passing through there any time soon 😏
Wes, how is the manual shutter speed on the A9? We use light shaping equipment whereby we use the mechanical shutter rather than our electronic. Are there any concerns or comments that you could share? Thank you, JP
+John Peterka Could you be more specific? TD exactly the same as the manual shutter in the a7ii and a7Rii. Not nearly as speedy as the one in the a6500 or a99ii.
Bang on. Got mine on the 25th and have done 2 weddings a marathon a mountain bike race and little league baseball and yesterday a family portrait session. It's perfect for my needs. Biggest issue is the menu system which again changed . If they were all the same I wouldn't mind but they keep changing it on every model . Sigh. Good review thx
+Aydin Odyakmaz The only saving grace for the menu system is that you can take an hour and go through everything and put the only items you use the favorites and function menus. If you're careful enough about that, you'll never have to dive into the whole menu again!
Which really shouldn't be something to dread, but such as it is for now :)
Wes Perry true I guess I better get on that 😉👍
can you save all of your settings to a card and transfer them to a second body?
+nolaPIC Not that I'm aware of....that would certainly be nice.
I'm going to make a video on my settings and how to set them (two videos from now), that I'll have to research that topic further for.
Gary Fong did an app now for the menu system , thats how complicated it is!
great explanation Wes
Pretty Apt video, sometime less is more. One question since you own A7 Mark 2, I currently use Nikon D3300+18-135+SB700, want to upgrade to full frame, considering A7 II+24-105 F4. Will it be great combination.
Although the a7ii is a little slow in the autofocus dept, it would still be an upgrade in that from the D3300, with a wider focus point spread and eye-af (but only in af-a mode). And the 24-105 is apparently a phenomenal lens. Much better than other manufacturer’s 24-105’s, which are usually designed with “kit lens” quality, the Sony one is designed to be “semi-pro” quality. The only thing you’ll lose is a little reach in the focal length.
I will definitely try A7II on rent on a wedding before buying it. Thanks for the help.
I used to a7ii as a primary camera for about 20 weddings. While it never let me down, it certainly doesn’t hold a candle to the a9 😏
Enjoy!
Nice Review...Thanks....Keep up....I have a Question...
The launching reviews of A9 mentioned that the Electronic Shutter was capable of sync. with Flash at 160 [250 with mechanical shutter].Is it True or all False
For some reason, at launch, Sony (or someone?) mentioned in passing that it could do up to 1/160s, but it completely switches to mechanical and doesn't allow you to even try working a flash with the electronic shutter turned on. Now, I'm using Godox flashes, so maybe it's possible with Sony flashes, but from what I've heard, it's entirely impossible (at present). It could be that they had meant for it to work, but just haven't gotten around to making the firmware do it yet?
Great review Wes!
Thanks for the video Wes! If you had to choose just one camera for your work - would it be A9 or A7R III? I have a7r iii at the moment and thinking of swapping to A9 as it seems to tick more boxes for my own needs. Wildlife/nature/event photography and some sports all seem to be more suitable for A9.
Apparently I chose the a9 😏
But aside from that I’m trying to decide between an a7Riii, a7iii or another a9 as a second body (which currently is a very tired a7ii).
i dont need to see anymore reviews! I need money!!! lol
exactly!
Hello, I just want to ask one simple question about an issue that I have only heard mentioning once in all the reviews I have seen on the a9 and I will go straight to the point. Is dust a problem for a mirrorless camera such as this one? Does changing lenses frequently lead to - as inevitably does for any DSLR camera - a nitoceable build up of dust on the sensor since there s nothing between the lens and the sensor?
+Diego Solari I suspect that you don’t hear about it much because most people don’t have an issue with it. After 10 weddings with the a9, and lots of lens changes, I think I might have one piece of very small dust on the sensor. It can only be seen in pictures where my aperture is smaller than f7.1 (which doesn’t happen very often). On my a7ii, which I’ve been to about 20 weddings with, I think I have a couple specks of similarly inconsequential size. I’ll be sending them to Sony Pro Support sometime this winter for cleaning regardless.
I’m pretty careful when changing lenses. Always make sure to turn off the camera and wait a couple seconds for the sensor to discharge, never leave the body exposed for longer than necessary. Before and after events, and sometimes in between during downtime I use a rocket blower on the sensor and lenses, which I think prevents anything much from building up if it does get in there.
Thank you for the extraordinarily fast reply :D that's truly appreciated. The video I was referring to was from Tyler Stalman, I won't link it, if people want to see it they can look it up, but it's fair to point out it wasn't something that was made up and it just made me curious. First hand reviews probably wouldn't have the chance to address the issue if there was one. So thank you again for clearing that up for me.
+Diego Solari I just rewatched his video (I’ve seen it before) and a couple comments:
The speck of dust he showed as a previous issue is large enough to be seen on the sensor with the naked eye. Maybe I’m more cautious than anyone should be expected to be, but I check my sensor for dust visually a Lot. Like every 2nd or 3rd time I change lenses. Maybe he’s just so used to not caring at all that he needs to change his workflow a bit?
Also, the video clip he showed was shot at a very narrow aperture, and that might be his thing, which would make sensor dust a much bigger problem for him. I rarely shoot anything narrower than f2.8, so it takes much larger and more persistent dust to be of any issue for me.
Great review! Maybe, the best one... My question: with this camera, which lens is better (Sony 90f/.2.8 Macro or Sony 100f/.2.8 STF)... For portrait and why not macro! I saw, the Sony Macro is fast enough, sharp, beautiful colors, great IQ and macro too... Sound like a winner with Sony A9... What do you think?
+Gustavo Ulloa Depends on whether you're shooting outside or in studio. In studio, the STF isn't terribly useful, because:
A) it costs more
B) you need a ton of light (T5.6)
C) the bokeh effects are rather lost in a shallow setting with no distant background in studio
While outdoors the Macro isn't so useful:
A) it's actually a somewhat slow focusing lens compared to other FE lenses
B) at f2.8 the bokeh has a nervous quality. It only smoothes out around f3.5 to f4.5. If you're looking for subject isolation and a pleasing background blur, the STF is much better at that.(this is because macro shots are usually taken at higher f stops as the depth of field becomes too shallow, so it's tuned for that use)
I Love using the 90 for indoor portraiture, because it is SHAAARP, but outdoors I have to remind myself to keep it in the bag, lest I get bothered by the bokeh in post.
All that being said, I personally prefer the 85GM's rendering for outdoor portraiture. I find the out of focus rendition of the STF to look a bit fake (I know, it's real!), so to their each their own ;)
Love your review, have a question if I may.
I have seen and heard of comments regarding the live view exposure being
changed when a flash gun or a hot shoe commander is attached to the Sony A9 etc?
I have noticed when photographers are using Off Camera Flash they always switch off the commander on the hot shoe off to evaluate the ambient exposure, then switch the flash back on for the shot.
I believe it has something to do with the Setting Effect? not allowing the original live view exposure to be seen.
As a wedding photographer using a lot of flash, you may be the ideal person to ask.
Yep, it does that. Used to be easiest to switch the controller off and on, but with latest firmware you can map a button to Live View Setting Effect On/Off so you can just use a button on the camera to toggle it quickly.
1. How do i keep my display off - and have it turn on only when i say hit the menu button or review button -- when i am taking photos its fine, since the EV is on - but when i put my camera down - the display turns on -- feel like its a huge waste of battery....
2. when in af-c is it constantly pulling focus? even when i just put my camera down?
+Ojas Ray 1) Actually the EVF uses more power than the display (counter intuitive, I know), so I wouldn't worry about that first one. I have a button on the back set to shortcut to the display brightness menu so I can quickly turn it up and down.
2) There is a setting in the menu called "prefocus" that you'll want to turn off (if it isn't already). It operates whether in AF-C or AF-S and makes no sense to have on at all. When that's off, it only pulls focus when you tell it to (as it should be).
Great video Wes ... very informative. I mostly shoot wildlife with my A9 and couldn’t be happier with the results. Only draw back is 7,000.00 Canadian price by the time you add the dreaded HST. ...Looking forward to your next video.
I’ll be producing regularly starting in December. At least if you want another one there are some great sales on right now...a year and a half after I bought mine 😉
Is a a9 better than 5d mark3 or can I continue with the 5d mark 3. I have never used a sony product before unless am on my PSP.
The a9 is more comparable to the 1Dxii, so way beyond the 5Diii. Except for flash work, which it wasn’t well designed for.
The a7iii is also better than the 5Diii in pretty much every way. More comparable to the 5Div, but with a lot more features, and a lower price than anything is compares to as well.
a7iii: amzn.to/2L4CQs2
That being said, there’s obviously no reason to not continue using the 5Diii if it still does everything you need/want it to do 😏
you're a good photo mate...... im a wedding photog too and your stuff is very nice... i shoot with the A7R2 which i love with a passion... wonderfing whether its worth getting the A9
+robbyjai Thanks!
That largely depends on your style of shooting. If you shoot fewer, bigger shots, then the a7Rii will still yield better image quality.
I deliver a lot of photos, and shoot quickly in a discrete, candid manner for most of the day, so the a9 is more ideal for me.
A real great review! Thank you very much!
Did you have any issues trying to get the pictures into LR or PS? And how was your experience while editing the pictures when it comes to dynamic range? Very important for a wedding photographer... ;-)
+Dino Argentiero I use Capture One Pro, which was updated for this camera long before Adobe's programs were (Sony and Capture One have a deal), so no issues there.
Dynamic range appears to be about the same as the a7ii, but not as good as the a7Rii.
Oh thats a surprise, since the say the A9 has a great sensor and it is a sports camera - who shoots sport would love to have a good dynamic range. :-) I think its still enough for weddings... Thanks for the fast answer!
+Dino Argentiero That puts it in the same place as the 1DXii, and better than the D5, in terms of DR.
While high ISO performance is great, and the noise pattern for that is good, the noise produced when you push it past it's ideal DR in shadows is a bit odd.
+Dino Argentiero They obviously sacrificed a bit of sensitivity mojo for the sake of speed with this sensor.
I mainly take pictures of my food and selfies, would the A9 be good camera to buy?
+Arnold Galinato At risk of falling prey to sarcasm, I will suggest this instead:
amzn.to/2rJnP0M
love that you mentioned we need touch screen capabilities in the menu screen, but when you touch the screen you get finger smudges and fingerprint marks which would lead to a dirtier screen. Perhaps someone needs to invent or produce rather a touchscreen pen, like people use for their iPads, that can be used on the screen so it does not get dirty.
+Andrew Gipe My iPhone remains usable even after touched. We just need higher quality screens (brighter, scratch resistant gorilla glass 5, higher res still) with good oleophobic coatings.
Excellent video, thank you. Can I just ask what flash system you're using for on and off-camera flash? Many thanks. Andy
+Andy Davison I'm using the Godox system. X1T-s trigger, V860ii speedlights and AD200 moonlight/speedlight. They're fantastic, and with their lithium ion batteries, they last forever and recycle like a beast.
Check further back in my channel for my reviews and comparisons of those.
Thanks very much Wes, will do that. Appreciate the reply. Andy
Quality work speaks itself. Better contents than the so called- artisan, pros without much details with irrelevant pictures. i think you can use some compression and de-esser on your audio signal. Thank You.
Glad to be your 888th subscriber
Great review thank you. down to the important facts no bla bla.
Very informative review. Thank you. I think this is a fantastic camera body if people shoot photo for living. Or if you have enough cash to spend. I don't, unfortunately. That's why I went for a a7rII. Maybe in the future if the price drops a little bit or if I do need faster focus on people, then I can still grab this camera and use the other one as a back up for its higher resolution.
+KuangTu They're definitely quite different tools. The a7Rii still has overall better image quality, both in pixel count and ISO performance. The a9 is just king of speed and reliability.
In a perfect world, Sony would give us a 30 mp camera with the same body as the a9 and same AF system, but with a much lower burst rate and a cheaper price. Will it happen? Beats me, but a man can dream...
+Fatfaso Of course lots of people are expecting an a9R with high res, but that's all conjecture at this point. The rapid refresh of the a7 series to the a7ii series got everyone expecting Sony to keep refreshing every year, when that's clearly not going to be the case going forward.
Do you use flash during your weddings? Tell me about AF assist like you have on Canon and Nikon?
+Jose Pinto Ribeiro I use off camera flash quite a bit, especially during receptions (Godox 2.4Ghz system). But Sony e-mount cameras don't have focus assist beam compatibility, even with native Sony flashes. This is because their in sensor autofocus points don't see infrared light, so the beams are largely useless.
That being said, I have literally had absolutely zero use for a focus assist light with the a9. It can be almost pitch dark, and it has no trouble focusing (at least with the lenses I'm using).
Great stuff here Wes! Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge! LOL 'nerd' and 'nose'. I fit the same model! Yes, the touch screen functionality for menus would be great. Perhaps a 'Hey Sonia...' voice recognition is in the future - although that would not be welcome at weddings unless everyone else is talking with Siri or Cortana. Then 'Sonia' might feel neglected. 'Hey Sonia, set AFC and Eye AF on.'
Awesome review!
It would be nice if you went into more detail about the difference in workflow since you switched. Cheers!
Awesome review
I NEED it. what about menu access or picture review while buffering ?
+Denes Szakacs I’m hoping that that comes to the a9 through an update as well, but I can’t say that that’s ever been an issue for me. Like ever. With the custom buttons and Function menu set up the way you want it, menu diving just doesn’t happen all that much.
fantastic review ..!
Great video, thanks for the effort!!
Awesome vid thanks! I’m also a wedding photographer and currently on 2 Canon 5D III’s. I typically shoot back button focus and focus recompose as for me I find it the quickest and easiest for me to get my shots consistently. But I am very interested in moving to Sony and especially the focusing abilities. I know that I’ll need to change the way I focus however and learn to use different methods to benefit from all the fantastic features the a9 offers. I would just like to ask you; how you use the focusing of the a9 in various wedding scenarios and which focus options you find the most useful in a wedding? Outside of eye AF of course as I can see how easy eye AF would be to use. But for instance, when not using eye AF do you use the zone focusing or single point focus moving it with the joystick perhaps? Thanks for your insights!
When I think there’s a chance that the eye will go away (like the kiss in the ceremony...never use Eye-AF because at the pivotal moment it goes away and the camera has to make some choices), I use either medium moveable spot, or medium expandable spot. You can move it around with the touch screen or the thumb stick. I also have the AEL button remapped with a recall custom hold button to instantly switch to auto everything. So if something crazy goes down, I just have to hold that button and exposure goes auto, focus area wide, and I can just spray and pray. I probably only use that once in a wedding day, but the ability to do that in and of itself is a game changer. Sometimes things happen fast and they’re over before you know it.
Wes Perry wow thank you very much for replying with all this info! Very helpful and much appreciated. I will be renting the camera soon to try out and will try these focusing methods. I really like that full auto option idea that you mention. As you say, sometimes there can be a crazy moment where you have no time to really change your settings and if there’s a full auto option to spray and pray then that would be the “icing on the cake” as a back up feature to try get at least one good shot in that moment. Very helpful thanks.
Have a question...
AF of the a9 vs a7ii, how much better is it as ive found the a7ii to be unreliable at times
They’re not even remotely comparable. He a7ii is most definitely unreliable (although some would argue otherwise, let’s be real here). The a7Rii has about 2x better AF than the a7ii, and then the a9 is probably 3-4x better than the a7Rii. It’s a whole other ballgame in a whole other league.
Wes Perry thanks for the reply. I mainly shoot 5D4 at the moment and hoping to move to Sony next year.
Most would say that the autofocus on the a9 is better than the 5Div, but ever so slightly worse than the 1Dxii. But the 1Dxii doesn’t have Eye-AF or a silent shutter 👌🏻😉
Very nice video and camera. I just wish it is more affordable for the average joe like me. Congratulations for having that awesome camera.
+TheG7thcapo Well, if it was more affordable, it would have to be missing many of its features.
Did you notice any noise in the shadows when you try to recover them? I do. Lot lot of noise in backlight situation (extreme conditions I know!), even with 100 ISO only. And some occasional banding ...
+pincopallo6 Probably a little less noise than the a7ii, which was pretty clean to begin with. I haven't made a direct comparison test yet. I was assuming that DxO would do a better job at that than me soon enough anyway.
I'm not sure what you mean by noise in backlight situations. I didn't notice anything untoward. And I've managed to find the dreaded "red channel banding" in 3 out of the 4000 photos I've taken. And it wasn't visible when not zoomed in on my 5K iMac. So I don't consider that to be an issue in any way.
if you give me your mail address I'll send you a couple of files where what I'm talking about is pretty clear.
info@WesPerryPhotography.com
Awesome review...Thank you :)
hey! I just got the A9 and would love to know how to set up the face recognition/eye AF button on the back. If you have the time to walk me through it in a reply I'd appreciate it so much!
+Sydney Angel You just need to go into the menu to Custom Key (Shoot) and then choose your favourite button (I use the AF-On button, since I don't use back button autofocus), then choose Eye AF in the menu for it. Then from that point on, pressing and holding that button will activate Eye Autofocus.
I recommend leaving the camera in AF-C for most human subject photos.
+Sydney Angel Also, face recognition is an option that just appears in the main menus without digging (maybe even in the fn menu as well? Can't quite remember). It's not too hard to find with a bit of scrolling ;)
thank you!
Great review.
How is the startup time after you first turn it on, or after sleep mode of the camera?
+Harald Doedee Most have been saying that it's "way faster" than the a7Rii, etc...but i find it's only marginally faster than its predecessors.
How does eye auto focus work during the reception where you have multiple faces? Do you use the register faces option for face detect?
+Keith Smathers I’ve tried the register faces function, but I didn’t find it fast enough/accurate enough to really be useful. During the reception I’ll usually just switch to spot to avoid grabbing focus on the wrong person.
Thanks!
Silent shooting could come in handy while shooting an intimate moment such as the bride getting ready where you don't want shutter noise from a DSLR becoming a nuisance and then making the photographer not shoot confidently and missing shots.
+Mandeep Kalsi I get rave comments at every wedding now, about how they were so comfortable with me just hanging out with them, not making any sounds, and not seeming like a photographer the whole time.
sick
i have no doubt it is not expensive for pro. Will sony able to sell enough of it from pro alone? What about amateur ? What about beginner? We dun buy camera?
+chianghai Loh I think they will. There were a lot of pros waiting to jump ship for a bunch of simple things like dual card slots, high frame rates and fast autofocus. Probably won't be a lot of beginner/amateur sales, though.
Nice work.
should I wait for the a7 III instead Wes Perry??
+Selvin R. Monzón That's an excellent question. All we have are rumors at this point, though. So any serious decisions probably shouldn't be based on them. Hard to say exactly how many a9 features will or won't be carried through to the "mark iii" line of a7 cameras.
I was charging these days my A7rIII with Anker USB3.0 3A output power bank via its USB-C cable and it was quick :)
Yeah, the a7Riii thankfully has a much improved charge interface with the addition of USB C.
I assume Sony is going to come out pretty soon with the "Mark 2" version of this camera, just like they did with the a7. I hope they fix the issues that you refer to in this video. Thanks for sharing this video!
+Carlos Read That seems pretty unlikely. I doubt we'll see a new one in under 2.5-3 years. Possibly an a9S or R within a year.
Most of the real issues in this model can be fixed through firmware. Those that can't aren't issues for me anyway (or for most people).
They spent a Lot of money on R&D for this camera, much more than the original a7. That camera was built using the sensor developed for the d610, in a modified RX1 body.
The a9 is a totally custom developed sensor in a totally custom built body. They're going to be working hard to recoup all those costs with this model, so the firmware updates will keep coming for a while.
Hope tou are right, because I am saving for my A9, and I would hate to see Sony come put with a new version of the same camera in a few months time. Thanks again for your video. I had seen several other reporting on this camera, but must weren't wedding photograpers. You have helped me make my decision to buy this camera!
+Carlos Read It's probably best not to dive in to a new piece of electronics these days in the first couple months anyway. There are always bugs to be ironed out first 👌🏻
Just decided I am upgrading my Canon 5DIII to this camera!
+Wouter van Twillert Enjoy!
(And feel free to use my link in the description! Haha)
Great review, I feel the same about a lot of it. I have shoot 2 weddings now. The outdoor midday wedding it did overheat. NO video just images. Also, I am having issue with Lexar 150mbs cards. I get a unable to write error. Thank you!
Sounds like the new firmware update is for you, then!
esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=ILCE9&template_id=1®ion_id=1&tab=download#/downloadTab
Thanks for the information!
Great video!!!
Great images 👍🏾
Hi in eye af and you have numerous faces in frame groom friends ect but I want the bride & she isn’t closest to the camera how does it do in that scenario cheers
I would toggle to a point AF and put the point somewhere near her face.
You can save faces to the camera for automatic priority, but it doesn’t work amazingly, and especially isn’t effective when faces are smaller in the frame.
(Also, I set one button to switch between wide are and point type autofocus so it’s a very fast switch)
Nice video Perry, can you give me some advice? As a lifestyle stock photographer (www.shutterstock.com/g/kerkez) will A9 have enough image quality as I currently have on Nikon D750? Or it is better to consider A7R3?!? I looked at least 10 time all your videos about A9 and I am still not sure what to do.
There’s a bit of push pull on that one. The a9 has better high iso performance, but marginally lower dynamic range. I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t be able to accomplish that sort of work with it (great work, by the way!).
The a7iii actually has the next generation version of the sensor in the D750, while the one in the a9 is a whole other thing. So the a7iii gets slightly better dynamic range and better high iso than the D750.
I wouldn’t necessarily look at the a7Riii unless you really have a reason for all those extra pixels.
@@WesPerry Thank you very much for advice! I went today and bought A9 bundled with Sony 128gb SD UHS-II 300mbs for 3240€, so wish me luck. I hope that I made the right decision!
Good luck! Sorry I was late responding. When you put a link in your comment TH-cam automatically puts it in the spam folder, so I only found it when I went to empty that out.
Would you still consider this camera a good buy in 2024 for $2000?
Not for $2000 no! Used they usually go for $1500, and I’ve heard from people who have bought them used for $1000.
Still an entirely relevant and usable camera in 2024, but the resale value just isn’t that high anymore now that version 3 is on the market.
@@WesPerry Thanks for your reply, in my country the new A9 2 is $8000, and the A9 3 is over $9000, I would like to put the Sony 90mm macro you like so much with the Sony A9 but not if the camera is too old now days as far as focus tracking and EVF resolution go.
is it 20 frames/second only for GM lense ?
It's not just GM lenses. There are quite a few, but they're all newer. Most FE lenses will do at least 15fps. See this link for the full rundown:
support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/www/support/ilc/products/ilce9/continuousshooting/en/index.html?id=spt
Thanks for the info. Great Review!