SONY ALPHA A9

This new mirrorless camera might cost a packet, but it’s a real workhorse.

What do we have here? Sony is really proud of the new A9. It’s more than one step up from the A7 series and costs about three times more. Your kid will have to take a year off university so you can afford this camera. Like the A7, the A9 is a mirrorless camera even though it looks like a traditional D-SLR, and it has all the functionality of a top Canon or Nikon D-SLR. To switch from a D-SLR to mirrorless is a bit like going from rugby league to rugby union. You’re still playing with a rugby ball, but it’s a different game. You’ll grow used to it and likely never look back.

Why buy it? This camera is aimed at professional photographers – people who use their gear to make a living. Are you a wedding photographer? You’ll be able to pay off this camera with four Franschhoek weddings! It’s a real workhorse and its specs will make serious photographers take note. Sport photographers, especially, will appreciate how fast it is.

Hit me with the facts. How does a 24-megapixel full-frame sensor sound? You can shoot 20 frames per second – everyone’s eyes will be open in at least one photo! Sony says you can shoot 362 JPEG photos in succession before the camera’s processor starts to slow. The ISO range starts at 50 and goes up to 204 800. You’ll rarely need to shoot at such a staggeringly high ISO, but who knows, maybe you’ll see a yeti in a blizzard on Sani Pass one night. The A9 also shoots high-quality video and the three-inch screen on the back can tilt to prevent neck spasms while filming. It also has an S&Q mode – “Slow and Quick” – which allows you to shoot video in slow motion.

How does it feel in hand? Good. It’s a sturdy camera with buttons and dials in all the right places and a beautiful finish. It feels like a D-SLR.

Niggles? A mirrorless camera doesn’t have an optical viewfinder as there’s no mirror inside reflecting what you’re looking at into the eyepiece. Instead, most have an electronic viewfinder. The A9 is no exception, and its electronic viewfinder is excellent, but it might be something you’ll have to get used to if you’ve never used one before.

Price: R71 195 for the body and R33 595 for a 24 – 70 mm lens at orms.co.za or R71 295 for the body and R33 695 for the lens at outdoorphoto.co.za