Bob Martin Sony A9 II
The world-renowned sports pro on mirrorless tech and the Sony Alpha system
As a professional sports photographer I have covered all the major events, from the last 15 Summer and Winter Olympics to elephant polo and horse racing on ice.
I currently shoot with two Sony A9 Mk II bodies, each fitted with vertical grips and paired with a full range of Sony prime and zoom lenses, from 12mm to 600mm. I also use 1.4x and 2x teleconverters. My favourites include my 135mm f/1.8, which is super‑sharp and allows me to reduce depth of field to a sliver. The 600mm f/4 is the ultimate long lens and works amazingly well with both the converters. Finally the 12‑24mm f/4 is compact, light and gives a unique look – it can sit on a body around my neck all day.
Compared to the days of noisy DSLR shutters, silent shooting means that you have the ability to shoot pictures two feet away from someone like Tiger Woods at the top of his back swing. High‑speed continuous shooting is another massive advantage. 20 frames per second is enough for all action. Ironically, when I first had these Sony cameras I thought 20 frames per second was overkill, but now, after a couple of years, I would not want to be without it!
The live viewfinder is another feature I hated to start with – I thought it was awful – but again, now I wouldn’t go back. I see what I will get on the computer while I shoot, continuously changing exposure, aperture and even the colour balance. If the exposure is wrong I know without watching an exposure meter. Plus [with exposure simulation] if you want to shoot at f/22 you see a bright viewfinder with the depth of field of f/22.
Sporting a 24MP sensor, the Sony A9 II is a full‑frame mirrorless powerhouse, sure to become a professional favourite.