So is the buzz around the fastest-ever camera justified?
With the A9 IIISonyhas upped the bar by some margin for high-performance photography for sports and wildlife.
We also have Sonys best camera design to date.
The Sony A9 III is the first consumer full-frame mirrorless camera with global shutter incorporated into the sensor.
Put simply, theres a hit on dynamic range, plus increased noise, when compared to rival cameras.
That also means no risk of banding in artificial light.
Conversely, most pro prime telephoto lenses are big, so how is the balance of the A9 III?
You can set the continuous high drive mode to 30fps or 60fps and then instantly switch to 120fps by holding down a custom button by the lens.
Pretty good, actually.
Previous models with the 9.44m-dot EVF saw a drop in resolution during burst shooting.
Im not a fan of the variety in how dials are adjusted, though.
The dual-axis vari-angle screen can be pulled away from the body at multiple angles.
So whats all the fuss about this sensor throw in?
Its an action photographer’s dream.
Thats needed for such high-speed work, and for features like pre-capture up to one second.
It also makes portraits with flash a breeze.
Impressive features like 120fps are one thing on paper, but what are they really like to use?
Clearly this headline mode is just for decisive moments.
Buffer aside, the burst shooting speed and duration are unmatched.
Pre capture is neat, too.
I found it particularly useful for bird photography, where subjects move both quickly and erratically.
We also get Sonys highly effective in-body image stabilization.
Put simply, the A9 III is the most capable sports photography camera available.
Elsewhere,4Kvideo up to 60fps is oversampled from 6K thats the full width of the 24.6MP sensor.
Rival cameras like the Z9 can shoot higher resolution8Kvideo.
In-body image stabilization for video is superb, too, and makes run-and-gun videos without a gimbal entirely possible.
Sony A9 III: Test scorecard
Should I buy the Sony A9 III?
Youre an action photographerFor sport photography in particular, the A9 III offers more than just blistering shooting speeds.
30fps is fast enough alreadyRival cameras can also shoot at 30fps with full autofocus and autoexposure.
However, there’s plenty that sets them apart, too.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Burst shooting sequence of an Olympic athlete jumping over a hurdle on the race track at night with the continuous high drive mode of the Sony A9 III
This video of blue tits on a lone branch is a realtime 30fps continuous burst. Shot at 120fps and it could be slowed down 4x.
Portrait made with the Sony A9 III and the FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS II lens. Camera settings 1/2000sec, f/4, ISO 250. Sony HVL F46RM flash at full power positioned in a softbox and remotely triggered using the Sony FA WRC1M wireless radio commander.
The A9 III has a remarkable hit ratio of sharply focused action photos.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
In this sunrise photo I darkened the sky by 1.5EV and there’s still detail coming through(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
The A9 III is pushed to a limit here: the image is cropped so it’s a low resolution output, plus it’s a bit noisy at the ISO 8000 setting.(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
This is the view you get through the viewfinder to achieve the previous portrait with flash, when shooting into the light.(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
Pre daylight, the background of this flash portrait appeared almost black, but brightening it 4EV revealed some detail.(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
