Today, Sony made two gear announcements that are clear overtures to professional photographers and they are poised to set the tone for NAB 2017. The first is the new Sony flagship A9 camera and the second being the latest lens in the G-Master Lineup, the 100mm-400mm 4.5-5.6 Super Telephoto Zoom. Many in the industry have been waiting to see how responsive Sony would be to the lingering concerns from professionals about their full frame lineup and it is evident that Sony has been listening. Disregarding the fear of cliche, these two offerings from Sony are in fact game-changing; so let’s see what they bring to the table.
Sony A9 Stills Specs
- World’s First full-frame stacked CMOS sensor, 24.2 MP2 resolution
- BIONZ X Image Processor
- 3.0″ 1.44m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- Internal UHD 4K/30p Video Recording
- 120fps all full HD at up to 100Mbps
- Full pixel readout without pixel binning
- Blackout-Free Quad VGA 3.7m-Dot OLED EVF
- up to 20fps for up to 241 RAW/ 362 JPEG images
- Silent, Vibration-free shooting at speeds up to 1/32,000 sec
- 693 point focal plane phase detection AF points with 60 AF/AE tracking calculations per second
- Extensive professional features including Ethernet port for file transfer, Mag. Alloy Dual SD card slots, and extended battery life
- 5-Axis in-body image stabilization with a 5.0 step shutter speed advantage
Two major concerns from professionals about Sony’s camera body lineup have been battery life and the inclusion of a second SD card slot for in-camera file backup. Sony has responded with a second SD card slot and a new battery that they boast lasts up to 2.2 times longer; both welcome additions. This camera looks like the all-around juggernaut everyone was hoping would compete with the Canon 1Dx II and the Nikon D5. And at a price of $4,500, it undercuts them both by over $1000, which is substantial. Canon and Nikon have been on notice for some time now, but we’ll see how they absorb this latest haymaker from Sony.
Click through this Instagram gallery to see a video of the A9!
100mm-400mm 4.5-5.6 GM Specs
Sony’s push into mirrorless began with bodies that were extremely capable but lacked lenses to take advantage of what was possible with them. However, Sony has been filling in the holes and this lens fills a big one. Sports, wildlife, and event photographers have been clamoring for a lens with stellar optics and extended reach; this lens fits that bill. The G Master label is the stamp of quality pros have been looking for in a lens like this and we’ll soon see what it can do.
Per Sony’s press release:
A super telephoto zoom that meets the intense build requirements of Sony’s acclaimed G Master series lens lineup, the new FE 100-400mm GM model produces outstanding corner-to-corner sharpness throughout the lens’ zoom and focus ranges and beautiful rendered ‘bokeh’ or background defocus, ensuring the finest details are brought out in every subject and scene.
- 22 lens elements configured in 16 different groups
- 9 bladed circular aperture design
- one Super ED (Extra-low Dispersion) and two ED glass elements
- Sony’s original Nano AR coating
- 49.3 ounces (1,395 grams)
- zoom torque adjustment ring
- minimum focusing range of just 3.22 feet (0.98 meters)
- image stabilization
At of price of $2,500, this lens falls right in line with the other excellent yet expensive G Master lineup. But the need this lens meets should ensure that it sells well, especially when you consider the lack of alternatives for this focal range in the E- mount.
Sony has been knocking at the door of the hearts of professional photographers for some time but with this camera and lens, they may have kicked that door in and made themselves at home.
The Sony a9 and 100mm-400mm 4.5-5.6 G Master will available for pre-order April 21.
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