Sony Alpha a9 review: specs and price

The device is protected with extra seals to prevent failures caused by dust, raindrops, and water splashes. Show more

With 100% coverage you can compose the image correctly when you capture the photo. With less than full coverage you may have to crop your photos afterwards to get them looking perfect.

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The focus motor moves the lens in order to autofocus. For system cameras, having a focus motor in the camera's body allows you to use a wide range of lenses, including lenses which do not have their own focus motor. For compact cameras, a focus motor is usually built-in.

Flip-out screens can be useful for tricky shots.

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The device is dustproof and water-resistant. Water-resistant devices can resist the penetration of water, such as powerful water jets, but not being submerged into water. Show more

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A hot shoe can be used to attach an external flash, as well as light meters, viewfinders, rangefinders and other attachments.

The more focus points the more flexibility in picking which part of the scene to focus on. They also give the image sensor a better probability in identifying the right area of the scene to focus on in more automatic modes.

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The larger the sensor the more light the sensor captures yielding in better image quality.

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With AF tracking, once you choose the subject and press the shutter release part way down, as the subject moves, the autofocus will follow it. No more out of focus shots.

Phase-detection autofocus is much faster than a contrast detection autofocus, allowing for sharper images. Show more

With a higher light sensitivity (ISO level), the sensor absorbs more light. This can be used to capture moving objects using a fast shutter speed, or to take images in low light without using a flash. Show more

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Optical image stabilization uses gyroscopic sensors to detect the vibrations of the camera. The lens adjusts the optical path accordingly, ensuring that any type of motion blur is corrected before the sensor captures the image. Show more

The maximum resolution available for videos shot with the main camera. Although it may be possible to choose among other frame rates, those recordings usually have lower resolutions. Show more

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When recording movies they stay focussed and sharp. Show more

A phase-detection autofocus system is faster than a contrast detection autofocus system. Even when recording scenes with a lot of fast movements, the videos are sharp and clear.

A timelapse shows a long passage of time sped up. A series of photographs taken from the same position over a long period is joined together to create a short video. It is great way to capture things like the setting sun, or clouds moving across the sky. Show more

24p is a video format (24 frames per second) traditionally used in cinema. Nowadays, it is used to create film-like motion characteristics.

A stereo microphone allows to record audio files or movies in stereo without an external microphone.

A microphone port allows connecting external high-end or specialized microphones.

More microphones result in better sound quality and enable the device to filter out background noise.

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With a standard mini jack socket, you can use the device with most headphones. Show more

Devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better experience. Show more

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Zoom microphones record high-quality audio and enable you to record sound from a distance. They can be useful for recording meetings, lectures, and presentations. Show more

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CIPA is an independent, standard measurement that determines how many shots a camera can take before the battery dies.

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The battery is removable and can be replaced by the user if broken. Show more

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The battery can be recharged and used over again.

An indicator shows you when the device has low battery.

The manufacturer offers a branded wireless charging kit. To charge the device, you simply put it down on its charging base. Show more

A device's overall image quality score considers: color depth, dynamic range and low light performance. Source: DxOMark.

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The maximum ISO at which the device still captures excellent quality images. Source: DxOMark.

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The better a device's color depth the more color nuances it can distinguish. Source: DxOMark.

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The device has a standard memory slot (such as an SD or micro SD card slot) so that you can either extend the internal storage with affordable memory modules or you can retrieve data, such as photographs, easily from a memory card. Show more

The better the dynamic range the system captures a wider number of values from dark to light leading to more details in low and highlights. Source: DxOMark.

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The device can connect to Wi-Fi.