Sony A9 III Review
Summary Verdict
Thanks to its full-frame global shutter sensor that enables distortion-free, high-speed shooting and incredible autofocus system, the Sony A9 III is a top choice for professional sports and action photographers,. Its AI-enhanced autofocus is amazingly quick and precise, making it easier to capture sharp images of fast-moving subjects. The camera also offers refined handling and a few key improvements over its predecessor.
While the limited ISO range suggests some trade-offs with the global shutter, the image quality remains strong, especially with Adobe’s AI Noise Reduction in action. Despite its high price and moderate pixel count, the A9 III is an exceptional tool for those who prioritise speed and precision in their photography.
The Sony A9 III’s Global Shutter won the SheClicks Innovation of the Year Award 2024.
Score: 4.5/5
For
Global shutter for distortion-free, high-speed shooting
Superb AI-driven autofocus
Flash sync at all shutter speeds
Against
Limited native ISO range
Some fiddly controls
Huge price
What is the Sony A9 III?
The Sony Alpha 9 III (more commonly known as the Sony A9 III) is a high-end mirrorless camera aimed at professional sports and action photographers. It’s also the first commercially available camera to feature a full-frame global shutter sensor. This innovation allows photographers to capture high-speed bursts at up to 120 frames per second without any distortion from rolling shutter, plus it can synchronise with flash at any shutter speed. The Sony A9 II also has an advanced autofocus system that can work with AI-informed subject detection and calculates focus and exposure up to 120 times per second.
Sony A9 III Price and Availability
At launch, the Sony A9 III’s price was £6099 / $5998 body only. It went on sale in spring 2024.
Sony A9 III Key Specifications
Camera type: Full-frame mirrorless camera
Announced: 7th November 2023
Lens mount: Sony FE
Sensor: Full-frame (35.6 x 23.8mm) 24.6MP stacked backside-illuminated (BSI) sensor with global shutter
Processing engine: BIONNZ XR
Sensitivity: ISO 250-25,600, expandable to ISO 125-51,200
Maximum continuous shooting rate: 120fps for up to 192 compressed raw files
Autofocus system: Hybrid with phase and contrast detection
Phase detection points: 759
Subject detection: Human, Animal, Bird, Insect, Car, Train, Airplane
Stabilisation: 5-axis in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) that can work in tandem with lens-based stabilisation, giving up to 8EV shutter speed compensation
Maximum video resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4:2:0, 10bit) at 119.88p
Video file format: XAVC HS 4K, XAVC S 4K, XAVC S-I 4K, XAVC S-I HD, XAVCS HD
Video compression: XAVC S: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, XAVC HS: MPEG-H HEVC/H.265
Viewfinder: 0.64-inch 9.44-million-dot OLED
Screen: 3.2-inch 2,100,000-dot 4-way-tilting touch-screen
Storage: Dual CFexpress Type A / SD
Dimensions (W x H x D): 136.1 x 96.9 x 82.9 mm / 5 3/8 x 3 7/8 x 3 3/8 inches
Weight: 702g / 1 lb. 8.8 oz. with battery and memory card
The Sony A9 III is a few millimetres wider than its predecessor, giving more space between the grip and the lens mount.
Features
At the heart of the Sony A9 III is a newly developed 24.6MP full-frame stacked CMOS sensor with global shutter technology. Having global shutter means that the data from every image is read out all at once rather than line-by-line like a standard sensor. This is a faster process and it avoids the distortion that can occur with moving subjects or when panning a camera with a regular sensor. It also means that the exposure doesn’t change at different points in the read-out process so you don’t get any flicker or banding when shooting under fluorescent lighting.
As it has a global shutter, Sony hasn’t given the A9 III a mechanical shutter, which means the camera can operate completely silently. In addition, there’s a maximum shutter speed of 1/80,000 second and the Sony A9III can synchronise with flash at any shutter speed. That’s great news for action photography with flash or when shooting in very bright conditions at wide aperture settings.
The new sensor is paired with Sony’s latest BIONZ XR image processing system and together they enable blackout-free continuous shooting with autofocusing and exposure (AF/AE) tracking at up to 120 frames per second.
Despite its size increase in comparison with the A9 II, the Sony A9 III is a compact camera for a full-frame model and all the buttons the left of the rear of the camera are in easy reach.
Sony has also given the A9III its latest AI-driven autofocus system to offer real-time recognition of a wide range of subjects with settings for Human, Animal, Bird, Insect, Car/Train and Airplane recognition. Helpfully, when the camera is set to Car/Train mode, it’s capable of recognising helmets like those worn by racing car drivers. In Animal mode, it’s capable of recognising the eyes of a range of grazing and small animals, plus the eyes, heads and bodies of dogs and cats, and similar animals. The Sony A9III can also recognise and track the eye of many birds in Bird mode, as well as bird bodies. In addition, the Animal/Bird setting avoids the need to switch between two settings when you are likely to encounter either type of creature.
In Human mode, the A9III employs ‘Human Pose Estimation Technology’, enabling it to recognise and track people from a distance.
This high-end autofocus system is joined by fast continuous shooting capability with a maximum rate of 120fps (frames per second) - that’s for full-resolution images. Naturally, while that’s useful in a few situations, it’s overkill in many, but slower rates are also available. In many cases, I find 30fps more than enough.
There’s also a Continuous Shooting Speed Boost option, which allows you to temporarily increase the shooting rate to 120fps with just a press of a button.
In addition, Sony has given the A9 III a Pre-capture mode in which it records images for up to one second while the shutter release is half-pressed, writing the files to the card once the button is pushed fully home. That’s useful for unpredictable action, for example, capturing moments like a bird's point of take-off.
Interestingly, the Sony A9III has a somewhat limited sensitivity (ISO) range of ISO 250-25,600, expandable to ISO 125-51200. This hints at a drawback of the global shutter - reduced light sensitivity because the sensor uses dual pixels, with only one in each pair being used to create the image. However, there’s a Composite RAW Shooting feature in which the camera captures 4, 8, 16 or 32 images that can then be merged using Sony’s Imaging Edge Desktop software on a computer to create a full-resolution image with reduced noise. That might be handy on occasion, but it has the disadvantage of requiring processing on a computer and not being suitable for moving subjects.
While the Sony A9 III's main attraction is its autofocusing and high-speed shooting capabilities, it also has some advanced video features, including 4K 120p recording without cropping and the S-Cinetone picture profile for a cinematic look.
The Sony A9 III has a mini-joystick with a stippled surface that's useful for navigating the menu or shifting the AF point around the frame.
Build and Handling
If the Sony A9 III was on a shelf with its predecessor and recent full-frame Sony A7-series cameras like the Sony A7R V, A7R IV or A7 IV, it would take you a few moments to track down the right camera. It looks very similar to what’s gone before. However, careful examination reveals a few differences from the Sony A9 II. The grip, for instance, feels a little chunkier and there’s a bigger gap between it and the lens mount for improved handling with big telephoto lenses.
This also makes room for a new C5 button. This button’s function is customisable, but its default setting is for activating the Continuous Shooting Speed Boost. It’s likely to be pressed as action develops in the heat of the moment so it’s worth practicing using it in case the need arises.
I find there’s just enough room to squeeze four fingers on the A9 III’s grip while my index finger is on the shutter button.
The Sony A9 III has also lost the exposure compensation setting markings on the dial on the far right of its top-plate, pulling it into line with the Sony A7RV. By default, it operates as the exposure compensation control, but it can be customised to adjust something else.
It’s worth noting that the rear control dial on the right has an optional lock that can be left unlocked if you want. However, the exposure mode dial closer to the viewfinder and the drive mode dial on the left of the camera have lock buttons that must be pressed before they can be rotated. Meanwhile, the rear dial between the one on the right and mode dial has no lock. It’s an odd mix. I’d prefer them to all have optional locks.
In another change from the A9II, the settings for photo, video and S&Q (Slow and Quick) have moved from the mode dial to a switch/dial beneath the A9III’s mode dial. While it’s good to have these separated out, the switch is a bit fiddly to operate because it also has a lock button that must be pressed before you can rotate it.
The exposure mode is set using the dial on the right of the Sony A9 III's top plate; the lock to release the photo, video and S&Q switch/dial underneath it is visible at the 11 o'clock position. Meanwhile, the stacked dials on the left of the top plate are used to set the drive and focus modes.
Sony A9 III Viewfinder and Screen
Sony was slow to adopt touch control and vari-angle screens on its cameras, so I’m pleased that the Sony A9 III has a 4-axis multi-angle LCD touch screen. This screen has the flexibility of a vari-angle screen, giving a clear view when shooting in landscape or portrait orientation, but you don’t have to flip the screen out to the side of the camera to view it in landscape orientation.
The Sony A9 III's can be tilted up when it's behind the camera, or flipped out to the side ready to face forwards if you need.
Further good news is that the screen’s touch functionality has extended and in addition to the Function Menu (FN menu) options being selectable by touch, there’s a collection of touch function icons (Shoot Mode, Drive Mode, Focus Area, White Balance, Creative Look, Shoots a still image, start recording movies, Recognition Target Select, Touch Function in Shooting and Switch to the playback screen) that can be shown on the screen. If you don’t like using the touch icons, they can be hidden.
The 3.2-inch 2,095,104-dot tilting screen is joined by a 0.64-inch type 9.44 million-dot Quad XGA OLED viewfinder. This provides a terrific view that is blackout-free during continuous shooting, making it easy to follow fast-moving subjects.
Like the main screen, the viewfinder provides an accurate preview of the image with regard to colour, exposure and focus.
The joystick is within comfortable reach of my right thumb when I have my forefinger on the shutter release.
Performance
I used the Sony A9 III alongside the Sony A7R IV and it was immediately apparent that the A9 III is a much faster, more responsive camera. In fairness, the A7R IV has been replaced by the A7R V, but I am impressed by how quickly the A9 III is ready for action after being powered up. It’s streets ahead of the A7R IV. While I have to wait a few seconds after flicking the power switch on the A7R IV before I can position the AF point, the A9 III is ready pretty much instantly.
The Sony A9 III’s autofocus system also proved a joy to use, getting just about everything that I pointed it at sharp incredibly quickly.
I found the Sony A9 III’s auto white balance and exposure metering systems to be generally reliable. Of course, it’s good to know that the viewfinder and screen give a reliable preview so you can make any tweaks as required, but the camera doesn’t under or overexpose unexpectedly.
On the whole, the Auto White Balance (AWB) system tends towards producing neutral colours, which is what it’s supposed to do, but there may be occasions when you want to switch to the Shade or Cloudy setting to warm images up a bit. A woodland in full-leaf often produces rather green-looking images, but I found Sony’s AWB setting did a decent job - although a little warming didn’t go amiss when processing the raw files.
Shooting fast moving subjects at high frames rates gave me the opportunity to put the CIPA rating of 400 shots when using the viewfinder (530 with the main screen) for the A9 III’s battery life into perspective. When shooting racing cars at Brands Hatch, for instance, I was able to shoot several thousand images in short bursts on a single battery.
The Sony A9 III has two memory card slots, one that accepts CFexpress Type A cards or SD-type media and the other that only accepts SD cards. I have one CFexpress Type A card, so it didn’t take long on most fast-action shoots before I had to switch to using SD cards. Fortunately, I didn’t find this was a significant drawback because the burst depth is the same at around 192 compressed raw at 120fps. What changes however, is the length of time it takes the camera to write the images to the card. That can take quite a few seconds with SD cards.
Sony A9 III Autofocus Performance
The Sony A9 III arrived just before a SheClicks meet-up at the National Bird of Prey Centre in County Wicklow, Ireland. This allowed me to test it with birds in flight - one of the trickiest subjects a photographer will likely encounter. I was later able to test it with running and cycling races and race cars at Brands Hatch.
At the National Bird of Prey Centre, we started by photographing a range of owls in a woodland, and despite the relatively low light, when the subject detection system was set to Bird, the A9 III was quick to spot them. If the owl turned its head to the camera, the A9III put a small box around an eye in the viewfinder to indicate it was detected in an instant.
Moving onto birds in flight, we photographed Harris Hawks flying low over the ground towards us. The birds’ starting point was on the edge of the distance beyond which they were too small in the frame to be detected, but in most instances, the camera was quick to pick them up as they moved towards us.
I experimented with a few Focus Area options in tandem with Bird detection mode and I found ‘Zone’ to be the most successful. The Zone area is smaller than the Wide setting, and this proved helpful for picking the birds up early in their flight.
On most occasions, the Sony A9 III tracked a bird and detected its eye, keeping it sharp as it flew towards me. This meant I could concentrate on keeping the subject within the frame and not worry about where the active AF point was. There were a couple of occasions where the camera didn’t detect the bird or it lost it during a sequence of shots. I found a slight manual adjustment to the focus got the camera back on track. It’s worth remembering that the camera needs to be able to identify the shape of the subject it’s being asked to detect, so if it’s very out of focus, it will need a hand.
Provided the subject remains visible, the A9 III does a great job of ignoring objects such as blades of grass and twigs that come between it and its intended target. Photographing birds in flight has never been so easy.
Compared to photographing birds in flight, running or cycling humans are easy fodder for the A9 III’s AF system. It latched onto them with ease, often detecting eyes despite them being disguised by dark glasses and heads being covered by helmets.
The Sony A9 III also proved very adept at spotting racing cars and tracking them. On many occasions, as the cars got closer and at the right angle, it transferred the focus to the helmet of the driver inside the car.
Image Quality
Sony has been conservative with the sensitivity range of the A9 III and while I would use the highest native ISO setting (25,600) if I had to, I’d aim to keep to ISO 12,800 or lower if possible. That said, in real-world shooting conditions, and with the same noise reduction treatment applied in Adobe Camera Raw, I don’t see a huge difference between the results from the Nikon Z6 III at ISO 25,600 and the Sony A9 III at the same setting. If the noise reduction (luminance and colour) is reduced to zero, there’s a lot of coloured speckling in images from both cameras, but the Sony A9 III has just a little more. Using Adobe Camera Raw’s AI Noise reception system does a brilliant job of removing the noise without destroying detail.
At the lower end of the ISO scale, the images from the Sony A9 III look great and there’s a good level of detail visible in my images of birds. Noise doesn’t really make an appearance until around ISO 3200, and even then, you have to look for it at 100% magnification.
Sony A9 III Sample Images
Follow the link to see full-resolution images from the Sony A9 III. Please respect our copyright.
The Sony A9 III's subject detection system is a significant benefit to anyone attempting to photograph birds in flight.
When you're lying on the ground, crawling towards geese, it's easier to let the camera find an eye and focus on it than the move the AF point around.
Despite the cyclists in a triathlon race wearing glasses and helmets, the Sony A9 III's subject detection system detected their heads and eyes very quickly as they entered the frame.
There's a good level of detail visible in this ISO 3200 image.
There's noise visible in this ISO 25,600, but it's not excessive.
Adobe Camera Raw's AI Noise reduction system has done a great job of removing the noise in the ISO 25,600 while preserving the detail.
Knowing the Sony A9 III would handle the focusing with ease allowed me to concentrate on panning smoothly with the cars.
Verdict
The Sony A9 III is a powerhouse for professional sports and action photographers. Its groundbreaking full-frame global shutter sensor sets it apart, allowing for high-speed shooting without the distortion typically caused by rolling shutters. The autofocus system, bolstered by AI-driven subject detection, is exceptionally fast and accurate, making it easier than ever to capture sharp images of fast-moving subjects. The camera’s handling is refined, with a few thoughtful tweaks in comparison with the A9 II.
While the camera’s limited ISO range may hint at a drawback of the global shutter, the results are good, with Adobe’s AI Noise Reduction being useful for high ISO images.
As impressive as the Sony A9 III is, its high price and moderate pixel count make it a niche camera. It’s unlikely to be the choice of professional photographers looking for an all-rounder. However, those who need the best or fastest autofocusing, and super-fast shutter speeds paired with flash will find it a great tool.
The SheClicks Awards Judging Panel was impressed by the advancements made by the Sony A9 III and its Global Shutter won the SheClicks Technical Innovation of the Year Award 2024.
