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Product photos: Richard Butler

The Sony a9 III is the company's latest high-speed pro sports camera. It features a Stacked CMOS sensor capable of shooting at 120 fps and able to read all its pixels out simultaneously: the long hoped-for 'global' shutter.

Key features

• 24MP global shutter Stacked CMOS sensor
• High speed shooting up to 120 fps
• Pre-burst capture of up to 1 sec before the shutter is fully pressed
• Shutter speeds up to 1/80,000 with flash sync across the full range
• 9.44M dot (2048 x 1536px) OLED viewfinder with 0.9x magnification
• 2.0M dot rear LCD with tilting cradle on a fully articulated hinge

The a9 III will be available in early 2024 at a recommended price of $6500. This is a $2000 increase over the previous iteration from 2019. A matching VG-C5 battery grip that provides space for two batteries is available for an additional $398.

Buy Now:

$5998 at Amazon $5998 at B&H $5998 at Adorama Index:

• What's new
• How it compares
• Body & handling
• Image quality
• Initial impressions
• Sample gallery
• Specifications

What's new Global shutter sensor

The big news with the a9 III is the move to a sensor that offers a global electronic shutter: reading out all its pixels simultaneously so that there's no lag or rolling shutter effect. Such sensors have existed before (some CCD chips, for instance), but this is the first one to use a full-frame sensor in a modern mirrorless camera to deliver the full potential benefits.

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The sensor delivers the camera's two main selling points: the global shutter, which extends what the camera can offer in three specific areas, and sheer speed. As well as having no motion distortion from its capture, the a9 III is able to shoot at up to 120 frames per second.

Its fast readout also allows incredibly high speed capture, with shutter speeds that extend to 1/80,000 sec. The global readout also means it can sync with flashes all the way up to its maximum shutter speed (though the power of the flash will be reduced at the very shortest exposures and may require the timing of the flash trigger signal to be fine-tuned so that the exposure syncs with the brightest point of the flash output).

There are downsides to the sensor, though: the global shutter design works by using what is effectively a second photodiode within each pixel to act as a buffer: holding the charge generated by the exposure so it can all be read out at the same time. This reduces the effective size of the photodiode used to capture the image, reducing the amount of charge each pixel can hold before it becomes full.

This reduced capacity for charge means the pixel becomes saturated sooner, so it can tolerate less light before clipping. In turn, this means it needs to be given less exposure, which is reflected in the base ISO of 250, 1.3EV higher than typical. Giving a sensor less light instantly reduces the image quality, because light itself is noisy, and this noise is more visible, the less light you capture.

120fps shooting The new C5 button on the front of the camera is set, by default, to activate the speed boost function for temporary access to 120 fps shooting.

The super-fast sensor readout allows the a9 III to deliver a faster shooting rate than we've ever seen from a sensor this large. Whereas the previous generation of Stacked CMOS sensors with progressive readout would shoot at up to 30 frames per second, the a9 III quadruples this to 120. Sony has published a list of its lenses that can operate at this full speed.

It's a reasonable question to consider how often even the most demanding sports photographers will need to shoot at 120 frames per second, and how much more sorting and selecting work will be created by generating so many additional files.

You can lower the burst rate to whatever makes the most sense for your specific subject, but there's also an option to temporarily jump back to a faster rate when you hold a button down, meaning you could shoot at, say, 30 fps in the buildup to what you expect to be the critical moment, then press a custom button to give a faster, more concentrated burst around the moment of interest itself.

Like the other recent high-end Sonys, the a9 III has a pair of CFexpress Type A and UHS-II SD card slots set one within the other, providing compatibility with both the widely available SD format or the faster CFexpress format. Both are still significantly slower than the CFe Type B cards adopted by most other manufacturers.

Interestingly, the a9 III continues to use Sony's preferred CFexpress Type A cards, which have half the read/write channels of the larger Type B format. This means the a9 III has to depend that bit more heavily on its internal buffer. It has the capacity to shoot 196 uncompressed 14-bit Raw files in a burst, allowing 1.6 seconds of capture at its fastest rate. This is nearly 10GB of data, which gives some idea of the size of the camera's buffer but also of how quickly you'd fill up your cards if you shot at full tilt in Raw.

Pre-capture

The a9 III becomes the first Sony to have a pre-capture feature: starting to buffer images when you half-press the shutter button or hold the AF-On button, then retaining up to one second's worth of images when you fully press the shutter. You can reduce the time period to as little as 1/200 sec if you're really confident in your ability to anticipate the crucial moment, but the pre-buffer time isn't affected by your choice of shooting rate.

Dedicated 'AI' processor

The a9 III gains the 'AI' processor that Sony first introduced in the a7R V. This does not add any 'intelligence' or learning in and of itself, but is designed to process the complex subject algorithms created by machine learning for functions such as subject recognition. This should boost the camera's subject recognition performance compared to previous generations of cameras, such as the a1, making the tracking more responsive and more robust.

8EV image stabilization The a9 III gets the flexible tilt-and-hinge cradle we previously saw on the a7R V. It can be manipulated into all sorts of positions, for wherever you're shooting from.

The a9 III also gains the latest image stabilization processing algorithms, helping it deliver performance that's rated at up to 8.0EV of correction, using the CIPA standard methodology. This is an appreciable increase over the 5.5EV offered by previous generations of cameras. Unlike Canon's system, this doesn't depend on synchronized use of in-body and in-lens IS mechanisms, so users should see an increase in correction performance over a wide range of lenses, though the peak correction may not be so well maintained quite so well at extremely long and short focal lengths.

C2PA authentication

Although not present at launch, Sony says it plans to add C2PA authentication to the a9 III. This is a cryptographic metadata standard developed by a range of software makers, camera makers and large media organizations that will provide a secure record of the file's provenance and edit history, allowing media organizations to know that the images they are receiving can be traced back to a specific camera and haven't been inappropriately manipulated.

How it compares

With its high shooting speed and pro-friendly features, the a9 III's closest competitors are the pro sports bodies from Canon and Nikon, as well as Sony's own a1. This is an exclusive group, not only in the sense of commanding a significant price but also in that they have professional support networks established to ensure working pros have the most possible 'up' time. While other cameras promise fast shooting and capable autofocus, these are the models that the most demanding professionals rely on.

Sony a9 III Sony a1 Canon EOS R3 Nikon Z9 MSRP $6500 $6500 $6000 $5500 Pixel count 24MP 50MP 24MP 46MP Sensor type Stacked CMOS
(Global shutter) Stacked CMOS Stacked CMOS Stacked CMOS Max burst rate 120fps 30fps 30 fps
196 fps** (AE/AF fixed) 30fps (JPEG)
20fps (Raw)
120fps (11MP JPEG) Pre-capture? Up to 1 sec – – JPEG only IS rating (CIPA) Up to 8.0 EV Up to 5.5EV Up to 8.0 EV Up to 6.0EV Base ISO 250 100 100 64 Max ISO 51200 102400 204800 102400 Max shutter speed 1/80,000 1/32,000
1/8000 mech 1/64,000***
1/8000 mech 1/32,000 Flash sync 1/80,000 1/400 1/250 EFCS
1/200 Mech
1/180 Elec 1/250 Viewfinder
res / size / eyepoint 9.44M dots
0.9x
25mm 9.44M dots
0.9x
25mm 5.76M dots
0.76x
23mm 3.69M dots
0.8x
23mm Refresh rate Std: 120 fps
High: 240 fps Std: 60 fps
High: 120 fps
H+: 240 fps* Power save: 60 fps
Smooth: 120 fps Std: 60 fps
High: 120 fps Rear screen 2.0M dots fully articulated on tilt cradle 1.44M dots fully articulated 4.15M dots fully articulating 2.1M dots, two-way tilt Max video res 4K up to 120p MOV 8K/30 UHD MOV 6K/60 DCI Raw
4K/120 DCI/UHD MOV 8K/60 Raw
8K/30 DCI MOV Media 2x CFexpress Type A / UHS II SD 2x CFexpress Type A / UHS II SD 1 CFe Type B
1 UHS II SDq 2x CFe Type B / XQD USB 10Gbps 10Gbps 10Gbps 5Gbps CIPA Battery life (LCD / EVF) 530 / 400 530 / 430 860 / 620 740 / 700 Weight 702g 737g 822g 1340g Dimensions 136 x 97 x 83 mm 129 x 97 x 81 mm 150 x 143 x 87 mm 149 x 150 x 91 mm

**Viewfinder res and display size are reduced
**AF and AE locked, in bursts of up to 50 images.
***Whole stop increments only between 1/16,000 and 1/64,000

The a9 III stands out, even from the other manufacturer's pro-grade cameras, in offering 120 fps shooting as a standard mode, with full AF and Raw capture, whereas Canon's R3 locks AF and AE at the first exposure (rarely ideal for the kinds of action shooting that require high speed bursts) and the Nikon outputs significantly reduced resolution JPEGs.

Like the EOS R3, the a9 III opts for speed over resolution, meaning it can't deliver the 8K footage that the a1 and Z9 can. Also, any users hoping for Raw video will need to buy an external recorder, rather than being able to capture this in-camera, as you can on the Canon and Nikon.

The biggest apparent shortcoming is the relatively low battery life of the a9 III, as it's a single grip camera and hence lacks the space for the larger batteries included in the Canon and Nikon. Adding the BG-C5 battery grip adds space for a second battery, as well as providing duplicate portrait orientation controls.

Body and handling

Although the company's a7, a9 and a1 models all look similar, each generation has seen the control layout reworked and details such as the handgrip tweaked. The a9 III sees a larger than typical re-working of Sony's ergonomics.

The grip is a little deeper, with a more prominent dent for the forefinger to rest in, but more significantly, the shutter button is placed on a surface that angles forward rather than sitting in the same plane as the camera's top plate. This means you don't have to rotate your hand or stretch your finger quite so far to reach the shutter. In turn, the custom buttons on the camera's top plate have been extended upwards so that they're still accessible from this less stretched position.

It's a relatively small adjustment but enough that you'll notice it after several hours of shooting. Given the a9 III's target audience, it's hard not to make assumptions that this change has been made in response to Sony's tie-up with the Associated Press, giving the company more feedback from a large pool of working pros.

Beyond this, the body is pretty familiar from the previous generation of cameras, with most of the control points and custom buttons existing in the same places. The main exception to this is that the a9 III gains a fifth custom button, on its front panel. By default, this is used for the 'speed boost' function, but this can be modified.

The a9 III has the same 9.44M dot (2048 x 1536px) OLED viewfinder that first appeared in the Sony a7R V. The optics in front of the panel give an impressive 0.9x magnification, meaning it's very large to look at, and the fast sensor means its full resolution is used even when refreshing at 120fps. There's a 240fps mode if you need an even more frequent update of what's going on in the scene, but this runs at a reduced resolution. The viewfinder shows no blackout at all when shooting images.

The rear screen is a 2M dot panel that's arranged on a tilting cradle that is itself hinged at the side, providing a wide range of movement and adjustment.

The a9 III uses the same NP-FZ100 battery as all the most recent full-frame cameras have. It's a well-sized 16.4Wh unit that powers the camera to a rating of 530 shots per charge, using the rear LCD according to CIPA standard tests. This drops to 400 shots per charge if you use the viewfinder. These are strong numbers compared to most cameras but some way behind those of its pro sports peers, which typically have a twin-grip body with space for a much larger battery.

Battery life can be increased significantly through the addition of the optional VG-C5 vertical grip. This adds the space for a second FZ100 and more than doubles the battery life, as Sony has developed a system for treating the two batteries as a single large power source.

It's also worth noting that the CIPA standard tests are even less reflective of the behavior of pro sports cameras than they are elsewhere. Bursts of images use much less power than the individual shot shoot-and-review process that standard testing assumes. As such, a rating of 400 shots per charge for a camera that shoots at 120 frames per second should not be taken to mean that the battery will only last for 3.3 seconds of holding the shutter down. This is nowhere close to being true.

Image quality

Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes to see the effect of different lighting conditions.

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We've looked at the a9 III's image quality and have found that its performance is up to a stop behind those of contemporary full-frame cameras. Essentially the halving of the photodiode size halves the amount of light the sensor can tolerate. This raises the base ISO, limiting the maximum image quality the camera can deliver (ie: comparing base ISO to base ISO).

The added complexity of the sensor's design also means that it isn't able to offer a second low-noise readout path as has become common in dual conversion gain sensors that dominate the market. This sees up to a stop noise penalty, relative to its full-frame peers.

All of that said, a lot of sports shooting doesn't necessarily happen at ISO 100, so being limited to ISO 250 or higher needn't be a major issue. Likewise, even a one-stop increase in noise at high ISO isn't likely to be a deal-breaking difference, especially if the a9 III's global shutter and incredibly rapid burst rates mean that it can get a shot that its rivals simply miss.

So, while the a9 III's sensor tech may not make as much sense in other cameras, for the high-speed users it's designed for, these aren't necessarily a significant drawback.

Initial impressions Only time in the hands of a large number of pro photographers will test how much value 120 fps capture with no risk of banding is, but historically faster has proven to be better, even when the current level of performance has let people get results.

We now have a full production spec a9 III but want to put it through its paces at some sporting events before drawing any firm conclusions about its overall performance, so these comments should still considered be initial impressions.

The arrival of global shutter is a significant advance for the industry, and provides a recognizable benefit in specific circumstances, specifically: high-speed flash sync, avoidance of banding with high-frequency displays and zero rolling shutter distortion for movies and very fast movement. However this capability comes at a cost, with the a9 III not being able to match the best image quality of its rivals.

The question is: do the camera's strengths outweigh this cost for the types of shooting it's designed for? The a9 III is a specialized camera designed for very specific types of shooting, not an all-rounder that might be used for landscape work, just as often as wildlife and sports. As a sports camera, speed is of the essence, and working at elevated ISOs is the norm. Likewise, the need for very broad dynamic range to be exploited during Raw processing isn't likely to be a priority for many of its users.

The provision of a LAN socket and full-sized HDMI port show that Sony wants the camera to fit readily into professional workflows, and the camera will ultimately succeed or fail on that basis.

This isn't to make excuses, just to put it in context. The a9 III offers capabilities for high speed capture far beyond those of its rivals, but at the cost of being a less flexible camera. Which may prove to be an acceptable, or even entirely reasonable, trade-off for sports pros, if it transpires that the ability to shoot at 120 fps around the critical moment, or to avoid any distracting ad-board flicker prove suitably valuable.

These caveats mean that the a9 III's advances need to be seen in context: global shutter probably shouldn't be assumed to be the future toward which all cameras are heading. For now the trade-offs mean it only makes sense for some photographers: those for which it's designed. And those trade-offs would have more significant impact in smaller sensors, so we're not suddenly dreaming of APS-C or Four Thirds sensors that utilize this particular technology.

Judged for what it is, though, the a9 III looks to be a very powerful addition to the market, with a lot of handling and workflow changes that will make it ideal for pro sports use. This is what we'll be testing over the coming weeks. However, that doesn't make it the camera by which all others should be judged.

Buy Now:

$5998 at Amazon $5998 at B&H $5998 at Adorama Pre-production sample gallery

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

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The Crucial Camera News From CES 2024 (So Far) Image: CTA

The Consumer Electronics Tradeshow of 2024 is kicking off, and while we don't expect any huge camera announcements this year, there are plenty of other bits and bobs of interest to the photographically inclined. Here on Sunday night, the first pre-show activities have begun, followed by a hurricane of press conferences on Monday and the show floor itself on Tuesday.

We're not on the ground in Vegas this year, but we are keeping close watch from afar to collect just the juicy photography-related news and round it up for you.

Here are the most important announcements, awards and releases (so far). We'll be updating this post as announcements roll out throughout the show, which runs until Friday, January 12th.

This post will be updated live throughout CES 2024. Check back for the latest announcements.

Canon MS-500 Interchangeable Lens Camera Image: Canon

Single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) technology is a photon-counting technique that's been in development for decades. Canon's prototypes of SPAD sensors, based around its 3.2MP chip, are some of the highest resolution examples and have accomplished impressive party tricks like capturing the movement of light as it travels through smoke. Now, with the MS-500, Canon has wrapped a Type 1 (13.2 x 9.9mm) SPAD sensor in a body that's actually up for sale, capable of capturing images of objects in color during the dead of night at distances of a mile and beyond. Its applications in hobbyist photography are scant, and its $21,000 price tag makes it clear this is for industrial and commercial purposes. But packaging this tech into a product that's actually for sale has earned it a CES 2024 Innovation Award.

Leica BLK2GO Pulse Handheld Laser Scanner Image: Leica

Leica Geosystems, which spun off from Leica's camera business in the 1990s, specializes in a different way of capturing reality through the travel of light: laser rangefinding. The company's BLK2GO PULSE, winner of a 2024 CES Innovation Award, puts a two-sensor, solid-state LiDAR array (designed in partnership with Sony), into a handheld body that can capture instant, colored point-cloud scans of a location in concert with the device's RGB cameras. Capable of capturing snapshots in a 10-meter range with a 2cm margin for error, the BLK2GO PULSE is definitely priced for commercial enterprises. Unless you've got $38,400 to burn, and something to use it for.

Boréas Solid-State Piezo Haptic Buttons Image: Boréas

Anything with points of friction is a potential point of failure, whether on a smartphone or a camera body. And while Apple has long replaced its Home buttons and trackpads with unmoving touch surfaces that only simulate a click, its 'Taptic Engine' still contains moving springs. Boréas' piezoelectric buttons have earned a CES Innovation award by taking the principle further, simulating a physical response, but with no points of internal friction or wear. Combined with the advent of electronic shutters, this tech brings us closer to cameras with no moving parts to break down – eventually.

Start your journey into learning the ins and outs of cameras by taking a deep dive into some of our best technical explainers.

We're about a week into 2024, and if you made any proclamations to refresh or improve your photo skills, we're here to help you with those photo/video resolutions.

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Whether you're learning how to use a camera for the first time, or you're an old hat seeking to brush up, or even if you're a person who loves to troll other people's work but never share your own (you know who you are), we have a little something for everyone.

Over the years, we've chronicled the rise of digital photography and written our fair share of technical breakdowns, tutorials and how-tos. In honor of a new year, we thought it might be a good time to corral up our best reads for learning, and here they are, everything to help you get the most of your cameras.

These articles are focused on what's going on under the hood. If you understand where noise is coming from, how the different types of shutter work and what ISO does (and doesn't) mean, everything else should be less of a mystery.

Understanding shutter settings

As you're setting up your camera, you may see settings for mechanical and electronic shutters. With the shift to mirrorless, many cameras today will let you choose which type of shutter to use. A few cameras may limit you to only e-shutter. One type of shutter isn't better than the other, they each have their strengths and weaknesses, which means knowing which one to use in each situation will be crucial to give you the best shooting results.

Electronic shutter, rolling shutter and flash: what you need to know

What about global shutter?

Understanding camera ISO

At its most basic, a camera is a box that captures light controlled by an aperture and a shutter speed setting. But there's a third option that affects the final image: ISO. With the former two, these are things that are easier to grasp since you can more easily see them: aperture blades in a lens going from wide to narrow as you increase the f-stop or images having more or less motion blur as you change shutter settings.

With ISO, we often understand it's related to the sensor's sensitivity to light, a definition we carry over from the film days, but it's not quite that simple. It turns out ISO is a slippery thing. It's not necessarily amplification or gain. Understanding what it is (and isn't), can help you understand what your camera's doing, and when you might want to overrule it.

Start off with a primer: What is ISO?

Where ISO gets complex

Understanding noise

Related to ISO, you'll often hear folks talk about high ISO noise, but this can lead to a misunderstanding of where that noise is coming from. In most photography, it's the shutter speed and aperture settings that dictate most of the noise in your image, because the speckled 'grain' you're seeing in your photos is caused by the way light itself behaves.

Read our primer to learn how to understand and mitigate noise in your photography.

Shedding light on the sources of noise

Understanding dynamic range

Dynamic range is one of those things that is hard to explain but easy to spot. Seeing a picture of trees, we can point and say that DR is the brightness that your camera can capture, from the brightest (where the information 'clips') to the darkest usable tone. But looking at what's happening to the 'signal' of light as it enters the camera, hits the sensor, and runs through the processor, it starts to paint a more nuanced picture.

DR can be a good indicator of how flexible the Raw files coming out of your camera are, but it doesn't tell you much more than that.

DR is also something photographers seem to love to argue about, but it's best to brush up so you're armed and ready for the next flame war. We take a quick look at why DR numbers are only a small part of the story in a three-part series.

DR part 1: More than a number

DR part 2: How number can mislead

DR part 3: Why you need DR

Understanding bit depth

Raw bit depth is often discussed as a measurement of how many colors a camera is capable of capturing. This isn't really true. Raw bit depth plays more of a role in how much dynamic range a file can maintain, not the number of colors you get to capture. As a result more, if your camera can't capture more than 12 stops of DR, shooting in 14-bit Raw won't capture more detail, it'll just capture more noise.

Get the low down on bit depth

Understanding 'equivalence' and exposure

Photography is all about light, and understanding how much light you're capturing can help you understand why your images are noisy and what you might do about that.

The standard exposure model intentionally disguises the role played by film size or sensor format, so that you can use the 'same' settings on whatever camera you're using. Taking a whole-image perspective can help you understand why different formats offer different ranges of capability and where those ranges overlap.

It's most useful when deciding which format you want to adopt, but it can also help you understand the many circumstances in which one format can match another; if you don't tie your hands by trying to use the same settings.

Breaking down equivalence and light

Understanding color

After you've taken your photos or videos, you may want to dive into color correction or color grading. To get the most out of your image editing, you'll ideally want to have a properly calibrated monitor. It stands to reason, if your monitor is too blue, then you'll end up editing all your photos too blue.

Read our Intro to Color Calibration series by starting with "Color measurement basics and how colorimeters work." Then, once you have the basics down, move on to part two of the series, "How monitor calibration actually works."

Read "Intro to color, part 1"Read "Intro to color, part 2"

Understanding HDR

As HDR displays start to become more prominent in computers and TVs, we are finally getting the benefits of 'true' HDR photography as it was meant to be seen, as a more naturalistic wide range of brightness rather than the high-contrast candy-colored processing we've come to think of when someone says HDR.

Support for HDR editing was added to Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom last year, so it's a good time to brush up on how it works and why it matters for our future displays.

Getting started with HDR editing

HDR displays explained

Understanding Raw video

Most photographers have a good sense for the additional flexibility that Raw stills offer over trying to edit JPEGs. So it's easy to fall into the trap of assuming that Raw video will offer the same benefits. This isn't necessarily the case.

Software doesn't necessarily support all the common formats, and that support can be patchy and partial. There are also some well-established workflows for shooting 10-bit Log footage that offer much higher levels of flexibility than 8-bit JPEGs, meaning there's less of a gain to be had for capturing the larger Raw files. There are benefits to be had, but you have to work for them. Here's why Raw video may not be the gamechanger you might expect:

Why Raw video isn't the gamechanger you might expect

BONUS: A trip through sensor history

It's fun to look at old tech and see how far the sensors at the heart of our cameras have come. If you're curious about what came before the camera you're currently using, look back at the history of camera sensors with us. It's a fun start to a journey into ongoing learning, just be careful about g.a.s.

Tech timeline: Milestones in sensors

BONUS: What is a Bayer filter and what does it mean?

Underpinning most of our cameras through the history of digital photography has been the Bayer Color Filter Array. A system developed by Kodak's Bryce Bayer over 40 years ago, it's a design that captures color information by capturing red, green and blue information through an interspersed mosaic-style array. It's a genuinely brilliant piece of design and highly effective. These filters are far from perfect (we get into the limits in the article below) but they've earned their place in digital photography history and are still used today by some cameras.

How Bayer's baby changed the world

BONUS: Understanding the DPReview studio test scene

If you find yourself wanting to learn more about cameras, you can take a look at one way we elevate cameras. Take a look behind at our studio scene tool. There's a lot of stuff on this scene and none of it arrived by accident. Every inch tells a different story about camera performance and aids us in comparing multiple cameras across the years. Are you curious how an older version of your camera performed compared to your current one? Want to see how it stacks up to the competition? You can do this and more with our tool, but only if you learn how to read it.

An introduction to our studio test scene

A DPReview history of the test scene

We've just had the chance to put a production Sony a9 III through our studio scene. The question we most wanted to answer was: is there any image quality cost to adopting a global shutter sensor? The short answer is: yes.

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Global shutter sensors have been available and used in industrial settings for some time now, but haven't made their way across to photography because the more complex design meant their image quality wasn't a match for the best progressive-scan CMOS designs. Sony said the a9 III's Stacked CMOS design overcame any compromise in ISO or dynamic range. This doesn't appear to be the case.

Buy Now:

$5998 at Amazon $5998 at B&H $5998 at Adorama

However, in the context of a professional sports photography, the compromises that have been made may well make sense, in return for the sheer speed of capture the a9 III is capable of, both in terms of burst rate and its fast, distortion-free shutter.

$(document).ready(function() { ImageComparisonWidget({"containerId":"reviewImageComparisonWidget-27854775","widgetId":898,"initialStateId":5837}) })

The most immediate difference in capability is that the a9 III has a base ISO of 250. This means that you can't give it as much light as its peers with base ISOs of 100 or lower. This is not necessarily an issue for sports photography, where maintaining a high shutter speed is much more important than the need to optimize image quality by staying at a low ISO.

Has the studio scene changed?

The a9 III is one of the first cameras we've shot since setting up our studio scene at our new location. Our a7CR images raised concerns about how consistent the results are between the new installation and our previous setup. In response to these concerns, we re-shot the Sony a7R V (whose higher resolution viewfinder makes it much easier to fine-focus than the a7CR) and checked the Raw values against the photos taken in the old studio.

With some slight adjustment of the lights, we reduced the existing 0.08EV discrepancy down to 0.02EV difference for the grey patches we use for noise assessment. We wanted to make sure that both we and our audience could have complete faith in the consistency of the test scene before testing the a9 III.

The files shot on Jan 2nd 2024 and the original versions, as featured in the comparison tool, shot on Nov 11 2022, can be downloaded here.

What might be of more concern to sports shooters is that the high ISO performance appears to be as much as one stop noisier$(document).ready(function() { $("#icl-5838-917692873").click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5838); }); }) than its full-frame rivals, especially as you reach its highest ISO settings$(document).ready(function() { $("#icl-5839-2086734876").click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5839); }); }). There's a noticeable softness to the 'grain' pattern in the a9 III's images too, which we suspect is the result of noise reduction being applied in the Raws.

This is in line with what we expected. Essentially the a9 III's sensor works by having two photodiodes at each pixel: one to capture the light, initially, and the second to act as a holding buffer, that allows all the pixels to be read-out simultaneously. This design effectively halves each pixel's capacity for light, which explains the elevated base ISO and the decreased noise performance, which brings it closer into line with the performance of APS-C cameras. In addition, the complexity of the design means we don't get the dual conversion gain circuitry that helps improve high ISO performance on other recent cameras.

How does the a9 III's dynamic range compare?

Just as staying at low ISOs is rarely critical for sports, nor is maximizing dynamic range for a discipline that generally shoots JPEGs for immediate delivery, with no time to exploit extra DR during careful processing as, for instance, landscape shooters might.

The sensor's reduced capacity for light has an impact on dynamic range, since the entire image becomes noisier, but we should be careful not to double-count this by interpreting it as a separate dynamic range cost. At its launch, Sony told us the a9 III has dynamic range comparable with previous models, and our measurements show that it is comparable with cameras when operating at ISO 250. Notably most other cameras can operate at lower ISOs than this, and hence have a higher maximum dynamic range than the a9 III.

When compared, the Sony a9 II, if anything, shows more noise if shot at its ISO 200 setting when brightened, than the a9 III. The a9 III's smaller photodiodes mean there's more photon shot noise in the ISO 6400 shots (simply because the Mk III captured less light), but if you try brightening the low ISO files there doesn't appear to be an additional (electronic) read noise cost. It's the same story if you try to reduce exposure at base ISO and brighten: the a9 III is a little behind the a9 II because its base ISO is higher, but there's not a big difference in additional noise if you compare similar exposures (where photon shot noise would be similar so differences caused by read noise would become apparent).

Summary

Examining the a9 III's images shows everything that you'd expect from it having a reduced capacity for light. The higher base ISO isn't inherently a problem for sports shooters, so it's simply a question of whether the noise penalty is worthwhile for all the things that super-fast 120fps shooting and global shutter bring. That's something we'll consider in more depth in our final review.

But what does this trade-off mean beyond the pro sports market? Our tests show that this sensor's performance comes with an image quality hit that might make less sense for general photography. Furthermore, this cost of up to a stop of image quality in return for added performance is likely to make global shutter less appealing in the smaller APS-C and Four Thirds formats, which don't have the luxury of so much IQ to give up.

Overall, the a9 III still looks promising, for its intended purpose, but it shouldn't be assumed to herald the future of cameras as a whole.

Buy Now:

$5998 at Amazon $5998 at B&H $5998 at Adorama

We've just had the chance to put a production Sony a9 III through our studio scene. The question we most wanted to answer was: is there any image quality cost to adopting a global shutter sensor? The short answer is: yes.

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Global shutter sensors have been available and used in industrial settings for some time now, but haven't made their way across to photography because the more complex design meant their image quality wasn't a match for the best progressive-scan CMOS designs. Sony said the a9 III's Stacked CMOS design overcame any compromise in ISO or dynamic range. This doesn't appear to be the case.

Buy Now:

$5998 at Amazon $5998 at B&H $5998 at Adorama

However, in the context of a professional sports photography, the compromises that have been made may well make sense, in return for the sheer speed of capture the a9 III is capable of, both in terms of burst rate and its fast, distortion-free shutter.

$(document).ready(function() { ImageComparisonWidget({"containerId":"reviewImageComparisonWidget-41675446","widgetId":898,"initialStateId":5837}) })

The most immediate difference in capability is that the a9 III has a base ISO of 250. This means that you can't give it as much light as its peers with base ISOs of 100 or lower. This is not necessarily an issue for sports photography, where maintaining a high shutter speed is much more important than the need to optimize image quality by staying at a low ISO.

Has the studio scene changed?

The a9 III is one of the first cameras we've shot since setting up our studio scene at our new location. Our a7CR images raised concerns about how consistent the results are between the new installation and our previous setup. In response to these concerns, we re-shot the Sony a7R V (whose higher resolution viewfinder makes it much easier to fine-focus than the a7CR) and checked the Raw values against the photos taken in the old studio.

With some slight adjustment of the lights, we reduced the existing 0.08EV discrepancy down to 0.02EV difference for the grey patches we use for noise assessment. We wanted to make sure that both we and our audience could have complete faith in the consistency of the test scene before testing the a9 III.

The files shot on Jan 2nd 2024 and the original versions, as featured in the comparison tool, shot on Nov 11 2022, can be downloaded here.

What might be of more concern to sports shooters is that the high ISO performance appears to be as much as one stop noisier$(document).ready(function() { $("#icl-5838-917692873").click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5838); }); }) than its full-frame rivals, especially as you reach its highest ISO settings$(document).ready(function() { $("#icl-5839-2086734876").click(function() { ImageComparisonWidgetLink(5839); }); }). There's a noticeable softness to the 'grain' pattern in the a9 III's images too, which we suspect is the result of noise reduction being applied in the Raws.

This is in line with what we expected. Essentially the a9 III's sensor works by having two photodiodes at each pixel: one to capture the light, initially, and the second to act as a holding buffer, that allows all the pixels to be read-out simultaneously. This design effectively halves each pixel's capacity for light, which explains the elevated base ISO and the decreased noise performance, which brings it closer into line with the performance of APS-C cameras. In addition, the complexity of the design means we don't get the dual conversion gain circuitry that helps improve high ISO performance on other recent cameras.

How does the a9 III's dynamic range compare?

Just as staying at low ISOs is rarely critical for sports, nor is maximizing dynamic range for a discipline that generally shoots JPEGs for immediate delivery, with no time to exploit extra DR during careful processing as, for instance, landscape shooters might.

The sensor's reduced capacity for light has an impact on dynamic range, since the entire image becomes noisier, but we should be careful not to double-count this by interpreting it as a separate dynamic range cost. At its launch, Sony told us the a9 III has dynamic range comparable with previous models, and our measurements show that it is comparable with cameras when operating at ISO 250. Notably most other cameras can operate at lower ISOs than this, and hence have a higher maximum dynamic range than the a9 III.

When compared, the Sony a9 II, if anything, shows more noise if shot at its ISO 200 setting when brightened, than the a9 III. The a9 III's smaller photodiodes mean there's more photon shot noise in the ISO 6400 shots (simply because the Mk III captured less light), but if you try brightening the low ISO files there doesn't appear to be an additional (electronic) read noise cost. It's the same story if you try to reduce exposure at base ISO and brighten: the a9 III is a little behind the a9 II because its base ISO is higher, but there's not a big difference in additional noise if you compare similar exposures (where photon shot noise would be similar so differences caused by read noise would become apparent).

Summary

Examining the a9 III's images shows everything that you'd expect from it having a reduced capacity for light. The higher base ISO isn't inherently a problem for sports shooters, so it's simply a question of whether the noise penalty is worthwhile for all the things that super-fast 120fps shooting and global shutter bring. That's something we'll consider in more depth in our final review.

But what does this trade-off mean beyond the pro sports market? Our tests show that this sensor's performance comes with an image quality hit that might make less sense for general photography. Furthermore, this cost of up to a stop of image quality in return for added performance is likely to make global shutter less appealing in the smaller APS-C and Four Thirds formats, which don't have the luxury of so much IQ to give up.

Overall, the a9 III still looks promising, for its intended purpose, but it shouldn't be assumed to herald the future of cameras as a whole.

Buy Now:

$5998 at Amazon $5998 at B&H $5998 at Adorama

Our year in cameras

The major manufacturers released 21 new cameras in 2023, three more than the previous year. Perhaps this is an early indicator that the slowdown in manufacturing and chips we saw during the pandemic may be coming to an end.

We've compiled a list of every major camera released last year. There are certainly some new cameras we expect to be favorites for years to come, as well as some headscratchers. When we break it down by manufacturer, some were definitely more busy than others.

It's pure speculation what any of this means for 2024: will the trend of increased new releases continue? Will others who were quiet in 2023 ramp up this year? Will a new leader emerge? Time will tell.

A quick note: this list isn't meant to be an all-inclusive rundown. For instance, you won't find instant cameras, action cameras, smartphones or outliers like the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses in this recap. You also won't see the Sony a9 III on this list because it was only announced in 2023 and not released.

Canon

Canon released four cameras between February and May 2023.

The EOS R8 was a more-than-capable entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera that earned a place in our end-of-year buying guide. At under $1500, we gave it high marks for packing Canon's latest AF capabilities and attractive video in a compact, ergonomic body with twin dials.

Around the same time, the EOS R50 also was announced. A compact mirrorless built around a 24 MP APS-C sensor, it was aimed at entry-level smartphone users seeking something a little more out of a camera.

Later in the year, the EOS R100 and PowerShot V10 arrived. The R100 was a parts bin of camera parts, cobbled together with previous generation tech and less sophisticated autofocus, and the V10 was a vlogging camera with a mic array and social media-friendly filters.

Fujifilm

Fujifilm released two cameras last year, and both cameras were head-turners.

In May 2023 the X-S20 arrived, and it was a lot of camera for its price point. We gave it a slot in our best cameras under $1500 buying guide. It improves on the X-S10 meaningfully by improving the video, but we did note that it still lags behind competitors in AF tracking.

The GFX 100 II feels like a camera with big ambitions. Fujifilm's latest medium format sees improvements to the sensor, IS and AF. It also captures 8K video and has tools like waveform and vectorscope display.

Leica

Leica released three cameras in 2023, two of which were variations on the M11.

First there was the M11 Monochrom in April, which removed the color filter array from the M11's 61MP BSI CMOS sensor. That difference gives the camera a base ISO that's one stop higher than that of the color version (without filters absorbing the light, the sensor doesn't need as much exposure to saturate).

In October, the M11-P variation came with the usual flourishes that come with 'P' models (no Leica red logo stamp on the front, a glass screen cover) and also added metadata recording abilities following standards from the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI). That latter addition also makes it the first camera on the market to use CAI systems.

In between these, the Q3 refreshed Leica's fixed-lens range-finder style camera line. It updated on its predecessor with a higher resolution 60MP full-frame sensor, improved burst rates and added the ability to shoot 8K/30p video.

Nikon

Nikon released two cameras last year, and they both earned high marks in our buying guides and our annual DPReview Awards.

The Z8 took everything great about the Nikon Z9 and trimmed it down into a smaller package for $1500 less. Wonderful image quality and AF are married with nice video performance and thoughtful ergonomics. We liked it enough to give it our award for Product of the Year 2023.

Another DPReview award winner, the Zf finally gave users the full-frame retro-inspired camera they'd long awaited. Combining modern tech with late 70s/early 80s design language, it brings forth a photo/video camera that is fun to use and be seen using.

OM Digital Solutions

It was a quiet year for OM Digital Solutions; the Tough TG-7 was its only camera released in 2023.

A rugged, waterproof compact with a 25-100mm equivalent zoom lens, it's fully waterproof down to a depth of 15m (50 ft). We recommend it as our best waterproof compact, in part because, unlike other rugged cameras, it lets you shoot Raw images, which can come in handy if you're shooting underwater and need to make adjustments.

Panasonic

Panasonic released three cameras last year. Well, two, really, as the DC-S5II and DC-S5IIX were announced at the same time, and the differences between them are primarily in video specs aimed at professionals and power users. The 'X' version adds the ability to output ProRes footage directly to an external SSD or Raw footage over HDMI. If you're only interested in stills, there's no need to pay more for the 'X' version. The result is a well-priced camera that offers both stills and video shooters a reason to look closely at the L-mount system.

On the other end of the spectrum from the feature-packed enthusiast-level full-frame cameras is the DC-G9 II, the company's first Micro Four Thirds camera with phase-detect autofocus. It's a high-end model aimed at still shooters, with a clean layout that places the most often used controls at your fingertips.

Ricoh / Pentax

Ricoh only had one camera release last year.

The Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome is a variant of its 25.7MP APS-C DSLR with no color filter array. The loss of the color filter array results in the usual benefits: gain a stop of light across all ISO settings, sharper images (no need to demosaic), no chroma noise, and more image detail overall. It was a big swing, and we were glad to see Pentax trying something different.

(Note: we're not counting the WG-90 as a 2023 camera since it won't hit store shelves until later this year.)

Sony

Sony, by far, released the most new cameras in 2023. It put out a whopping five new cameras, ranging from pocketable compacts to feature-packed 60MP full-frame cameras.

March saw the ZV-E1, a camera that asked, what if we took some of the tech from the Sony a7S III and Sony FX3 and jammed it into a camera aimed at vloggers? The result was a full-frame high-end camera that reframed what it meant to be a 'vlogging' camera.

A few months later, the ZV-1 Mark II arrived; it was an update with an enticing 18–50mm equivalent F1.8–4.0 lens. A stacked CMOS sensor aided video capture with great AF and a quick readout. The camera excelled at video, but we felt it came up short for stills.

July's a6700 added a new enthusiast-level APS-C mirrorless. It excelled in everything we threw at it and continued the a6000 series' reputation as a great bang-for-the-buck option for users willing to trade a larger sensor and some ergonomics in exchange for robust image quality, video and some of the industry's best AF.

Finally, we have the a7C II and a7CR, two cameras with similar body styling, button layout, AF systems and 10-bit video capture. The major difference lies in the sensor: 33MP for the a7C II and 61MP for the a7CR. Each represents an interesting option for shooters interested in specs and traveling light.

That's all folks

And that's the year. It's interesting to see the slight uptick in new bodies (both 2021 and 2022 saw 18 central camera releases each). It makes you think about what might be next.

How do you think the camera industry did in 2023? Where do you think it's going in 2024? What are you most excited about? What would you like to see next? Share your 'hot takes' in the comments, and let's meet in 12 months to do it again.

Have your say: Best gear of 2022

For the past few weeks, our readers have been voting on their favorite cameras and lenses released in 2023. Now that the first round of voting is over, it's time to reveal the winners. Notably, 2023 appears to be the first time a single brand came very close to a clean sweep across all the Reader's Choice award categories.

Remember, though, it isn't over just yet! It's now time to pick an overall winner. Don't miss your chance to cast your ballot – this one's for all the bragging rights.

Best prime lens Honorable Mention: Nikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR S

First up is the 2023 honorable mention for best prime lens, the Nikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR S, a super telephoto that's light enough for long periods of handheld use. It achieves this in part through the use of a size-reducing Phase Fresnel element, resulting in a lens that's 278mm (11") long and at 1,390g (3 lbs). It's compatible with Nikon's 1.4x and 2x teleconverters for even more reach.

In recent years, Nikon has done a great job designing compact prime lenses that put high-quality telephoto options within the budgetary reach of enthusiasts, and it looks like it's hit another home run with the 600mm F6.3 VR S.

Buy now:

$4897 at B&H $4897 at Adorama $4797 at Amazon Best prime lens Winner: Nikon Z 135mm F1.8 S Plena

The 2023 Reader's Choice Award for best prime lens goes to the Nikon Z 135mm F1.8 S Plena, a mid-telephoto portrait prime for its Z-series cameras. It's Nikon's second Z-mount lens to carry a unique moniker, joining 2019's 58mm F0.95 S Noct, and is designed for sharpness, edge-to-edge brightness and round bokeh with minimal cat's eye effect. We were mighty impressed with this lens when shooting our pre-production sample gallery, and apparently, you were, too, because it won this category by a healthy margin.

Buy now:

$2500 at B&H $2500 at Adorama Best zoom lens Honorable Mention: Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Receiving an honorable mention for best zoom lens is the Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G, an ultra-wide to normal, constant aperture zoom lens. On paper, it doesn't sound much wider than a standard 24-70mm zoom, but those extra four inches at the wide end make a world of difference. Optically, this lens is sharp wide open while providing pleasing bokeh.

It pairs particularly well with Sony's newest compact bodies, the A7C II and A7CR, providing a relatively compact yet versatile travel kit with a full-frame sensor. We're not surprised that readers selected this lens as one of their top picks of 2023.

Buy now:

$1098 at B&H $1098 at Adorama $1098 at Amazon Best zoom lens Winner: Nikon Z 180-600mm F5.6-6.3 VR

The winner of the 2023 Reader's Choice Award for best zoom lens goes to the Nikon Z 180-600mm F5.6-6.3 VR, the spiritual successor to Nikon's F-mount 200-500mm F5.6 lens, covering a versatile telephoto to super telephoto range in a single optic. At 1955g (4.3 lbs) without its tripod foot, it's not the lightest lens in Nikon's lineup, but thanks to 5.5 stops of vibration reduction and a short, 70-degree zoom ring throw to switch between extreme focal lengths, it is pretty usable even handheld.

Along with the 600mm F6.3 that won the honorable mention in the prime lens category, the 180-600mm F5.6-6.3 is the second Nikon telephoto lens to win a Reader's Choice award this year.

Buy now:

$1696 at B&H 1696 at Adorama Best camera Honorable Mention: Nikon Zf

The Nikon Zf ticks off almost all the essential boxes on an enthusiast camera spec sheet, but what makes this camera unique is its classic style, designed to mimic the look of the company's FM2 SLR from the early 1980s. The Zf isn't Nikon's first attempt at a retro camera, but it's the one many enthusiasts have been waiting many years to arrive, and with an MSRP at the $2000 price point, it's very price-competitive in its category.

We were impressed enough with this camera to give it the Best Enthusiast Camera award in our 2023 Annual Awards, and it looks like you agree that it's one of the best products of 2023.

Buy now:

$1997 at B&H Photo $1997 kit at Adorama $1997 at Amazon Best camera Winner: Nikon Z8

The 2023 Reader's Choice Award winner for best camera goes to the Nikon Z8. We're not surprised to see this topping your list as 2023's best camera: it features the same 45MP stacked sensor and processor as its big brother, the Nikon Z9, but in a smaller body and much more approachable price point. In some ways, it's the mirrorless successor to the Nikon D850, one of the best DSLRs ever made, and we think it's an apt comparison.

In our 2023 Annual Awards, the Nikon Z8 walked away with two trophies: Best High-End Camera and 2023's Product of the Year. It looks like it may be trying to make a clean sweep of the Reader's Choice Awards as well.

Buy now:

$3997 at B&H Photo $3997 at Adorama $3997 at Amazon Have your say - vote for Product of the Year!

You helped determine the winners in these individual categories, so now's the time to cast your vote in one last poll! Choose your favorite product from this list of winners and runners-up between now and Monday, January 8th. Watch for an announcement of the winning products shortly after the poll closes.

As always, thanks for casting your votes and being a part of our community throughout the year.

. Have your say$(document).ready(function() { Poll({"pollId":"2390005152","openForVoting":true,"mainElementId":"poll0","slot":null,"isSingleChoicePoll":true,"minNumberOfChoices":1,"maxNumberOfChoices":1}); })Have your say: 2023 Product of the YearNikon Z 135mm F1.8 S PlenaNikon Z 180-600mm F5.6-6.3 VRNikon Z 600mm F6.3 VR SNikon Z8Nikon ZfSony FE 20-70mm F4 GYou need to login to vote

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This poll is meant to be a bit of fun. It's not sponsored, promoted, or paid for in any way, and DPReview doesn't care how you vote. Our Reader's polls are run on the basis of trust. As such, we ask that you only vote once from a single account.

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Photo: Shaminder Dulai

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2024! As we start a new year, now is a great time to subscribe to DPReview's recently re-launched weekly newsletter. It's the best photography, camera and gear news, delivered right to your inbox.

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