Is Sony About to Announce an APS-C Version of the a9?

Is Sony About to Announce an APS-C Version of the a9?

Sony is gearing up for a couple of announcements this week and the rumor sites seem fairly confident that the standout piece of news will be a sports-oriented, APS-C version of the Sony a9.

Rumors about this high-end APS-C camera have been bouncing around since last year and we’re still waiting to find out both the name and the format. Fortunately, we might finally be quite close as the announcement is due on July 17. If the new camera emerges with the same body as the a6400 and a6500, the name a6700 seems the most likely option. However, there’s a school of thought that believes it will be more in line with the a7 series of bodies which makes more sense if it’s to perform as the rumors suggest, hence the idea of a7000.

A larger body will offer a few benefits: firstly, IBIS can be improved by virtue of giving the sensor more space to bounce around in what was the gap once filled by a full-frame sensor. Secondly, there’s greater potential for heat dispersal, hopefully eliminating some of the problems that have dogged Sony bodies in the past while also opening up the possibility of 4K 60p.

Sony is also slated to be adding the autofocus system that currently features in the a6400 and was added to the a9 via firmware 5.00 a few months ago. The electronic shutter on the a9 is something fierce, taking advantage of the RAM chips the Sony stacked onto the back and creating an insane frame rate. Given that the APS-C will be smaller and that Sony is now at a mature stage with this sensor technology, there is the possibility that the Japanese manufacturer is planning something that is on par with the 30fps offered by the Fujifilm X-T3 but without the 1.25x crop.

To me, the release could be an attractive proposition for Canon 7D Mark II users who are wondering what the future holds for them. SonyAlphaRumors.com is also reporting that Sony has at least one APS-C lens lined up to make it even more tempting.

What would Sony’s camera have to feature to make you consider moving across? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Andy Day's picture

Andy Day is a British photographer and writer living in France. He began photographing parkour in 2003 and has been doing weird things in the city and elsewhere ever since. He's addicted to climbing and owns a fairly useless dog. He has an MA in Sociology & Photography which often makes him ponder what all of this really means.

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14 Comments

a7000 body style with the a9 focus and shutter I would gladly pay $1800 to go with my 200-600mm lens.

I am not a Sony guy but I think I would plunk down some money for an A9 styled APS-C model

That would be a fine camera for people who have kids in sports, etc but do not want to shell out A9 prices. Good backup or second camera for current A9 shooters as well.

Which ever form factor it is, it is at this point. But I very much am hoping for the A6500 style instead of a nose masher.

Nice and all but they really need to respond to upcoming the Canon 24-240f4-f16.3 and RP dragon punch combo.

They already have, it's called the FE 24-240 and A7ii

Now SAR is saying no apsc cam..!
.. I let that BH photo deal on the xt3 expire so if no apsc then I figure SAR owes me 200 bucks 😎

SAR finally! I love SAR, sometimes I feel KJL when I see SAR in town

I like SAR but you have to take what they say with a grain of salt. After all it's a rumor site. They've been wrong before on Sony announcements and they've been on and off again with the a7000 for months and months.

However, it's rare that I'm disappointed in whatever Sony releases so I'm looking forward to seeing what they announce.

Great I have just replaced my deceased a6300 with the a6400.

I'm going to lose my mind waiting for this S3 hahahahah

I think a larger body make a lot more sense (not that the A7 series are large but the A6000 series are tiny in comparison). If it's being marketed as a sports and wildlife camera then you're going to have big lenses anyway so there's no point to having a tiny body.

It has to have the 3.69 million dot EVF that's coming to be standard elsewhere; better AF than the 6400; and a body with a form factor that will accommodate super telephoto lenses (build in the damn grip that everyone adds to the A9). Most of all it has to have decent ergonomics all over. This is Sony's Achilles heel in sports and wildlife shooting.

I hope you are right about this. Sony must step up their game to truly compete in APS-C! Here are my top 5 suggestions: https://youtu.be/5A_kULXo29k