We don't all need a camera as quick off the mark as the A9, but for photographers who demand speed in both autofocus and stills shooting, it's being pitched as something truly special.

The Sony a9 is a big step forward for mirrorless technology. It betters the fastest, most expensive SLRs in capture rate, spreads its autofocus system across almost the entirety of a full-fame image sensor, and has a really fantastic EVF-one that, in many ways, is a better option for shooting action...

Shoots at 20fps with subject tracking; Full-frame 24MP image sensor; 93-percent focus coverage; Electronic shutter eliminates blackout; Also supports traditional mechanical shutter; Large, crisp EVF; Tilting touch LCD; In-body 5-axis stabilization; New high-capacity battery; Dual SD slots; 4K video.

Pricey; Only one slot UHS-II compliant; Dense menu system; Uncompressed Raw capture cuts speed to 12fps; Lens library missing wide aperture super telephoto options

Though we as an organization avoid reporting on rumors and speculation of future camera products, we can't help but get just as excited as the next person speculating about upcoming new gear! One of the most hyped and most rumored cameras in recent years has been the Sony A9.

New sensor offers incredible performance; Excellent image quality at low & high ISOs; Very good dynamic range; Phenomenal 20fps burst speed & deep buffer; Very good battery life for a mirrorless; 4K video; Dual card slots

Slow buffer clearing; Only one UHS-II card slot; Touchscreen underutilized; No lossless RAW compression option; No 4K/60p option

The Sony Alpha 9 (or A9 for short) is a high-speed full-frame mirrorless camera that's designed to go head to head with Canon and Nikon's flagship professional DSLRs. It's capable of shooting 24MP images at 20 frames per second while keeping focus on moving subjects, and costs £4500.

Excellent handling and controls; Superb autofocus tracking; High-speed shooting with minimal distortion; Excellent electronic viewfinder with zero blackout; Impressive battery life

AF area not highlighted in viewfinder when moved via the joystick; Touchscreen woefully under-used

The Sony Alpha A9 is a phenomenal camera. It's not without its faults – we'll be interested to see how the weather-sealing holds up when it's properly exposed to the elements for starters, while the absence of XQD card slots and very limited touchscreen control is disappointing.

Blistering performance; Incredibly fast and capable AF; No viewfinder blackout; Impressive level of customization; Excellent results from 24MP sensor; High-res viewfinder; Oversampled 4K footage

Weather sealing not as robust as rivals; No XQD card slots; Balance not great with long lenses; Very limited touchscreen control; Battery life not a match for rivals

Upon returning home I couldn't resist spending a day on the bayou in an attempt to get some action shots of a Rougarou -Louisiana's fabled swamp-dwelling werewolf. Fortunately, there was nary a bloodthirsty monster in sight, but the Sony A9 performed admirably with more familiar subjects like flora...

Sony Alpha A9 (or A9 for short) is designed to compete against with Canon and Nikon's professional DSLRs. Here is our review

The a9 is an impressive shooter that can appeal to photo amateurs who can spend the money ($4999.99), or to professional photographers who prefer to carry a compact camera instead of a heavy DSLR.

Sony officially launched their newest flagship mirrorless camera today, the A9. The new camera is aimed at professionals that require a fast shooter , something that has long been dominated by traditional DSLR offerings from brands like Canon and Nikon .

The fastest mirrorless camera Sony's made yet.

So fast you'll forget about Nikon and Canon

That price means this is a pro camera