Sony Corp. will launch a mirrorless single-lens digital camera capable of photographing silently at high speed, targeting professionals and bird watchers who want to shoot without distracting their subjects.

The new model, Alpha 9, can continuously shoot up to 20 frames per second with the help of a CMOS image sensor to process data up to 20 times faster than previous Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras.

The electronics giant will start taking orders Thursday ahead of the product's May 26 release.

The CMOS sensor allows the camera to stay focused on athletes without a pause, helping capture them in motion during competition.

The silent shooting function helps photographers operate in noise-sensitive environments, such as around wild animals or birds, or when a golfer is playing a shot.

The camera body, together with its battery, weighs about 673 grams.

An expected retail price for the body is around ¥540,000, according to the company.