EOS R8vs Hasselblad X1D II 50Cvs Sony A9 III
Hasselblad
Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)
From £3999
Best for Fine art, portrait & entry-level medium format
View Hasselblad X1D II 50C
Which should you buy?
Full-Frame Entry — EOS R8 (2023): Canon's most affordable full-frame mirrorless — 4K/60p 10-bit and class-leading Dual Pixel AF at an accessible entry price.
Fine Art, Portrait & Entry-Level Medium Format — Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019): The most accessible Hasselblad XCD body — 50MP medium-format quality for those who cannot stretch to the X2D 100C.
Sports & Action Professionals — Sony A9 III (2023): A paradigm-shifting camera — the global shutter eliminates every rolling shutter limitation that has constrained action photography for years.
Who should buy what
EOS R8 (2023)
- You want full-frame image quality on a tight budget
- You shoot mainly in good light and can live without built-in stabilisation
- You primarily shoot stills with occasional video
Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)
- You want Hasselblad's legendary colour rendition in a modern mirrorless body
- You shoot portrait, landscape, or fine art photography at a professional level
- You value the camera as an object — aesthetics and build quality matter as much as specs
Sony A9 III (2023)
- You shoot professional sport, motorsport, or action and need zero rolling shutter distortion
- You need reliable high-speed flash sync for studio or on-location action work
- You want the absolute pinnacle of Sony's action and sports camera technology
Quick take: The hasselblad x1d ii 50c has the highest resolution at 50mp; the eos r8 is the most affordable; only the sony a9 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R8 (2023) | Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,099 | £3,999 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS | 50MP medium-format CMOS (43.8 × 32.9mm) | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 50.0MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p | None | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking | Contrast-detect AF | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | None | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic | 2.7fps | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | ~220 shots (CIPA) | 370 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 461g body only | 766g body only | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm | 148.0 × 97.0 × 73.8mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× | 0.87" OLED EVF, 3.69M dots | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.6" touchscreen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF mount (full-frame) | Hasselblad XCD | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
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