Hasselblad X1D II 50Cvs Leica SL3vs Sony A9 III

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Hasselblad Hasselblad X1D II 50C Hasselblad Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019) From £3999 Best for Fine art, portrait & entry-level medium format View Hasselblad X1D II 50C
VS
Leica Leica SL3 Leica Leica SL3 (2024) From £6499 Best for Professional & luxury hybrid shooters View Leica SL3
VS
Sony Sony A9 III Sony Sony A9 III (2023) From £5999 Best for Sports & action professionals View Sony A9 III

Which should you buy?

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.

Professional & Luxury Hybrid Shooters — Leica SL3 (2024): Leica's most capable mirrorless — 60MP, 30fps burst, 8K ProRes, and 7.5-stop IBIS with L-mount's growing lens ecosystem.

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.

↓ Full specifications below

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

Leica SL3 (2024)

  • You want Leica image quality with the convenience of autofocus and interchangeable lenses
  • You shoot portraits, commercial, or editorial and want the best Leica system camera
  • You plan to use Leica M lenses via adapter alongside native SL glass

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 leica sl3 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the hasselblad x1d ii 50c is the most affordable; only the leica sl3, sony a9 iii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)Leica SL3 (2024)Sony A9 III (2023)
Price £3,999 £6,499 £5,999
Sensor 50MP medium-format CMOS (43.8 × 32.9mm) 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter)
Resolution 50.0MP 60.0MP 24.6MP
Video None 8K/30p, 4K/60p, Apple ProRes 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p
Autofocus Contrast-detect AF Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect
Stabilisation None 7.5-stop IBIS 8-stop IBIS
Burst Rate 2.7fps 30fps electronic 120fps blackout-free electronic
Battery Life 370 shots (CIPA) 410 shots (CIPA) 530 shots (CIPA)
Weight 766g body only 875g body only 703g body only
Dimensions 148.0 × 97.0 × 73.8mm 146.0 × 104.0 × 42.0mm 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm
Weather Sealed No Yes Yes
Viewfinder 0.87" OLED EVF, 3.69M dots 0.78" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots
Screen 3.6" touchscreen 3.2" fixed touchscreen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount Hasselblad XCD Leica L-mount Sony FE (E-mount)
Memory Cards Dual SD UHS-II Dual SD UHS-II Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C 3.1, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
⚡ Compare specs side by side Hasselblad X1D II 50C prices → Leica SL3 prices → Sony A9 III prices →

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