Hasselblad X1D II 50Cvs Z5 IIvs 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
Nikon Z5 II Nikon Z5 II (2024) From £1299 Best for Full-frame value View Z5 II
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.

Full-Frame Value — Z5 II (2024): The most accessible full-frame mirrorless — dual card slots, weather sealing, and Nikon colour at a sensible price.

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

Z5 II (2024)

  • You want full-frame image quality at the lowest possible entry price
  • You shoot stills primarily — portrait, landscape, or travel
  • You're upgrading from a DSLR and want a familiar but thoroughly modern Nikon experience

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 z5 ii is the most affordable; only the z5 ii, sony a9 iii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)Z5 II (2024)Sony A9 III (2023)
Price £3,999 £1,299 £5,999
Sensor 50MP medium-format CMOS (43.8 × 32.9mm) 24.5MP Full-frame BSI CMOS 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter)
Resolution 50.0MP 24.5MP 24.6MP
Video None 4K/30p oversampled, 1080p/120p, N-Log 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p
Autofocus Contrast-detect AF Phase-detect, 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect
Stabilisation None 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops 8-stop IBIS
Burst Rate 2.7fps 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic 120fps blackout-free electronic
Battery Life 370 shots (CIPA) ~470 shots (CIPA) 530 shots (CIPA)
Weight 766g body only 700g body only 703g body only
Dimensions 148.0 × 97.0 × 73.8mm 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.9mm 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm
Weather Sealed No Yes Yes
Viewfinder 0.87" OLED EVF, 3.69M dots EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots
Screen 3.6" touchscreen 3.2" tilting touchscreen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount Hasselblad XCD Nikon Z-mount (full-frame) Sony FE (E-mount)
Memory Cards Dual SD UHS-II Dual SD UHS-II slots Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
⚡ Compare specs side by side Hasselblad X1D II 50C prices → Z5 II prices → Sony A9 III prices →

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