Decision tools · Compare
A1 vs A9 III
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 55MP; the A1 is the most affordable; only the A9 III is weather sealed.
Different kinds of camera — their specs aren't comparable, so read the rows as facts, not a contest.
32 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
A9 III — Sports & Action Professionals: A paradigm-shifting camera — the global shutter eliminates every rolling shutter limitation that has constrained action photography for years.
Who should buy what
A9 III (2023)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional sports photographers who need zero blackout and 120fps burst
- Wildlife photographers who demand the most advanced Sony AF available
- Photojournalists who need flash sync at any shutter speed
- A9 II owners upgrading to the world's first full-frame global shutter
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A1Antigravity · 2025 | A9 IIISony · 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £909Best | £5,699 |
| Sensor | — | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 55.0MPBest | 24.6MP |
| Video | — | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | — | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | — | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | — | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | — | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | — | 703g (body only) |
| Dimensions | — | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | — | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | — | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Fixed lens (360°, f/2.2) | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | — | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | — | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Take-off weight | 249 g | — |
| Fly without registering | Yes — under 250 g | — |
| Flight time | 24 min | — |
| Wind resistance | 10.7 m/s | — |
| Obstacle sensing | Omnidirectional | — |
| Video link | OmniLink 360 | — |
| Range | 6.0 km | — |
| Top speed | 16.0 m/s | — |
| Cameras | 1 | — |
| RAW stills | Yes | — |
| Vertical shooting | Not supported | — |
| Intelligent flight | Subject tracking, waypoints, return-to-home | — |
| Storage | 20 GB built in + microSD slot | — |
| Controller in the box | Vision goggles + Grip Motion Controller | — |
| FPV | Yes, goggles in the box | — |
| Folds | Yes | — |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
A1
A9 III
Portrait
—
8.5/10
Street
—
6.6/10
Travel
—
6.4/10
Wedding & Events
—
8.5/10
Vlogging & Video
—
6.4/10
Filmmaking
—
8.2/10
Documentary
—
8.2/10
Sports & Action
—
9.4/10
Landscape
—
6.5/10
Wildlife
—
9.2/10
Casual
—
5.3/10
Food
—
7.9/10
Macro
—
7.6/10
Architecture
—
6.6/10
Astrophotography
—
6.8/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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