X-E3vs A1
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street & Travel — X-E3 (2017): The X-E3 is the lightest Fujifilm interchangeable-lens camera with the 24.3MP X-Trans III sensor. Its slim, compact body appeals to street photographers who find the X-T line too bulky. The touchscreen joystick and Bluetooth connection are welcome additions. 4K is technically available but limited to 15fps — this is a stills-first camera. An excellent compact travel camera at used-market prices.
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
X-E3 (2017)
- Street photographers who want Fujifilm colours
- Travel photographers prioritising size
- Minimalist camera users
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Quick take: The a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp; the x-e3 is the most affordable; only the a1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | X-E3 (2017) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS III | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.3MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 4K/15p, 1080p/60p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF, face detection | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | None | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 8fps (electronic shutter up to 14fps) | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 337g (body only) | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 121.3 × 73.9 × 42.7mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.62× magnification | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.0" touchscreen (fixed), 1.04M dots | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Fujifilm X-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | X-E3 | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with X-E3
Camera family history