Hasselblad X1D II 50Cvs Sony A9 III
Hasselblad
Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)
Starting from £3999 new
Best for Fine art, portrait & entry-level medium format
View Hasselblad X1D II 50C
Sony
Sony A9 III (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & action professionals
View Sony A9 III
GearScore™ Verdict — 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.
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
Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)
- Photographers entering medium format for the first time without full Hasselblad pricing
- Portrait and landscape photographers who want 50MP medium-format files
- X2D 100C buyers on a budget who can live with 50MP over 100MP
- Professionals who want Hasselblad colour and build at a more accessible price
Sony A9 III (2023)
- 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
Quick take: The hasselblad x1d ii 50c has the highest resolution at 50mp; the hasselblad x1d ii 50c is the most affordable; only the sony a9 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,999 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 50MP medium-format CMOS (43.8 × 32.9mm) | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 50.0MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | None | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | None | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 2.7fps | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | 370 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 766g body only | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 148.0 × 97.0 × 73.8mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.87" OLED EVF, 3.69M dots | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.6" touchscreen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Hasselblad XCD | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hasselblad X1D II 50C | Sony A9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Architecture | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history