Lumix S9vs A7 III
Lumix
Lumix S9 (2024)
From £1299
Best for Travel photographers, content creators & L-mount entry buyers
View Lumix S9
Which should you buy?
Travel Photographers, Content Creators & L-Mount Entry Buyers — Lumix S9 (2024): The most compact full-frame camera available — a perfect travel and content creation companion with brilliant colour science.
All-Round Photography & Video — A7 III (2018): Still one of the best all-round cameras money can buy — particularly strong used. The A7 III proved that full-frame doesn't have to mean compromises, and nothing at this price point has meaningfully beaten it.
Who should buy what
Lumix S9 (2024)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame quality in the most compact package
- Content creators attracted to Real-time LUT and 10-bit video
- Photographers already in the L-mount ecosystem wanting a lightweight second body
- Lumix S5 II users who want something smaller for travel and casual shooting
A7 III (2018)
- Enthusiast photographers upgrading from APS-C for the first time
- Working photographers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Anyone who shoots in low light regularly
- Hybrid shooters needing both stills and video performance
Quick take: The lumix s9 is the most affordable; only the a7 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Lumix S9 (2024) | A7 III (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,299 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/60p, 1080p/240p | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF with subject recognition | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~310 shots (CIPA) | ~710 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 413g (with battery) | 565g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 124.6 × 73.9 × 52.8mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None — rear screen only | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen (touch drag AF) | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Leica L mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C (USB 3.2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Lumix S9 | A7 III |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Video | — |
More comparisons with Lumix S9
Camera family history