OM System OM-1 Mark IIvs Sony A9 III
OM System
OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Wildlife, birds & outdoor sports
View OM System OM-1 Mark II
Sony
Sony A9 III (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & action professionals
View Sony A9 III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Wildlife, Birds & Outdoor Sports — OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024): OM System's most capable camera — 120fps AF burst, AI subject detection, and IP53 weather sealing make it the best-value pro wildlife camera.
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
OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024)
- Wildlife and bird photographers who need the best subject tracking in MFT
- Sports photographers who want weather sealing and 50fps burst
- OM-1 owners looking for a meaningful autofocus upgrade
- Professionals who need pro-grade weather sealing in the lightest possible system
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 sony a9 iii has the highest resolution at 25mp; the om system om-1 mark ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | OM System OM-1 Mark II (2024) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,999 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 20MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 20.0MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 1080p/240p, 4K HLG | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | AI subject detection AF (birds, animals, motorsport) | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 120fps with AF tracking | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | 520 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 599g body only | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 134.8 × 91.6 × 72.7mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.83" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | 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 | OM System OM-1 Mark II | Sony A9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wedding & Events | — |
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