OM-3vs A1
OM System
OM-3 (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Travel, outdoor & adventure photography
View OM-3
VS
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel, Outdoor & Adventure Photography — OM-3 (2024): The ideal mid-range OM System camera — weather sealed, class-leading IBIS, and superb computational features in a compact body.
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
OM-3 (2024)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need weather sealing and compact size
- Wildlife and bird photographers wanting improved AF over the OM-5
- Travel shooters who want a rugged, lightweight MFT system
- OM-5 or E-M5 III owners wanting better autofocus without going to the OM-1
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 om-3 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | OM-3 (2024) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £999 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 20.4MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/30p, 1080p/120p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF — subject recognition (human, animal, bird, vehicle) | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 6.5 stops (7.5 stops with Sync IS lenses) | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic with AF | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 414g (with battery) | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 122.3 × 84.6 × 49.4mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-3 | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with OM-3
Camera family history