OM-3vs A9
OM System
OM-3 (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Travel, outdoor & adventure photography
View OM-3
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
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 Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
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
A9 (2017)
- Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
- Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
- Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
- Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Quick take: The a9 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the om-3 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | OM-3 (2024) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £999 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 20.4MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF — subject recognition (human, animal, bird, vehicle) | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 6.5 stops (7.5 stops with Sync IS lenses) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic with AF | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 414g (with battery) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 122.3 × 84.6 × 49.4mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-3 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with OM-3
Camera family history