OM-5vs Sony A9 III
Sony
Sony A9 III (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & action professionals
View Sony A9 III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Outdoor & Adventure — OM-5 (2022): The toughest camera at this price — IP53 weather sealing and 7.5-stop IBIS built for adventure photographers.
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-5 (2022)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need a compact, weather-sealed body
- Travellers who want MFT's compact size with pro-level weather protection
- E-M5 III owners upgrading to OM System's improved subject detection
- Photographers who want strong IBIS and rugged build without OM-1 pricing
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-5 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | OM-5 (2022) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 20.4MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 20.4MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 4K/120p Cinema4K | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 121 all-cross points, subject tracking | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 7.5 stops (Dual IS with compatible lenses) | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic, 10fps mechanical | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | ~370 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 414g body only | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 122.3 × 87.6 × 49.7mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | 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 slots | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | OM-5 | Sony A9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor & Adventure | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with OM-5
Camera family history