BFvs Sony A9 III
Sigma
BF (2025)
Starting from £1799 new
Best for Photographers who want to strip back every distraction
View BF
Sony
Sony A9 III (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & action professionals
View Sony A9 III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Photographers Who Want To Strip Back Every Distraction — BF (2025): The most radical camera in years — no dials, no buttons, just a flat aluminium body and total creative minimalism.
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
BF (2025)
- Photographers who find camera menus and dials a distraction from the creative process
- L-mount system users who want the lightest, most minimal full-frame body available
- Design enthusiasts who value the object quality and philosophy as much as the output
- Sigma fp/fp L users ready for a more radical step toward minimal photography
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 bf is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | BF (2025) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,799 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 24.0MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF — face and eye detection | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 7 stops | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 9fps electronic | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g body only | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 127.0 × 75.0 × 45.0mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.75× 3.68M-dot | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.15" fully articulating touchscreen — primary interface | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | L-mount (Leica/Panasonic/Sigma) | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single UHS-II SD slot | 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 | BF | Sony A9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| 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