A1vs Sony A9 III
VS
Which should you buy?
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
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
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
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 a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 (2021) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 737g (with battery) | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 | Sony A9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Travel | — |
More comparisons with A1
Camera family history