Sony A9 IIIvs Sony RX100 VII
Sony
Sony A9 III (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & action professionals
View Sony A9 III
Sony
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
Starting from £1099 new
Best for Travel & versatility
View Sony RX100 VII
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Travel & Versatility — Sony RX100 VII (2019): The most versatile compact camera ever made — 24-200mm zoom, 20fps burst, and 960fps slow-motion in a jacket pocket.
Who should buy what
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
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
- Travel photographers who want the most capable 1-inch compact available
- Vloggers who need fast AF and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket body
- Photographers who want a high-quality compact backup to a mirrorless system
- Anyone who wants professional AF performance without carrying a large camera
Quick take: The sony a9 iii has the highest resolution at 25mp; the sony rx100 vii is the most affordable; only the sony a9 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Sony A9 III (2023) | Sony RX100 VII (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £1,099 |
| Sensor | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS (stacked) |
| Resolution | 24.6MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p | 4K/30p HLG, FHD/960fps super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect | 357-point phase-detect + 425 contrast, Eye AF, tracking |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | 3-stop Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | 120fps blackout-free electronic | 20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) |
| Battery Life | 530 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 703g body only | 302g with battery and card |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots | Pop-up EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE (E-mount) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Sony A9 III | Sony RX100 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Street | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Sony A9 III
Camera family history