Sony A9 IIIvs ZV-1 II
Sony
Sony A9 III (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & action professionals
View Sony A9 III
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.
Pocket Vlogging — ZV-1 II (2023): The best pocket vlogging camera — 1-inch sensor, ultrawide zoom, flip screen, and real-time Eye AF in a shirt 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
ZV-1 II (2023)
- Vloggers and content creators who want a pocketable fixed-lens camera
- Travellers who want 4K video and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket size
- ZV-1 owners who want a wider lens and improved subject tracking
- Beginners who want a simple, capable vlogging camera without changing lenses
Quick take: The sony a9 iii has the highest resolution at 25mp; the zv-1 ii 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) | ZV-1 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £649 |
| Sensor | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.6MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect | Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | Optical SteadyShot (OIS) |
| Burst Rate | 120fps blackout-free electronic | 15fps |
| Battery Life | 530 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 703g body only | 292g |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 105.5 × 60.0 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots | None |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE (E-mount) | Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv |
| 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, 3.5mm mic input |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Sony A9 III | ZV-1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — |
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