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A9 vs Cyber-shot RX10 III

Quick take: The A9 has the highest resolution at 24MP; the Cyber-shot RX10 III is the most affordable.

16 specs side by side·14 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras

How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.

Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more

Verdictwhich should you buy?

A9 — Professional Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography: The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.

Who should buy what
A9 (2017)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
  • Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
  • Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
  • Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
Specification A9Sony · 2017Cyber-shot RX10 IIISony · 2016
Price £1,026 used£559 usedBest
Sensor 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS20.1MP 1-inch CMOS
Resolution 24.2MPBest20.1MP
Video 4K/30p, 1080p/120p4K/30p (XAVC S), 1080p HFR up to 960fps, S-Log2
Autofocus 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking25-point contrast-detect AF, Eye AF
Stabilisation IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stopsOptical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS
Burst Rate 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE)Best14fps (5fps with AF)
Battery Life ~650 shots (CIPA)Best~420 shots (CIPA)
Weight 673g (with battery and card)Best1095g (with battery and card)
Dimensions 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm132.5 × 94 × 145mm
Weather Sealed YesYes
Viewfinder EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free)OLED EVF, 2.36M dots
Screen 3.0" tilting touchscreen3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots
Mount Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm f/2.4-4
Memory Cards Dual SD UHS-II slotsSingle SD / Memory Stick slot
Connectivity USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMIMulti / micro USB, micro HDMI, 3.5mm mic + headphone, Multi Interface Shoe, Wi-Fi, NFC

Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.

How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
A9
Cyber-shot RX10 III
Portrait
7.5/10
4.3/10
Street
6.0/10
3.7/10
Travel
5.9/10
4.0/10
Wedding & Events
7.5/10
3.7/10
Filmmaking
6.7/10
4.9/10
Documentary
6.8/10
4.9/10
Sports & Action
8.2/10
4.9/10
Landscape
6.1/10
4.3/10
Wildlife
8.2/10
5.7/10
Casual
4.6/10
2.3/10
Food
6.5/10
3.8/10
Macro
5.8/10
2.9/10
Architecture
6.0/10
4.1/10
Astrophotography
7.3/10
2.9/10

Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →

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