A9vs FX3
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
Sony
FX3 (2021)
Starting from £3799 new
Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking
View FX3
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
Professional Video, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking — FX3 (2021): The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.
Who should buy what
A9 (2017)
- 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
FX3 (2021)
- Professional videographers and filmmakers who need cinema-quality colour science in a compact body
- Documentary and run-and-gun shooters who need 4K/120p and built-in XLR audio
- Sony A7S III owners who want a purpose-built video body alongside their stills camera
- Gimbal and drone operators who need a compact full-frame cinema camera
Quick take: The a9 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A9 (2017) | FX3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,999 | £3,799 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~650 shots (CIPA) | ~640 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 673g (with battery and card) | 715g body only (with XLR handle) |
| Dimensions | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm | 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) | None — monitor/external EVF use only |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI | USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A9 | FX3 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wedding | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A9
Camera family history