Upgrade Guide
Sony A9 II→Sony A9 III
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A9 II. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A9 III
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StabilisationImproved — 8-stop IBIS
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Burst rate120fps blackout-free electronic vs 20fps (blackout-free with full AF/AE)
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Generation4 years newer (2023 vs 2019)
Unchanged or similar
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ResolutionSimilar (25MP)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | A9 II | A9 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.9 | ||
| Street | +0.5 | ||
| Travel | +0.5 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.0 | ||
| Filmmaking | +1.5 | ||
| Documentary | +1.3 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.1 | ||
| Landscape | +0.4 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.0 | ||
| Casual | +0.6 | ||
| Food | +1.1 | ||
| Macro | +1.7 | ||
| Architecture | +0.5 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.4 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A9 II | A9 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,766 used | £5,699 | |
| Released | 2019 | 2023 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 25MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p | |
| Autofocus | 693 phase-detect + 425 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect | |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5.5 stops | 8-stop IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 20fps (blackout-free with full AF/AE) | 120fps blackout-free electronic | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~500 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 678g (with battery and card) | 703g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (E-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A9 II and A9 III next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A9 III against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the A9 II
Camera family history