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DJI

Osmo Pocket 3

Pocket gimbal camera with 1-inch sensor, 4K 120p, and rotating 2-inch OLED screen.

$519

Released Oct 2023

vs

Sony

Alpha 9 III

Global shutter sports flagship with 120fps and zero rolling shutter for pro action.

$5,999

Released Jan 2024

Alpha 9 III is 3 months newer.

Wins

4categories

Osmo Pocket 3

Wins

7categories

Alpha 9 III

WildlifeSports & Action

TL;DR — Key differences

Osmo Pocket 3 wins 3 categories·Alpha 9 III wins 2 categories
  • AOsmo Pocket 3 has higher Burst (mechanical) (6 fps vs 0 fps)
  • BAlpha 9 III has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 15 fps)
  • AOsmo Pocket 3 has lower ISO min (native) (50 vs 250)
  • AOsmo Pocket 3 has lower Weight (179 g vs 703 g)
  • BAlpha 9 III has higher RAW buffer depth (200 frames vs 60 frames)

Key specs at a glance

Osmo Pocket 3Alpha 9 III
Resolution9.4 MP24.6 MP
Sensor1 inchFull Frame
ISO max16,00025,600
Burst15 fps120 fps
4K60 fps120 fps
IBISNo8-stop
Weight179 g703 g
Battery640 shots400 shots

Size and weight, to scale

Osmo Pocket 3

140 × 42 × 34 mm

179 g (0.39 lb / 6.31 oz)

Alpha 9 III

136 × 97 × 83 mm

703 g (1.55 lb / 24.80 oz)

Osmo Pocket 3 is 55mm shorter and 49mm thinner than Alpha 9 III but it is also 4mm wider.

Osmo Pocket 3 is 524 g lighter than Alpha 9 III.

Depth (front-to-back): 34mm Osmo Pocket 3 · 83mm Alpha 9 III

Sensor size, to scale

Alpha 9 III

35.6 × 23.8 mm · Full Frame

847 mm² area

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

Osmo Pocket 3: mount data unavailable

Alpha 9 III

✓ more lenses

Sony E

350+

native lenses available

80 first-party270 third-party

Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseOsmo Pocket 3Alpha 9 III
Portrait
1.0Limited
7.5Good✓ wins
Sports & Action
4.0Fair
9.0Excellent✓ wins
Video & Hybrid
4.0Fair
8.0Excellent✓ wins
Landscape
1.0Limited
7.0Good✓ wins
Travel
5.5Fair
7.0Good✓ wins
Wildlife
3.0Limited
9.5Excellent✓ wins
Vlogging
4.0Fair
5.5Fair✓ wins

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

Osmo Pocket 3

  • Burst (mechanical)

    6 fps vs 0 fps — higher is better

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 139.7, 42.2, 33.5

  • Card types

    Adds microSD

  • ISO min (native)

    50 vs 250 — lower is better

  • Weight

    179 g vs 703 g — lower is better

  • Battery life (CIPA)

    640 shots vs 400 shots — higher is better

Reasons to choose

Alpha 9 III

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Human, Animal, Bird…

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 136.1, 96.9, 82.9

  • Card types

    Adds CFexpress Type A, SD UHS-II

  • Burst (electronic)

    120 fps vs 15 fps — higher is better

  • Codecs

    Adds XAVC HS, XAVC S, XAVC S-I…

  • RAW buffer depth

    200 frames vs 60 frames — higher is better

  • Max video bit rate

    600 Mbps vs 200 Mbps — higher is better

  • Resolution

    24.6 MP vs 9.4 MP — higher is better

Both cameras share

  • Pre-Capture / Pre-ReleaseBoth support pre-capture / pre-release
  • TouchscreenBoth support touchscreen
  • Wi-FiBoth support wi-fi
  • BluetoothBoth support bluetooth

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

Osmo Pocket 3

Pros

  • Built-in 3-axis gimbal
  • 1-inch sensor
  • Creator-friendly

Cons

  • Fixed lens
  • Small sensor vs ILC
  • Accessory dependent

Alpha 9 III

Pros

  • Global shutter 120fps
  • Zero rolling shutter
  • Pro sports AF
  • Pre-capture buffer

Cons

  • 24.6MP only
  • Premium price
  • Battery drain at max speed

Full specifications

= category winner

Osmo Pocket 3
Alpha 9 III
Resolution
9.4 MP
24.6 MP2.6× more
Sensor type
1-inch CMOS
Full Frame Global Shutter Exmor RS CMOS
Sensor size
1 inch
35.6 × 23.8 mm
AA filter
Yes
Osmo Pocket 3
Alpha 9 III
AF system
Contrast detection AF
Fast Hybrid AF (phase-detection / contrast-detection)
AF points / zones
759
AF frame coverage
94 %
AF low-light limit
-5 EV
Eye AF
No
Yes
Animal / bird AF
No
Yes
Subject recognition
Human, Animal, Bird, Insect, Car/Train, Airplane
Osmo Pocket 3
Alpha 9 III
Burst (mechanical)
6 fps
0 fps
Burst (electronic)
15 fps
120 fps8× more
Pre-Capture / Pre-Release
Yes
Yes
RAW buffer depth
60 frames
200 frames3.3× more
Osmo Pocket 3
Alpha 9 III
Max resolution
4K UHD
4K UHD
4K max frame rate
60 fps
120 fps2× more
Max video bit rate
200 Mbps
600 Mbps3× more
Internal RAW video
No
Yes
Log profile
Standard profiles
S-Log3 / HLG / S-Cinetone
Codecs
H.264
XAVC HS, XAVC S, XAVC S-I, H.265, H.264
Osmo Pocket 3
Alpha 9 III
Weight
179 g−524 g less
703 g
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
139.7 × 42.2 × 33.5 mm
136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9 mm
Weather sealing
No
Yes

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for portraits, Osmo Pocket 3 or Alpha 9 III?

Alpha 9 III scores 7.5/10 versus 1.0/10 for Osmo Pocket 3 — 24.6MP — solid resolution.

What's the resolution difference between the Osmo Pocket 3 and Alpha 9 III?

Osmo Pocket 3 is 9.4 MP and Alpha 9 III is 24.6 MP, so the Alpha 9 III captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the Osmo Pocket 3 and Alpha 9 III have in-body image stabilization?

Osmo Pocket 3 does not have IBIS, while alpha 9 III has 8-stop in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the Osmo Pocket 3 or the Alpha 9 III?

Osmo Pocket 3 reaches 15 fps electronic. Alpha 9 III reaches 120 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the Osmo Pocket 3 and Alpha 9 III?

Osmo Pocket 3 weighs 179 g and Alpha 9 III weighs 703 g, so the Osmo Pocket 3 is 524 g lighter.

Do the Osmo Pocket 3 and Alpha 9 III record 4K video?

Osmo Pocket 3: 4K up to 60p. Alpha 9 III: 4K up to 120p.

Are the Osmo Pocket 3 and Alpha 9 III weather sealed?

Osmo Pocket 3: No. Alpha 9 III: Yes.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 640 shots (CIPA) for the Osmo Pocket 3 and 400 shots for the Alpha 9 III, giving the Osmo Pocket 3 the edge.

How much does each cost?

Osmo Pocket 3 launched at $519 and Alpha 9 III at $5,999. The Osmo Pocket 3 is $5,480 less.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.