OM System
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Compact pro MFT with IBIS and weather sealing.
$1,199
Launch priceReleased Oct 2019
Sony
Alpha 9 III
Global shutter sports flagship with 120fps and zero rolling shutter for pro action.
$5,999
Launch priceReleased Jan 2024
Alpha 9 III is 4.3 years newer.
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Wins
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Wins
Alpha 9 III
2 categories tied
TL;DR — Key differences
- AOM-D E-M5 Mark III has higher Burst (mechanical) (6 fps vs 0 fps)
- BAlpha 9 III has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 15 fps)
- BAlpha 9 III has higher Max video bit rate (600 Mbps vs 150 Mbps)
- BAlpha 9 III has higher EVF resolution (9,437,184 vs 2,360,000)
- BAlpha 9 III has higher RAW buffer depth (200 frames vs 60 frames)
Key specs at a glance
Size and weight, to scale
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
134 × 91 × 72 mm
580 g (1.28 lb / 20.46 oz)
Alpha 9 III
136 × 97 × 83 mm
703 g (1.55 lb / 24.80 oz)
OM-D E-M5 Mark III is 2mm narrower, 6mm shorter, and 11mm thinner than Alpha 9 III.
OM-D E-M5 Mark III is 123 g lighter than Alpha 9 III.
Depth (front-to-back): 72mm OM-D E-M5 Mark III · 83mm Alpha 9 III
Sensor size, to scale
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
17.3 × 13 mm · Micro Four Thirds
225 mm² area
Alpha 9 III
35.6 × 23.8 mm · Full Frame
847 mm² area
3.8× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.
Lens ecosystem
Native lens selection
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Micro Four Thirds
130+
native lenses available
Alpha 9 III
✓ more lensesSony E
350+
native lenses available
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
Why pick one over the other
Reasons to choose
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
AF low-light limit
-7 EV vs -5 EV — lower is better
Burst (mechanical)
6 fps vs 0 fps — higher is better
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 134, 91, 72
ISO min (native)
100 vs 250 — lower is better
Battery life (CIPA)
640 shots vs 400 shots — higher is better
AF points / zones
1053 vs 759 — higher is better
Subject recognition
Adds Vehicle
Weight
580 g vs 703 g — lower is better
Reasons to choose
Alpha 9 III
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 136.1, 96.9, 82.9
Burst (electronic)
120 fps vs 15 fps — higher is better
Max video bit rate
600 Mbps vs 150 Mbps — higher is better
EVF resolution
9,437,184 vs 2,360,000 — higher is better
RAW buffer depth
200 frames vs 60 frames — higher is better
Codecs
Adds XAVC HS, XAVC S, XAVC S-I
Subject recognition
Adds Insect, Car/Train, Airplane
4K max frame rate
120 fps vs 60 fps — higher is better
Both cameras share
- ✓AA filter — Both support aa filter
- ✓ISO max (native) — Both 25,600
- ✓Eye AF — Both support eye af
- ✓Animal / bird AF — Both support animal / bird af
- ✓Pre-Capture / Pre-Release — Both support pre-capture / pre-release
- ✓In-body stabilization — Both support in-body stabilization
Pros & cons at a glance
Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.
OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Pros
- ✓Compact pro
- ✓Weather sealed
- ✓IBIS
Cons
- –Older
- –MFT
- –Superseded
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
Decided which one is right for you?
Compare live prices for the OM-D E-M5 Mark III and Alpha 9 III at major authorized retailers.
OM System OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Sony Alpha 9 III
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Full specifications
✓ = category winner
Frequently asked
Quick answers generated from verified specs.
Which is better for portraits, OM-D E-M5 Mark III or Alpha 9 III?
Alpha 9 III scores 7.5/10 versus 4.0/10 for OM-D E-M5 Mark III — 24.6MP — solid resolution.
What's the resolution difference between the OM-D E-M5 Mark III and Alpha 9 III?
OM-D E-M5 Mark III is 20.4 MP and Alpha 9 III is 24.6 MP, so the Alpha 9 III captures more detail for cropping and large prints.
Do the OM-D E-M5 Mark III and Alpha 9 III have in-body image stabilization?
OM-D E-M5 Mark III has 6-stop in-body image stabilization, while alpha 9 III has 8-stop in-body image stabilization.
Which shoots faster bursts — the OM-D E-M5 Mark III or the Alpha 9 III?
OM-D E-M5 Mark III reaches 15 fps electronic. Alpha 9 III reaches 120 fps electronic.
What's the weight difference between the OM-D E-M5 Mark III and Alpha 9 III?
OM-D E-M5 Mark III weighs 580 g and Alpha 9 III weighs 703 g, so the OM-D E-M5 Mark III is 123 g lighter.
Do the OM-D E-M5 Mark III and Alpha 9 III record 4K video?
OM-D E-M5 Mark III: 4K up to 60p. Alpha 9 III: 4K up to 120p.
Are the OM-D E-M5 Mark III and Alpha 9 III weather sealed?
OM-D E-M5 Mark III: Yes. Alpha 9 III: Yes.
Which has better battery life?
Rated battery life is 640 shots (CIPA) for the OM-D E-M5 Mark III and 400 shots for the Alpha 9 III, giving the OM-D E-M5 Mark III the edge.
How much does each cost?
OM-D E-M5 Mark III launched at $1,199 and Alpha 9 III at $5,999. The OM-D E-M5 Mark III is $4,800 less.
Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.