Canon V1 vs Sony A9 III

The Canon PowerShot V1 and the Sony Alpha A9 III are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2025 and November 2023. The V1 is a fixed lens compact, while the A9 III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (V1) and a full frame (A9 III) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 22.1 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon V1		Sony A9 III
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
16-50mm f/2.8-4.5		Sony E mount lenses
22.1 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/60p Video		4K/120p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 250-25,600 (125 - 51,200)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
30 shutter flaps per second		120 shutter flaps per second
no shake reduction		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
340 shots per battery charge		530 shots per battery charge
118 x 68 x 53 mm, 426 g		136 x 97 x 83 mm, 702 g

Check V1 price at
amazon.com
Check A9 III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot V1 and the Sony Alpha A9 III? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon V1 and the Sony A9 III are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A9 III is considerably larger (64 percent) than the Canon V1. It is noteworthy in this context that the A9 III is splash and dust-proof, while the V1 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the V1 has a lens built in, whereas the A9 III is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the A9 III and their specifications in the Sony FE Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the V1 gets 340 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the A9 III can take 530 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon V1	118 mm	68 mm	53 mm	426 g	340	n	Feb 2025	US$ 899	amazon.com
2.		Sony A9 III	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	702 g	530	Y	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 850D	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	US$ 749	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	US$ 749	amazon.com
7.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
8.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
10.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm X-M5	112 mm	67 mm	38 mm	355 g	330	n	Oct 2025	US$ 799	amazon.com
12.		Sony A1 II	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	743 g	520	Y	Nov 2024	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
13.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
16.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10 II	115 mm	68 mm	54 mm	377 g	610	n	Jul 2024	US$ 999	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The V1 was launched at a lower price than the A9 III, despite having a lens built in. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon V1 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A9 III a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A9 III is 275 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the A9 III offers a higher resolution than the V1 (22.1MP), but the A9 III nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.20μm for the V1) due to its larger sensor. However, the V1 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 3 months) than the A9 III, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The Canon PowerShot V1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A9 III are ISO 250 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 125-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the V1 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A9 III uses a Stacked CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon V1	APS-C	22.1	5750	3840	4K/60p	23.5	13.7	1911	79
2.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
3.		Canon 850D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
4.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
7.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
8.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
9.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
10.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
11.		Fujifilm X-M5	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.3	14.2	2558	86
12.		Sony A1 II	Full Frame	49.8	8640	5760	8k/30p	25.4	14.8	3363	97
13.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
14.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
15.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
16.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
17.		Sony ZV-E10 II	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/60p	24.3	14.1	2429	86
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A9 III provides a faster frame rate than the V1. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/120p, while the Canon is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A9 III has an electronic viewfinder (9440k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the V1 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon V1 and Sony A9 III along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon V1	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	30.0/s	n	n
2.		Sony A9 III	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/80000s	120.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 850D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
11.		Fujifilm X-M5	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A1 II	9437	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony ZV-E10 II	none	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon V1 and the Sony A9 III both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The V1 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A9 III uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. The A9 III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the V1 only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon PowerShot V1 and Sony Alpha A9 III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon V1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A9 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 850D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony A1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony ZV-E10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A9 III (unlike the V1) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the V1 and the A9 III are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The A9 III replaced the earlier Sony A9 II, while the V1 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Sony websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon V1 and the Sony A9 III? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot V1:

• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the A9 III requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (118x68mm vs 136x97mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the A9 III).
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 3 months after the A9 III).

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A9 III:

• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/120p versus 4K/60p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/80000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (120 vs 30 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (530 versus 340) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in November 2023).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A9 III is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon V1 and the Sony A9 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the V1 or the A9 III perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon V1	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Feb 2025	US$ 899	amazon.com
2.		Sony A9 III	4.5/5	..	..	91/100	..	..	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 850D	4/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	US$ 749	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	US$ 749	amazon.com
7.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
8.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
10.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm X-M5	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Oct 2025	US$ 799	amazon.com
12.		Sony A1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2024	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
13.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
16.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check V1 price at
amazon.com
Check A9 III price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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Check V1 price at
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Check A9 III price at
amazon.com

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