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IXUS 285 HS A vs A1

Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the IXUS 285 HS A is the most affordable; only the A1 is weather sealed.

16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras

How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.

Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more

Verdictwhich should you buy?

A1 — Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting: 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.

Who should buy what
A1 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
  • Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
  • Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
  • A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
Specification IXUS 285 HS ACanon · 2025A1Sony · 2021
Price £369Best£4,799
Sensor 20.2MP 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS
Resolution 20.2MP50.1MPBest
Video 1080p/30p8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p
Autofocus Contrast-detect AFReal-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points
Stabilisation Intelligent IS (lens-based)IBIS — up to 5.5 stops
Burst Rate 2fps30fps electronic with full AF/AEBest
Battery Life 220 shots (CIPA, estimated)~430 shots (CIPA)Best
Weight 145g (estimated)Best737g (with battery and card)
Dimensions —128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm
Weather Sealed Not weather sealedYesBest
Viewfinder None (screen only)EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps
Screen Fixed screen, no touch3.0" fully tilting touchscreen
Mount Fixed 12x zoom lens (25-300mm equivalent)Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards microSD (this 'A' revision only)Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB, Wi-FiUSB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI

Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.

How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
IXUS 285 HS A
A1
Portrait
2.7/10
8.2/10
Street
5.4/10
6.1/10
Travel
6.1/10
6.0/10
Wedding & Events
1.4/10
7.9/10
Documentary
2.9/10
7.6/10
Sports & Action
1.8/10
8.8/10
Landscape
3.3/10
7.6/10
Wildlife
2.7/10
8.7/10
Casual
5.5/10
4.8/10
Food
3.4/10
7.4/10
Macro
2.7/10
7.3/10
Architecture
3.1/10
7.9/10
Astrophotography
1.4/10
6.8/10
Fun & simple
6.4/10
—
Filmmaking
—
7.8/10

Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →

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