Decision tools · Compare
PowerShot V1 vs A1
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the PowerShot V1 is the most affordable; only the A1 is weather sealed.
Where the PowerShot V1 wins
- Cheaper new: £859 vs £4,199
- Weight: 379g (body only)
- Street: 6.6 vs 6.1
- Casual: 6.0 vs 4.8
Where the A1 wins
- Resolution: 50.1MP
- Burst Rate: 30fps electronic with full AF/AE
- Battery Life: ~430 shots (CIPA)
- Weather Sealed: Yes
- Portrait: 8.2 vs 5.7
16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video, Clifton Cameras, MPB, eBay and Amazon UK
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.
Sony
A1 2021
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
£4199
new today at Wex Photo Video
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Size comparedbody only, no lens · drawn to one scale
- PowerShot V1 112 × 65 × 50 mm · 426 g
- A1 129 × 97 × 81 mm · 737 g
The PowerShot V1 is 17 mm narrower, 32 mm shorter, 31 mm slimmer and 311 g lighter than the A1.
Drawn to scale from the makers' dimensions (W × H × D). Front shown, depth on the slanted edge.
Verdictwhich should you buy?
PowerShot V1 — Vlogging & Travel: The PowerShot V1 is Canon's best compact camera — a 1-inch stacked sensor, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4K/60p, built-in ND, and an articulating screen in a pocketable body. It is the compact camera Canon's content-creator audience has been waiting for, and a genuine step forward over the G7X series.
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
PowerShot V1 (2025)
is the right camera for you if…
- Content creators who want Canon's best compact for vlogging and social media
- Travel photographers who want 4K and a zoom lens in one pocketable body
- Vloggers upgrading from G7X series who want better AF and video specs
- Photographers who want a capable compact backup body
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 | PowerShot V1Canon · 2025 | A1Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £859Best | £4,199 |
| Sensor | 22.3MP 1-inch Stacked CMOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 22.3MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | 4K/60p, 1080p/120p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face and subject detection | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | Optical IS (lens) + electronic stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps (electronic) | 30fps electronic with full AF/AEBest |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 379g (body only)Best | 737g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 112.0 × 65.0 × 50.0mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | No viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Fixed Canon zoom lens (equivalent wide-to-tele) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-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
PowerShot V1
A1
Portrait
5.7/10
8.2/10
Street
6.6/10
6.1/10
Travel
5.9/10
5.9/10
Wedding & Events
4.8/10
7.9/10
Vlogging & Video
6.9/10
—
Filmmaking
5.5/10
7.8/10
Documentary
6.3/10
7.6/10
Landscape
4.6/10
7.6/10
Casual
6.0/10
4.8/10
Food
6.2/10
7.4/10
Macro
5.3/10
7.3/10
Architecture
5.0/10
7.9/10
Astrophotography
3.4/10
6.8/10
Sports & Action
—
8.8/10
Wildlife
—
8.7/10
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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