Decision tools · Compare
Air 3S vs A1 II
Quick take: The A1 II has the highest resolution at 50MP; the Air 3S is the most affordable; only the A1 II is weather sealed.
Different kinds of camera — their specs aren't comparable, so read the rows as facts, not a contest.
34 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.
Sony
A1 II 2024
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
£5699
new today at Clifton Cameras
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 II — Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work: The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
Who should buy what
A1 II (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional sports and wildlife photographers who need 30fps, 50MP, and the best AF available
- Commercial and advertising photographers who demand 50MP resolution alongside pro video specs
- Photojournalists who need a single body capable of handling every assignment
- Sony system shooters ready to invest in the absolute best
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | Air 3SDJI · 2024 | A1 IISony · 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899Best | £5,699 |
| Sensor | — | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.0MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | — | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | — | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | — | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | — | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | — | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | — | 743g (body only) |
| Dimensions | — | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | — | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | — | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Fixed lens (24 + 70 mm-eq) | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | — | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | — | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
| Take-off weight | 724 g | — |
| Fly without registering | No — 250 g or more | — |
| Flight time | 45 min | — |
| Wind resistance | 12.0 m/s | — |
| Obstacle sensing | Omnidirectional | — |
| Video link | O4 | — |
| Range | 10.0 km | — |
| Top speed | 21.0 m/s | — |
| Cameras | 2, tele up to 3.0× | — |
| HDR / log / 10-bit | HDR, log, 10-bit | — |
| RAW stills | Yes | — |
| Vertical shooting | Not supported | — |
| Gimbal | 3-axis | — |
| Intelligent flight | Subject tracking, waypoints, return-to-home | — |
| Storage | 42 GB built in + microSD slot | — |
| Controller in the box | DJI RC-N3 | — |
| FPV | Not an FPV drone | — |
| Folds | Yes | — |
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
Air 3S
A1 II
Portrait
—
9.0/10
Street
—
6.6/10
Travel
—
6.4/10
Wedding & Events
—
8.7/10
Vlogging & Video
—
6.4/10
Filmmaking
—
8.2/10
Documentary
—
8.3/10
Sports & Action
—
9.3/10
Landscape
—
8.0/10
Wildlife
—
9.2/10
Casual
—
5.3/10
Food
—
8.5/10
Macro
—
8.1/10
Architecture
—
8.4/10
Astrophotography
—
7.2/10
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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