G85vs A1 II
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel & Video — G85 (2016): The G85 is the definitive enthusiast MFT package — combining 4K/30p, Dual I.S. 2 stabilisation, and weather sealing in an affordable, well-built body. It lacks phase-detect AF (contrast-detect only) but covers travel, landscape, and casual video effectively. One of the best-value used-market MFT cameras available — a practical, capable companion for photographers who want reliability over cutting-edge specs.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work — A1 II (2025): The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
Who should buy what
G85 (2016)
- Travel photographers who want weather sealing on a budget
- Vloggers and hybrid shooters
- MFT system users stepping up from entry-level
A1 II (2025)
- 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
Quick take: The a1 ii has the highest resolution at 50mp; the g85 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | G85 (2016) | A1 II (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £6,500 |
| Sensor | 16MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS (no low-pass filter) | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 16.0MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, DFD technology | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 (body + lens) | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~330 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 426g (body only) | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 128.4 × 89.2 × 74.3mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | G85 | A1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history