Decision tools · Compare
S1 II vs A1
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the S1 II is the most affordable.
Where the S1 II wins
- Cheaper new: £1,899 vs £4,199
- Burst Rate: 70fps electronic
- Wedding & Events: 8.4 vs 7.9
- Documentary: 8.1 vs 7.6
- Casual: 5.4 vs 4.8
Where the A1 wins
- Resolution: 50.1MP
- Battery Life: ~430 shots (CIPA)
- Weight: 737g (with battery and card)
- Landscape: 7.6 vs 7.0
- Architecture: 7.9 vs 7.4
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
- S1 II 134 × 102 × 92 mm · 800 g
- A1 129 × 97 × 81 mm · 737 g
The A1 is 5 mm narrower, 5 mm shorter, 11 mm slimmer and 63 g lighter than the S1 II.
Drawn to scale from the makers' dimensions (W × H × D). Front shown, depth on the slanted edge.
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 | S1 IILumix · 2025 | A1Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,899Best | £4,199 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame partially-stacked CMOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | Open-gate 6K/30p, 5.9K/60p, 4K/120p, internal ProRes RAW, 10-bit | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Phase-hybrid AF with AI subject detection (people, animals, vehicles) | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS with cropless E.I.S. | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 70fps electronicBest | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | 360 shots (CIPA, LCD) | ~430 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 800g (with battery and card) | 737g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 134 × 102 × 92 mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 5.76M dots | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | Fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | L-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | CFexpress Type B + SD | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, full-size HDMI, 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
S1 II
A1
Portrait
8.6/10
8.2/10
Street
6.4/10
6.1/10
Travel
6.1/10
5.9/10
Wedding & Events
8.4/10
7.9/10
Vlogging & Video
6.1/10
—
Filmmaking
8.1/10
7.8/10
Documentary
8.1/10
7.6/10
Sports & Action
9.1/10
8.8/10
Landscape
7.0/10
7.6/10
Wildlife
8.8/10
8.7/10
Casual
5.4/10
4.8/10
Food
7.9/10
7.4/10
Macro
8.5/10
7.3/10
Architecture
7.4/10
7.9/10
Astrophotography
7.4/10
6.8/10
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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