Z50 IIvs 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?
All-Round Photography — Z50 II (2024): Nikon's updated APS-C body with 4K/60p, improved subject tracking, and a vari-angle screen — a solid all-rounder.
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
Z50 II (2024)
- Beginners stepping into the Nikon Z system wanting improved autofocus
- Content creators who want APS-C Z quality with subject detection AF
- Z50 owners who want meaningfully better AF performance for people and pets
- Travel photographers wanting a compact, capable Z body at an accessible price
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 z50 ii is the most affordable; only the a1 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z50 II (2024) | A1 II (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £6,500 |
| Sensor | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.9MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 4K/60p uncropped, 1080p/120p, N-Log | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 249 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | 11fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~330 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 385g body only | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 127.0 × 96.8 × 66.5mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z50 II | A1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
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