Z50vs A1

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Nikon Z50 (2019) Starting from £499 new Best for Beginner, travel, everyday View Z50

Sony A1 (2021) Starting from £5999 new Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting View A1

GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?

Beginner, Travel, Everyday — Z50 (2019): Nikon's Z system at its most accessible.

Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.

↓ Full specifications below

Who should buy what

Z50 (2019)

Nikon DSLR users wanting a lighter mirrorless
First-time enthusiast camera buyers

A1 (2021)

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

Quick take: The a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp; the z50 is the most affordable; only the a1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification	Z50 (2019)	A1 (2021)
Price	£499	£5,999
Sensor	APS-C CMOS	50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS
Resolution	20.9MP	50.1MP
Video	4K 30fps (1.5× crop), 1080p 120fps	8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p
Autofocus	209-point phase-detect hybrid AF	Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points
Stabilisation	None	IBIS — up to 5.5 stops
Burst Rate	11fps	30fps electronic with full AF/AE
Battery Life	300 shots (CIPA)	~430 shots (CIPA)
Weight	397g (body only)	737g (with battery)
Dimensions	126.5 × 93.5 × 60.0mm	128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm
Weather Sealed	No	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF 0.68× 2.36M-dot	EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps
Screen	3.2" downward-tilting touchscreen, 1.04M-dot	3.0" fully tilting touchscreen
Mount	Nikon Z-Mount (DX)	Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards	Single SD UHS-I	Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Micro USB, Micro HDMI	USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI

Suitability by genre

Genre	Z50	A1
Sports	—	9.0
Portrait	—	9.0
Wildlife	—	9.0
Vlogging & Video	—	9.0
Landscape	—	9.0
Wedding	—	9.0

⚡ Compare specs side by side Z50 prices → A1 prices →

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