Z7 IIvs A1

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Nikon Z7 II Nikon Z7 II (2020) Starting from £2699 new Best for Landscape & studio / high-resolution View Z7 II
VS
Sony A1 Sony A1 (2021) Starting from £5999 new Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting View A1

GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?

Landscape & Studio / High-Resolution — Z7 II (2020): The Z7 II is a landscape and studio camera first, everything else second. 45.7MP with weather sealing and dual card slots is a compelling package. If you need resolution, it delivers. If you don't, the Z6 II is the smarter buy.

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

Z7 II (2020)

  • Landscape photographers who print large or need to crop significantly
  • Studio and commercial photographers requiring maximum resolution
  • Architecture photographers where detail is non-negotiable
  • Fine-art photographers who shoot primarily from a tripod

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 z7 ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Z7 II (2020)A1 (2021)
Price £2,699 £5,999
Sensor 45.7MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS
Resolution 45.7MP 50.1MP
Video 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p
Autofocus Phase-detect, 493 points, Eye AF, subject tracking Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points
Stabilisation 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) IBIS — up to 5.5 stops
Burst Rate 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic 30fps electronic with full AF/AE
Battery Life ~420 shots (CIPA) ~430 shots (CIPA)
Weight 705g (body, battery, card) 737g (with battery)
Dimensions 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm
Weather Sealed Yes Yes
Viewfinder EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps
Screen 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M dots 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen
Mount Nikon Z-mount Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI
Genre Z7 IIA1
Street
9.0
Portrait
9.0
9.0
Travel
7.0
Wildlife
4.0
9.0
Video
7.0
Sports
9.0
Vlogging & Video
9.0
Landscape
9.0
Wedding
9.0
⚡ Compare specs side by side Z7 II prices → A1 prices →

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