Decision tools · Compare
Z9 vs A1
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the Z9 is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·14 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
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
Verdictwhich should you buy?
Z9 — Professional Sports & Wildlife: The Z9 redefined what professional mirrorless could be — no mechanical shutter, 45MP stacked BSI, and 8K RAW in the most rugged Z body.
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
Z9 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional sports, wildlife and photojournalism photographers
- Nikon D6 or D850 users making the final switch to mirrorless
- Those who need the fastest, most reliable AF Nikon has ever made
- Professionals who need a flagship body with no mechanical shutter
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 | Z9Nikon · 2021 | A1Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,999 | £4,199Best |
| Sensor | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 45.7MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 6-stop IBIS | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 30fps electronic with full AF/AEBest |
| Battery Life | 740 shots (CIPA)Best | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1340g (body only) | 737g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | 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
Z9
A1
Portrait
8.2/10
8.2/10
Street
5.0/10
6.1/10
Travel
4.9/10
5.9/10
Wedding & Events
8.4/10
7.9/10
Filmmaking
7.9/10
7.8/10
Documentary
7.6/10
7.6/10
Sports & Action
9.2/10
8.8/10
Landscape
6.7/10
7.6/10
Wildlife
8.9/10
8.7/10
Casual
4.0/10
4.8/10
Food
6.9/10
7.4/10
Macro
6.6/10
7.3/10
Architecture
6.8/10
7.9/10
Astrophotography
7.2/10
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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