Decision tools · Compare
PEN-F vs A1 II
Quick take: The A1 II has the highest resolution at 50MP; the PEN-F is the most affordable; only the A1 II is weather sealed.
Where the PEN-F wins
- Cheaper new: £445 vs £5,699
- Weight: 427g (with battery)
Where the A1 II wins
- Resolution: 50.1MP
- Burst Rate: 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical
- Battery Life: ~530 shots (CIPA)
- Weather Sealed: Yes
- Portrait: 9.0 vs 5.1
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 II 2024
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
£5699
new today at Clifton Cameras
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
- PEN-F 125 × 72 × 37 mm · 427 g
- A1 II 136 × 97 × 83 mm · 743 g
The PEN-F is 11 mm narrower, 25 mm shorter, 46 mm slimmer and 316 g lighter than the A1 II.
Drawn to scale from the makers' dimensions (W × H × D). Front shown, depth on the slanted edge.
Verdictwhich should you buy?
A1 II — Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work: The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
Who should buy what
A1 II (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | PEN-FOlympus · 2016 | A1 IISony · 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £445 usedBest | £5,699 |
| Sensor | 20.3MP Four Thirds Live MOS | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.3MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/60 | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF (FAST AF), 81 areas, face / eye detection | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | Sensor-shift in-body stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanicalBest |
| Battery Life | ~330 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 427g (with battery)Best | 743g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 124.8 × 72.1 × 37.3mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | OLED EVF, 2.36M dots, 100%, 1.08-1.23x | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB, micro HDMI, hot shoe + PC sync, Wi-Fi | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
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
PEN-F
A1 II
Portrait
5.1/10
9.0/10
Street
6.8/10
6.6/10
Travel
5.8/10
6.4/10
Wedding & Events
3.6/10
8.7/10
Vlogging & Video
3.9/10
6.4/10
Documentary
3.3/10
8.3/10
Sports & Action
5.0/10
9.3/10
Landscape
5.0/10
8.0/10
Wildlife
5.7/10
9.2/10
Casual
4.4/10
5.3/10
Food
6.0/10
8.5/10
Macro
5.5/10
8.1/10
Architecture
5.7/10
8.4/10
Astrophotography
4.1/10
7.2/10
Filmmaking
—
8.2/10
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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