OM System
OM-1 Mark II 2024
Best for Wildlife, birds & outdoor sports
£2049
new today at Clifton Cameras
Decision tools · Compare
OM-1 Mark II vs A1
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the OM-1 Mark II is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·15 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?
OM-1 Mark II — Wildlife, Birds & Outdoor Sports: OM System's most capable camera — 120fps AF burst, AI subject detection, and IP53 weather sealing make it the best-value pro wildlife camera.
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
OM-1 Mark II (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
- Wildlife and bird photographers who need the best subject tracking in MFT
- Sports photographers who want weather sealing and 50fps burst
- OM-1 owners looking for a meaningful autofocus upgrade
- Professionals who need pro-grade weather sealing in the lightest possible system
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 | OM-1 Mark IIOM System · 2024 | A1Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,049Best | £4,199 |
| Sensor | 20MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 20.0MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | 4K/60p, 1080p/240p, 4K HLG | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | AI subject detection AF (birds, animals, motorsport) | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 120fps with AF trackingBest | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | 520 shots (CIPA)Best | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 599g (body only)Best | 737g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 134.8 × 91.6 × 72.7mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.83" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | 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
OM-1 Mark II
A1
Portrait
7.6/10
8.2/10
Street
6.6/10
6.1/10
Travel
6.4/10
5.9/10
Wedding & Events
7.9/10
7.9/10
Vlogging & Video
6.2/10
—
Filmmaking
6.8/10
7.8/10
Documentary
7.9/10
7.6/10
Sports & Action
9.3/10
8.8/10
Landscape
6.1/10
7.6/10
Wildlife
9.1/10
8.7/10
Casual
5.5/10
4.8/10
Food
7.4/10
7.4/10
Macro
8.4/10
7.3/10
Architecture
6.3/10
7.9/10
Astrophotography
6.0/10
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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