BFvs A1
Sigma
BF (2025)
Starting from £1799 new
Best for Photographers who want to strip back every distraction
View BF
VS
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Photographers Who Want To Strip Back Every Distraction — BF (2025): The most radical camera in years — no dials, no buttons, just a flat aluminium body and total creative minimalism.
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
BF (2025)
- Photographers who find camera menus and dials a distraction from the creative process
- L-mount system users who want the lightest, most minimal full-frame body available
- Design enthusiasts who value the object quality and philosophy as much as the output
- Sigma fp/fp L users ready for a more radical step toward minimal photography
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 bf is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | BF (2025) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,799 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.0MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF — face and eye detection | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS — 7 stops | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 9fps electronic | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g body only | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 127.0 × 75.0 × 45.0mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.75× 3.68M-dot | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.15" fully articulating touchscreen — primary interface | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | L-mount (Leica/Panasonic/Sigma) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single UHS-II SD slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | BF | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with BF
Camera family history