Sony
A1 II 2024
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
£5699
new today at Wex Photo Video
Decision tools · Compare
A1 II vs A5100
Quick take: The A1 II has the highest resolution at 50MP; the A5100 is the most affordable; only the A1 II is weather sealed.
16 specs side by side·16 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.
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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.
A5100 — Casual & Travel: The A5100 is one of the smallest APS-C mirrorless cameras ever made. Its 24MP sensor, phase-detect AF, and selfie-friendly flip screen pack remarkable capability into a shirt-pocket-sized body. No EVF or hot shoe limits it for serious use, but as a compact travel camera or beginner's first mirrorless, it punches well above its price on the used market.
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
A5100 (2014)
is the right camera for you if…
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A1 IISony · 2024 | A5100Sony · 2014 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,699 | £102 usedBest |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MPBest | 24.3MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, S-Log3 | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) | No stabilisation |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanicalBest | 6fps |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA)Best | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g (body only) | 224g (body only)Best |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | YesBest | Not weather sealed |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available | No viewfinder |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
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
A1 II
A5100
Portrait
9.0/10
5.4/10
Street
6.6/10
7.0/10
Travel
6.4/10
6.4/10
Wedding & Events
8.7/10
3.5/10
Vlogging & Video
6.4/10
4.7/10
Filmmaking
8.2/10
—
Documentary
8.3/10
4.1/10
Sports & Action
9.3/10
4.7/10
Landscape
8.0/10
5.0/10
Wildlife
9.2/10
5.5/10
Casual
5.3/10
5.2/10
Food
8.5/10
5.9/10
Macro
8.1/10
5.2/10
Architecture
8.4/10
5.2/10
Astrophotography
7.2/10
4.7/10
Fun & simple
—
4.9/10
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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