A1 IIvs A7 IV
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
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GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work — A1 II (2025): The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
Who should buy what
A1 II (2025)
- 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
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
Quick take: The a1 ii has the highest resolution at 50mp; the a7 iv is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 II (2025) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,500 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g body only | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 II | A7 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with A1 II
Camera family history