Sony
A1 II 2024
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
£5699
new today at Clifton Cameras
Decision tools · Compare
A1 II vs A7 IV
Quick take: The A1 II has the highest resolution at 50MP; the A7 IV 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.
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?
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.
A7 IV — Portrait & Wedding Photography: 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 (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
A7 IV (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A1 IISony · 2024 | A7 IVSony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,699 | £1,799Best |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MPBest | 33.0MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, S-Log3 | 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 mechanicalBest | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 743g (body only) | 659g (body only)Best |
| 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 | Slot 1 CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II, slot 2 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 |
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
A7 IV
Portrait
9.0/10
8.2/10
Street
6.6/10
6.5/10
Travel
6.4/10
6.3/10
Wedding & Events
8.7/10
7.9/10
Vlogging & Video
6.4/10
6.1/10
Filmmaking
8.2/10
7.2/10
Documentary
8.3/10
7.4/10
Sports & Action
9.3/10
7.5/10
Landscape
8.0/10
6.7/10
Wildlife
9.2/10
7.8/10
Casual
5.3/10
5.3/10
Food
8.5/10
7.6/10
Macro
8.1/10
7.3/10
Architecture
8.4/10
6.8/10
Astrophotography
7.2/10
7.3/10
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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