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 A7
Quick take: The A1 II has the highest resolution at 50MP; the A7 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 — Camera History & Full-Frame Introduction: The camera that changed photography — the world's first compact full-frame mirrorless, the A7 launched a product family that redefined what was possible.
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 (2013)
is the right camera for you if…
- Photographers interested in the camera that launched the full-frame mirrorless era
- Budget-conscious buyers who want to experience full-frame image quality at minimal cost
- Sony FE system users who want the original A7 for sentimental or historical value
- Those adapting vintage lenses who want full-frame with phase-detect AF at low cost
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A1 IISony · 2024 | A7Sony · 2013 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,699 | £151 usedBest |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 24.3MP Full-Frame 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 | 117 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) | No stabilisation |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanicalBest | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA)Best | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g (body only) | 474g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size | 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
A7
Portrait
9.0/10
6.6/10
Street
6.6/10
6.2/10
Travel
6.4/10
6.0/10
Wedding & Events
8.7/10
5.3/10
Vlogging & Video
6.4/10
—
Filmmaking
8.2/10
—
Documentary
8.3/10
5.6/10
Sports & Action
9.3/10
5.8/10
Landscape
8.0/10
5.8/10
Wildlife
9.2/10
6.5/10
Casual
5.3/10
3.9/10
Food
8.5/10
5.7/10
Macro
8.1/10
5.0/10
Architecture
8.4/10
5.6/10
Astrophotography
7.2/10
5.6/10
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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Camera family history