A1 IIvs A7R III
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
VS
Sony
A7R III (2017)
Starting from £1799 new
Best for Landscape, studio & commercial photography
View A7R III
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.
Landscape, Studio & Commercial Photography — A7R III (2017): The camera that converted professionals to mirrorless — 42MP, IBIS, and 10fps in a body that still competes today.
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
A7R III (2017)
- Landscape and studio photographers who need 42MP resolution at a used-price discount vs A7R IV
- Canon/Nikon DSLR professionals considering a mirrorless switch at a lower investment
- Commercial and product photographers who want full-frame resolution with IBIS for handheld work
- Portrait photographers who want the sharpest possible full-frame files for large print work
Quick take: The a1 ii has the highest resolution at 50mp; the a7r iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 II (2025) | A7R III (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,500 | £1,799 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion | 4K/30p (full-frame readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train | 399 phase-detect + 425 contrast AF points — real-time Eye AF |
| 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 with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g body only | 650g body only |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| 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" touchscreen, tilting |
| Mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots | Dual SD slots (one UHS-II) |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 II | A7R III |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Street | — |
More comparisons with A1 II
Camera family history