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 A7R III
Quick take: The A1 II has the highest resolution at 50MP; the A7R III 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.
Sony
A7R III 2017
Best for Landscape, studio & commercial photography
£1799
list price · used from £745 at Wex Photo Video
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.
A7R III — Landscape, Studio & Commercial Photography: The camera that converted professionals to mirrorless — 42MP, IBIS, and 10fps in a body that still competes today.
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
A7R III (2017)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A1 IISony · 2024 | A7R IIISony · 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,699 | £1,799Best |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 42.4MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MPBest | 42.4MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, S-Log3 | 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 mechanicalBest | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 743g (body only) | 650g (body only)Best |
| 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 |
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
A7R III
Portrait
9.0/10
7.8/10
Street
6.6/10
6.1/10
Travel
6.4/10
6.1/10
Wedding & Events
8.7/10
7.5/10
Vlogging & Video
6.4/10
—
Filmmaking
8.2/10
6.3/10
Documentary
8.3/10
6.7/10
Sports & Action
9.3/10
7.3/10
Landscape
8.0/10
7.4/10
Wildlife
9.2/10
7.6/10
Casual
5.3/10
4.7/10
Food
8.5/10
7.0/10
Macro
8.1/10
6.2/10
Architecture
8.4/10
7.5/10
Astrophotography
7.2/10
7.0/10
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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