A1 IIvs A7R
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
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.
Studio, Tripod Landscape & Camera History — A7R (2013): The world's first 36MP full-frame mirrorless — a landmark camera that launched the A7R series, despite contrast-detect AF and significant shutter shock limitations.
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 (2013)
- Collectors and photographers interested in the camera that started the A7R lineage
- Studio photographers who work on a tripod and can manage contrast-detect AF
- Landscape photographers who prioritise resolution over autofocus performance
- Sony FE system users who want a historical body at a very low used price
Quick take: The a1 ii has the highest resolution at 50mp; the a7r is the most affordable; only the a1 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 II (2025) | A7R (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,500 | £349 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 36.4MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) | None |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical | 4fps |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g body only | 465g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| 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" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, 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 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 II | A7R |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Architecture | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history