A1 IIvs FX3
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
VS
Sony
FX3 (2021)
Starting from £3799 new
Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking
View FX3
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.
Professional Video, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking — FX3 (2021): The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.
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
FX3 (2021)
- Professional videographers and filmmakers who need cinema-quality colour science in a compact body
- Documentary and run-and-gun shooters who need 4K/120p and built-in XLR audio
- Sony A7S III owners who want a purpose-built video body alongside their stills camera
- Gimbal and drone operators who need a compact full-frame cinema camera
Quick take: The a1 ii has the highest resolution at 50mp; the fx3 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 II (2025) | FX3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,500 | £3,799 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA) | ~640 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g body only | 715g body only (with XLR handle) |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available | None — monitor/external EVF use only |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating |
| Mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size | USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 II | FX3 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with A1 II
Camera family history