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 RX100 VA
Quick take: The A1 II has the highest resolution at 50MP; the RX100 VA is the most affordable; only the A1 II is weather sealed.
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.
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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A1 IISony · 2024 | RX100 VASony · 2018 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,699 | £434 usedBest |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MPBest | 20.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, S-Log3 | 4K/30p (XAVC S), 1080p HFR up to 960fps, S-Log2 |
| Autofocus | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train | 315-point phase-detect + 25-point contrast hybrid AF, Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanicalBest | 24fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA)Best | ~220 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g (body only) | 299g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 41mm |
| Weather Sealed | YesBest | Not weather sealed |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available | Pop-up OLED EVF, 2.36M dots |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" LCD, 1.23M dots, tilts 180° up |
| Mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots | Single SD / Memory Stick slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size | Multi / micro USB, micro HDMI (4K out), 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
RX100 VA
Portrait
9.0/10
5.1/10
Street
6.6/10
7.6/10
Travel
6.4/10
6.7/10
Wedding & Events
8.7/10
3.7/10
Vlogging & Video
6.4/10
—
Filmmaking
8.2/10
4.3/10
Documentary
8.3/10
4.7/10
Sports & Action
9.3/10
—
Landscape
8.0/10
4.2/10
Wildlife
9.2/10
—
Casual
5.3/10
4.7/10
Food
8.5/10
4.9/10
Macro
8.1/10
3.7/10
Architecture
8.4/10
4.4/10
Astrophotography
7.2/10
2.9/10
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 →
Next
More comparisons with A1 II
Camera family history