A1 IIvs ZV-1 II
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
VS
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.
Pocket Vlogging — ZV-1 II (2023): The best pocket vlogging camera — 1-inch sensor, ultrawide zoom, flip screen, and real-time Eye AF in a shirt pocket.
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
ZV-1 II (2023)
- Vloggers and content creators who want a pocketable fixed-lens camera
- Travellers who want 4K video and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket size
- ZV-1 owners who want a wider lens and improved subject tracking
- Beginners who want a simple, capable vlogging camera without changing lenses
Quick take: The a1 ii has the highest resolution at 50mp; the zv-1 ii is the most affordable; only the a1 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 II (2025) | ZV-1 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,500 | £649 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train | Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) | Optical SteadyShot (OIS) |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical | 15fps |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g body only | 292g |
| Dimensions | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm | 105.5 × 60.0 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available | None |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) | Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv |
| 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-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 II | ZV-1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — |
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Camera family history