A1vs A7R VI
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
Sony
A7R VI (2025)
Starting from £4399 new
Best for Studio, landscape and commercial photographers needing maximum resolution
View A7R VI
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Studio, Landscape And Commercial Photographers Needing Maximum Resolution — A7R VI (2025): The A7R VI cements its place as the resolution flagship of the Sony full-frame range — 61MP, AI-driven autofocus, and 8K video make it as capable for video and action work as it is for studio and landscape photography. The price reflects its position at the top of the lineup, but the capability is hard to match.
Who should buy what
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
A7R VI (2025)
- Studio and commercial photographers who need maximum resolution for large prints and heavy cropping
- Landscape photographers who want best-in-class dynamic range and detail
- Hybrid shooters who need 8K video alongside a 61MP stills sensor
- Professionals upgrading from the A7R V who want faster AI-driven autofocus
Quick take: The a7r vi has the highest resolution at 61mp; the a7r vi is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 (2021) | A7R VI (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £4,399 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 61MP full-frame stacked back-illuminated CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 61.0MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 8K 30fps, 4K 120fps oversampled |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | AI processing unit — subject recognition for people, animals, birds and vehicles across the frame |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | In-body 5-axis IS, up to 8.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE | 8fps mechanical / 7fps electronic with full AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA, NP-FZ100) |
| Weight | 737g (with battery) | 723g (body with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 131.3 × 96.9 × 82.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | EVF, 9.44M-dot, up to 120fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | 3.2-inch 4-axis multi-angle touchscreen, 3.69M-dot |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II | Dual slots — CFexpress Type A / SD (UHS-II) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | USB-C (10Gbps), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0, 2.5GbE |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 | A7R VI |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Wedding | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Casual | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with A1
Camera family history