Sony
A1 2021
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
£4199
new today at Wex Photo Video
Decision tools · Compare
A1 vs A7S II
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the A7S II is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·14 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.
Sony
A7S II 2015
Best for Low-light video, documentary & available-light filmmaking
£799
list price · used from £400 at eBay
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 — Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting: 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
A7S II — Low-Light Video, Documentary & Available-Light Filmmaking: A landmark in mirrorless history — the first Sony with IBIS and internal 4K, its low-light video capability still impresses today at a used-market price.
Who should buy what
A1 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
A7S II (2015)
is the right camera for you if…
- Filmmakers and videographers who want legendary low-light performance at a used-price discount
- Documentary shooters working in unpredictable available light conditions
- A7S III shooters who want a second Sony FE body for backup or B-camera use
- Budget-conscious video producers who want full-frame 4K with S-Log at an accessible price
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A1Sony · 2021 | A7S IISony · 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,199 | £799Best |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MPBest | 12.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | Contrast-detect AF, 169 points; limited by modern standards |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AEBest | 5fps continuous |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA)Best | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 737g (with battery and card) | 584g (body only)Best |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II | Dual SD UHS-I slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth (via app), Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
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
A7S II
Portrait
8.2/10
5.8/10
Street
6.1/10
5.3/10
Travel
5.9/10
5.2/10
Wedding & Events
7.9/10
5.6/10
Filmmaking
7.8/10
6.2/10
Documentary
7.6/10
5.8/10
Sports & Action
8.8/10
5.2/10
Landscape
7.6/10
5.0/10
Wildlife
8.7/10
5.6/10
Casual
4.8/10
3.5/10
Food
7.4/10
5.2/10
Macro
7.3/10
4.8/10
Architecture
7.9/10
4.8/10
Astrophotography
6.8/10
6.8/10
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 →
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