Sony
A1 2021
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
£4199
new today at Wex Photo Video
Decision tools · Compare
A1 vs A7S III
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the A7S III is the most affordable.
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.
Sony
A7S III 2020
Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking
£3389
new today at Clifton Cameras
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 III — Professional Video & Low-Light Filmmaking: If video is your primary discipline, the A7S III is the camera. 4K/120p at 10-bit in a weather-sealed body with a 9.44M dot EVF is an extraordinary package. The 12MP sensor isn't limiting for video — and it's usable at ISO 409,600 in a pinch.
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 III (2020)
is the right camera for you if…
- Filmmakers and videographers who need 4K/120p at 10-bit
- Event videographers who shoot in dark venues regularly
- Documentary filmmakers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Hybrid shooters where video is primary and stills are secondary
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | A1Sony · 2021 | A7S IIISony · 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,199 | £3,389Best |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) |
| Resolution | 50.1MPBest | 12.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AEBest | 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recordingBest |
| Weight | 737g (with battery and card) | 699g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
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 III
Portrait
8.2/10
7.5/10
Street
6.1/10
6.2/10
Travel
5.9/10
6.0/10
Wedding & Events
7.9/10
7.5/10
Filmmaking
7.8/10
8.2/10
Documentary
7.6/10
7.7/10
Sports & Action
8.8/10
7.4/10
Landscape
7.6/10
5.5/10
Wildlife
8.7/10
7.5/10
Casual
4.8/10
4.9/10
Food
7.4/10
6.8/10
Macro
7.3/10
5.8/10
Architecture
7.9/10
5.5/10
Astrophotography
6.8/10
7.8/10
Vlogging & Video
—
5.9/10
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 →
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