A1vs Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
VS
Sony
Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II (2023)
Starting from £2099 new
Best for Landscape, architecture & astrophotography
View Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II
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.
Landscape, Architecture & Astrophotography — Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II (2023): Sony's best ultra-wide zoom ever — dramatically lighter than the original, with world-class sharpness and a stunning minimum focus distance.
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
Quick take: The sony fe 16-35mm f/2.8 gm ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 (2021) | Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £2,099 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | f/2.8 (constant max aperture) |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | — |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 22cm minimum focus distance |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | XD linear motors — ultra-fast and near-silent |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | None (relies on body IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE | N/A |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA) | N/A |
| Weight | 737g (with battery) | 547g |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 87.8mm diameter × 111.5mm length |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | N/A |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | N/A |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II | N/A |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 | Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Wedding | — | |
| Architecture | — |
More comparisons with A1
Camera family history