A1vs FX3
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
VS
Sony
FX3 (2021)
Starting from £3799 new
Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking
View FX3
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.
Professional Video, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking — FX3 (2021): The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.
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
FX3 (2021)
- Professional videographers and filmmakers who need cinema-quality colour science in a compact body
- Documentary and run-and-gun shooters who need 4K/120p and built-in XLR audio
- Sony A7S III owners who want a purpose-built video body alongside their stills camera
- Gimbal and drone operators who need a compact full-frame cinema camera
Quick take: The a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp; the fx3 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 (2021) | FX3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £3,799 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA) | ~640 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 737g (with battery) | 715g body only (with XLR handle) |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | None — monitor/external EVF use only |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating |
| 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 CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 | FX3 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Wedding | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Travel | — |
More comparisons with A1
Camera family history