A1vs Sony RX100 VII
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
VS
Sony
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
Starting from £1099 new
Best for Travel & versatility
View Sony RX100 VII
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.
Travel & Versatility — Sony RX100 VII (2019): The most versatile compact camera ever made — 24-200mm zoom, 20fps burst, and 960fps slow-motion in a jacket pocket.
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
Sony RX100 VII (2019)
- Travel photographers who want the most capable 1-inch compact available
- Vloggers who need fast AF and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket body
- Photographers who want a high-quality compact backup to a mirrorless system
- Anyone who wants professional AF performance without carrying a large camera
Quick take: The a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp; the sony rx100 vii is the most affordable; only the a1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 (2021) | Sony RX100 VII (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £1,099 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS (stacked) |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 4K/30p HLG, FHD/960fps super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | 357-point phase-detect + 425 contrast, Eye AF, tracking |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | 3-stop Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE | 20fps AF/AE tracking (90fps short burst) |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 737g (with battery) | 302g with battery and card |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | Pop-up EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 | Sony RX100 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Street | — |
More comparisons with A1
Camera family history