A1vs ZV-1 II
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
VS
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.
Pocket Vlogging — ZV-1 II (2023): The best pocket vlogging camera — 1-inch sensor, ultrawide zoom, flip screen, and real-time Eye AF in a shirt 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
ZV-1 II (2023)
- Vloggers and content creators who want a pocketable fixed-lens camera
- Travellers who want 4K video and a flip screen in a jacket-pocket size
- ZV-1 owners who want a wider lens and improved subject tracking
- Beginners who want a simple, capable vlogging camera without changing lenses
Quick take: The a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp; the zv-1 ii is the most affordable; only the a1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 (2021) | ZV-1 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £649 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | Optical SteadyShot (OIS) |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE | 15fps |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 737g (with battery) | 292g |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 105.5 × 60.0 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | None |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv |
| 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, 3.5mm mic input |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 | ZV-1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Wedding | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — |
More comparisons with A1
Camera family history