A1vs ZV-E1
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
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.
Video Creators, Vloggers & Filmmakers — ZV-E1 (2023): Full-frame video quality in a vlogging body — exceptional low-light performance and a genuinely compact form factor.
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-E1 (2023)
- Video creators who want full-frame low-light quality in a compact body
- Vloggers stepping up from APS-C who prioritise image quality over resolution
- Filmmakers who want S-Log3 and cinematic colour in a run-and-gun package
- A7S III users who want the same sensor in a smaller, lighter body
Quick take: The a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp; the zv-e1 is the most affordable; only the a1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | A1 (2021) | ZV-E1 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 50.1MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 4K/60p (S-Cinetone, S-Log3), 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | Real-time Tracking AF with subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | IBIS — Active Mode for video |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE | 10fps |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA) | ~570 shots (CIPA) / ~105 min video |
| Weight | 737g (with battery) | 483g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 121.4 × 71.6 × 54.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | None — screen only |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II | Single CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm mic, Multi-Interface Shoe |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 | ZV-E1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Wedding | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history