Upgrade Guide
Sony A1→Sony A7 II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Skip it
The A7 II offers little measurable spec improvement over the A1. Spend the money on glass instead.
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution24MP (down from 50MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | A1 | A7 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | -4.0 | ||
| Landscape | -1.0 | ||
| Wedding | — | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Travel | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A1 | A7 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £549 | |
| Released | 2021 | 2014 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS | Full-frame BSI CMOS 35mm | |
| Resolution | 50MP | 24MP | ↓ |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 1080p 60fps | |
| Autofocus | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points | 117-point phase-detect hybrid AF | |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 4.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE | 5fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~430 shots (CIPA) | 350 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 737g (with battery) | 599g (body only) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps | EVF 0.71× 2.36M-dot | |
| Screen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.23M-dot | |
| Mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-Mount | |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II | SD / Memory Stick Pro Duo |
Compare side-by-side
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