Upgrade Guide

Sony A9 II→Sony A1 II

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Sony

A9 II

£3299

2019

→

Upgrade to

Sony

A1 II

£6500 (+£3,201)

2025

✅

Worthwhile

Clear improvements over the A9 II. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.

What's new in the A1 II

↑

Resolution

50MP vs 24MP (+26MP)
↑

Stabilisation

Improved — 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS)
↑

Burst rate

30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical vs 20fps (blackout-free with full AF/AE)
↑

Generation

6 years newer (2025 vs 2019)

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	A9 II	A1 II
Price	£3,299	£6,500
Released	2019	2025	↑
Sensor	24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS	50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS
Resolution	24MP	50MP	↑
Video	4K/30p, 1080p/120p	8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion
Autofocus	693 phase-detect + 425 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking	AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train
Stabilisation	IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5.5 stops	8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS)
Burst Rate	20fps (blackout-free with full AF/AE)	30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical	↑
Battery Life	~500 shots (CIPA)	~530 shots (CIPA)	↑
Weight	678g (with battery and card)	743g body only	↓
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification	EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available
Screen	3.0" tilting touchscreen	3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots
Mount	Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)	Sony E-mount (full-frame)
Memory Cards	Dual SD UHS-II slots	Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots

Compare side-by-side

See A9 II and A1 II next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A1 II against your specific genres — not just specs.

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