Panasonic S1R II vs Sony A1 II

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II and the Sony A1 II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in May 2025 and November 2024. Both the S1R II and the A1 II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 44.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 49.8 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Panasonic S1R II		Sony A1 II
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Leica L mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
44.2 MP – Full Frame sensor		49.8 MP – Full Frame sensor
8K/30p Video		8k/30p Video
ISO 80-51,200 (40 - 102,400)		ISO 100-32,000 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (9437k dots)
3.2" LCD – 1840k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Fully flexible touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second		30 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
350 shots per battery charge		520 shots per battery charge
134 x 102 x 92 mm, 795 g		136 x 97 x 83 mm, 743 g

Check S1R II price at
amazon.com
Check A1 II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II and the Sony A1 II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Panasonic S1R II and the Sony A1 II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A1 II is somewhat smaller (3 percent) than the Panasonic S1R II. Moreover, the A1 II is markedly lighter (7 percent) than the S1R II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the S1R II gets 350 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLK22 battery, while the A1 II can take 520 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Panasonic S1R II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	795 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
2.		Sony A1 II	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	743 g	520	Y	Nov 2024	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	746 g	340	Y	Jul 2024	US$ 4 299	amazon.com
5.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	854 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z7 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	420	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z8	144 mm	119 mm	83 mm	910 g	340	Y	May 2023	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic S1 II	134 mm	102 mm	92 mm	800 g	350	Y	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic S5	133 mm	98 mm	82 mm	714 g	440	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
13.		Sony A1	129 mm	97 mm	81 mm	737 g	530	Y	Jan 2021	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7R II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	625 g	290	Y	Jun 2015	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A7R IV	129 mm	96 mm	78 mm	665 g	670	Y	Jul 2019	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony A9 III	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	702 g	530	Y	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The S1R II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 49 percent) than the A1 II, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A1 II is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 49.8MP, the A1 II offers a higher resolution than the S1R II (44.2MP), but the A1 II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.16μm versus 4.40μm for the S1R II). It is noteworthy in this context that the S1R II is a somewhat more recent model (by 5 months) than the A1 II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A1 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A1 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 43.2 x 28.8 inches or 109.7 x 73.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 34.6 x 23 inches or 87.8 x 58.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 28.8 x 19.2 inches or 73.2 x 48.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic S1R II are 40.7 x 27.1 inches or 103.4 x 68.9 cm for good quality, 32.6 x 21.7 inches or 82.7 x 55.1 cm for very good quality, and 27.1 x 18.1 inches or 69 x 45.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

Both cameras have the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting the sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 40-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony A1 II are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the S1R II is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the A1 II uses a Stacked BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic S1R II	Full Frame	44.2	8144	5424	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
2.		Sony A1 II	Full Frame	49.8	8640	5760	8k/30p	25.4	14.8	3363	97
3.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
5.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
6.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
7.		Nikon Z7 II	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/60p	26.3	14.7	2841	100
8.		Nikon Z8	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.2	2548	98
9.		Panasonic S1 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3406	97
10.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
11.		Panasonic S5	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.1	14.5	2697	94
12.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
13.		Sony A1	Full Frame	49.8	8640	5760	8k/30p	25.9	14.5	3163	98
14.		Sony A7R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	13.9	3434	98
15.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
16.		Sony A7R IV	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/30p	26.0	14.8	3344	99
17.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A1 II provides a better video resolution than the S1R II. It can shoot movie footage at 8k/30p, while the Panasonic is limited to 8K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A1 II offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the S1R II (9437k vs 5760k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic S1R II and Sony A1 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Panasonic S1R II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
2.		Sony A1 II	9437	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
5.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
6.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
7.		Nikon Z7 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
8.		Nikon Z8	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
9.		Panasonic S1 II	5760	n	3.2 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
10.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic S5	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A1	9437	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7R II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7R IV	5760	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A9 III	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/80000s	120.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Panasonic S1R II and the Sony A1 II both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The S1R II writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards, while the A1 II uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II and Sony A1 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Panasonic S1R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon Z7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon Z8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Panasonic S1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic S5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A7R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A7R IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A9 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the S1R II and the A1 II are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The A1 II replaced the earlier Sony A1, while the S1R II followed on from the Panasonic S1R. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Panasonic and Sony websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Panasonic S1R II better than the Sony A1 II or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II:

• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (49 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 5 months after the A1 II).

Advantages of the Sony A1 II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (49.8 vs 44.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 6%.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8k/30p vs 8K/30p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (9437k vs 5760k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.78x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1840k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 vs 9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (520 versus 350) out of a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in November 2024).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A1 II is the clear winner of the contest (8 : 2 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic S1R II and the Sony A1 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the S1R II or the A1 II perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Panasonic S1R II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
2.		Sony A1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2024	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	..	..	..	93/100	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 4 299	amazon.com
5.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon Z7 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
8.		Nikon Z8	5/5	..	5/5	94/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	US$ 3 999	amazon.com
9.		Panasonic S1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2025	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
10.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic S5	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
13.		Sony A1	5/5	o	4.5/5	93/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2021	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7R II	5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A7R IV	5/5	+	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2019	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony A9 III	4.5/5	..	..	91/100	..	..	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check S1R II price at
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Check A1 II price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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Check S1R II price at
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