Photo Quality: The a7R VI Provides More Room to Crop
The a1 II and a7R VI both use full-frame Stacked CMOS sensors, a type of chip that layers DRAM memory behind the photo-sensitive surface to drastically shorten the time it takes the camera to scan all the pixels. The a7R VI squeezes more pixels into its chip, 66MP versus 50MP for the a1 II, which means that its scan speed is a teensy bit slower, but not enough to make a difference for most scenes. The a7R VI delivers more pixels without making any trade-offs in picture quality—its ISO 50-102400 range and 8.5-stop stabilization system matches the a1 II, and the a7R VI's sensor promises more dynamic range too: 16 stops versus 15 for the a1 II, so its Raw files provide a little more leeway for exposure edits.
You won't always need 66MP, but the extra room to crop photos is welcome, and it's enough for me to say the a7R VI beats the a1 II in photo quality.
Winner: a7R VI
Autofocus and Tracking: Both Support 30fps at Full Raw Quality
The a7R VI has a very slight edge in autofocus performance, as its subject recognition and tracking system can recognize slightly smaller objects than the a1 II's, but I'm still calling this category a tie. Both cameras have extremely sticky tracking systems that focus on the eyes of people, wildlife, pets, and insects, as well as inanimate subjects like trains, planes, automobiles, and motorbikes.
Both cameras fire off 14-bit Raw photos at up to 30fps, include a precapture buffer mode, and a speed boost function. Speed boost lets you use a slower frame rate and ramp up to 30fps with a button press—so far it's exclusive to Sony and is a handy way to take advantage of ultra-fast capture speeds when you need them, and save room on your memory card when you don't.
Winner: Tie
Buffer: The a1 II Goes for Longer Durations at 30fps
Both the a1 II and a7R VI support 30fps photography with 14-bit Raw quality, but the a1 II's smaller files and deeper buffer help capture more photos in a burst before the camera slows down. With CFe memory, the a1 II goes for minutes, and with SDXC it gets 80 photos in a burst, while the a7R VI gets about 70 Lossless Compressed Raw images in a burst. For JPGs, the a1 II lets you rattle off as many shots as you want without a slowdown, while the a7R VI gets around 215 with CFe and 150 with SDXC. If you make liberal use of the shutter button and top 30fps drive rate, the a1 II is a stronger performer, though to be fair, I didn't run into any buffer issues during real-world use with the a7R VI.
Winner: a1 II
Video: 8K30 and 4K120 With No Crop
The a1 II and a7R VI are on perfectly even footing for video. Both use H.265 compression and record at up to 8K30 and 4K120 with 10-bit color, and support a slew of picture profiles, including ready-to-share looks like S-Cinetone, flat S-Log3, and HDR HLG. The a1 II's sensor reads out a bit faster, so it shows less rolling shutter when recording fast-moving action, but it's not enough of a difference to change how most scenes look.
Winner: Tie
Controls: The a1 II Has More Buttons, But No Backlights
The a1 II includes a few controls that aren't on the a7R VI. Specifically, it has a configurable C5 button on the front next to the grip that engages the speed boost function by default, plus a dial on the top plate that changes between drive modes. The a7R VI also has speed boost, but you'll need to map it to another button, and it makes you dive into an on-screen menu to switch drive modes. On the other hand, most of the a7R VI's rear buttons are backlit, which is a win for event photographers working in dark environments and for astrophotographers.
I'm calling this category a tie. If you frequently photograph sports and wildlife, the a1 II's C5 button and drive dial are both handy, while creators who often work in dim light will appreciate the a7R VI's backlit controls.
Winner: Tie
Displays: The a7R VI's Viewfinder Is Impossible to Beat
Both the a1 II and a7R VI have large, sharp OLED viewfinders with 0.90x magnification, 9.44 million dots of resolution, and selectable 60/120fps refresh rates. Plus, they use an identical (3.2-inch, 2.1 million dots) rear display with dual hinges.
The EVF specs are similar, but the a7R VI's viewfinder offers higher peak brightness, 10-bit color for full DCI-P3 reproduction, 125% sRGB gamut coverage, and proper HDR monitoring. The a7R VI also delivers full-quality images at 120fps, while the a1 II is softer at 120fps than at 60fps. Both viewfinders are fantastic, but the a7R VI's wider color gamut and full-quality 120fps feed give it a win.
Winner: a7R VI
Connectivity: The a1 II's Ethernet is a Difference Maker for Some
Both the a1 II and a7R VI have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, pair with the Sony Creators' smartphone app (available for Android and iOS), and support uploading to an FTP server. The a1 II goes one step further and adds a Gigabit Ethernet port, which is good news for pros who cover pro sports and big news events in venues with spotty Wi-Fi and need to send images to an editor for immediate publication. It's only a difference maker for a select few users, but if you rely on a wired connection for work, the a1 II beats the a7R VI.
Winner: a1 II
Flash Sync: Faster With the a1 II
Both the a1 II and a7R VI use fast-reading Stacked CMOS sensors, but the a1 II is a little quicker to scan its pixels, so it's able to sync with flashes with a fully electronic shutter at 1/200-second, and manages 1/400-sync with its mechanical focal plane shutter. The a7R VI supports 1/250-second sync with its mechanical shutter, but does not support flash photography with its electronic shutter. A faster sync speed makes it easier to use fill flash in bright sunlight and with wide-aperture lenses, and the a1 II's 1/400-second sync speed is a standout among full-frame cameras.
Winner: a1 II
Battery Life: The a7R VI Goes the Distance Between Charges
The a7R VI introduces a new NP-SA100 battery that records 600 EVF/710 LCD exposures using the CIPA test, supports fast charging, and includes smart features to report on battery health in-camera.
The a1 II uses the long-running NP-FZ100, which is rated for 420 EVF/520 LCD exposures and doesn't support health reporting or fast charging. Creators who have built up a pile of NP-FZ100 batteries over the years may balk at changing to a new system, but the NP-SA100 is the better option.
Winner: a7R VI
Price: Save a Bundle With the a7R VI
There's no contest here—the a7R VI costs around $4,500 as a body only, versus $7,000 for the a1 II. That's enough savings to pick up a top-tier lens like the FE 24-70mm GM II and still have some money in your pocket.
Winner: a7R VI