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sd Quattro

Sigma

sd Quattro

Foveon APS-C body delivering exceptional per-pixel detail for stills purists.

$999

Launch price

Released Feb 2016

vs
Alpha 1 II

Sony

Alpha 1 II

50MP stacked flagship with 30fps RAW, 8K video, and Sony's fastest hybrid performance.

$6,499

Launch price

Released Nov 2024

Alpha 1 II is 8.8 years newer.

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Wins

3categories

sd Quattro

WildlifeTravel

Wins

13categories

Alpha 1 II

Sports & ActionVideo & Hybrid

2 categories tied

Which would you choose?

TL;DR — Key differences

sd Quattro wins 0 categories·Alpha 1 II wins 5 categories
  • BAlpha 1 II has higher AF points / zones (759 vs 9)
  • BAlpha 1 II has higher ISO max (native) (32,000 vs 6,400)
  • BAlpha 1 II has higher EVF resolution (9,437,184 vs 2,360,000)
  • BAlpha 1 II has higher RAW buffer depth (200 frames vs 60 frames)
  • BAlpha 1 II has higher Burst (electronic) (30 fps vs 15 fps)

Key specs at a glance

sd QuattroAlpha 1 II
Resolution29 MP50.1 MP
SensorAPS-CFull Frame
ISO max6,40032,000
Burst15 fps30 fps
4K60 fps120 fps
IBIS6-stop8.5-stop
Weight625 g743 g
Battery640 shots520 shots

Size and weight, to scale

sd Quattro front view

sd Quattro

147 × 95 × 91 mm

625 g (1.38 lb / 22.05 oz)

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

for scale

Alpha 1 II front view

Alpha 1 II

136 × 97 × 83 mm

743 g (1.64 lb / 26.21 oz)

sd Quattro is 2mm shorter than Alpha 1 II but it is also 11mm wider and 8mm thicker.

sd Quattro is 118 g lighter than Alpha 1 II.

Depth (front-to-back): 91mm sd Quattro · 83mm Alpha 1 II

Back view, to scale

Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.

sd Quattro back view

sd Quattro

147 × 95 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

Alpha 1 II

136 × 97 mm

Top view, to scale

Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.

sd Quattro top view

sd Quattro

147 × 91 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

Alpha 1 II

136 × 83 mm

Sensor size, to scale

sd Quattro

23.5 × 15.5 mm · APS-C

364 mm² area

Alpha 1 II

35.9 × 24 mm · Full Frame

862 mm² area

2.4× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

sd Quattro: mount data unavailable

Alpha 1 II

✓ more lenses

Sony E

350+

native lenses available

80 first-party270 third-party

Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use casesd QuattroAlpha 1 II
Portrait
6.5Good
8.5Excellent✓ wins
Sports & Action
6.5Good
10.0Excellent✓ wins
Video & Hybrid
6.0Good
9.5Excellent✓ wins
Landscape
4.0Fair
9.0Excellent✓ wins
Travel
8.0Excellent✓ wins
6.0Good
Wildlife
9.0Excellent
9.5Excellent✓ wins
Vlogging
6.5Good✓ wins
5.5Fair

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

sd Quattro

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 147, 95.1, 90.8

  • Card types

    Adds SD, SDHC, SDXC

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Vehicle

  • Battery life (CIPA)

    640 shots vs 520 shots — higher is better

  • EVF magnification

    1.09 × vs 0.9 × — higher is better

  • Weight

    625 g vs 743 g — lower is better

Reasons to choose

Alpha 1 II

  • AF low-light limit

    -4 EV vs -1 EV — lower is better

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 136.1, 96.9, 82.9

  • Card types

    Adds CFexpress Type A, SD UHS-II

  • AF points / zones

    759 vs 9 — higher is better

  • ISO max (native)

    32,000 vs 6,400 — higher is better

  • EVF resolution

    9,437,184 vs 2,360,000 — higher is better

  • RAW buffer depth

    200 frames vs 60 frames — higher is better

  • Codecs

    Adds XAVC HS, XAVC S, XAVC S-I

Both cameras share

  • ISO min (native)Both 100
  • Eye AFBoth support eye af
  • Animal / bird AFBoth support animal / bird af
  • Pre-Capture / Pre-ReleaseBoth support pre-capture / pre-release
  • Max video bit rateBoth 150 Mbps
  • In-body stabilization (IBIS)Both support in-body stabilization (ibis)

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

sd Quattro

Pros

  • Unique Foveon color
  • High acutance
  • Distinct rendering

Cons

  • Slow
  • Poor high ISO
  • SA mount limited

Alpha 1 II

Pros

  • 50MP stacked sensor
  • 30fps blackout-free burst
  • 8K 30p video
  • Best Sony AF

Cons

  • Very expensive
  • Complex menus
  • Large files

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the sd Quattro and Alpha 1 II at major authorized retailers.

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Full specifications

= category winner

sd Quattro
Alpha 1 II
Resolution
29 MP
50.1 MP+73%
Sensor type
CMOS
Full Frame Stacked Exmor RS CMOS
Sensor size
23.5 x 15.5 mm
35.9 × 24.0 mm
AA filter
No
Yes
sd Quattro
Alpha 1 II
Processor
Image processor
BIONZ XR + AI processing unit
sd Quattro
Alpha 1 II
ISO min (native)
100
100
ISO max (native)
6,400
32,000+2.3 stops
ISO max (expanded)
102,400
102,400
sd Quattro
Alpha 1 II
Shutter type
Electronic Rolling Shutter
Mechanical + Electronic
Max mechanical speed
1/8000 sec
1/8000 sec
Max electronic speed
1/16000 sec
1/32000 sec

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for landscape, sd Quattro or Alpha 1 II?

Alpha 1 II scores 9.0/10 versus 4.0/10 for sd Quattro — 50.1MP — massive detail for large prints.

What's the resolution difference between the sd Quattro and Alpha 1 II?

sd Quattro is 29 MP and Alpha 1 II is 50.1 MP, so the Alpha 1 II captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the sd Quattro and Alpha 1 II have in-body image stabilization?

sd Quattro has 6-stop in-body image stabilization, while Alpha 1 II has 8.5-stop in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the sd Quattro or the Alpha 1 II?

sd Quattro reaches 15 fps electronic. Alpha 1 II reaches 30 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the sd Quattro and Alpha 1 II?

sd Quattro weighs 625 g and Alpha 1 II weighs 743 g, so the sd Quattro is 118 g lighter.

Do the sd Quattro and Alpha 1 II record 4K video?

sd Quattro: 4K up to 60p. Alpha 1 II: 8K (max), 4K up to 120p.

Are the sd Quattro and Alpha 1 II weather sealed?

sd Quattro: Yes. Alpha 1 II: Yes.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 640 shots (CIPA) for the sd Quattro and 520 shots for the Alpha 1 II, giving the sd Quattro the edge.

How much does each cost?

sd Quattro launched at $999 and Alpha 1 II at $6,499. The sd Quattro is $5,500 less.

Can't decide between two? Compare a third camera.

Add any camera to get a three-way sd Quattro vs Alpha 1 II vs X comparison.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed July 2026.

Product images courtesy of Sigma and Sony press materials.