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Alpha 1

Sony

Alpha 1

Original 50MP stacked flagship for sports and wildlife pros.

$6,499

Released Jan 2021

vs

Sony

Alpha 6600

APS-C with IBIS and huge NP-FZ100 battery in a compact body.

$1,399

Released Oct 2019

Alpha 1 is 1.3 years newer.

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Wins

11categories

Alpha 1

Video & HybridLandscape

Wins

3categories

Alpha 6600

TravelPortrait

4 categories tied

TL;DR — Key differences

Alpha 1 wins 5 categories·Alpha 6600 wins 0 categories
  • AAlpha 1 has higher 4K max frame rate (120 fps vs 30 fps)
  • AAlpha 1 has higher EVF resolution (9,437,184 vs 2,359,296)
  • AAlpha 1 has higher RAW buffer depth (200 frames vs 60 frames)
  • AAlpha 1 has higher Burst (electronic) (30 fps vs 11 fps)
  • AAlpha 1 has higher Resolution (50.1 MP vs 24.2 MP)

Key specs at a glance

Alpha 1Alpha 6600
Resolution50.1 MP24.2 MP
SensorFull FrameAPS-C
ISO max32,00032,000
Burst30 fps11 fps
4K120 fps30 fps
IBIS5.5-stop5-stop
Weight737 g503 g
Battery530 shots810 shots

Size and weight, to scale

Alpha 1 front view

Alpha 1

129 × 97 × 81 mm

737 g (1.62 lb / 26.00 oz)

Alpha 6600

120 × 67 × 69 mm

503 g (1.11 lb / 17.74 oz)

Alpha 1 is 9mm wider, 30mm taller, and 12mm thicker than Alpha 6600.

Alpha 1 is 234 g heavier than Alpha 6600.

Depth (front-to-back): 81mm Alpha 1 · 69mm Alpha 6600

Back view, to scale

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

Alpha 1 back view

Alpha 1

129 × 97 mm

Alpha 6600

120 × 67 mm

Top view, to scale

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

Alpha 1 top view

Alpha 1

129 × 81 mm

Alpha 6600

120 × 69 mm

Sensor size, to scale

Alpha 1

35.9 × 24 mm · Full Frame

862 mm² area

Alpha 6600

23.5 × 15.6 mm · APS-C

367 mm² area

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

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

Alpha 1

✓ more lenses

Sony E

350+

native lenses available

80 first-party270 third-party

Alpha 6600

✓ 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 caseAlpha 1Alpha 6600
Portrait
8.5Excellent✓ wins
6.5Good
Sports & Action
6.5Good✓ wins
4.0Fair
Video & Hybrid
9.5Excellent✓ wins
5.0Fair
Landscape
9.0Excellent✓ wins
4.0Fair
Travel
6.0Good
8.5Excellent✓ wins
Wildlife
7.5Good✓ wins
5.5Fair
Vlogging
5.5Fair
6.0Good✓ wins

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

Alpha 1

  • AF low-light limit

    -4 EV vs -2 EV — lower is better

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 128.9, 96.9, 80.8

  • Card types

    Adds CFexpress Type A, SD UHS-II

  • 4K max frame rate

    120 fps vs 30 fps — higher is better

  • EVF resolution

    9,437,184 vs 2,359,296 — higher is better

  • RAW buffer depth

    200 frames vs 60 frames — higher is better

  • Burst (electronic)

    30 fps vs 11 fps — higher is better

  • Codecs

    Adds XAVC HS, XAVC S-I, H.265

Reasons to choose

Alpha 6600

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 120, 66.9, 69.3

  • Card types

    Adds SD UHS-I

  • Battery life (CIPA)

    810 shots vs 530 shots — higher is better

  • Codecs

    Adds AVCHD

  • Weight

    503 g vs 737 g — lower is better

  • Burst (mechanical)

    11 fps vs 10 fps — higher is better

Both cameras share

  • ISO min (native)Both 100
  • ISO max (native)Both 32,000
  • AF frame coverageBoth 94 %
  • Eye AFBoth support eye af
  • Animal / bird AFBoth support animal / bird af
  • Max video bit rateBoth 150 Mbps

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

Alpha 1

Pros

  • 50MP stacked
  • 30fps burst
  • 8K video
  • Pro AF

Cons

  • Superseded by A1 II
  • Very expensive
  • Large files

Alpha 6600

Pros

  • IBIS in APS-C
  • Excellent battery
  • Real-time tracking AF

Cons

  • Older than A6700
  • Single slot
  • No 4K 60p

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the Alpha 1 and Alpha 6600 at major authorized retailers.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Cameraegg earns from qualifying purchases. Cameraegg may also earn commission from B&H links, at no extra cost to you.

Full specifications

= category winner

Alpha 1
Alpha 6600
Resolution
50.1 MP2.1× more
24.2 MP
Sensor type
Full Frame Stacked Exmor RS CMOS
APS-C Exmor CMOS
Sensor size
35.9 × 24.0 mm
23.5 × 15.6 mm
AA filter
Yes
No
Alpha 1
Alpha 6600
AF system
Fast Hybrid AF (phase-detection / contrast-detection)
Fast Hybrid AF (phase-detection / contrast-detection)
AF points / zones
759+79%
425
AF frame coverage
94 %
94 %
AF low-light limit
-4 EV
-2 EV
Eye AF
Yes
Yes
Animal / bird AF
Yes
Yes
Subject recognition
Human, Animal, Bird
Human, Animal
Alpha 1
Alpha 6600
Burst (mechanical)
10 fps
11 fps+10%
Burst (electronic)
30 fps2.7× more
11 fps
Pre-Capture / Pre-Release
No
No
RAW buffer depth
200 frames3.3× more
60 frames
Alpha 1
Alpha 6600
Max resolution
8K
4K UHD
4K max frame rate
120 fps4× more
30 fps
Max video bit rate
150 Mbps
150 Mbps
Internal RAW video
Yes
No
Log profile
S-Log3 / HLG / S-Cinetone
S-Log2 / S-Log3 / HLG
Codecs
XAVC HS, XAVC S, XAVC S-I, H.265, H.264
XAVC S, AVCHD, H.264
Alpha 1
Alpha 6600
Weight
737 g
503 g−234 g less
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8 mm
120 × 66.9 × 69.3 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
Yes

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for landscape, Alpha 1 or Alpha 6600?

Alpha 1 scores 9.0/10 versus 4.0/10 for Alpha 6600 — 50.1MP — massive detail for large prints.

What's the resolution difference between the Alpha 1 and Alpha 6600?

Alpha 1 is 50.1 MP and Alpha 6600 is 24.2 MP, so the Alpha 1 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the Alpha 1 and Alpha 6600 have in-body image stabilization?

Alpha 1 has 5.5-stop in-body image stabilization, while alpha 6600 has 5-stop in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the Alpha 1 or the Alpha 6600?

Alpha 1 reaches 30 fps electronic. Alpha 6600 reaches 11 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the Alpha 1 and Alpha 6600?

Alpha 1 weighs 737 g and Alpha 6600 weighs 503 g, so the Alpha 6600 is 234 g lighter.

Do the Alpha 1 and Alpha 6600 record 4K video?

Alpha 1: 8K (max), 4K up to 120p. Alpha 6600: 4K up to 30p.

Are the Alpha 1 and Alpha 6600 weather sealed?

Alpha 1: Yes. Alpha 6600: Yes.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 530 shots (CIPA) for the Alpha 1 and 810 shots for the Alpha 6600, giving the Alpha 6600 the edge.

How much does each cost?

Alpha 1 launched at $6,499 and Alpha 6600 at $1,399. The Alpha 6600 is $5,100 less.

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

Product images courtesy of Sony press materials.