Sony has announced its latest full-frame mirrorless offering, the Alpha 1.
A groundbreaking camera that offers a shocking combination of speed, resolution, and video capabilities, the a1 somehow manages to speak to action photographers, wildlife photographers, and even all-around professional shooters without sacrificing on, well, anything.
For several years now, Sony has maintained the same four full-frame camera lineups:
- The a9 lineup, geared toward professional sports and action photographers
- The a7R lineup, geared toward landscape and commercial photographers
- The a7 lineup, geared toward all-around professionals and advanced hobbyists
- The a7s lineup, geared toward serious videographers (plus the occasional hybrid shooter)
(Sony also recently released the a7C, a compact full-frame model.)
Note the division of labor here, with one camera tailored toward action photographers, another tailored toward videographers, and yet another tailored toward landscape shooters.
But now, with the launch of the Sony a1, the division between action photography, landscape photography, and even video seems to have crumbled, leaving Sony users with a camera clearly more capable than the a7 III, and even offering a leg up over the a7S III, the a9 II, and more.
So what does the Sony a1 offer?
First, check out the sensor:
50 MP for intense cropping abilities, plus it gathers enough detail to satisfy professional landscape shooters.
Then there’s the autofocus, which packs “improved real-time Eye AF for humans and animals, and new real-time Eye AF for birds.” Sony is well-known for its top-tier autofocus algorithms, so don’t be surprised if the bird Eye AF makes the a1 a hot choice among serious bird photographers.
You also get in-body image stabilization (Sony claims up to 5.5 stops), as well as a lightning-fast continuous shooting speed (30 frames per second using the electronic shutter).
The a1 also boasts one of the most impressive electronic viewfinders on the market. With a whopping 9.44M-dots of resolution, you should have a clear view, even in low light, which is always a plus for event photographers, night street photographers, and wildlife photographers, to name just a few.
Finally, there’s the video capabilities. The a1 can record at 8K/30p, as well as 4K/120p; the former capability is what puts the camera above the Sony a7S, at least in terms of raw recording power. While 8K is likely overkill for casual videographers, I can highly recommend the a1 for serious videographers and true hybrid video/stills shooters.
Of course, you should also consider the price: $6499.99. In other words, the a1 costs more than the Nikon Z7 II, more than the Canon EOS R5, more than the Sony a9 II, and more than every other full-frame mirrorless camera on the market.
But the a1 really is one heck of a camera, and those who can afford it are bound to be impressed (to say the least!).
Now over to you:
What do you think about the Sony a1 announcement? Are you excited? Apprehensive? Frustrated? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
