Sony announces the 50-megapixel Alpha 1 camera

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Sony has announced the Alpha 1 full-frame mirrorless camera. It has a 50-megapixel sensor, shoots up to 30 frames per second without blackout in the viewfinder and can record video in 8K.

Sony has brought together the best specifications currently available in the world of cameras in the Alpha 1. The list of features seems endless in this respect. This camera also has the new improved menu system that first appeared in the Sony A7S Mark III.

The camera can record losslessly compressed raw and in the 10-bit HEIF format. This recording can be done on two CF Express Type A memory cards, which, like the A7S III, also accept SD cards.

The buffer can hold up to 155 compressed RAW images, or 165 JPEG images. At 30 frames per second, it is full in less than 6 seconds.

According to Sony, the camera will no longer be partly blocked when the buffer is full, as was the case with the A9 and A9 II.

Naturally, the camera has the familiar image stabilisation, which can compensate for up to 5.5 stops. This system is also used to enable photography at an increased resolution.

With 4 to 16 photos, a maximum resolution of up to 199 megapixels can be achieved. You do need the Sony Imaging Edge software on your computer for this.

The autofocus area covers 92% of the image, and real-time eye AF now works with birds, animals and people. There are 759 phase detection AF points, making tracking possible across virtually the entire image.

With 120 calculations per second, performed by the camera's new processors, tracking works even better than on the Sony A9 II.

The OLED viewfinder of the Sony A1 has no fewer than 9.44 million pixels and can be refreshed at up to 240 fps. At this high frame rate, the resolution is reduced to 5.76 million pixels. Thanks to the 0.9x magnification and 25 to 33mm eye relief, the viewfinder will also be excellent for people who wear glasses.

A brief overview of the specifications

• 50 megapixels (199 megapixels in high-resolution modes)
• 30 fps with a buffer for 155 raw images or 165 JPEG images
• ISO of 100 - 32,000 (extended ISO range of 50 - 102,400)
• 5.5-stop image stabilisation system (IBIS)
• Losslessly compressed raw and 10-bit HEIF
• 759 phase detection AF points
• Real-time eye AF for birds, animals and people
• 3" TFT-LCD screen with 1.44 million pixels
• OLED EVF with 9.4 million pixels
• Dual SD/CF Express Type A card slot
• Battery life of up to 530 images (according to CIPA)
• The same new menu structure as on the Sony A7S III
• Improved touchscreen functionality

First impression

Fortunately, a number of shortcomings of previous cameras have been addressed, such as the touchscreen functionality and the menu structure. It will now also be possible to continue operating the camera fully when the buffer is full, something that was not possible with the A9 and A9 II.

The Sony A1 is once again just a little faster, the autofocus works slightly better than on the previous models, and the video resolution is another step higher. With all the best options and specifications brought together in a single camera body, the Sony A1 is a camera that shows what is technically possible.

It will be interesting to compare this camera with the top models from Canon and Nikon in the mirrorless field, although these are of course not cameras in the same price range.

The price of the Sony A1 is no less than 60 per cent higher than that of the Canon EOS R5. Unfortunately, all this impressive technology is therefore not within everyone's reach.

The camera will be available in shops from March 2021 for approximately 7,300 euros.

You might also like

1 comment

Have your say