Sony today announced its most advanced mirrorless camera to date: the $ 1,500 Alpha 1 features a new 50.1-megapixel full-frame sensor, capable of continuous shooting at 30 frames per second and capable of 8K record video at 30 fps. It will be shipped from March.
The power camera is significantly higher than the best mirrorless cameras from Canon and Nikon, but Sony promises that customers who buy it will be rewarded with ‘the most technologically advanced, innovative camera’ it has ever made.
It sounds like a dream for sports and action photographers: even with its large sensor, Sony says the buffer allows you to capture up to 155 full-frame composite RAW images or 165 full-frame JPEG images at up to 30 frames per second with the electronic shutter with full AF and AE detection. ”
That autofocus and auto-illumination system can do up to 120 calculations per second. And you look through a high-resolution OLED electronic viewfinder with a refresh rate of 240Hz – something that Sony claims to be the first place. The Alpha 1 offers five-axis, internal image stabilization and a standard ISO range of 100-32,000 (expandable to 50-102,400 for photos).
Sony’s autofocus system is still the best in the game, and the company says the Alpha 1 accelerates Eye AF even further when it focuses on humans and pets. And with this camera, Eye AF will work on birds as well. If you can justify a $ 6,500 camera for your natural decline, Sony says that “optimized algorithms ensure that detection is maintained, even if a seated bird suddenly flees or the frame suddenly changes.”
Flash sync speeds are up to 1/400 sec. Pushed. (with mechanical shutter), and the silent electronic shutter supports synchronization speeds of up to 1/200 sec. Roll shutters have been reduced due to high speed sensor readings, and Sony says you can unleash the full 30 fps recordings without any blackout. Flickering under LED lighting conditions is also mitigated, as the Alpha 1 can match the shutter speed to the flicker frequency.
As for the video, the Alpha 1 can shoot 8K30 and 4K120 – both in 10-bit – and to record 4K up to 60 fps, can read out a full sensor without a pixel binning. By adding an external recorder to the mix, you can record 16-bit RAW video.
The Alpha 1 is the best of Sony, and the price clearly reflects that. You are looking at a price that is thousands of dollars above the Canon R5. But considering the reputation Sony has gained with its full-frame mirrorless cameras in the past and present, there will be many professional photographers who want to itch to get their hands on this $ 6,500 animal.