Following over a week’s teasing about the “one never seen”, Sony has finally released details of its new Alpha 1 camera which marks a high point in its camera line-up.


Front view of the new Sony Alpha 1 camera. (Source: Sony.)

Equipped with a new 50.1-megapixel full-frame stacked Exmor RS image sensor with integral memory and upgraded BIONZ XR imaging processing engine with eight times more processing power, the Alpha 1 is capable of 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 video recording. Fast sensor readout enables up to 120 AF/AE calculations per second, which is double the speed of the Alpha 9 II, enabling blackout-free continuous shooting at 30 fps. The new camera also includes the following features:
A large 0.64-type 9.44 million-dot (approx.) OLED Quad-XGA electronic viewfinder with a refresh rate of 240 fps (claimed as a ‘world first’);

  • A silent, vibration-free electronic shutter;
  • The world’s first anti-flicker shooting with both mechanical and electronic shutter;
  • Electronic shutter flash sync at up to 1/200 sec. for the first time in the Alpha series plus the world’s fastest mechanical shutter flash sync up to 1/400 sec.;
  • 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 XAVC HS video recording with 8.6K oversampling for greater detail and resolution, in addition to 4K 120p 10-bit 4:2:2 movie shooting capabilities;
  • Wide dynamic range of 15 stops for stills and 15+ stops for video;
  • Improved Real-time Eye AF (autofocus) for humans and animals, and new Real-time Eye AF for birds, as well as Real-time Tracking that automatically maintains accurate focus;
  • A high-precision stabilisation unit and gyro sensors plus optimised image stabilisation algorithms provide 5-axis optical in-body IS to achieve up to a 5.5-step shutter speed advantage;
  • S-Cinetone colour matrix, , the same colour matrix that produces the highly regarded FX9 and FX6 colour and skin tones, which delivers an expressive cinematic look;
  • Professional workflow support with the industry’s fastest built-in Wi-Fi, SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps, 1000BASE-T Ethernet and more.

In addition to compressed and uncompressed RAW recording, the Alpha 1 includes efficient Lossless Compressed RAW with no quality degradation. There is also a new ‘Light’ JPEG/HEIF image quality setting that results in smaller files than the ‘Standard’ setting, allowing faster delivery for news and sports photographers who depend on speed. The Alpha 1 also includes the HEIF (High Efficiency Image File) format for smooth 10-bit gradations that provide more realistic reproduction of skies and portrait subjects where subtle, natural gradation is essential. Images shot on the Alpha 1 can be trimmed in-camera to a desired aspect ratio, size or position for versatile usage.


Front view of the  Sony Alpha 1 with no lens fitted. (Source: Sony.)


Top view of the  Alpha 1 with no lens fitted. (Source: Sony.)


Angled rear view of the Alpha 1 showing the tilting monitor screen. (Source: Sony.)

The Alpha 1 is also compatible with a variety of apps, add-ons and tools. With Imaging Edge Mobile and Imaging Edge Desktop, professionals can easily transfer RAW files and files that use lossless compression and remotely control Touch Tracking and Touch Focus for convenient AF operation. The Transfer & Tagging add-on (Ver. 1.3 or later) can automatically convert voice memos attached to image files to text captions or transfer the files to an FTP server from a mobile device. Desktop applications Catalyst Browse/Catalyst Prepare allow professionals to browse and manage video clips shot by Sony’s camera. In addition, the Remote Camera Tool] can remotely change camera settings and shoot from a computer connected via LAN cable and feature a number of refinements for the Alpha 1: faster transfer, touch response, dual slot and HEIF support.


Rear view of the Alpha 1 showing the dual card slots. (Source: Sony.)

The Alpha 1 has dual media slots that support UHS-I and UHS-II SDXC/SDHC cards, as well as new CFexpress Type A cards for higher overall capacity and faster read/write speeds. It also features a durable magnesium alloy chassis, long battery life with the Z-battery which can be extended using the optional VG-C4EM Vertical Grip (sold separately). Other features include an improved dust removal feature, shutter close function on power-off to protect image sensor, plus dust and moisture resistance that maximises reliability in challenging environments. A durable, reliable HDMI Type-A connector and USB PD (Power Delivery) support allow higher power to be supplied from an external source so that users can record for extended periods with minimal internal battery usage.

A revised menu structure provides easier navigation, and touch-responsive menu operation offers fast, more intuitive control with Touch Focus and Touch Tracking on its 3.0 type 1.44 million-dot (approx.) LCD monitor. For easy customisation, a subset of the camera’s shooting settings now changes according to the selected shooting mode, making it easier than ever to use different aperture, shutter speed and other settings for shooting stills and movies. The Alpha 1 Full-frame Interchangeable-Lens Camera will be available in Australia price in late February 2021 for SRP $10,499. Click here for more information.