Super Speed
Having touched on speed in the sensor design talk, it’s time to detail those specs now. Among the many highlights of the a1, its ability to capture full-res 50MP images at 30 fps is a standout. This is 50% faster than the a9, which already was among the fastest cameras on the market. The a1 can maintain these speeds for up to 200 frames in a single burst, or just under 7 frames.
CFexpress Type A/SD combo slots as seen on the a7S III.
One part of the chain making this possible is the use of dual CFexpress slots. CFexpress Type A cards can reach speeds of up to 700 MB/s—a necessity for this much data. The slots are also dual and will accept UHS-II SD cards, though at a slower speed. The other part is the forward-thinking engineering of G Master lenses. They have the proper motors to work at 30 fps. Unfortunately, it seems only the G Master series are able to support this speed. All other lenses will be limited to 20 fps.
Autofocus receives a solid boost and calculates at a rate of 120x each second. The Fast Hybrid AF system boasts 759 points covering 92% of the sensor. Subjects can move quite freely throughout the frame and keep up with the fastest continuous shooting rates. This system even boasts continuous focus with apertures closed down to f/22—an unheard of spec. A brand-new function is Bird Eye AF as a part of the real-time Animal Eye AF feature, which should make plenty of wildlife photographers very happy.
To pull off these speeds the a1 relies on an advanced electronic shutter capable of speeds up to 1/32,000 second. The anti-distortion shutter claims rolling shutter has been improved by 1.5x. It even works with flash up to 1/200 second.
For circumstances where the mechanical shutter is best there is a new dual-driven mechanism that can sync with flash down to 1/400 second in full-frame. This can help in very particular situations and could be a lifesaver.
Professional Video
Sure, the 8K recording grabs your attention, but it’s the smaller things that make the a1 a professional workhorse for video.
Might as well talk about that 8K video feature. It is a big deal, and only possible due to the new sensor and processing. It hits a stable 30p rate and can record in 10-bit 4:2:0 by oversampling the 8.6K area. This should be gorgeous footage. Plus, an in-camera extraction option will allow you to pull 33.2MP stills from the 8K video without a computer. To help handle heat there is a graphite heatsink and Sony has claimed there is no recording limit.
As for the rest of the video, the 4K modes can hit 120p with 10-bit 4:2:2. In APS-C mode it even oversamples from a 5.8K resolution. One small but important thing is the addition of the S-Cinetone profile. Seen only on Sony’s high-end cinema cameras such as the FX9, this profile brings amazing color straight out of camera. Plus, you can more easily match the a1 with those cinema cameras on a multi-camera shoot.
ProRes RAW makes an appearance with the a1, which can send a 4.3K raw video signal up to 60p via the full-size HDMI output to compatible Atomos recorders. This will send a 16-bit linear raw video signal which will be encoded by the Atomos recorder as a 12-bit log raw file that retains essentially all the data.
It’s a great option to have and if you want to learn more I would highly recommend checking out our article ProRes RAW Demystified: Learn Workflow from Capture to Export. TL;DR? ProRes RAW delivers incredible flexibility in post when you need it with moderate data rates.
Refined Body Design
While a “brand new” line by name, the a1 borrows a lot from the a9 II and more recent a7S III. It even works with the same VG-C4EM Vertical Grip. Other things you might find familiar are the Ethernet port, USB Type-C (upgraded to USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds!), a Multi Interface Shoe with support for digital audio and the XLR-K3M XLR Adapter, and a full-size HDMI port. Wi-Fi received a nice upgrade to 2x2 MIMO, making it 3.5x faster than previous transfer speeds. This should make wireless remote workflows more reliable.
Where there is a notable bump in performance is the viewfinder. Of course, there is no blackout, it is a 9.44m-dot resolution with .90x magnification and a 240 fps refresh rate. The tilting rear screen isn’t groundbreaking, but the new menu layout and touch operation should help speed up many common changes.
Unsurprising is the integration of a 5.5 stop in-body image stabilizer, which can go into Active Mode for video to smooth out footage even more. It’s a solid system we have seen plenty of times at this point and should work wondering with this high-resolution body.
Optimized for Professional Workflows
As a flagship, the a1 is obviously targeting professional photographers and videographers and therefore makes sure it has optimal settings and functions to fit their workflow.
One thing to consider is the Xperia PRO, a new 5G smartphone from Sony that can work as an HDMI monitor or USB tethering system for remote streaming and transmitting files. FTP support
Want to learn more about the a1? Stay tuned for information on an upcoming live event and to this page as we will continue to add new information and images. And if you have a question about the a1 please drop by the Comments, below, and we will do our best to get you an answer.
