The new era of professional imaging is here and, holy smokes! Is it exciting! Sony Alpha has announced the groundbreaking new full-frame mirrorless Alpha 1 camera! The most technologically advanced, innovative camera that Sony has ever released, the Alpha 1 combines high-resolution and high-speed performance at a level that has never been accomplished in the world of digital cameras. Featuring a brand new 50.1-megapixel full-frame stacked Exmor RS™ image sensor, up to 120 AF/AE calculations per second, 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 video and, so much more, the Alpha 1 is opening up a whole new world of creative potential!
Getting right into it, the Sony Alpha 1 unprecedented speed and resolution. With a high-speed readout from the 50.1-megapixel image sensor and its large buffer memory, the Alpha 1 can shoot up to 155 full-frame compressed RAW images. It can also shoot 165 full-frame JPEG images at up to 30 frames per second with the electronic shutter while maintaining full AF and AE tracking performance. At an extraordinary calculation speed of up to 120 AF/AE per second, the Alpha 1 can maintain focus with high accuracy even for fast-moving subjects. It can also automatically adjust exposure, even with unexpected changes in light, with an AE response latency as low as 0.033 seconds.
The Alpha 1 viewfinder features the world’s first 240 fps refresh rate for a super-smooth display. With no black-outs, the viewfinder provides an uninterrupted view and allows for seamless framing and tracking, even during continuous shooting. This 9.44 million-dot approx., 0.64 type Quad-XGA high-definition OLED display delivers the highest resolution in its class!
When it comes to autofocus, the Alpha 1 continues to push the boundaries. It features 759 phase-detection points in a high-density focal-plane phase-detection AF system that covers approximately 92% of the image area. Thanks to the powerful image processing engine, BIONZ XR, there is a 30% improvement in Real-time Eye AF detection compared to the previous system. The Alpha 1 also is the first Sony Alpha to employ Real-time Eye AF for birds.
The Alpha 1, thanks to its new image sensor, is now able to reduce rolling shutter by up to 1.5 times when shooting stills, compared to the Alpha 9 II. It also offers silent anti-flicker continuous shooting with an electronic shutter for the first time in the world. The electronic shutter operates silently, without mechanical noise, and is vibration-free. Additionally, for the first time in an Alpha camera, electronic shutter flash sync up to 1/200 sec is possible.
The Alpha 1 offers high sensitivity with low noise. With 15+ stops of dynamic range for video and 15 stops for stills, for smooth, natural gradations from shadows to highlights thanks to its cutting-edge processing system, throughout a wide ISO sensitivity range of 100-32,000 (expandable to 50-102,400, when shooting stills). Additionally, it features an evolved Pixel Shift Multi Shooting mode that composites up to 16 full-resolution images containing a total of 796.2 million pixels of data.
For the first time in a Sony Alpha camera, the Alpha 1 offers 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 XAVC HS recording with 8.6K oversampling. This 8K footage can also be used for flexible 4K editing during post-production, allowing for unparalleled creative expression. The Alpha 1 offers in-camera 4K recording at up to 120 frames per second, allowing the user to shoot up to 5X slow-motion video. Additionally, the Alpha 1 features S-Cinetone, the same colour matrix that produces the highly regarded FX9 and FX6 colour and skin tones.
The Alpha 1 features a high-precision stabilization unit and gyro sensors, plus optimized image stabilization algorithms. This achieves up to a 5.5-step shutter speed advantage, maximizing the quality of the high-resolution images derived from the camera’s 50.1-megapixel sensor. It also has Active Mode, which offers outstanding stabilization for handheld movie shooting.
Other video-based features that the Alpha 1 offers include 16-bit RAW output to an external recorder via HDMI for maximum post-production flexibility. A digital audio interface has been added to the camera’s Multi-Interface (MI) Shoe for clearer audio recordings from a compatible Sony external microphone. 5.8K oversampled full pixel readout without pixel binning for high-resolution 4K movies in Super 35mm mode and more!
To enhance workflow, the Alpha 1 offers the industry’s fastest built-in wireless LAN. This allows communication on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands with dual antennas to ensure reliable communications. There is also a provided USB Type-C® connector to support fast data transfer when connected to a 5G mmWave compatible device and makes high-speed PC Remote (tethered) data transfer available for smooth handling of large image files.
For reliability, the Alpha 1 has two media slots that both 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. Then, to be as durable as possible, it features a durable magnesium alloy chassis, long battery life with the Z-battery, improved dust removal feature, shutter close function on power-off to protect image sensor, plus dust and moisture resistance. The Alpha 1 also has a 3.0 type 1.44 million-dot (approx.) LCD monitor with a touch-responsive menu that has been revised structurally for easy navigation.
The new Alpha 1 has even more amazing specs! To read up on all of it, click here!
The Sony Alpha 1 will be available in March 2021 for $8499.99 CAD!
Watch the full Sony Alpha Universe product announcement below!
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