Sony announced on 26-Jan-2021 its flagship 50.1-megapixel mirrorless camera Sony Alpha 1. At first look, it seems very promising mirrorless camera in terms of specifications and technology used.
I can say Sony lined up Alpha one as a real competitor with Canon R5, Nikon Z7 in the market. It is a product for both professional photographers and videographers.
Sony Alpha 1 for Photography
Sony Alpha 1 offers 50.1-megapixel with 15 stops of dynamic range full-frame with blackout-free continuous shooting up to 30 frames per second. It has a bright and large OLED Quad-XGA electronic viewfinder with a refresh rate of 240 fps.
Sony Alpha 1 for Video
Sony Alpha 1 can be the right choice for videographers as well. It supports 8K up to 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 XAVC HS video and 4K up to 120p (60fps without pixel binning) 10-bit 4:2:2 with 15 stops of dynamic range and S-Cinetone color profile for a cinematic look. Adding an external recorder enables you to capture 16-bit RAW video.
Other features
One of the significant highlights is about real-time eye auto-focus. Sony is one of the best in eye detection in a mirrorless camera; however, with improved AF technology in flagship mirrorless camera, it can detect animal eyes. Tracking animal eyes in real-time can be a massive game-changer for wildlife photographers.
5-Axis optical in-body image stabilization can be the most significant advantage for landscape photographers & adventure photographers. It gives the flexibility to shoot handheld in low light with a 5.5 step shutter speed advantage.
Sony bundled with Xperia to improve live stream workflow, as remote shooting workflow. It supports built-in Wi-Fi, USB 10Gbps, 1000 BASE-T ethernet, and 5G technology (mmWave).
The Sony powerhouse flagship camera price is significantly above compared to high-end mirrorless cameras in the market from Canon and Nikon. But Sony promises that customers who buy will be rewarded with “the most technologically advanced, innovative camera” it’s ever made. Read full Alpha 1 full specification and features here.
Price & Availability
Usually Sony DSLR camera prices are better compare to others such as Canon DSLR but lens are little bit expensive with Sony. But this time, Sony Alpha 1 price is at $6,500, which is more than thousands of dollars above the canon R5, which can also provide similar specifications (Comparison between Sony mirrorless camera Alpha 1, Canon R5 & Nikon Z7 in another post). There is no sign of overheating reported yet (I can also claim after exhaustive testing). Still, the chance is less, as Sony limits video recording to 30 minutes in 8k 30p.
Sony Alpha 1 will hit the market somewhere in March, but pre-order started.
Alpha 1 for landscape Photographer
Sony DSLR camera and Sony Mirrorless camera (i.e. Sony alpha series camera, Sony alpha s series) are now go to travel for most of landscape photographer mainly because of the size, price and low light performance. However this Sony camera new model can be good choice landscape photography. If you have extra money and try out the latest technology, then Yes, it’s suitable for a landscape photographer. In general, specifications are promising, but a Landscape photographer we don’t need all. If you don’t print large or crop tiny, not much meaning to have 50.1 megapixel and video features of no issue. Simultaneously, a landscape photographer who is doing photography, videography, and Sony lovers can be the right choice, as no other Sony gives such a combination.
Conclusion
Sony is leading in the mirrorless market as well as few features such as eye AF. Alpha One is an excellent contender to Canon and Nikon; however, it is the most expensive mirrorless camera. Best for wildlife photography, sports photography, video productions. It is suitable for landscape photographer and wedding photographer to use still, high quality time-lapse, and 4k/8K Video.
