TESTED SONY A1
A1 more night The large sensor makes it a good lowlight performer, though night crawlers might get better mileage out of the cheaper Sony A7S III.
Ever A1’s a winner This is Sony’s super-speedy mirrorlesss flagship, built to tackle any photographic task… as you’d expect for over R130k R130 000 / sony.co.za ■ In the noughties a flagship DSLR would have been twice the size and weight of the A1… but stick a smallish lens on this mirrorless machine and it could almost be called discreet. That’s despite chunky dials, an OLED viewfinder, and a grip that feels super-secure with your right hand around it. ■ This weather-sealed snapper is pitched at pros, and it feels solid enough for years of tough shoots… although the rear LCD – which only tilts about 90° upwards or 45° down – feels like a backward step compared to the full flippability seen on some recent models. ■ Considering the sheer amount of data the sensor produces, the A1 feels nimble and rarely sluggish. The setup allows for 8K video at up to 30fps, or 50.1MP stills with AF tracking and auto exposure engaged at a staggering 30fps. ■ Other notable features include five-axis image stabilisation, a battery good for over 500 stills and a heat management system that will let you shoot video clips of almost unlimited length. ■ The A1 produces stunning stills. Whether shooting portraits, wildlife or reportage, it rises to any occasion. And the ability to crop down to a tiny section of a photo and still have a sharp, noise-free image is an undeniable benefit when shooting far-off subjects.
Tech specs ■ A1 moment in time
Filmmakers will love outputting 16-bit RAW to an external recorder, but even internal recording supports 10-bit 4:2:0 footage up to 8K. The choice of framerates allows for some beautiful slo-mo sequences.
■ A1 step beyond
Unless you have a monster of a PC, 8K files can be hard to work with, but detail-wise the value of recording at that resolution then down-sampling to 4K is obvious. Still, the 4K output offers bags of crisp detail and colour depth.
Sensor 50.1MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS AF points 759 phase, 425 contrast ISO range 100-32,000 (exp) Burst speed Up to 30fps Video 8K @ 30fps, 4K @ 120fps, 1080p @ 240fps Displays 3in TFT touchscreen, 16mm OLED EVF Dimensions 1289x97x81mm, 737g
STUFF SAYS The Sony A1 is the ultimate no-compromise all-round camera ★★★★★
All for one, A1 for all… but Sony has better options for specialists
The A1’s price is high, but professionals wanting a do-it-all camera for video and photo won’t be disappointed. The R55 000 A7S III represents a better deal for videographers, while photographers can look to the 61MP A7R IV (R65 000); but for someone wanting all bases covered, plus the ability to shoot stills at an incredible speed, there’s nothing quite like the A1 to fill your portfolio with wonders. 73
