Sony announced its new A1 II pro-focus mirrorless camera during today's live stream from their Creative Space event in New York City. The camera has several speed and performance improvements over its predecessor, plus a new fast zoom lens to go with it.
The $6,499 A1 II has a 50.1-megapixel full-frame stacked sensor that's capable of taking full-resolution RAW photos at 30 frames per second and videos up to 8K at 30p (as well as 4K videos at 120p). It's not much different from the original A1, but the sequel model adopts the body design of Sony's A9 III with a slightly higher grip and improved ergonomics, a built-in image stabilizer capable of 8.5 stops of correction, and an increase in speed. Button and precapture function (also like the A9 III). It also has the ai processor for improved autofocus and the vari-angle tilting screen first introduced with the A7R V.
It looks a bit like the speedy A1 body is getting some chip performance improvements, and also getting all the quality of life benefits of its lower-end and slightly less expensive counterpart models in the Alpha line.
Additionally, Sony has made a new FE 28-70mm f/2 GM zoom lens that will be released alongside the A1 11 in December. Compared to the popular 24-70mm f/2.8 (an entry-level lens from almost every camera maker), the new lens sacrifices a bit on the wide-angle end in exchange for a faster maximum aperture. Canon has a similar lens in its EOS R line, and using it feels like you're using a bag full of premium single-zoom lenses, but Sony's model weighs 2.02 pounds. / 918g: approximately 1.13 lbs. / 512g lighter than Canon. Sony's lens is also slightly cheaper at $2,899 compared to the Canon's $3,099, but either way, you're paying a hefty sum for all that versatility.
The fact that the A1 II still has a stacked sensor design and has not adopted the global shutter means that this latter type of camera technology remains an outlier with the Sony A9 III. Perhaps the sacrifices to dynamic range and base ISO still aren't worth it on the A1 II with its much higher resolution.
Since its launch in 2021, the original A1 has been the camera with the fewest compromises in Sony's lineup. It offers the trifecta of speed, resolution and video features all in one, as long as you're willing and able to pay a very high price. The A1 II seems like an extension of that, but its new capabilities feel less like something that will set the photography world on fire and more like a modest upgrade. Meanwhile, the sequel model will have tougher competition than ever, as models from other brands, such as the Canon R1 and Nikon Z9, now have professional-grade offerings that can better compete.
