Sony Alpha a1 Mirrorless Digital Camera - Body Only

The Sony Alpha a1 Mirrorless Digital Camera is the most technologically advanced and innovative camera that Sony has ever released. Capable of reaching cinema qualities, the Sony Alpha a1 combines high-resolution and high-speed performance at a level never previously reached. The Sony Alpha a1 Mirrorless Digital Camera features a highly advanced 50.1-megapixel full-frame stacked Exmor RS™ image sensor that is capable of capturing continuous shooting up to 30 fps. For incredibly detailed video, the Sony Alpha a1 also offers 8k 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 video with 15 Stops of Dynamic Range. The Sony Alpha a1 truly offers new dimensions of imaging performance that gives the user new creative freedom.

50.1 megapixel Exmor RS™ image sensor

The α1 features a full-frame stacked back-illuminated CMOS Exmor RS™ sensor with 50.1 effective megapixels and integrated memory. In addition to delivering outstanding image quality, this allows the α1 to shoot continuously at up 30 frames per second while offering fast, precise phase-detection AF and top-quality 8K movies with full-frame 8.6K oversampling for the first time in the α series. Unprecedented performance for a new era of image making.

Advanced BIONZ XR engine boosts speed by up to 8x

The α1 features a revised system architecture with greatly enhanced processing performance from image capture through all signal processing stages. Processing latency is minimized while image processing power is dramatically increased for extraordinary image quality. User interface, network, and file management processing is distributed so that fast, stress-free control response is maintained regardless of real-time processing load.

Continuous Shooting up to 30fps3 with 120 AF/AE calculations per second

The Alpha 1 captures moments that would otherwise be lost thanks to its high-speed readout from the 50.1-megapixel image sensor, making it possible to shoot up to 30 full-frame images per second using the electronic shutter, with full AF (autofocus) and AE (auto exposure) tracking up to an astonishing 120 calculations per second with AE response latency as low as 0.033 second even with sudden changes in brightness. A large buffer memory and increased overall system speed allow up to approximately 165 JPEG images or 155 compressed RAW images to be captured in one continuous 30 fps burst and at 20 frames per second, users can shoot up to 238 full-frame compressed RAW images or 400 full-frame JPEG images. This can be a huge confidence-booster when timing is critical for sports, wildlife, and other moving subjects.

Selectable continuous shooting speeds with electronic shutter

The Alpha 1 offers a range of selectable continuous shooting speeds: 20, 15, 10, or 5 fps assignable to the Hi, Mid, and Lo drive modes. Continuous shooting is fixed at 30 fps in the Hi+ mode. This makes it easier to set a continuous shooting speed that best suits the subject and shooting environment, while an expanded range of speed and compression combinations offer new flexibility. A continuous shooting speed of 15 fps coupled with the “M: 21M JPEG + Compressed RAW” recording mode, for example, will allow more than 1000 still images to be shot in one burst* in APS-C mode.

World’s first 240 fps refresh rate, 9.44M dot 0.64” QXGA OLED EVF

Complimenting the camera’s ability to capture images at an unprecedented speed, the Alpha 1 viewfinder features the world’s first 240 fps refresh rate, for a super-smooth display. The viewfinder does not black out when an exposure is made to offer an uninterrupted view and allow for seamless framing and tracking, even during continuous shooting. The 9.44 million-dot (approx.), 0.64 type Quad-XGA high-definition OLED display and refined optics deliver the highest resolution in its class . It also offers 0.90x viewfinder magnification, a 41° diagonal FOV, and a 25mm-high eyepoint for clear, low distortion viewing from corner to corner.

Blackout-free shooting up to 30fps from fast sensor readout speed

Viewfinder blackout occurs in conventional DSLRs when the mirror flips up to expose an image. Since the Alpha 1 viewfinder does not black out when an exposure is made, the user has an uninterrupted view of the subject and scene that allows smooth, seamless framing and tracking even during high-speed continuous shooting, ensuring that fleeting moments can be captured with confidence. Blackout-free shooting is a game-changer for shooting sports where rapid and erratically moving subjects must be captured, and even for portraits where fleeting expressions can make a huge difference. The Alpha 1 offers a viewing experience that is close to viewing with the naked eye.

World’s first anti-flicker mechanical and electronic shutter

In addition to anti-flicker shooting with mechanical shutter, the Alpha 1 is the World’s first camera to boast ant-flicker with electronic shutter thanks to the high-speed readout from the stacked Exmor RS image sensor. This makes blackout-free shooting up to 120 AF/AE tracking calculations per second, up to 30 fps continuous shooting, silent shooting, and other advantages of the electronic shutter available without flicker issues when shooting under fluorescent or other flicker-prone types of artificial light. Anti-flicker shooting is also available with the mechanical shutter at up to 10 fps (“Hi+” setting) with full AF/AE tracking.

High-frequency flicker-free shooting

In situations where it is necessary to shoot silently using the electronic shutter at stage performances under LED lighting, or for high-speed continuous shooting which requires electronic shutter at sports venues that use LED lighting and signage, the Alpha 1 Hi Frequency Flicker function [Variable Shutter] can significantly reduce problems caused by high-frequency flicker from those light sources by precisely matching the shutter speed to the flicker frequency. While normal shutter speed increments (1/3 or 1/2 step) make it difficult to match the flicker frequency, the Hi Frequency Flicker function finely adjusts shutter speed to match the flicker frequency and thereby minimize related problems.

Anti-Distortion Shutter

Even with its high-resolution 50.1 effective megapixel image sensor, the Alpha 1 reduces rolling shutter by approximately 1.5x compared to the α9 II when shooting stills using electronic shutter. Fast sensor readout and the powerful BIONZ XR processing engine all work together to achieve extremely high processing speeds. Additionally, the Alpha 1 also pushes beyond mechanical device limitations with a maximum shutter speed of 1/32000 sec. This extended shutter speed range provides new exposure flexibility and makes ND filters unnecessary in a wider range of lighting and shooting environments.

Dual drive mechanical shutter for up to 1/400 sec. flash sync

With significant advances in mechanical as well as electronic shutter performance, the Alpha 1 boasts the world’s fastest flash sync speed of 1/400 sec. in Full-frame and 1/500 sec. in APS-C mode with mechanical shutter. It incorporates a carbon fiber shutter curtain that is both durable and lightweight along with a newly developed dual-driven shutter system utilizing spring and electromagnetic drive actuator for faster shutter response. Flash can be added to bring out extra dimensionality in the subject. A faster flash sync. speed takes advantage of the higher flash output vs. using HSS ( using high-speed sync.) for images with wide open aperture in bright situations can also be used to match exposure to a bright background while flash is used to illuminate a moving subject.

Electronic shutter w/ flash sync up to 1/200 sec.

Thanks to high readout speed from the stacked Exmor RS CMOS sensor, flash sync with electronic shutter is possible for the first time in an Alpha camera. Flash sync. Speed when using electronic shutter is 1/200sec. in Full-frame and 1/250sec. in APS-C mode. The ability to use a flash with silent shooting or at high frame rates opens a new world of expression for many photographers.

Silent, vibration free electronic shutter w/ all-in-one Silent Mode

The electronic shutter in the Alpha 1 has several advantages, including the ability to shoot completely silently and without any vibration that can occur with a mechanical shutter. Silent shutter is ideal when shooting sports or events in a quiet environment, while being vibration-free minimizes the likelihood of vibration-induced blur, further contributing to superior resolution and image quality. Since the electronic shutter has no moving components, it is much more durable than any mechanical counterpart. A convenient All-in-one Silent Mode setting in the menu makes it possible to set all parameters related to silent operation in one quick step, allowing faster setup when shooting concerts, theater, or in other situations where absolute silence is required.

Comprehensive touch operation

A revised menu structure provides easier navigation, and touch-responsive menu operation offers faster, more intuitive control. All main and function menus are touch responsive. Even more intuitive control is provided by Touch Focus and Touch Tracking. With Touch Tracking enabled, all you have to do is touch a subject on the monitor to initiate Real-time Tracking for that subject, for both stills and movies.

Two CFexpress Type A-compatible media slots

The α1 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. CFexpress Type A cards are ideally suited to high-speed continuous still shooting, as well as high-resolution, high-bitrate movie recording. Recorded stills and movies can be saved to the memory media in numerous ways, to match a wide range of applications and needs.