The new Sony Alpha 1 takes the combination of high-resolution and high-speed performance to a whole new level, making it the most technologically advanced camera Sony has ever released. Photographer David Crewe of PetaPixel had the chance to take it for a test run and recently posted his review. Read some of his thoughts below as he examines the Alpha 1’s body and ergonomics, image quality, overall performance and more.
“After my time with this camera, I’ve come to the conclusion that it can shoot pretty much anything you throw at it.” David Crewe of PetaPixel on the new Sony Alpha 1
When testing the image quality, Crewe says the Alpha 1 was no slouch with its RAW files, as expected. “The dynamic range is wildly impressive, with a stated 15-plus stops, I found it super easy to recover any lost highlight or shadow details in my images.”
He also put the camera’s speed to the test, shooting at the maximum 20 frames per second in 50-megapixel raw along with a JPEG backup. He fired at least 400 frames before giving up on waiting for the buffer to kick in. “The 30 frames per second still shooting (in jpg and HEIF modes) is a truly unique experience. Let me just say, this camera absolutely blew me away with its high-speed shooting. It is going to be overkill and totally unnecessary for most but even saying that I absolutely have to have it in my life now that I’ve gotten to experience what that is actually like.”
After putting the camera through its paces, Crewe concludes that the Alpha 1 really is that good. “Using this system as a still photo-focused rig, you’ll never miss a shot and a single battery would likely last you a solid workday of shooting. Meaning, compared to previous generations of Sony systems, it’s pretty much the perfect camera for every single genre of photography. With what this camera can do, Sony really ticked all the boxes across the board.”
“Should you buy it? Yes. The Sony Alpha 1 is probably the most technologically advanced and innovative system that Sony has produced, combining high resolution stills with 8k video and an incredibly fast-performing system as a whole that I’ve just not seen any other manufacturer successfully pull off. This camera will allow you to create in pretty much any and every environment you can think of and should be strongly considered by any professional. Personally speaking, I’ve been a Nikon shooter for over 10 years, and the Alpha 1 even has me considering switching out my entire kit — It really is that good.”
Read the full review here.
