The α mission is to give creators the power to realize their dreams. The α1 is its most potent expression to date.The latest Sony technology delivers unprecedented speed and resolution for new creative possibilities and workflow. The α1 offers an extraordinary combination of high resolution and blazing speed. Ultra-fast readout from the 50.1-MP sensor allows continuous bursts at up to 30fps with AF and AE tracking using the electronic shutter. Perfect for sports or any situation where the critical action is over in an instant.An interrupted blackout-free view of the subject lets you respond instantly and seamlessly. The EVF is updated at 240fps to minimize latency during continuous shooting.A silent electronic shutter provides greater opportunities for shooting sports and other subjects where noise is not tolerated. Vibration-free operation contributes to high image quality.Fast sensor readout minimizes still-image distortion when using the electronic shutter. The BIONZ XRTM engine and a large buffer achieve about 1.5x less distortion than the α9 II.
Another world-first: flicker-free electronic and mechanical shutters. You get flicker-free shooting under fluorescent/artificial lighting with all the benefits of the electronic shutter.A stacked architecture in this back-illuminated 50.1-MP full-frame image sensor contributes to high resolution and speed. Separate pixel and circuit layers and advanced A/D conversion mean faster processing.The new BIONZ XR engine features advanced architecture that delivers 8x greater processing power. The result is outstanding image quality as well as improved camera interface response.
For the first time in an α camera, electronic shutter flash sync is possible thanks to high readout speed from the stacked CMOS sensor. All electronic shutter advantages remain available for flash shooting. The world's first dual driven shutter system allows flash sync up to 1/400 s., making it easier to capture dynamic action, and opening the door to new creative possibilities. Despite the sensor's high pixel count, a sensitive back-illuminated structure with gapless on-chip lenses and an AR coated seal glass allows a standard ISO range of ISO 100–32000, expandable to ISO 50–102400. Up to 16 images shot with precise in-body image stabilization control can be combined via computer software to create photos with up to 199 million pixels for extraordinary resolution, color, and atmosphere. A precision stabilization unit and gyro sensors plus the latest image stabilization algorithms deliver a 5.5-step shutter speed advantage, maximizing the quality of high-resolution images.
High-level subject recognition technology now makes it possible for Sony's Real-time Eye AF function to track and accurately focus on bird eyes, even if the bird suddenly takes flight or the framing changes. This innovative function easily meets the many challenges of bird photography.
Combining state-of-the-art AI technology and evolved Fast Hybrid AF algorithms, Real-time Eye AF in the α1 tracks and focuses on human eyes with approximately 30% greater precision than the α9 II. Select a subject, half-press the shutter, and the camera will track and maintain focus automatically. Turn on AF face/eye priority for seamless AI-based tracking of human, animal, or bird eyes. The α1 features focal plane phase-detection AF that is sensitive, fast, and precise. The 50.1-MP sensor and BIONZ XR engine provide 759 selectable phase-detection points covering about 92% of the image.
The new image sensor and BIONZ XR engine in the α1 deliver 8K 30p movie recording capability for extraordinary realism. Four times the resolution of 4K with full Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye AF functionality. 8K footage is also ideally suited to flexible 4K editing. The α1 supports high frame-rate internal 4K movie recording at up to 120fps, for smooth, expressive slow-motion playback at up to 5x. 10-bit 4:2:2 chroma subsampling can be used with Long-GOP or Intra (All-I) compression for outstanding image quality, while the new image sensor and BIONZ XR engine minimize image distortion. In the Super 35 mode, approximately 2.3x the amount of data required for QFHD 4K is acquired through full-frame readout with no pixel binning, for beautifully imagery that is rich in detail. 10-bit depth, 4:2:2 chroma subsampling, a high-efficiency MPEG-H HEVC/H.265 codec, intra-frame coding, and more, support flexible editing and a variety of delivery formats.
The α1 includes the same S-Cinetone color matrix that produces beautiful color and skin tones in the VENICE, FX6, and other Cinema Line cameras. S-Cinetone delivers natural mid-tones that are essential to healthy-looking skin color, plus soft colors and gorgeous highlights, responding to a growing need for more expressive depth. A new Active Mode dedicated to movie shooting makes 5-axis optical image stabilization highly effective for handheld shooting. It uses the BIONZ XR engine's real-time processing capability to apply optimum compensation in all formats, including 4K. All of this is realized without compromising the compact size and mobility of the α system.