Is the Sony A1 worth it over the A9 II or A7R IV?

The A1 combines the A9's speed with higher resolution than the A7R IV, so it replaces two bodies for many pros. If you only need speed or only need resolution, the cheaper models still make sense.

Can the Sony A1 shoot 8K video?

Yes, it records 8K 30p with 10-bit 4:2:2 color internally. Long takes are limited by heat and use battery quickly.

What lenses fit the Sony A1?

It uses the Sony E-mount, so full-frame FE lenses and APS-C E-mount lenses fit. APS-C lenses crop the sensor to about 21MP.

Does the Sony A1 have dual card slots?

Yes, it has two slots that take CFexpress Type A or SD UHS-II cards. CFexpress Type A cards are faster but cost more.

How big is the Sony A1 compared with an A7?

The body is close in size and weight to an A7-series camera, around 737 g with battery. It is smaller than most pro DSLR-style bodies.

Where is the Sony A1 Body Mirrorless camera cheapest?

At Maverick, for $1,999.00, 69% off, as of our latest check.

What do buyers say about the Sony A1 Body Mirrorless camera?

Rated 4.6 out of 5 from 240 ratings.

Where can I buy the Sony A1 Body Mirrorless camera?

21 stores we checked sell it, including Willoughby's Photo Emporium, B&H Photo-Video-Audio, Walmart, Adorama, eBay.

Sony A1 Body Mirrorless camera

Best price now

$1,999.00at MaverickChecked Oct 30

Deal: 69% off at Maverick →

Compared across 21 stores. Prices are checked against each store and labelled with when.

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What reviewers say

4.6 / 5240 ratings

Owners rate the A1 highly, mostly for its autofocus, burst speed and the fact that it handles both stills and video without compromise. Complaints center on the price, the cost of CFexpress Type A media and battery drain during long 8K takes.

What people mention

AutofocusPraisedOwners say eye and subject tracking is fast and dependable for sports, wildlife and events.
Burst speedPraisedShooters value 30 fps blackout-free capture for action and wildlife.
PriceCriticisedReviewers call it expensive next to other flagship bodies.
Media costCriticisedCFexpress Type A cards and readers add significant cost.
BatteryMixedBattery life is fine for stills but drops quickly during 8K recording.
MenusCriticisedThe menu system is seen as dense and slow to learn.

About the Sony A1 Body Mirrorless camera

A flagship in the truest sense, the Sony Alpha 1 is the one camera designed to do it all. Built without compromise, this full-frame mirrorless offers high-resolution for stills shooting, impressive 8K video recording, speed and sensitivity, and connectivity for the most demanding professional workflows.

At its core, the Alpha 1, or a1, is distinguished by a newly designed 50.1MP full-frame Exmor RS BSI CMOS sensor and the BIONZ XR processing engine. Pairing the efficient stacked sensor design with optimized processing means the a1 is capable of 30 fps continuous shooting at full-resolution, 8K 30p and 4K 120p 10-bit video recording, and still offers versatile sensitivity up to ISO 102400 for low-light shooting. The sensor's design also includes a 759-point Fast Hybrid AF system, which offers advanced subject tracking and Real-time Eye AF on humans and animals, even including a dedicated Bird Mode.

Despite the connotations of a high-resolution sensor, the a1 is a strong contender in the video arena, offering 8K and 4K recording resolutions along with full pixel readout, internal 4:2:2 10-bit sampling, and 16-bit raw output via the full-size HDMI. No recording limit allows for extended takes and, matching with professional cine cameras, the a1 includes S-Cinetone support for smooth skin-tone rendering along with well-controlled highlights and soft colors.

Physically, the a1 has a familiar shape, but internally it reaps the best tech of the Alpha series with some notable upgrades, including a 9.44m-dot OLED EVF that touts a 240 fps refresh rate for fluid motion rendering and greatly reduced blackout when shooting continuously. The camera's shutter design has also been revised and now offers full-frame flash sync speeds up to 1/400 sec, and flash sync up to 1/200 sec is even supported when working with the silent electronic shutter. At the rear of the camera is a 3.0" tilting touchscreen LCD and both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, with 2x2 MIMO support, offer wireless remote control and file transferring capabilities. Additionally, the a1 includes dual memory card slots, both of which support working with CFexpress Type A or SD UHS-II memory cards for flexible and high-speed file storage.

50.1MP Exmor RS BSI CMOS Stacked Sensor

Newly developed 50.1MP Exmor RS full-frame sensor features a stacked back-illuminated design with integrated memory that maintains high image clarity, expandable sensitivity up to ISO 102400, and a 15-stop dynamic range while also enabling fast 30 fps shooting and and phase-detection AF. The sensor also enables recording lossless compressed raw files for flexible editing during post-production while maintaining a relatively lightweight file size. Additionally, the 50.1MP resolution not only benefits stills shooters as it also offers full-frame 8.6K oversampling for 8K video recording.