How do you comply with up a product that has reigned because the king of mirrorless cameras for the final 4 years? For Sony, the reply with the A1 was easy: simply enhance every little thing. The result’s the $6,500 A1 II, a strong pro-level hybrid mirrorless digicam that’s Sony’s greatest so far.
The A1 II is supplied with a 50-megapixel stacked sensor, not a worldwide sensor just like the A9 III, so it’s not fairly as quick. Nevertheless, its mix of velocity and determination makes it probably the most versatile digicam in Sony’s lineup. It additionally impresses on the video aspect with 8K 30 fps 10-bit seize, together with 4K slo-mo at as much as 120 fps.
I count on quite a bit out of a Sony flagship digicam, although, and whereas the A1 II has a number of small enhancements, there’s nothing terribly progressive. It’s additionally up in opposition to spectacular (and cheaper) competitors just like the $4,300 Canon EOS R5 II and $4,000 Nikon Z8. Plus, there’s the equally priced pro-level Canon R1 and Nikon Z9. So regardless of its strengths, I discovered Sony’s new flagship to be barely disappointing.
Physique and dealing with
The A1 II is Sony’s best-handling digicam so far. By way of design and management placement, it’s almost an identical to the corporate’s high-end A9 III. At 743 grams (1.64 kilos), it’s heavier than the 617-gram (1.36 pound) A1, however nonetheless a featherweight in comparison with different skilled fashions just like the three-pound Z9. The brand new grip has barely softer supplies and extra rounded contours, so it’s extra snug and safe to carry than the hard-edged A1. That’s an enormous assist to working execs with heavy lenses.
If you happen to like guide controls, the A1 II is a dream. It has three main dials, in comparison with simply two on rival flagships. There’s a mode selector ring to decide on photograph, video and so-called Sluggish & Fast modes, together with a dual-control wheel for each taking pictures and autofocus. Round again, there’s yet one more dial, plus a joystick and quite a few customizable buttons.
The A1 II’s menu system has been refreshed to match the A9 III. It now provides a “house” setting on your most-used options, and every little thing is neatly organized into sub-menus. Sony additionally added an easy-to-use part for customizing buttons, dials, the short menu and extra.
Regardless of the worth distinction, it’s pure to check the A1 II’s design and setup with the Canon R5 II as each are high-performance, high-resolution cameras. The R5 II does really feel a bit nicer because of the extra rounded form and softer supplies. However the A1 II has a bigger array of controls, so it’s simpler and sooner to shoot with it when you get used to them. Sony additionally has a extra intuitive menu system that makes it simpler to seek out key settings.
Then there’s the A1 II’s chic digital viewfinder (EVF). Although it has the identical decision because the A1 at 9.44 million dots, it now not drops in decision at its default 120 fps body fee. With that, it’s so sharp and vibrant that it blows away any argument for an optical viewfinder. Sony even gives two eyepiece cups, together with what it calls a “squishy” possibility that molds round your eye to dam out mild, giving me a totally immersive expertise. With all of that, that is simply the most effective EVF I’ve ever used.
Vloggers complained concerning the lack of a totally articulating show on the A1. Sony addressed that by outfitting the A1 II with a vibrant, 3-inch, 2.1-million-dot display that not solely tilts up and down but additionally totally swivels — superb for each photographers and content material creators.
As earlier than, the A1 II has a twin card slot system with assist for each SD UHS II and (sigh) Sony’s CFexpress Sort A playing cards that nobody else makes use of. These are sooner than SD, however not as quick because the CFexpress Sort B slots discovered on the R5 II, Z8 and others.
The Z-type battery delivers a good 520 photographs on a cost, which is simply barely lower than the 530 on the A1. It comes with a pleasant array of ports, together with full-sized HDMI and high-speed USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 that enables speedy 10Gbps file transfers. You additionally get mic and headphone ports, a 2.5 Gbps ethernet connection and a flash sync port. Even the Wi-Fi was upgraded with 2×2 MIMO assist that enables 2.5Gbps switch speeds as a substitute of 1Gbps as earlier than.
Efficiency
The A1 II is the quickest high-resolution digicam accessible, letting you hit burst speeds as much as 30 fps when taking pictures RAW with steady autofocus enabled in digital mode, or 10 fps with the mechanical shutter. These speeds match or beat its fundamental rivals, however aren’t an enchancment over the four-year-old A1. That’s a little bit of a shock, on condition that the A1 II has a a lot sooner Bionz XR picture processor borrowed from the A9 III.
The autofocus is an enormous enchancment, although. It locks onto topics faster than earlier than, so I noticed fewer out-of-focus photographs when firing off bursts. The A1 II additionally has Sony’s newest algorithms and AI options from the A9 III that make subject-recognition sooner and extra user-friendly. It may possibly now acknowledge human our bodies, faces and eyes, together with animals, birds, bugs and several other kinds of automobiles. On prime of that, the A1 II is Sony’s first digicam to mechanically determine these topics so that you don’t should tediously choose them your self. In different phrases, for those who’re photographing birds and occur to see a bear, you gained’t waste invaluable time switching modes.
Sony is a bit late to the sport with this auto topic choice, as Canon and different manufacturers have had it for some time. Nevertheless, the A1 II has the most effective implementation I’ve seen so far, because it chooses and locks onto topics extra rapidly. Like different cameras, it might get tripped up in conditions with a number of topics, often deciding on the incorrect one. With human topics, Canon has an edge because of its face-memorization characteristic on the R1 and R5 that may at all times attempt to lock onto a particular particular person.
Whereas the A1 II has each a mechanical and digital shutter, the stacked sensor’s quick readout speeds imply you should utilize the latter virtually completely. Even in sports activities like golf with excessive velocity actions, skewing and distortion isn’t a problem when utilizing the digital shutter, and you may shoot pictures silently with out disturbing members.
Pre-capture is a key new characteristic, letting you retain as much as 70 frames when half-pressing the shutter button, earlier than totally urgent it. That reduces the chances of lacking a decisive moment in a scene.
In the case of stabilization, the A1 II additionally represents a primary for the corporate. It provides 8.5 stops, beating the A9 III by a half-stop and matching the EOS R5 II and R1. Due to that, I used to be capable of nail sharp pictures even at ridiculously gradual shutter speeds, like a full second. That’s superb when you might want to shoot in low mild or intentionally blur shifting topics with out utilizing a tripod.
Whereas the A1 II is fast, it didn’t deliver the generational leap I anticipated in comparison with a four-year-old digicam. My skilled photographer buddies (who already personal A1s) felt the identical means and gained’t be upgrading.
Picture high quality
The A1 II isn’t just quick, but additionally delivers excessive decision, and that mixture is why you pay the massive bucks. Photos are sharper than simply about any full-frame digicam, except for Sony’s personal A7R V. Dynamic vary is great and colours are correct when taking pictures JPEGs, although I want Canon’s hotter photos straight out of the digicam.
The brand new mannequin has the identical sensor because the A1, however Sony managed to spice up dynamic vary very barely at increased ISOs. Because of this, you get minimal noise as much as round ISO 6,400 and pictures are very usable at ISO 12,800. That is excellent for a 50MP digicam, and higher than Canon’s EOS R5 II. Past that, and as much as the digicam’s most ISO 32,000, noise begins to grow to be distracting.
RAW recordsdata give photographers ample room to dial down blown out highlights or enhance element in shadow areas. If you happen to want the utmost quantity of dynamic vary, you’ll wish to shoot utilizing the lossless compressed RAW format, as lossy compressed RAW recordsdata are noticeably worse in extremely detailed photos. The draw back to the latter is that taking pictures them limits burst speeds to twenty fps and fills your reminiscence card a lot sooner.
Whereas picture high quality is excellent, it’s not a lot of an enchancment over the A1. For studio and panorama photographers who worth picture high quality above all and already personal an A1, the A1 II doubtless isn’t definitely worth the funding.
Video
On paper, the A1 II is a powerhouse for video, providing as much as 8K 30 fps recording and 4K 60 fps(as much as 4K 120 fps with no sound), with 10-bit log taking pictures accessible. It comes with a brand new characteristic that permits you to load customized LUTs when taking pictures in log (S-Log3) mode, so you may higher choose your publicity. It additionally has a setting that permits you to higher match footage with Sony’s skilled cinema cameras. That’s on prime of the opposite enhancements I already talked about, just like the totally articulating show and upgraded stabilization, which are additionally helpful when recording video.
Autofocus is way improved with extra dependable monitoring of shifting topics, as I discovered when taking pictures a fast-moving soccer occasion. It additionally helps the identical topic monitoring modes accessible when capturing pictures (eyes, faces, our bodies, birds, animals and automobiles).
Trying nearer, although, the video capabilities are barely disappointing. In contrast to the less expensive Nikon Z8 and Canon EOS R5 II cameras, the A1 II doesn’t provide inside RAW recording, presumably as a result of the CFexpress Sort A slots can’t deal with the required bandwidth. That may make an enormous distinction with video high quality and the flexibility to regulate colours and ranges when enhancing.
Nonetheless, when recording 8K or 4K 10-bit log video on the highest knowledge charges, picture high quality and dynamic vary are stable. The S-Log3 and 10-bit options give content material creators plenty of room to tweak footage shot in dim interiors or a vibrant sunny day.
The in-body stabilization could also be the most effective I’ve seen on any digicam so far. The optical mode does an ideal job eradicating any hand jitters for those who don’t transfer round an excessive amount of. And for strolling or operating, the digital stabilization (not accessible in 8K) gives close to GoPro-like smoothing, with not one of the sudden jolts seen on different fashions. If you happen to do want to maneuver the digicam rapidly, rolling shutter is normally a non-issue. I solely noticed any distortion when taking pictures 8K video, and even then, it was minimal.
Wrap-up
The A1 II is an superior digicam and close to the highest of the meals chain by way of velocity and energy. Practically each facet has been improved over the A1, together with the stabilization, physique design and autofocus.
Nevertheless, the innovation that Sony is known for is missing right here, and on prime of that, the A1 II is very costly. With that taken under consideration, I feel it falls quick. The A1 II is simply a light improve over the A1 and with regards to video, it’s lagging behind the Nikon Z8 and Z9 in addition to the Sony R5 II.
If you have already got the A1, I don’t suppose the A1 II provides sufficient additional to justify a brand new funding. And anybody who’s extra critical about video ought to contemplate both the Canon R5 II or Nikon Z8, as each provide higher-quality RAW video at as much as 8K 60p for much less cash. Nevertheless, for execs or critical amateurs going into the A1 lineup for the primary time, who give attention to pictures and don’t have any qualms concerning the $6,500 worth, the Sony A1 II is a good choose.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/sony-a1-ii-review-a-powerhouse-camera-that-falls-short-of-its-own-high-standards-150053430.html?src=rss
Trending Merchandise
TP-Link AXE5400 Tri-Band WiFi 6E Router (Archer AXE75)- Gigabit Wireless Internet Router, ax Router for Gaming, VPN Router, OneMesh, WPA3, Black
ASUS TUF Gaming 24â (23.8â viewable) 1080P Monitor (VG249QL3A) – Full HD, 180Hz, 1ms, Fast IPS, ELMB, FreeSync Premium, G-SYNC Compatible, Speakers, DisplayPort, Height Adjustable, 3 Year Warranty
MSI MAG Forge 321R Airflow – Premium Mid-Tower Gaming PC Case – Tempered Glass Side Panel – ARGB 120mm Fans – Liquid Cooling Support up to 360mm Radiator – Vented Front Panel
Acer Aspire 5 15 Slim Laptop | 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS |Core i7-1355U | Intel Iris Xe Graphics | 16GB LPDDR5 | 512GB Gen 4 SSD | Wi-Fi 6E | USB4/Thunderbolt 4 | Backlit KB | A515-58M-7570, Gray
