Sony announces second generation Alpha 1 II flagship mirrorless camera

Sony has announced the release of the second generation model of its flagship Sony Alpha 1 full-frame mirrorless camera. The Sony Alpha 1 II offers a range of high resolution video modes and adds a dedicated AI processing unit.

How is the video features?

The Sony Alpha 1 II features a full-frame Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with approximately 50.1 megapixel effective resolution. It’s also powered by the latest BIONZ XR image processing engine. Sony says this delivers high resolution images with a wide dynamic range. In addition, the Alpha 1 II has a separate AI processing unit which handles the camera’s subject recognition capabilities.

The Alpha 1 II delivers the same high resolution video as the previous model. You can shoot up to 8K at 30 fps in 10-bit 4:2:2 XAVC HS files with the option for Full HD proxies. If you drop the resolution to 4K, you can also record at up to 120 fps in XAVC HS, S or S-I formats. 4K movies can be shot as full-frame images, or Super 35 mm oversampled from 5.8K with full pixel readout and no pixel binning. In addition, with S&Q (Slow & Quick) mode you can shoot HD at up to 240 fps for 10x slow motion playback.

Sony Alpha 1 II
Image courtesy: Sony

Custom LUTs

The Alpha 1 II supports filming in Sony’s S-Log3 profile to capture the maximum dynamic range. You can also shoot in S-Cinetone which delivers a cinematic look and color straight out of the camera. In addition, you can import up to 16 custom User LUTs (Look Up Tables) so that you can see how your footage will look after grading. If you are handing over your video to someone else to edit, you can choose to burn the LUTs into the files as well.

Image stabilization

The Alpha 1 II features optical image stabilization of up to 8.5 stops in the center and 7.0 stops at the edges for still images. There is also a new Dynamic active Mode for helping to stabilize video footage. This adds electronic stabilization which Sony claims enables stable recording even when you are jogging. In addition, the camera has video-specific features such as Auto Framing and Framing Stabilizer. Auto Framing tracks and crops AI-recognized subjects and automatically adjusts your shot composition. The Framing Stabilizer automatically keeps your subject in the same location within the frame while you move alongside them as well.

AI processing unit

Sony’s cameras are renowned for having industry-leading autofocus and the Alpha 1 II is no exception. The AI processing unit in the camera enables Real-time Recognition AF. This can track animals, birds, insects, and various vehicles. It also adds a new a new “Auto” mode that enables automatic subject recognition so you don’t need to select a specific subject mode. In addition, the Alpha 1 II introduces Sony’s human pose estimation. This feature instantly recognizes and tracks a person’s head and torso even when they’re moving or looking away.

Focus assist features

Sony Alpha 1 II back
Image courtesy: Sony

The Alpha 1 II has AF Assist so you can temporarily switch to manual focus as well as focus peaking. You can adjust the AF transition speed and sensitivity so that the autofocus best suits your shooting style. There’s also a Focus Map feature that overlays a visual depth-of-field map on the live view display. In addition, the Alpha 1 II uses Sony’s Clear Image Zoom technology to deliver focus breathing compensation. This feature maintains the angle of view when you pull focus with compatible lenses.

Other features

Despite its advanced features, the Alpha 1 II is relatively lightweight at under 1.5 pounds (743 g). The camera has an improved 3.2-inch 2.1-million dot LCD monitor with 4-axis multi-angle adjustment. There’s also a 9.44 million dot electronic viewfinder. The Alpha 1 II records to dual memory slots for SD or CFexpress Type A cards. In addition, it supports connection via Wi-Fi and 2.5GBASE-T via wired LAN. The camera comes with the new BC-ZD1 Dual-Battery Charger that can rapidly charge two NP-FZ100 batteries to full charge simultaneously in only 155 minutes.

What we think

With the release of the Alpha 1 II, Sony has built on the success of the previous flagship model. If you are a professional who shoots both still images and video, it delivers all you need from a hybrid mirrorless camera. However, this quality does come at a premium price. As such, the Alpha 1 II is less attractive for film makers who don’t need to take still photographs. For the same price you could pick up an FX6, or even two FX3s for around $1,000 more. There’s no doubt that Sony will have another best seller with the Alpha 1 II. You just need to check that it’s the best option for your workflow before you part with your cash.

Pricing and availability

Sony says that the Alpha 1 II will be available in December priced at $6,499.

Pete Tomkies
Pete Tomkies
Pete Tomkies is a freelance cinematographer and camera operator from Manchester, UK. He also produces and directs short films as Duck66 Films. Pete's latest short Once Bitten... won 15 awards and was selected for 105 film festivals around the world.

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