Sony a1 II Announced: The Evolution of a Beast

When it comes to top-of-the-line flagships, the Sony a1 of January 2021 was hard to beat with its 50MP sensor and amazing autofocus. Now, Sony has announced the Sony a1 II, the next step in the camera’s evolution. The Sony a1 II improves upon its predecessor with and borrows some technology from the Sony a9 III. What has Sony done to improve the a1 II? Read on to find out!

Significant Improvements

Let’s see how the Sony a1 II compares to some other cameras:

The Sony a1 is already a great camera and in many ways unique among flagships today. It has more resolution than Nikon and Canon flagships while being smaller and lighter, too. The autofocus performance of all these cameras is excellent, and the original a1 was no exception. Of course, that incredible performance comes at a cost: the Sony a1 is not cheap with an initial MSRP of $6498.

The Sony a1 II, however, is a new beast. Remember the 5.5 stop IBIS of the a1? The a1 II has bumped up to 8.5 stops. That’s a three stop improvement, so those ISO 1600 shots will be looking more like ISO 400, at least on paper and with no movement in the frame. And pre-capture RAW? Yes, the a1 II has that over the old a1, and it can capture 30 frames before the shutter press, in RAW.

But the biggest improvement in the a1 II is perhaps the autofocus, which is impressive because the original a1 is already exceptionally good. The Sony a1 II has a new dedicated AI machine-learning processor that adds additional subject recognition modes to the camera, and improves upon existing modes with significant improvements in the eye recognition for both people and animals. According to Sony.eu, “Recognition of birds is improved by 50%.” Part of its autofocus improvements due to the way it can now analyze specific human poses to more quickly find eyes.

The Sony a1 II also adds auto subject recognition mode, where you can select a variety of subjects, such as “bird” and “people” at the same time – though why someone would want to photograph people if there are birds around is beyond me :)

The autofocus improvements also carry over to the video mode. That should be very helpful for using continuous autofocus in video, which is very demanding on accurate focus to record scenes decently when subjects are moving.

Overall, the camera looks like a solid upgrade, but with its stacked sensor, it still does not match the Sony a9 III in terms of speed. The Sony a1 II, like the original version, can shoot 30 FPS whereas the a9 III has 120 FPS with full autofocus. Indeed, the global shutter of the a9 III means that the a1 II is still second fastest, although that’s probably quite a fair trade given that the a1 II gives you 50MP over the 24MP of the a9 III. And for most photographers, the capabilities of the a1 II will be more than they ever need.

Until Nikon adds RAW pre-capture to the Z9 series, or Canon adds 45+ megapixels to their EOS R1 series, the Sony a1 II has a strong claim to being the most advanced flagship camera today. Of course, being the king has its price: $6498. Although it’s the same MSRP as the original, it is still quite a lot of money to spend to get to the top.

If you’d like to purchase the Sony a1 II, you can support Photography Life at no extra cost to you by preordering using this B&H link:

• Preorder the Sony a1 II

Preorders open November 20th at 9:30 AM Eastern. Sony says the camera will ship in mid December.

Press Release

Sony Electronics Announces Second-Generation Flagship Alpha 1 II

A Combination of High Resolution, Speed, and AI Recognition Designed for Professionals

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 19, 2024 – Today Sony Electronics Inc. introduces the Alpha 1 II, its new flagship full-frame camera. This mirrorless camera brings together some of the most requested and beloved features of Sony’s high-end camera lineup into one body, designed to be the most reliable and strongest choice for any professional application. The Alpha 1 II combines high resolution, speed, and cutting-edge AI-driven technology to meet the output and workflow needs of professional photographers and videographers. Designed for professionals at the top of their game, the Alpha 1 II is an ideal hybrid tool for photojournalism, wildlife, sports, portraiture, weddings, and commercial work.

Key features of the Alpha 1 II include:

“The original Alpha 1 was a groundbreaking release in 2021, and since then Sony has continued to raise the bar, year over year. ​ When developing the successor to our esteemed flagship model, we made it our mission to incorporate feedback from the industry and the community of Alpha 1, Alpha 7R V and Alpha 9 III users. The result is a powerhouse of a camera – our highest-performing, most balanced, utilitarian tool on the market,” said Yang Cheng, Vice President of Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “The Alpha 1 II stays true to the Alpha 1’s foundational core of high resolution and speed but is amplified with a dedicated AI processing unit and enhanced ergonomics. It is sure to be seen as Sony’s strongest and most reliable hybrid camera ever created.” ​ ​ ​ ​

High Resolution, Speed, and AI Combination

The Alpha 1 II camera’s exceptional reliability and versatility arises not just from strength of any single feature, but from the combination of its resolution, speed, and AI capabilities coexisting to amplify one another. Here is a breakdown of each:

High Resolution: The Alpha 1 II produces high-resolution images with a wide dynamic range through the full-frame Exmor RS® stacked CMOS sensor with approximately 50.1 effective MP resolution. This resolution performance is further enhanced by the latest BIONZ XR® image processing engine. With a separate AI processing unit handling many of the subject recognition capabilities, the camera’s image processing engine now has increased bandwidth to enhance other features.

Speed: The camera offers blackout-free high-speed continuous shooting with AF/AE tracking at up to 30 fps⁶, which can track complex movements with AF/AE calculations at up to 120 times per second⁷. The camera also includes the highly requested Pre-Capture function, which allows images to be captured up to one second before the shutter button is pressed⁸. For additional high-speed performance, users can activate the Continuous Shooting Speed Boost feature that can temporarily increase frame rates in high-action moments.

AI Processing Unit: The Alpha 1 II features Sony’s acclaimed AI processing unit, enabling Real-time Recognition AF. This technology strengthens Sony’s legacy of industry-leading auto focus and allows the user to accurately track animals, birds, insects, and various vehicles. It also introduces Sony’s human pose estimation, that instantly recognizes and tracks a person’s head and torso even when they’re moving or looking away. The Alpha 1 II also brings the latest evolution to Sony’s Real-time Recognition AF, featuring a new “Auto” mode that enables automatic subject recognition without the need to select a specific subject mode⁹.

Stable Performance and Advanced Video Capabilities

A major advancement of the Alpha 1 II is the improved optical image stabilization of up to 8.5 stops in the center (compared to 5.5 stops on the original Alpha 1) and 7.0 stops in the periphery¹⁰. The high-speed anti-distortion shutter minimizes rolling shutter effect, delivering clear, undistorted images. The camera also features updated processing algorithms that reduce noise at mid-to-high ISO sensitivities without sacrificing image detail.

The Alpha 1 II maintains the same impressive video capabilities of its successor with the ability to shoot up to 8K 30p with 10bit 4:2:2 color depth, as well as high frame recording capabilities of 120p for 4K. In addition, it features a newly supported Dynamic active Mode for increased stability of video capture¹¹. The camera has a variety of features that support streamlined video creation including Breathing Compensation, Auto Framing, and import User LUTs capabilities.

Improved Ergonomics and Workflow Operability

The Alpha 1 II has been redesigned based on customer feedback including an evolved 3.2-type LCD monitor with a highly requested 4-axis multi-angle that can be freely adjusted to any angle. The Alpha 1 II’s camera body design has improved ergonomics, with many design elements borrowed from the acclaimed Alpha 9 III. Design evolutions include the grip, an enhanced quick release shutter button, and an additional “C5” custom button for added convenience. In addition, the camera is compatible with the VG-C5¹² vertical grip that provides additional ergonomic support and extended battery performance.

For professionals seeking real-time image transfer solutions, the Alpha 1 II supports 2.5GBASE-T via wired LAN. Images and videos can be transmitted via stable, high-speed 5G communication when the camera is paired with Sony’s PDT-FP1 portable data transmitter (sold separately). Additionally, images and videos can be automatically transferred direct to Adobe Lightroom™ or Google Drive™ through the latest version of Sony’s cloud storage service, Creators’ Cloud¹³.

In a world of expanding technology and increasing AI, the ability to authenticate a photograph is now more critical than ever before. Images captured with the Alpha 1 II will be compatible¹⁴ with Sony’s Camera Authenticity Solution that stores detailed camera information¹⁵ within the image files. This aids media agencies and photojournalists in their growing fight against manipulated imagery and AI-generated fakes. This solution will be available through a separate upgrade license and scheduled after December 2024¹⁶.

Additional Accessories and Plastic-Free Packaging

For additional battery support, the Alpha 1 II comes with the new BC-ZD1 Dual-Battery Charger that rapidly charges two Z batteries (model NP-FZ100) simultaneously in 155 minutes to full charge¹⁷. In addition, the Alpha 1 II includes a new deep-type padded eyepiece cup (model FDA-EP21) accessory for an alternative viewing support option. A standard eyepiece comes attached to the camera by default but can be swapped with the deep pad option based on the user’s preference.

The Alpha 1 II is the first Alpha series camera (excluding ZV series cameras) to use Sony’s Original Blend Material for eco-conscious packaging. The materials used for packaging are a unique mix of bamboo, sugarcane, and recycled paper. This makes the packaging entirely free of plastic^{1 8}.

Pricing and Availability

The Alpha 1 II will be available in December 2024 for approximately $6,499.99 USD and $8,499.99 CAD. It will be sold at a variety of Sony’s authorized dealers throughout North America.

A product video on the new Alpha 1 II can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/xYMNPvgWcdY

For detailed product information about Alpha 1 II, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/imaging/interchangeable-lens-cameras/full-frame/p/ilce1m2b

For detailed product information about the BC-ZD1 Dual Battery Charger, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/imaging/imaging-accessories/all-accessories/p/bczd1

For detailed product information about the FDA-EP21 eyepiece cup, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/imaging/imaging-accessories/all-accessories/p/fdaep21

Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with the new Alpha 1 II and Sony’s other imaging products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site created to inform, educate, and inspire content creators.