It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 4 years since the original Sony a1 was announced. That camera has been, hands down, the best camera I’ve ever used. But this week Sony just announced the successor, the a1 ii (Side Note: It’s not called the a2, but the a1 mark ii). I was invited to attend the announcement and opening of the Sony Creative Space event to test it out and I thought I’d give you some initial thoughts.
Who the Camera is For?
While anyone would benefit from the camera, I believe the a1 series is meant for some one who shoots fast action subjects in low light (wildlife, sports, etc.). You want great auto focus and great ISO performance along with 50 megapixels for larger prints or tight cropping in post production.
Now, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use the camera for other things such as landscapes and still life, but there are much less expensive Sony options if that’s all you do. Using an a1 only for landscapes or static portraits is overkill in my opinion.
SIDE NOTE: This article is written for Sony shooters – not Canon or Nikon or whatever. While you may be one of those “I switch camera brands every year” people, the vast majority are not. So if you feel compelled to compare this camera to a Nikon or Canon, please also feel compelled to head to Petapixel or Fstoppers and do it there. They have a wonderfully negative community that I’m sure will appreciate it 😉
Top New Specs
I won’t go over all the specs, but I’ll share what I considered the top new features.
1. Pre-Capture
I’ve been jealous of this feature ever since it first came out last year in the a9 iii. I never bought the camera because I have previously owned a9’s and it’s just not enough megapixels for the wildlife photos I like to shoot. So basically, now you get between .03 – 1 second of pre-capture time that the camera is recording full resolution raw files in case you miss the moment.
2. AI Auto Focus
Again, last year I was a bit jealous of the AI Auto Focus that the a9 iii had and now the a1 ii has it as well. It’s one of those things that you can’t put into words, and is more of a feel thing that you notice while using the camera. Things that you know your old camera may struggle with, seem to focus much faster and snappier with the new a1 ii.
3. Speed Boost Button
Many cameras have had a button on the front of the camera that was customizable and I’ve always liked that placement, but Sony never had it. Last year, with the a9iii, they included a “Speed Boost” button up front that you could temporarily hold down to switch frame rates if you didn’t want to shoot 100% at the insane 120fps it has.
Well now the a1 ii has that same button (C5 – see below). The frame rate of the new camera isn’t any faster, but I’ve often said I never shoot at 30 fps anyway. It’s just too much for me and I chew through too many memory cards that way. So I end up shooting at 10 or 20 fps most of the time. But now with that button, I can set it to boost up to 30 fps when I need. Plus it’s customizable so you can set it to other things too. Overall, I’m just happy to have a button there. I really think Sony cameras needed this.
4. Auto Subject Detection Option
Another new feature to the a1 ii is the Auto Subject Detection. We’ve had subject detection before, but we always had to choose that ahead of time. Now, with the use of AI, you don’t necessarily have to choose what type of subject you want to capture ahead of time. So if you’re photographing scenes with multiple types of subjects, the camera can automatically recognize them and lock on to the important part (usually the eye). Below is a video that shows what I’m talking about.
Price and Availability
Sony says the a1 ii will be available in mid-December which is a lot earlier than I expected. As for price, it’s pretty steep. The a1 came out in 2021 priced at $6500 and this is priced the same. I guess the bright side is that it didn’t go up, which always seems to be the trend for cameras 🙂
Should You Buy One?
The magic question is whether or not to buy one? For me, it’s an instant YES. I will place my order as soon as I can and probably keep my a1 as a backup camera.
For those of you reading, here’s my recommendation. If you have the money and are willing to part with it, buy one. You know who you are. You buy everything, and the newest latest greatest. You get the new iPhone every year, you get the newest lenses, laptops, etc… It’s not everyone, but there are a lot of you out there. And you’ll instantly be happy you did buy it. There are enough new features and improvements that I think you’ll notice it the first time you go out shooting. I know I did as soon as I held the camera.
But I’m actually really excited about the alternative here as well. See, since the a1 came out I’ve been touting it as the best camera I’ve ever held. But every time I post photos or talk about it, I’ll hear from people that simply can’t buy a $6000+ camera. And I 100% understand. That’s a big chunk of money for a camera. But it’s SO hard… because I know this camera WILL IMPROVE people’s wildlife photography and in turn, they’ll get more enjoyment from it. It really is hard not to get a sharp and in-focus photo with an a1.
But now you have a great alternative… a pre-owned a1. Shutter count doesn’t matter anymore and with the electronic shutter that most use, a 3-4 year old camera will feel and perform like new. To me, this opens up the a1 family to so many more people now. To this day, I still have a smile on my face when I take it out to shoot. If you told me the original a1 wouldn’t get updated in the next 3 years, I’d be fine. Seriously, if you can’t take a sharp photo of fast moving subjects with the original a1, you should have your photographer license revoked 😉
So if you’re a Sony shooter that needs a camera for fast action / low light photos, this is an opportunity either way.
Closing Thought…
Question for you in the comments… will you pull the trigger on the a1 ii or will you keep your old a1, or any plans to buy a pre-owned a1. Thanks!
At this point, remember one thing. Nobody has really had a long time to use the new Sony a1 ii. It’s not out there in the wild yet for people to use full time, so anything you read is from some one that “tested” it and probably for a very short amount of time. So always keep that in mind. As I mentioned earlier, I will get one and as soon as it ships and I get to spend some time with it, I’ll write a real world follow up to this. Thanks!
I love teaching and photography... In that order. I feel that enjoying photography, and photo editing can get WAY too complicated. So my personal mission (and favorite thing to do), is to create education that simplifies the process of taking great photos, and how to edit them to get the results you’ve always wanted.
I appreciate your side note… wow, it’s crazy how much hate is out there about this release. I certainly don’t love the price, but I paid the same price three years ago. So if the glass is half full, we’re getting an even better camera for a three-year-old price! LOL.
I would like to get a second body but it’s hard to get something lesser after shooting the a1 for 3 1/2 years. I will most likely pick up the mark 2 and keep my original a1. I am fortunate but I’m not the guy who gets the latest and greatest everything. Photographing wildlife and especially birds and birds in flight is a passionate hobby though. Money well spent for my sanity!
Nice brief review Matt. I like the precapture feature in raw as this is very important for bird photography. Sorely missed the precaptute feature in A1. Also the eye AF feature in video mode will be a great plus. Will buy A1 mark 2 next year.
Thank you for Sony keeping the same price for four years, with extra options, what are the people expecting to add very wanted options and reduce the price? I have a Sony a9 – A1 and I paid full amount for the new Sony A1ii and I’m gonna purchase an extra one
A7r5 shooter here and I would buy this in a heartbeat but I just retired and I am going to wait for as long as I can stand it. I want the fast silent shutter and precapture for wildlife
Great info to have Matt, thank you! I currently have a Sony A7RIV and LOVE IT. I started out as more of a landscape photographer and over the past few years have gravitated to wildlife photography. I still take landscape shots and always will, but I think I am slowly admitting that wildlife is really more my thing because of the challenge of it all. My camera has been awesome and the crop factor is amazing, but now you have me curious about this camera especially because of its abilities to capture wildlife. I agree with you on the FPS as well. I don’t need 100 blow by blow photos of a bird in flight and my A7RIV has done all of that justice anyway. Do you suggest switching to this new camera? I am fortunate because I can always happily hand down my camera to my daughter or keep it as my 2nd camera. I’d appreciate any advice if you have any comparisons between my camera and the A1 ii.
Hi. What I can tell you comes from experience since I own an a7r5 as well. I personally always want to reach for my a1 instead. I got the a7r5 thinking it would maybe fill in for the a1, and realizing that most people I teach won’t own an a1, I thought the a7r5 would just be more approachable to use in videos for most of my audience. Well, after a couple of years having both, I never want to reach for the a7r5 personally. One big thing is the shutter blackout which doesn’t exist on the a1 and just overall it feels like a smoother faster and more responsive camera. Don’t get me wrong, I can get great photos with the r5, but if you’re asking my honest opinion, it’s the a1 all day every day over the r5. And that’s the old a1… I have to imagine I’ll love the new one even more. Thanks!
Hi Matt. Do,you know if the viewfinder and LCD resolution quality is the same on the A1 Mark II as on the A7RV? The specs look to be the same but I was wondering if there was a real-world difference between the two cameras?
Hi. I thought it was better, but honestly I couldn’t really tell the difference. Never had much of an issue with the a1 but this looked great as well.
The answer to your question is I will keep my original a1. I am very content with eveything about it. I have no plans to upgrade at this time. I will admit that that could change down the road.
A very interesting piece thanks Matt. I have switched brands but over many many years and finally settled on Fuji about 10 years ago, and have had a dozen of their cameras and love the retro operability. But I shoot a range of subjects including Motorsport and therefore have a suite of expensive lenses. I have also been shooting the Australian Anglican Church Calendar for 32 years and find the Fuji XF 8mm is incredibly useful. No other line has a lens to match this spec. I have a reasonable strike rate with my Motorsport and long lenses and whilst the Sony system has always interested me I think it a bridge too far because of the lens change needed. But I will do some on line research as I cannot resist chasing perfection. My indulgent purchase of a a Leica Q3 was an example of this.
Dear Matt, I am pre-ordering the A1 Mk ii now in case there are tariffs imposed on products from outside the US next year that would raise the price of the camera.
Cheers,
Kerby
Robert says we are going to preorder the A1ii!!!! I told him about the pre-capture, the better stabilization…..very important for someone 83 who still handholds….the better autofocus and tracking, the full flippy back screen and the other stuff. It took awhile to get used to the A1, but since Carl Ackerman helped me figure that out, we have so enjoyed our A1 so much. The photos we have gotten bring us so much happiness. I am putting our favorites in an Apple TV slide show. We love to watch our slide show. Although I’m the one that pushes the camera button, wild life photography is a very important hobby for both of us. Robert drives and spots the birds for me. We now each have a Cotton camera holder so he can help me carry the camera while we are walking about. We go through our favorites together and I rely on his suggestions. It’s been a tremendous about of fun. This is all thanks to your suggestion to consider upgrading from the Sony RX10 iv. I’m thinking the Sony A1 ii is going to be even more fun. Thanks a bunch, Matt!!! BTW….a while back we bought the 300 2.8 with a 2.0 teleconverter. Noticeably lighter to carry around. You can recommend to the old folks who at trying to extend the photography experience.
I won’t upgrade. The only thing I’d gain would be the pre-capture, which I think would be awesome. But not sure it would be worth the extra money.
No doubt the AI auto focus is nice, but my current A1 autofocus is already excellent and good enough.
I configured the C5 button on my A9M3 for pre-capture on/off. One does not always need pre-capture on, so for me this is a very handy way to select it while shooting, without taking the camera off during focusing on a subject. I would probably do the same on the A1M2, but I guess I wait for spring next year to see, if I go for the new A1 or now.
Knowing me for many years now, I’m pretty sure I’ll go for it 😂
Would you rather have an A9 ii or an A1? And why?
A1… 100%…This should help: https://mattk.com/my-thoughts-on-the-sony-a9iii-for-wildlife-photography/
Your side note makes me think you were a gummy short during the composition!
Sony forever personally!
😂😀😂😀
😉
First, I have to admit i need my photographer license revoked. I bought an A1 in December 2021 and I love it, but I still get more out-of-focus photos than I’d like. I shoot birds, and as you know, they are hard. Low light and dodgy subjects seem to be a given. Even with Photo AI helping with noise and sharpness, I refuse to go below ISO 12800. So the AI auto-focus and pre-capture sounds pretty good. That said, I think I’ll have to wait for more real life reviews before I could pull the trigger. On the bright side, my wife has already OK’ed purchase. Just in case you have time, and feel like replying, do you have any idea how much I’d be able to get on a trade or outright sale of my A1?
Thanks!
Hi Greg. I don’t know. I guess just search around for what they’re going for and price it in between. Thanks!
MPB is offering about $2400 for “old” A1
Thanks Matt for the quick look. Does the new A1 II have the problem with rolling shutter in electronic shutter (silent shutter) or has that been fixed like the A9 III?
Hi Jane. Rolling shutter won’t be much different with the new a1. Thanks.
I am on the wait list for the a1 ll. Will keep my a1 and will see if I can get anything for the original a9 that I still use.
Looking forward to your comments when you own and can use in life. I do not upgrade often. Still using older Sony models. Been wanting to move up, now may finally be time. Will be watching. Thanks always for your reviews.
Matt,
Thanks for the sage review for this new a1MkII. When I first heard about I got the twitchy fingers ready to pull the trigger I like the addition of the new features that you mentioned. The pre-capture is a biggie as is theAI auto focus. I also like the idea of having another a1 as a backup. I’ve used an a7R5as a backup but I think I can sell it or trade it in to B&H for the a1MkII to help ease the pain in my wallet. I have always treasured your advice in so many areas of photography and haven’t gone wrong yet. I’ll keep you posted on the outcome if you don’t mind. I enjoyed your classes at the PS|Summit 6. Thanks for your good advice and friendship over the years. ps. I think I won over one of my friends (Canon shooter) with your teaching style. Thanks for everything and Happy Thanksgiving to you and family. Neal
Thanks Matt. I’ve been waiting for an upgrade to the A1 that I bought February 2023. 3 things that I’ve been looking for in an upgrade that may make it worth it for me. 1) Articulating screen, 2) pre capture, 3) focus bracketing/stacking (all of these were in my Olympus OM1 Mark I). I do need to hear more about the focus bracketing. I’ll need to sell my A1 to buy this next model. B
I’d love to see your comments once you own the camera. If I could afford it, I would be at the door to buy the first one available.
As much as I would love to purchase the new A1, I’m going to stick with my “old” version. The new features, like pre-capture and swivel LCD, are great additions but the sensor is still the same one I have on the A1. The images from that sensor are as good as it gets and I couldn’t be happier. I think I’ll pass on this iteration of the A1 and wait for the next one. In stead, I think I’ll invest in the 300 f2.8 and then decide if I should sell my 600 f4.
😳😂
Thanks Matt, I’m looking forward to your testing of the Sony A1ii, as I now have the A1. Also thanks for the Topaz workflow update!
If a switch in brands is considered, it is not the price of the camera that is an issue. It is the glass that will need to be changed to Sony!
Instantly pre-ordered two a1 markII bodies and will be selling my 2 a1 bodies and my 2 a7r5 bodies. This camera incorporates everything, and then some, from both the a9iii and the a7r5, albeit with “only” 50 megapixels instead of 61 and “only” 30fps instead of 120fps. I can live with both of those compromises and now this new camera will allow me to utilize a single body for all my photography pursuits.
Excellent analysis with which I totally agree.
I’ve ordered the a1 ii; I haven’t decided if I’ll keep the a1 or not. I’m looking forward to the improved eye detection more than any other update.
Yes just not sure if I will get rid of the A1 or the A7r4
Thank you, Matt for the information on the new camera. Always greatly appreciate your insight. As a current owner of an A1, at this particular point, I don’t see a need to update, although I would love some of these new features. I am currently shooting more portraits and family lifestyle images. I really haven’t been able to get out and do more bird and wildlife photography to warrant expense.
Pre-ordered. Keeping A1.
thanks matt for real thoughts from true Sony shooter. i always enjoy your comments and have bought a few of your courses which were helpful. i have the aiv but as you said perhaps this will open up the used A1 for me and an affordable $.
I am PERFECTLY fine with my original a1….the technology was great then and it’s still great today!! The updates that make up the new a1mkii are fantastic, but not enough to sway me out of another $6,500. And if anyone wants to delve into the a1 world, a well-loved used copy can be had for around $4,000…money well spent (if you “need” an a1)!!
I have been waiting to upgrade to a full frame that allows me to do wildlife at the same time landscape and the A1-2 seems to be the one.
Yes the price is steep but it’s also the best of Sony has at the moment build into a body, so justification is subjective.
It might take me a long while to convince myself and bite the bullet to invest in the A1-2 and if I do I am sure it will still serve me well in a good 4-5 years in my photography journey capable of covering almost all aspects of other photography genres.
While still deciding, I still have this little voice in me asking is the A1 or even the A7R5 enough for birding/wildlife? What is A7R6 come out with great improvement at a more lower price. LOL.
I look forward to your full review when you get your hands on the A1-2.
CHEERS !
Thomas
I’m sticking to my A1 as much as the new one sounds tempting, invest instead in better lenses, it makes a huge difference. I would only upgrade for a higher megapixel count.
The A1 is always such a delight to shoot with, soon going to take it underwater too!