50.1MP Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor and BIONZ XR Image Processor. The Sony Alpha a1’s newly developed 50.1MP back-illuminated full-frame sensor works in tandem with a revised BIONZ XR processor to deliver incredibly fast performance, excellent image quality, and great low-light response. You get 14-bit RAW 50.1MP stills with a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-32000, which can be expanded to ISO 50-102400. This combination of sensor and processor enables the a1 to keep up with fast-paced shooting applications. You can shoot up to 30 fps at full resolution with full autofocus and full auto exposure for up to 155 consecutive RAW frames when working with the electronic shutter, and up to 10 fps with the mechanical shutter. You also get internal UHD 8K 30p video capture using the sensor’s full width.

UHD 8K Video Capture and More. As mentioned above, the a1 can capture UHD 8K 30 fps HS 10-bit 4:2:2 video using the sensor’s full width. This footage uses 8.6K oversampling to give you maximum sharpness and realism. The a1 can simultaneously record low bit-rate HD proxy files for faster playback. It can record 8K v400 Mb/s video to a V90-rated UHS-II SD card and 8K 200 Mb/s to a V60 card, and it can output 8K over HDMI in 8-bit 4:3:0 format. On top of those 8K options, the a1 is capable of recording up to UHD 4K with frame rates up to 120 fps with a 10% crop, or at 60 fps with full pixel readout. Oversampled 4K recording is also possible with a Super 35 crop and 5.8K capture area, and you get internal 10-bit 4:2:2 sampling in all recording modes. You can get 16-bit RAW output from a 4.3K capture if you’re recording externally via the full-size HDMI A port, giving you greater flexibility for working in post. You can record 4x and 5x slow-motion footage at 120 fps with the frame rate playback set to either 30 fps or 24 fps. If you move down to Full HD, you can get an effective 240 fps frame rate for more extensive motion control. The a1 doesn’t place any time limits on video capture.

XAVC HS and S-I Video Codecs. This camera incorporates two newly developed codecs: the XAVC HS codec uses HEVC/H.265 encoding to retain detail at smaller bitrates, while XAVC S-I is an intraframe codec that gives you consistent performance and quality at up to 600 Mb/s.

Customizable Color and Gamma Controls. The a1 includes the S-Cinetone color matrix that was previously seen in Sony’s Cinema Line cameras like the VENICE and FX6. You can use the S-Cinetone color profile to produce healthy-looking, accurate skin tones; beautiful, well-controlled highlights; and soft, distinct colors. The a1 also offers extensive customizable color and gamma controls, letting you adjust the gamma, black level, color level, and more. The same S-Log2 Gamma Curve that’s featured on Sony’s high-end cinema cameras is featured here, and it can give your video signal up to 1300% more dynamic range compared to REC709, making post-production easier. You also get S-Log3, which will give you a 15+ stop dynamic range with greater control over grading in the shadow to mid-tone areas of your image. Finally, the a1 supports Hybrid-Log Gamma and the BT.2020 color space to give you a broader color gamut.

Improved Hybrid Autofocus System. This camera’s Fast Hybrid autofocus system covers 92% of the image area, using 759 phase-detection points and 425 contrast-detection areas for fast, accurate focusing in a broad range of lighting conditions with sensitivity down to -6 EV. You can use autofocus in all recording modes, and it greatly benefits video and still-shooting applications. It locks onto subjects quickly and has an AI-based Real-Time Tracking feature for moving subjects. You can also use touch tracking instead. The Real-Time Eye AF feature is designed for maximum sharpness when shooting portraits, and it works on humans and animals alike. The new Real-Time Eye AF Bird Mode will automatically detect a selected bird’s eye and track that bird regardless of whether it’s still or in flight. You have control over how quickly and smoothly focus shifts from subject to subject for even greater fine tuning.

Five-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Image Stabilization. Borrowed from the previous Alpha-series cameras, the SteadyShot INSIDE image-stabilization system offers up to 5.5 stops of correction onto any lens you mount. This system compensates for five types of camera shake, including angular shake (pitch and yaw), shift shake (X and Y axes), and rotational shake (roll). All five stabilization axes are constantly engaged, even when you’re using third-party lenses, adapters, or lenses with their own built-in image stabilization. A new Active Image Stabilization mode uses the BIONZ XR engine’s real-time processing for optimum compensation in every format, including 4K. This mode is dedicated to handheld movie shooting.

High-Res Pixel-Shift Mode. The a1 boasts an improved Pixel-Shift Multi-Shooting mode that shoots sixteen images and moves the sensor between each shot in order to capture full color information for every pixel. This reduces noise and softens the image in a fashion similar to de-mosaicing. There are a couple of downsides to this feature, though. Firstly, the camera can’t assemble the final images on its own, so you must use the Sony Imaging software suite to process the sixteen RAW images. Secondly, it takes the camera between one and thirty seconds between each shot, meaning there’s a high chance your subject will move between the first and fourth shot. That said, the a1’s faster e-shutter mode means it takes less time to shoot all four images, and that you can shoot high-res mode using a flash.

QXGA OLED EVF and Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD. The QXGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF boasts a high 9.44m-dot resolution and 0.9x magnification for bright, sharp eye-level viewing. Its 240 fps High Quality+ setting gives you smooth motion rendering. The side-opening, 3.0-inch, 1.44m-dot touchscreen LCD is great for easy, intuitive menu navigation and shooting control, and its articulating design lets you work from a range of angles.

Other Notable Features. The a1’s updated menu structure is a welcome change from those found in previous Alpha-series cameras, and you can navigate the menus via the touchscreen much like you can on the a7S III. There are hot-shoe and PC-terminal external-flash connections, automatic anti-flicker shutter timing, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities for wireless image sharing and camera control, and NFC for one-touch connection between the a1 and compatible mobile devices. The dual memory-card slots both accept CFexpress Type A and SD memory cards, and the camera uses the rechargeable NP-FZ100 battery that’s rated for 430 shots/90 minutes of recording per charge when you’re using the viewfinder, or 670 shots/95 minutes of recording with the rear LCD.