Alpha 1 Full-frame Interchangeable Lens Mirrorless Camera

• 50.1MP¹ full-frame stacked Exmor RS™ CMOS sensor w/ integral memory
• 8x more powerful², next generation BIONZ XR image processing engine
• 50.1MP RAW+JPEG up to 30fps³ w/ 120 AF/AE calculations per sec. ⁴
• Blackout-free⁵ shooting up to 30fps³ from fast sensor readout speed
• World’s first⁶ 240 fps refresh rate, 9.44M¹ dot 0.64” QXGA OLED EVF
• World’s first⁶ anti-flicker mechanical and electronic shutter
• Dual drive mechanical shutter for up to 1/400 sec. flash sync
• Anti-distortion electronic shutter w/ flash sync⁷ up to 1/200 sec.
• Silent, vibration free electronic shutter w/ all-in-one Silent Mode
• Real-time AF tracking, Real-time Eye-AF (humans, animals, birds) ⁸

Introducing the Alpha 1

The Alpha 1 features a newly developed stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor, built with integral memory and paired with an upgraded BIONZ XR imaging processing engine, making it capable of shooting 50.1-megapixel¹ images continuously at an astounding 30fps³ with up to 120 AF/AE calculations per second⁴. The Alpha 1 shooting capabilities are further enhanced by a 9.4 million dot OLED Quad-XGA electronic viewfinder, with a refresh rate of up to 240 fps, ensuring no black out.  Additionally, for the first time in an Alpha series camera, 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 video is available, along with 4K 120p¹⁵ 10-bit 4:2:2 recording and S-Cinetone color. The Alpha 1 is also packed with features that support field professionals with faster workflow, including 3.5x faster wireless FTP transfer speed  and more.

50.1MP¹ full-frame stacked Exmor RS™ CMOS sensor w/ integral memory

The innovative full-frame Exmor RS™ image sensor delivers an overwhelming combination of resolution and speed with 50.1 effective megapixels¹ in a stacked CMOS architecture with integral memory. The sensor’s stacked structure and advanced A/D (analogue to digital) conversion provides significant improvements over the α9 II, allowing a huge amount of data to be read from the pixel area at high speed, then temporarily store it in the chip’s integrated memory so that high-speed processing can proceed without delays. Despite the large volume of data produced by the sensor’s 50.1 million pixels (approx. twice the pixel count of the α9 II), the Alpha 1 can shoot continuous bursts at up to 30 frames per second³ (1.5x the speed of the α9 II) while offering fast, precise phase-detection AF. 

Continuous Shooting up to 30fps3 with 120 AF/AE calculations per sec. 4 

The Alpha 1 captures moments that would otherwise be lost thanks to its high-speed readout from the 50.1-megapixel¹ image sensor, making it possible to shoot up to 30 full-frame images per second³, using the electronic shutter, with full AF (autofocus) and AE (auto exposure) tracking up to an astonishing 120 calculations per second⁴, with AE response latency as low as 0.033 second*4, even with sudden changes in brightness. A large buffer memory and increased overall system speed allow up to approximately 165 JPEG images*2 or 155 compressed RAW images*3 to be captured in one continuous 30 fps burst and at 20 frames per second, users can shoot up to 238 full-frame compressed RAW images or 400 full-frame JPEG images. This can be a huge confidence-booster when timing is critical for sports, wildlife, and other moving subjects.

^*1 “Hi+” continuous shooting mode. In focus modes other than AF-C, effective at 1/125 sec. or higher shutter speed. In AF-C mode, effective at 1/250 sec. or higher shutter speed, and the maximum continuous frame rate will depend on the shooting mode and lens used. 20 fps max. when shooting uncompressed RAW or lossless compressed RAW. A software update may be required for some lenses. Visit Sony’s support web page for lens compatibility information.

^*2 “Hi+” continuous shooting mode, Fine JPEG images recorded to one Sony CFexpress Type A memory card. Sony tests.

^*3 “Hi+” continuous shooting mode, compressed RAW, recorded to one Sony CFexpress Type A memory card. Sony tests.

^*4 “Hi+” continuous shooting mode. In focus modes other than AF-C, effective at 1/125 sec. or higher shutter speed. In AF-C mode, effective at 1/250 sec. or higher shutter speed, and the maximum continuous frame rate will depend on the shooting mode and lens used. 20 fps max. when shooting uncompressed RAW or lossless compressed RAW. A software update may be required for some lenses. Visit Sony’s support web page for lens compatibility information.

 8x more powerful², next generation BIONZ XR image processing engine

The Alpha 1 incorporates the next generation BIONZ XR image processing engine which performs 8x faster processing compared to the BIONZ X processing engine. found on previous models. The BIONZ XR handles all of AF, image recognition, image quality adjustments, development, and more in real time, minimizing processing latency while markedly boosting still image and movie processing power. Furthermore, user interface, network, and file management processing are distributed so that fast, stress-free control response is maintained regardless of real-time processing load.

Selectable continuous shooting speeds with electronic shutter

The Alpha 1 offers a range of selectable continuous shooting speeds: 20, 15, 10, or 5 fps assignable to the Hi, Mid, and Lo drive modes. Continuous shooting is fixed at 30 fps in the Hi+ mode. This makes it easier to set a continuous shooting speed that best suits the subject and shooting environment, while an expanded range of speed and compression combinations offers new flexibility. A continuous shooting speed of 15 fps coupled with the “M: 21M JPEG + Compressed RAW” recording mode, for example, will allow more than 1000 still images to be shot in one burst* in APS-C mode.

* Number may change according to shooting conditions and the memory card used.

World’s first⁶ 240 fps refresh rate, 9.44M¹ dot 0.64” QXGA OLED EVF

Complimenting the camera’s ability to capture images at an unprecedented speed, the Alpha 1 viewfinder features the world’s first⁶ 240 fps refresh rate, for a super-smooth display. The viewfinder does not black out when an exposure is made to offer an uninterrupted view and allow for seamless framing and tracking, even during continuous shooting. The 9.44 million-dot (approx.), 0.64 type Quad-XGA high-definition OLED display and refined optics deliver the highest resolution in its class . It also offers 0.90x viewfinder magnification, a 41° diagonal FOV, and a 25mm-high eyepoint for clear, low distortion viewing from corner to corner.

Blackout-free⁵ shooting up to 30fps³ from fast sensor readout speed

Viewfinder blackout occurs in conventional DSLRs when the mirror flips up to expose an image. Since the Alpha 1 viewfinder does not black out when an exposure is made, the user has an uninterrupted view of the subject and scene that allows smooth, seamless framing and tracking even during high-speed continuous shooting, ensuring that fleeting moments can be captured with confidence. Blackout-free⁵ shooting is a game-changer for shooting sports where rapid and erratically moving subjects must be captured, and even for portraits where fleeting expressions can make a huge difference. The Alpha 1 offers a viewing experience that is close to viewing with the naked eye.

World’s first⁶ anti-flicker mechanical and electronic shutter

In addition to anti-flicker shooting with mechanical shutter, the Alpha 1 is the World’s first⁶ camera to boast ant-flicker with electronic shutter thanks to the high-speed readout from the stacked Exmor RS image sensor. This makes blackout-free shooting⁵, up to 120 AF/AE tracking calculations per second, up to 30 fps continuous shooting³, silent shooting, and other advantages of the electronic shutter available without flicker issues when shooting under fluorescent or other flicker-prone types of artificial light. Anti-flicker shooting is also available with the mechanical shutter at up to 10 fps (“Hi+” setting) with full AF/AE tracking.