Sony A1 II Review: A High-Caliber Mirrorless Camera That Fails to Break New Ground

How does one succeed a product that has dominated the mirrorless camera market for four years? For Sony, the solution with the A1 was straightforward: enhance every aspect. The outcome is the $6,500 A1 II, an impressive hybrid mirrorless camera that stands as Sony’s premier offering to this day.

The A1 II features a 50-megapixel stacked sensor, which differs from the global sensor found in the A9 III, making it not *quite* as speedy. Nonetheless, its combination of rapidity and detail renders it the most adaptable camera within Sony’s collection. It excels in video as well, supporting 8K 30 fps 10-bit recording, in addition to 4K slow-motion at up to 120 fps.

I hold high expectations for any flagship from Sony, and while the A1 II brings multiple minor enhancements, I didn’t find anything groundbreaking. It also competes with formidable (and more affordable) rivals such as the $4,300 Canon EOS R5 II and the $4,000 Nikon Z8. Additionally, the similarly priced Canon R1 and Nikon Z9 present tough competition. As a result, despite its advantages, I found Sony’s latest flagship somewhat underwhelming.

Build and usability

When it comes to handling, the A1 II stands out as Sony’s most adept camera thus far. Its design and control layout are very similar to that of the high-end A9 III. Weighing in at 743 grams (1.64 pounds), it’s heftier than the 617-gram (1.36 pound) A1 but still lightweight relative to other professional options such as the three-pound Z9. The redesign of the grip features softer materials and a more rounded shape, ensuring a comfortable and secure hold compared to the more angular A1—an advantage for professionals using heavy lenses.

The A1 II is a delight for fans of manual controls. It boasts three main dials, as opposed to just two on competing flagship models. There’s a mode selection ring for photography, videography, and Slow & Quick modes, along with a dual control wheel for shooting and autofocus. On the rear, you’ll find yet another dial, a joystick, and numerous customizable buttons.

The menu system in the A1 II has been updated to align with the A9 III. It introduces a «home» section for frequently used features, all of which are well organized into sub-menus. Additionally, Sony has included a user-friendly area for personalizing buttons, dials, the quick menu, and more.

Despite differing price points, it’s common to compare the A1 II to the Canon R5 II, as both are premium, high-resolution cameras. The R5 II feels more refined due to its more ergonomic shape and softer materials. However, the A1 II offers a broader range of controls, making it quicker and more convenient for shooting once you become accustomed to it. Sony’s menu system also tends to be more intuitive, facilitating navigation to important settings.

Regarding the A1 II’s exceptional electronic viewfinder (EVF), it maintains the same resolution as the A1 at 9.44 million dots, now without dropping resolution at its default 120 fps frame rate. The clarity and brightness are such that it convincingly surpasses any optical viewfinder. Sony provides two eyepiece cups, including one that «molds» to your eye for optimal light blocking, resulting in an immersive experience—making this the finest EVF I have ever encountered.

Vloggers have raised concerns regarding the absence of a fully articulating screen in the A1. In response, Sony has included a vibrant 3-inch, 2.1-million-dot display that not only tilts but also completely swivels, making it suitable for both photographers and content creators.

As before, the A1 II features a dual card slot system supporting both SD UHS II and (oops) Sony’s CFexpress Type A cards, which are not widely utilized. Though these are faster than SD, they don’t match the speed of CFexpress Type B slots found on cameras like the R5 II and Z8.

The Z-type battery offers a respectable 520 shots per charge, just shy of the A1’s 530. A variety of ports are included, such as a full-sized HDMI, high-speed USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 for rapid 10Gbps file transfers, microphone and headphone jacks, a 2.5 Gbps ethernet port, and a flash sync outlet. Additionally, Wi-Fi capabilities have been enhanced with 2×2 MIMO support, allowing for transfer speeds of up to 2.5Gbps, up from the previous 1Gbps.

Capabilities

The A1 II ranks as the swiftest high-resolution camera available, offering burst capabilities of up to 30 fps while shooting RAW in electronic mode with continuous autofocus, or 10 fps using the mechanical shutter. These speeds either match or surpass its key competitors, yet they don’t represent an improvement over the four-year-old A1. This is particularly surprising given the A1 II’s utilization of a much swifter Bionz XR image processor sourced from the A9 III.

A significant advancement is evident in the autofocus; it now locks onto subjects faster, resulting in fewer out-of-focus shots during continuous bursts. The incorporation of Sony’s latest algorithms and AI features from the A9 III enables quicker and more intuitive subject recognition, identifying human bodies, faces, eyes, along with animals, birds, insects, and vehicles. Notably, the A1 II is the first camera from Sony to automatically detect these subjects, saving you the hassle of manual selection. For example, if you’re photographing birds and encounter a bear, you won’t have to pause to switch modes.

Although Sony is somewhat late in adopting this auto subject selection feature—with Canon and other brands implementing it earlier—the A1 II presents the most effective execution I’ve seen, quickly locking onto the desired subjects. Like other cameras, it may occasionally misinterpret in multiple subject situations, sometimes focusing on the wrong target. When it comes to humans, Canon’s R1 and R5 have an advantage due to their face-recognition capability, which reliably focuses on specific individuals.

The A1 II incorporates both mechanical and electronic shutter options, but the stacked sensor’s rapid readout enables almost exclusive use of the latter. Even in fast-motion sports like golf, skewing and distortion are hardly observed when employing the electronic shutter, allowing for silent shooting without disturbance.

A key new feature is pre-capture, which allows you to store up to 70 frames while half-pressing the shutter before fully pressing it, minimizing the chances of missing a decisive moment in a photo.

In terms of stabilization, the A1 II marks a significant advancement for Sony, featuring 8.5 stops of stabilization—surpassing the A9 III by half a stop and equating to the performance of the EOS R5 II and R1. This enhancement allows for clear images even at incredibly slow shutter speeds, such as a full second. It proves beneficial for shooting in low-light conditions or creating motion blur deliberately without the need for a tripod.

Although the A1 II delivers impressive speed, it doesn’t represent the generational leap I anticipated when comparing it to a four-year-old model. Friends of mine who are professional photographers and already own the A1 shared a similar sentiment, opting not to upgrade.

Picture Quality

The A1 II is not only fast but also provides high resolution, which explains the hefty price tag. Images are sharper than almost any other full-frame camera, with the exception of Sony’s own A7R V. The dynamic range is stellar, and colors appear accurate with JPEGs, although I find Canon’s outputs warmer right out of the camera.

The new model utilizes the same sensor as the A1, yet Sony has managed to enhance the dynamic range slightly at elevated ISOs. Consequently, noise levels remain minimal up to ISO 6,400, and images yield excellent results even at ISO 12,800. This performance is remarkable for a 50MP camera, surpassing the capabilities of Canon’s EOS R5 II. Beyond this, as you approach the maximum ISO of 32,000, the noise can become noticeable.

RAW files provide ample room for adjustments to highlight recovery or shadow detail enhancement. For the utmost dynamic range, utilizing the lossless compressed RAW format is recommended, as lossy compressed RAW files exhibit noticeable deficiencies in highly detailed images. One drawback of lossy RAW files is that they can limit burst shooting speeds to 20 fps and fill up memory cards at a quicker rate.

While the image quality is stellar, it doesn’t represent a significant upgrade from the A1. For studio and landscape photographers who prioritize image quality above all else and already possess an A1, the transition to the A1 II may not be justifiable.

Video Capabilities

On paper, the A1 II stands as a video powerhouse, featuring up to 8K 30 fps recording and 4K 60 fps (with the possibility of 4K 120 fps without audio), along with 10-bit log shooting capabilities. It includes a new function allowing users to load custom LUTs while in log (S-Log3) mode, facilitating better exposure assessment. Plus, it features a setting that aligns footage closer to Sony’s professional cinema cameras. This is in addition to the previously mentioned enhancements, such as the fully articulating screen and upgraded stabilization, which are also advantageous for video recording.

Autofocus during video recording has seen significant improvements, with more reliable tracking of dynamic subjects, which I experienced while filming a fast-paced soccer match. It also retains the same subject tracking modes as when capturing photographs (eyes, faces, bodies, birds, animals, and vehicles).

However, upon closer inspection, the video performance feels slightly underwhelming. Unlike the more affordable Nikon Z8 and Canon EOS R5 II, the A1 II lacks internal RAW recording capabilities, possibly due to the limitations of its CFexpress Type A slots regarding bandwidth. This could notably impact video quality and the flexibility to adjust color and levels in post-production.

Nonetheless, when capturing 8K or 4K 10-bit log video at high data rates, both image quality and dynamic range remain solid. The S-Log3 and 10-bit capabilities offer content creators extensive flexibility to enhance footage recorded in low-light environments or under bright conditions.

The in-body stabilization might just be the finest I have encountered across all cameras. The optical mode effectively mitigates hand jitters if movement is minimal. For walking or running scenarios, the electronic stabilization (not available for 8K) achieves near GoPro-like smoothness, free from sudden jolts found on other models. Even when rapid camera movements are required, rolling shutter typically isn’t a concern. The only instances I’ve witnessed distortion occur while shooting 8K video, and even then, it is minimal.

Conclusion

The A1 II ranks among the best cameras in terms of speed and capability. Each aspect has been refined compared to the A1, including stabilization, design, and autofocus.

However, the innovative aspects that Sony is renowned for appear to be missing here, and the A1 II comes with a hefty price. Taking all of that into consideration, its shortcomings become evident. The A1 II presents only a modest enhancement over the A1, and in terms of video capabilities, it falls behind the Nikon Z8 and Z9 as well as the Canon R5 II.

If you’re already an A1 owner, the A1 II may not offer sufficient upgrades to warrant a new purchase. Additionally, anyone serious about video should contemplate either the Canon R5 II or Nikon Z8, both of which deliver higher-quality RAW video at up to 8K 60p for a lower cost. Nevertheless, for professionals or dedicated enthusiasts entering the A1 series for the first time, focused on photography and willing to invest $6,500, the Sony A1 II proves to be an exceptional choice.