p.15 #1 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
That's the thing with stacked sensors. You have parallel paths off the chip so your bottleneck here does not change with resolution. The bottleneck is in the processing hence the dual processors. Each processor will tackle 25MP each so really no different than the A9. The 1.5x is most likely the increase in the processor performance from the antiquated predecessor.
p.15 #2 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
that makes sense, it's basically two a9 sensors packed into the same space
i'm guessing that it's also different in that the 2017-era a9/a9ii sensor used ddr3, so it's a safe bet that the stacked ram in this sensor is quicker than that.
faster memory loads/unloads the data in less time, which is going to give the bionz xr chips more time to process the data... the fact that there is flash capability with the electronic shutter would indicate that as well, it's a huge accomplishment that wasn't possible with the a9/a9ii sensor.
then there are improvements to the interconnects between the stack layers, which was perfected with the smartphone sensors... rb alluded to that in the link: "In addition to the DRAM built into the back of the sensor to cope with all the data being produced, Sony says the new 50MP sensor features a 'high speed processing circuit with new analogue-to-digital method' between the photodiodes and the DRAM at the back of the chip. Sadly they would not give any more details about this 'secret' technology."
p.15 #3 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
padam19 wrote:
The sensor readout is not the same in stills mode as in video mode, you can see even the A9 and A9II have some rolling shutter in video mode.
It is down to the internal processing: the Digic X in the Canon can handle the downscaling (somewhat, it of course will overheat at some point), while on the Sony with their codec implementation this would produce a lot of heat, so they've just decided to skip it instead of getting it to overheat quickly.
I mean, some say it's a small thing, but considering the price, I don't think so and it is just a way of not getting into this overheating drama. It is the same with RAW output, they advertise this feature but it is line-skipped just like on the Z6 series e.g. not "real" RAW like on the Canon cameras.
It just means that it won't be able to match the A7SIII in video mode regarding noise and dynamic range despite costing almost double the price. I am sure A9II users will not complain considering what they've had in the past regarding video. But if they advertise this camera as "totally unlimited in every way for photo and video" then they are not quite telling the truth....Show more →
Your comment is interesting but some of it does not make sense to me. Maybe you can clarify some points and/or provide some sources for the information.
Your comment about "rolling shutter in video mode" for the A9 and by implication in the A1 seems to imply that Sony slows down the electronic shutter curtains in video mode. Is that true? In video mode, how does the speed of the Sony A1 electronic curtains compare with the speed of the electronic curtains in the Canon R5?
Your comment about the Canon Digic X and the Sony codec implementation and Sony "skip it", is a mix of ideas.
Does the Sony A1 line skip in video modes where the Canon R5 does not?
Could you provide some more information comparing the Sony A1 raw video and Canon's "real" raw video?
p.15 #4 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
Justin Stone wrote:
I’d wager it has more to do with controlling costs and reusing bits and bobs from other chassis. But you’re right, a slightly taller grip would have been welcomed by many.
I really hope it uses the exact same body dimensions and control placement as the a7rIV/a9 II.I would really like to get the a1 and be able to use the existing underwater housing I have now for my a7rIV (which also works for an a9 II).
The A1 spec that surprised me a bit was the fact that the electronic shutter curtains move 1.5x faster even though there are 1.44x as many rows. That means the sensor rows are being read out 2.16X faster. We know the A9 reads out rows in groups of 16, so is the A1 being read out in larger groups to an even larger bank of ADCs, or are the ADCs running faster. It will be interesting to see once we can make some measurements on the camera, but my guess is the rows are still read out in groups of 16 and the electronics is over twice as fast.
I think the power of Sony's fast electronic shutter curtains is not appreciated as much as it should be. The A9 electronic shutter was already impressive and far ahead of the competition, and the A1 has significantly widened that gap.
p.15 #7 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
stuartv wrote:
I really hope it uses the exact same body dimensions and control placement as the a7rIV/a9 II.I would really like to get the a1 and be able to use the existing underwater housing I have now for my a7rIV (which also works for an a9 II).
You're braver than me. I'm not sure that I'd risk flooding a $6500 camera.
p.15 #8 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
Another A1 spec that does not get the love it deserves is the 120 AF updates per second. Again the A9 spec of 60/sec was impressive. This is another spec enabled by Sony's BSI/Stacked Electronics technology that the competition cannot match. Doubling the number of AF measurements and calculations per second is far more important to me than the move up to 30 FPS.
p.15 #9 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
Price is not an issue for the pro that would buy a D6 or 1DX MK xxx. On paper, this camera buries them all. I cannot see the other two players coming up with anything like this in the near future. As far as Leica goes, simply a boutique camera. Paying for the dot and some good glass. But even then Sony has really stepped up the game.
p.15 #10 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
Jorge Torralba wrote:
Price is not an issue for the pro that would buy a D6 or 1DX MK xxx. On paper, this camera buries them all. I cannot see the other two players coming up with anything like this in the near future. As far as Leica goes, simply a boutique camera. Paying for the dot and some good glass. But even then Sony has really stepped up the game.
Im trying to stay out of all this Fray and more important the its too damn expensive crap. God im so sick of it already but this really is a screaming price versus net value for a Pro
p.15 #11 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
That makes sense. I have a friend who is a very experienced technical diver. The cost of his diving equipment makes photography equipment look dirt cheap. His camera housing costs significantly more than the body it protects and it's a high wear item.
stuartv wrote:
I really hope it uses the exact same body dimensions and control placement as the a7rIV/a9 II.I would really like to get the a1 and be able to use the existing underwater housing I have now for my a7rIV (which also works for an a9 II).
p.15 #12 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
Jorge Torralba wrote:
Price is not an issue for the pro that would buy a D6 or 1DX MK xxx. On paper, this camera buries them all. I cannot see the other two players coming up with anything like this in the near future. As far as Leica goes, simply a boutique camera. Paying for the dot and some good glass. But even then Sony has really stepped up the game.
Yes, it is paying for the dot and good glass, but having used the a7r iii, a7r iv and a9ii the Leica SL2/SL2-S images have a look to them that is different - but I may attribute that more to the lack of an AA filter. I struggle with this decision all the time - when others look at my catalog of images they are always drawn to the Leica images, especially the black and whites taken with the SL2/SL2-S and any of the APO Summicron-SL lenses.
IF (and it is a very big "if") Leica had an AF system that was even marginally close to that of Sony or Canon, I would keep the Leica to use for everything and never look back - but it doesn't. It can't be used reliably for sports or wildlife with fast moving subjects and, from experience, it can't really be used reliably with tracking AF for even slower moving subjects. The Leica can't be used reliably with strobes either.
So why can't I sell it? Because the images, when in focus, are truly spectacular. Oh, and it has a fast shutter (1/16,000) so I don't need ND filters shooting wide open in bright sunlight. Love the a9ii for that reason also.
I'm not a fanboy. I had Sony and Leica together and shot both for different things. I tried the R5 to see if I could replace both my Sony and Leica kits with one Canon system. No, I couldn't. For me, the Sony colors are difficult to work with in Lightroom (apparently I should try C1) but for anything where I needed to make sure that my images were consistently in focus the Sony was the camera I used. The R5 is good - very good - but max shutter speed is 1/8000 and with 1.2 lenses ND filters are a given outdoors in bright light. I have heard (I have no first hand experience) that color science in the A7S iii is slightly different than the a7r iv and a9ii. I'll have to delve deeper into researching that. I doin't know in which direction the color science of the Alpha 1 leans, but the images that were presented looked really good.
I like the idea of the Alpha 1. I would love to believe that with the 35 1.4 GM, 12-24 GM, 135 GM and hopefully a 50 1.4 GM and refreshed 24-70 GM (or a f2 zoom) I could finally get back to a one brand solution.
I have the first order on my Sony dealer's list. I could take a leap of faith and sell all my Leica glass and my R5. I could easily get the Alpha 1, pretty much all the glass I would want to use on the Alpha 1 and, when the world is open for business again, have enough left over for an epic trip or two to gather some amazing images.
Seems like the rational thing to do. Unfortunately, many of us know how that goes.
p.15 #13 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
dclark wrote:
Another A1 spec that does not get the love it deserves is the 120 AF updates per second. Again the A9 spec of 60/sec was impressive. This is another spec enabled by Sony's BSI/Stacked Electronics technology that the competition cannot match. Doubling the number of AF measurements and calculations per second is far more important to me than the move up to 30 FPS.
Dave
Thanks Dave someone finally gets it. This is responsible for several feature sets and also some real solutions to stopping distortion and motion. Frankly this maybe the heart of this camera outside the 50 mpx and such.
p.15 #14 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
Just like the A9 that is still ahead of the competition 4 years later, the A1's magic is all to do with the stacked sensor. That paired with the XR processor is giving us a camera that will probably still be ahead of the competition in 4 years from now.
p.15 #15 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
Jesse Evans wrote:
No, it does not. It has multi shot pixel shift support, which would not be (truly) possible with an AA filter.
Interesting. One would think Sony would point out the A1 doesn't have an AA filter if that's the case. I read the spec sheet on their website, couldn't find anything in that regard.
p.15 #16 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
j4nu wrote:
People keep asking this question, but I think Sony has shown it has no intention of "backporting" the new features into old products...
Otherwise, we'd see multi-colored focus point already in the older cameras...
But they gave that real time AF for A9 when A9II came out. I use A9. If they provide this feature to A9II I will get it.
p.15 #17 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
arbitrage wrote:
Just like the A9 that is still ahead of the competition 4 years later, the A1's magic is all to do with the stacked sensor. That paired with the XR processor is giving us a camera that will probably still be ahead of the competition in 4 years from now.
Are you getting it? Can't wait to see/hear your comments
p.15 #18 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
As others said, looks super impressive and might be an amazing camera for hi-res sport and bird shooters — but as a hobbyist, just too expensive for me to go in. $4,999 would have been an instant buy.
I am bummed that I don't really know how or when which features will trickle down into a body I would want. 20-30 FPS shooting and 8K aren't important me. Top-notch AF, electronic shutter and a 36-50MP sensor are. 🤷🏻♂️.
p.15 #19 · Pre-Order Sony Alpha A1 (50MP, 30fps, 8K)
Looks like a winner to me. The price is high but like others have said, it's the old Canon 1D series price range and I bought every one of them back before Sony arrived with the A7R series. I'm not going to jump on it until I see just how great it performs in the hands of working photographers. I don't see it as a replacement for my A7R4 but as a great upgrade for my lifestyle work where response time and speed are more important. Now they need the A7R5 to be 100MP :-)
