I just received my A1ii yesterday and people are right; the pre-capture is a game-changer. Right now, I'm debating between selling my old A1 body and putting that money towards a 300GM, which looks absolutely phenomenal, and would go to replacing my girlfriend's Sigma 150-600mm. On the other hand, I could see the value in keeping a second body around as a backup in case of failure on a bucket list trip. I suppose in many ways this is a personal decision, but was wondering what people's thoughts are on this particular decision. Thank you!
You are right about it being a personal decision. However, if you are generally only shooting with one setup at a time, while it's nice to have a backup camera, it's not really that practical, especially to keep a $6,000 backup hanging around. The 300 GM is a ridiculously good lens including with the teleconverters and is something you will likely keep for a very very long time. If the focal length suits your needs, I think I would go with the lens if it were me.
I've had a backup body for years.....never had to use one. I find the biggest advantage to a second body is not having to change lenses as much. Having said that, I'd go with the 300mm GM, but make sure you also have room in your budget for a 2xTC as well.
Personal decision for sure. I used to own 2-4 bodies at a time but since the original A1 I went down to just one camera. I considered keeping my A1 when I sold the A1II but decided to sell it as I knew it would just sit unused.
Now if I was going on a big photo trip I would need to get some sort of backup but right now I don't have any trips planned for the foreseeable future. I would probably just pick up something like a used A6700 or A9 or even an A1 when the time comes.
If you have some trips planned then maybe keeping the A1 would make sense.
But for what I shoot these days in my local area I would surely rather have my 300GM over an A1 sitting around doing little to nothing for me. 300GM is an amazing lens and the one I use 75% of the time now a days. I wouldn't give it up for anything right now.
After a trip to Alaska in 2024, I now believe in having two camera bodies. My A1 with grip on became inoperative after a day in the rain. The problem took a day or two to figure out, and it was related to water getting into the contacts between the grip and body. However, having a second body was useful. I have the A1 and an A7Rv. I find the A7Rv useful as it compliments the A1 for certain things where outright speed are not needed. Landscapes and macro focus bracketing both come to mind.
All of that said, the 300GM is a stunningly good lens and is outstanding with the 1.4X and 2X, making it really versatile.
I’d go with the 300GM, no question. You’ve already upgraded to the A1ii, and that’s arguably the most capable body Sony makes right now. Keeping the original A1 as a second body is appealing, especially for redundancy on critical trips, but you have to ask how often you’d really need that second body versus how often you’d benefit from the optical excellence and speed of the 300GM. That lens is on another level and would be a serious upgrade over the Sigma 150–600mm in both image quality and autofocus performance.
If you’re shooting anything like wildlife, sports, or fast action, the combo of the A1ii and 300GM would be absolutely elite. Plus, fewer compromises in the field—lighter, sharper, faster. And let’s be real: if your A1ii were to fail (rare, but possible), renting or borrowing a body in a pinch is still an option, especially if you’re planning big trips in advance.
The one time I really wanted to have a second body I just rented it for the week. you can do that a whole bunch of times before you get to the cost of a top line body.
arbitrage wrote:
Personal decision for sure. I used to own 2-4 bodies at a time but since the original A1 I went down to just one camera. I considered keeping my A1 when I sold the A1II but decided to sell it as I knew it would just sit unused.
Now if I was going on a big photo trip I would need to get some sort of backup but right now I don't have any trips planned for the foreseeable future. I would probably just pick up something like a used A6700 or A9 or even an A1 when the time comes.
If you have some trips planned then maybe keeping the A1 would make sense.
But for what I shoot these days in my local area I would surely rather have my 300GM over an A1 sitting around doing little to nothing for me. 300GM is an amazing lens and the one I use 75% of the time now a days. I wouldn't give it up for anything right now....Show more →
Magic,
I'll be a contrary voice. If you don't care about having a second body, you might be better off putting your money towards a different lens. The 300 is everything people say it is, but it's not nearly as versatile as a zoom, obviously. I rented it for a birding trip and found myself using the 200-600 b/c I didn't want to risk missing a shot.
I wanted to love the 300 (actually, I loved the images I got from it) but there were a lot of images I couldn't get because the subject was too close, or too far away. If your use scenario justifies a 300gm, by all means go for it, but I'd rent one first.
Steve
If you know you would use a 300 prime with decent but not amazing close focus, the 300 is incredible…and for what it is, it is incredibly light. I can shoot with it for hours.
If you want a second body, renting whatever or picking up a used a7Riii could be done on top of the 300, and you might even have money left for a nice dinner out.
Unless you shoot fast moving things professionally or have money to burn, two a1x bodies seems like massive overkill.
A backup body makes sense if you're making money with your cameras, and doing so on schedule. Otherwise, it's just a consumer electronics item. Do you keep a backup of your microwave? A dishwasher? That's my thinking. Besides, spending that "backup money" on something else like a lens (any lens), frankly, just sounds more fun!
Similar question I am asking myself. I plan to switch from Nikon to Sony in large part with the arrival of the 50-150/2 which I see as a stunning lens for indoor sports. I will need two bodies though and debating whether I go with two A1 IIs or one A1 as the 2nd body, knowing for things like ice hockey I am really looking forward to shooting with pre-capture in RAW.
I will be pairing one body with the 50-150 and one with the 300/2.8.
mholdef wrote:
Similar question I am asking myself. I plan to switch from Nikon to Sony in large part with the arrival of the 50-150/2 which I see as a stunning lens for indoor sports. I will need two bodies though and debating whether I go with two A1 IIs or one A1 as the 2nd body, knowing for things like ice hockey I am really looking forward to shooting with pre-capture in RAW.
I will be pairing one body with the 50-150 and one with the 300/2.8.
That sounds like a great lens combo for that use case.
A hobbyist shooter really does not need a second body over a lens that could be key to images. For working Pros that's a different story as we are getting paid to deliever images. Bottom line nothing happens if your camera goes down you're not losing clients or losing money. Sure a PITA but you can go home with no loss and just get your primary fixed. You can also have a oh shit camera for under a 1000 bucks to back you up and still be able to get like a 300mm, you don't really need a A1 to do that. Take the revenue from selling the A1 and put that towards a 300mm.
Honestly I read this forum and the reasons I see hobbyist having second bodies are more silly reasons like I don't like switching lenses and im worried about dust kind of stuff not so much over failures of primary. I know that varies but having a 300mm might prove to score great images . I just don't see much value in a second expensive body for a hobbist shooter . Now I never been a hobbist . Im a working Pro so I think differently for me
You folks are supposed to go have fun, im supposed to make money, so priorities are different
GMPhotography wrote:
A hobbyist shooter really does not need a second body over a lens that could be key to images. For working Pros that's a different story as we are getting paid to deliever images. Bottom line nothing happens if your camera goes down you're not losing clients or losing money. Sure a PITA but you can go home with no loss and just get your primary fixed. You can also have a oh shit camera for under a 1000 bucks to back you up and still be able to get like a 300mm, you don't really need a A1 to do that. Take the revenue from selling the A1 and put that towards a 300mm.
Honestly I read this forum and the reasons I see hobbyist having second bodies are more silly reasons like I don't like switching lenses and im worried about dust kind of stuff not so much over failures of primary. I know that varies but having a 300mm might prove to score great images . I just don't see much value in a second expensive body for a hobbist shooter . Now I never been a hobbist . Im a working Pro so I think differently for me
You folks are supposed to go have fun, im supposed to make money, so priorities are different ...Show more →
It's a different story if you're spending a lot of money (and/or time) travelling to a location to photograph... if you only have one body and it fails or you drop it you may not be losing client revenue, but you do lose the resources you spent to get there.
Well I always have a second body but these days my second body is typically aimed at a different need like small for travel instead of another top end duplicate. I did have two A1’s but in the end after several years with the backup getting very little real use I now have a small Compact body I use for travel, if I were going to go on a safari I would just rent another duplicate of my main system.
Also if the lens like the 300 GM is not getting weekly use I might rent that one as well.
Twice I've had a body die on me in a remote location. So glad I always travel with two bodies of the camera systems I have. I made some of my most significant images with the backup, none of which I would have today if I only had one body.
Glass has more longevity and holds its money far better than bodies do. You could always pick up an older used body as a back up, I've kept my original a9 partly for that and partly because my wife comes on a couple of the trips I do each year and she uses it with the 200-600.
I would purchase the lens today and let the body go, you can always rent a body for a trip if you need a backup
the A1 will keep depreciating over time and in a year or two may not be worth nearly as much while the lens will hold value well and may even increase if price of new is impacted by tariffs / import duties
plus the lens will get you photos that a backup sitting in a closet cannot
KEH offers about 3K for a LN A1 with the standard kit of parts, so the OP's (used) A1 is not a $6000 camera. While putting 3.5-4 K (from an independent sale, not to KEH) would put a dent in the cost of the 300, for a once in a lifetime trip, a second body can offer the peace of mind that only the OP can consider. Yes, the lens will get you photos, but if the only camera you have with you goes out, then you are SOL.
If you sell the A1 then consider renting something as a backup if the images are that important to you.
Im a working Pro so I think differently for me