Sony is a household name when it comes to photography and has a wide range of mirrorless cameras available in its alpha series. Today, we are going to looking at some of the finest and the most advanced camera options available in the market, that you can buy right now.
Sony Alpha 1
The Sony Alpha 1 is the most powerful, all in one mirrorless camera offered by Sony. It features a stunning 50 megapixels Exmor-RS stacked CMOS sensor, with new Dual Bionz XR processors that can capture images at a massive resolution of 8640 x 5760, with burst rates of up to 30 frames per second and 15+ dynamic stops. It is capable of shooting videos at 8K, 30fps and 4K, 120fps with continuous tracking and real-time eye autofocus. Additionally, Sony has also included eye autofocus for animals and birds as well but the feature is only limited to still photographs. The A1 also comes with an IBIS feature, which is a 5-axis image stabilization, that provides stable and shake-free video recordings and sharp still images for handheld shooting. The battery life of this camera is also quite good enough, it can last for more than an hour while recording at 8K, however, there are some issues like overheating at times, so it is recommended to shoot at intervals during long sessions. Overall, this is a very impressive camera, aimed towards professionals and it is available for a hefty price of $6500 USD.
Sony Alpha 7R IV
The a7R IV has a 61 megapixels image sensor and is the highest resolution full-frame camera available in the market right now. It features a 16 shot pixel shift mode that can capture an insane 204.8 megapixels image, and not only does this increase image resolution, it also enhances the colour depth and accuracy. Along with lightning-fast autofocusing, it is equipped with real-time tracking and Sony’s eye autofocus for both humans as well as animals that delivers pinpoint accuracy needed for moving subjects and can capture finely detailed images with 15 stops of dynamic range. The camera has a UXGA OLED ‘Tru-finder’ EVF that ensures a seamless shooting experience with a massive 5.67 million dot resolution and 120 fps refresh rate along with 5 axis image stabilization for smooth videography. It also has an improved battery life and dust/moisture resistance over the previous versions of the A7 series.
Sony Alpha 9 II
The Alpha9 II is an advanced camera by Sony, capable of silently shooting 24 megapixels images at up to 20fps bursts with no blackout, quite similar to its predecessor, the Alpha 9. An upgrade from its previous version, the camera brings in some refinements and valuable tweaks that makes it one of the best choices for professional sports and action photography. The full-frame (24mp) image sensor has a 93% autofocus coverage across the frame with continuous fast-tracking. Just like the other cameras on the list it also has an enhanced 5-5 stop, 5 axis image stabilization that delivers clear detailed images and smooth 4K 30fps recordings. The camera features a 3.69M-dot OLED viewfinder (1280×960 pixels) with up to 120 fps refresh rate. The A9 ii is more comfortable in terms of handling, has improved weather sealing to protect the camera from dust and water and has a better battery life (690 shots) to sustain for longer usage time. The camera is available at a retail price of $4500 USD right now.
Sony Alpha 7 SIII
The A7 S3 has an updated 12 megapixels BSI Sensor for superior footage quality during low light situations and one-to-one image sensor readouts to eliminate the problem of rolling shutters during handheld recording. The camera exhibits a 9.4 million-dot OLED viewfinder, which is the highest among any mirrorless camera. The hybrid autofocus system utilized by the A7 S3 delivers a killer eye autofocus as well as live focus tracking while the subject is in motion. With this camera you would be able to record videos at 4K, 60fps and 120fps internally with 10bit 4:2:2 colour depth. Additionally, you would be able to shoot at 1080p at 240fps, all coupled with an in-body 5 axis stabilization feature for shaper footages. Although the A7 S3 has the form factor of a mirrorless hybrid camera, it is not really a photo camera. In contrast to the A7 R4, it is more of a video camera with photos as an additional feature. The camera is included with the advanced z-series batteries that provide you with longer operating periods and overall, it is a pretty powerful, compact 4K machine available at a price of $3500 USD.
Sony Alpha 7 RIII
The A7 RIII has a design and looks similar to other models of the Alpha 7 series. Although it falls short against the improved A7 RIV, it has got a lot of impressive features like the 42 megapixels BSI CMOS sensors capable of capturing images at 10fps burst shooting in silent shooting with no blackout. The camera also has a pixel shift mode that captures four different images consecutively that could be combined to form a single detailed photograph. Additionally, it has 399 phase-detection AF points covering about 68% of the image area to focus on things that are not faces along with 425 contrast-detection AF points. The electronic viewfinder has a 3.68M-dot resolution which is similar to the Sony A9 and a 1.4M-dot resolution tiltable display with a touchscreen facility that can refresh up to 120 frames per second. With this camera, you can take smooth quality 4K 30 fps that combined with the industry-leading autofocus technology and a 5-axis image stabilization makes it one of the finest mirrorless cameras available in the market. When it comes to the battery life, it can last up to 650 shots after a single change and since it is a 3-year-old camera you can buy it at a much-reduced price.
Conclusion
These were the best premium range cameras offered by Sony, the A1 is the latest addition to the Alpha series, and it is undeniably the most advanced also the most expensive consumer-grade mirrorless camera, mainly geared towards experts and even if you are involved in video production you may choose to go with this camera. The incredible quality 8K video would be nothing short of impressive.
