Full frame. 50.1MP. 15-plus stops of dynamic range. 8K@30fps video. Sony’s full-frame mirrorless Alpha 1 camera is among the most advanced options out there. There is something for camera-driven professionals all across the industry, including filmmakers. There is some serious advancements in the AF department and shutter performance. We chatted with Mukesh Srivastava, digital imaging head, Sony India, to go beyond the surface details.

The camera has got enough speed and fast focusing to capture all the action. Would you say it is a good buy for people who want to capture wildlife and sports moments?

Yes, of course, with the extraordinary combination of 50MP high resolution and blazing speed of 30fps, this is a perfect choice precisely for the wildlife photographers and those who likes to capture sports and action.

The Alpha 1 combines a newly developed stacked CMOS image sensor of an effective 50.1M pixels and the BIONZ XR image processing engine that offers about 8x the processing capacity of predecessors, to realise high-speed, blackout-free continuous advance shooting at 30 fps. It also greatly improves the end-result of action photos by roughly doubling the tracking accuracy in AF, reducing the distortion seen with moving objects about 1.5x and incorporating the world’s first EVF capable of displaying images at 240fps. Moreover, the camera widens the scope of expression of flash photography with the industry’s fastest synchronization at 1/400 sec.

Sample shot taken using Alpha 1 Sony Pictures

Eye AF for animals and birds. How does the feature help and why are there separate features for birds and animals?

Wildlife photography has evolved over time. Bird photography is meant to be a subset of wildlife photography and the inclination towards this type of photography has been rising in recent times. Hence, these are separate features for birds and animals. With the all-new real-time Eye AF for birds in Alpha 1, it helps to track and accurately focus on bird eyes, even if the bird suddenly takes flight or the framing changes. When it comes to animals, the real time EYE AF has greatly improved. Now, it even works if the animal’s face is upside-down.

Is there a particular lens that the camera works particularly well with?

Alpha 1 works with entire range of Sony E-mount lenses. Sony has a wide line-up of E-mount lenses with a super-quiet, high-speed and highly sharp AF drive that minimises audible sounds to the level demanded by professionals. These lenses bring out the maximum performance of the camera.

There is 8K video recording. But do you think it is an option many would use?

Technology evolves and people eventually want to adapt to the changing environment. The Alpha’s mission is to give creators the power to realise their dreams and we at Sony, would like to provide opportunity to the creators with the latest technology and a platform to learn, evolve and adapt. Alpha 1 delivers the next generation 8K 30p recording capabilities and we really believe that the creators are fully going to utilise the same and challenge their limits.

What does it have to offer filmmakers who are focused on making short films?

In terms of movie performance, the Alpha 1 supports 8K high definition, while it also allows 4K recording at 120p 4:2:2 10-bit all-intra. A new active mode dedicated to movie shooting makes five-axis optical image stabilisation highly effective for handheld shooting. Another very important feature for filmmakers is that the camera includes the same S-Cinetone colour matrix that produces beautiful colour and skin tones in the VENICE, FX6, and other Cinema Line cameras. S-Cinetone delivers natural mid-tones that are essential to healthy-looking skin colour, plus soft colours and gorgeous highlights, responding to a growing need for more expressive depth.

Mukesh Srivastava, digital imaging head, Sony India