DPReview recently completed their extended review for the Sony Alpha 1. After examining the camera’s handling and controls, image quality, autofocus, video performance and more, they gave the Alpha 1 the Gold Award and a 93% rating, the highest rating DPReview has ever given a camera.
In their extensive review, Carey Rose, Richard Butler and Rishi Sanyal recount impressive specs provided by the Alpha 1, but also note that there’s even more to be excited about. “Aside from the headline-stealing specs, there are lots of other aspects of the Alpha 1 worth mentioning. The mechanical shutter, topping out at 1/400 sec for flash sync (most competitors top out at 1/320), also makes a lovely sound and is well-dampened. The menus are now spectacularly well organized and touch sensitive. The redesigned autofocus and drive mode dials are welcome.”
The reviewers also put the camera through a number of tests to see its autofocus performance. They tested a single, central AF point with a subject approaching in a straight line and got a 100% hit rate. Then they moved to a more challenging test, switching the camera into Tracking: Flexible Spot M’ mode, and still got insanely impressive results. “Finally, we performed the same tests with the fully mechanical shutter at its maximum rate of 10fps and also observed a near-100% hit rate.”
“From our testing, it's clear that the Sony Alpha 1 is an incredibly effective photographic tool. The 50MP of resolution is plenty for most people not reproducing artwork (and the 200MP high-res mode is plenty if you are). The 30fps max burst speed and impressive autofocus should allow you to capture just the right moment of a player in a sports match or of a bird as it alights upon a branch. The 8K video capture means not only that you can have super-high resolution footage, but you can create lower resolution footage that looks stellar. The ultra-fast electronic shutter means you can shoot silently in almost any situation without any negative impact on image quality.”
They conclude that the engineers at Sony have created a single camera model that could fulfill the needs of just about any professional photography, thus awarding the Alpha 1 with Gold and the highest ever 93% rating.
“The Sony Alpha 1 is the most refined Alpha-series interchangeable lens camera yet. Its combination of speed and resolution for both stills and video set it apart in a crowded field of excellent options, though that combination is also responsible for the price it commands. But the fact remains, most any professional photographer will be able to use the Alpha 1 for most anything they'd think to shoot.”
Read the full review HERE.
