My A9III preview is available on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel, along with the A9III eBook and camera setup file (CAMSET). I did not make a review available on RUclips as I did not have the camera prior to the A9III launch in New York. My reviews are based around several full-day shoots and not a quick 'hands-on' session.
I especially appreciated the informed, objective and very helpful comparisons among the 4 Sony bodies. Mark puts extensive time and effort into his work, and I am happy to support him via Patreon.
Thanks for your support and positive feedback Susan. This has been the best part of a month's work to put together the review and the learning support materials on Patreon. I got two day's notice that this work would need to be carried out!!
Join me on Patreon for the best Alpha Support and Guidance. A single $10 Membership fee includes access to my 300 to 700-page camera-specific eBooks + Over thirty hours of member-only seminars + cameras settings files + access to the Raw files from the lens and camera reviews (there is no contract or commitment beyond the first month). www.patreon.com/markgaler 2
Great review, as always, packed with well-organized info. I especially appreciate that your videos apply a novel approach (in this case, shooting the event with the 300 mm lens), you choose subjects/events where the camera's new/upgraded features would be important to test for pro photographers, and that you say the name of your subjects.
- Nice, some questions: - Does it have focus stacking functionality (take several automated images at different focus points)? - Does it have a mechanical shutter?
Excellent. I shoot professional motocross so this answers a lot of very specific use cases for me. Thank you for the detailed look. World-class shots, as always.
Thank you mark .. very excellent review and the best one as usual! there is one thing I want to know and I still can’t find a resource for it which is a comparison of the resolution of A7r4/5 and the A1 side by side .. I want to see the difference between the 60 and 50 megapixel when cropping tightly, in many times I do crop a lot .. especially for birds, do you have any comparison ?
Thanks for the positive feedback. I personally limit a tight crop to a 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels). I won’t crop any tighter. With an A7RIV/A7RIV you can perform a 2.5x crop (APS-C is a 1.5x crop). With an A1/A1 ll you can do a 2.25x crop. You can see the extent of the crop I am doing in this video as these crops are mostly 1.5x and 2.25x. I offer in-depth and full educational support on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel where I have an extended seminar on resolution and noise (in addition to the eBook and camera setup files).
This is a dream camera! Own A7IV and A7RV. Considering upgrading to the A7V (AI, AF) next year to compliment my A7RV. The updates are more than fine for me. It's a great option for someone who doesn't have the A1. It has the features that A1 has missed out over the years. Look forward to possibly A1 II or III.
The big difference between the A9, A9II, A1 and A1II cameras is the use of a stacked sensor. Not everyone, however, needs the ability to pan in order to accurately follow fast and erratically moving subjects.
Great timely review. I have a question. If you are shooting with a mechanical shutter and press c5 for a speed boost will it automatically switch to the electronic shutter? Thank you.
Hi Mark, as usual, great review with loads of useful information. One question on the Preset Focus/Zoom, do you know if this works on non-power zooms (ie 200-600) on the Mk 2, as it does not work on my A1 (mk1) only with my one prime. Thanks.
Great Review Mark. For sure I consider the A1-ii Sony's perfect Rolling Shutter Mirrorless camera. It doesn't get any better than this now with tall these features.
Yours is the first video I sought out for information on the new A1, Mark. No one reviews Sony cameras better than you do. As someone who pays attention to your channel, I wouldn't have thought that you'd bother much with APS-C mode when shooting. You've largely convinced me that cropping in post is just as good, so I can save the mental bandwidth when my camera's in hand. However, a few times in this review you mentioned shooting shooting in APS-C mode. Was that primarily to test the camera's capabilities as part of the review? Are there instances where you recommend shooting in APS-C in regular use for advantages that can't be achieved in post with a crop?
The outcomes are the same, but sometimes when you know you are going to have to crop much more tightly it is nice to be able to enjoy the action larger in the viewfinder and also increase the buffer capacity + store more images on the card.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Makes sense. It's a bit of usability and feel, a bit more headroom if your card's getting full. Good to know that the intuitions that you created are reliable.
When comparing MG’s Alfa reviews vs the usual suspects I always get the feeling I’m watching a Tik Tok video vs a NatGeo documentary. As always, this is the last word in Sony reviews. Nice job.
Mark thanks for the videos, love your reviews. I'm really surprised the A1ii is almost the same as the Canon R5ii and a massive price gap between the two. Thoughts on this?
Canon: 45 megapixels, 1 x CF Express card slot, lower resolution finder, no 4-axis monitor and access to better glass (Sony and non-Sony lenses) The focus will undoubtedly be better on the new A1 II with its AI subject recognition. The bottom-line is that it comes down to the glass a sports shooter owns, which invariably costs more than the camera bodies. A photographer doesn't switch bodies without a considerable hit on the glass.
Thank you very much for this very complete and very well illustrated presentation.👍👏 It may seem a little against the current but I am much more attracted by the Sony A9III because it is truly exceptional in terms of speed, precision and shooting management thanks to its global shutter.😉
The decision probably comes down to the resolution and the benefits of using a global shutter sensor for some photographic jobs. I expect the global shutters sensor technology to continue improve over time (as was the case with stacked sensor technologies) so one day, we may well see an A9V camera become the new flagship of Sony's camera range.
It's definitely a substantial face lift from the a1 with many of the requested features from the a1 user base (half of which should have been on the original camera... tilt screen and focus bracketing... come on). But there's really nothing ground breaking or overly impressive to warrant the need to upgrade from the a1. It is nice to see Sony bringing the previous generation cameras in alignment with their latest tech though! Fantastic overview!!!
A photographer may need or may not need Pre-capture and either need or doesn't need AI Subject Recognition and either need or doesn't need 8.5 steps of stabilization. If a photographer is happy with 30fps without AF tracking or 20fps with AF Tracking and doesn't use Steadyshot or Pre Capture this is, indeed, an upgrade they don't need to consider purchasing. For other photographers who will use all three of these features it should be considered a major upgrade. 50% faster frame rate with AF Tracking 60% improved Stabilization and 50% more reliable subject recognition for subjects in amongst obstacles are not minor upgrades.
Thanks mark. ive been temporarily using a7rV while waiting fort this camera and this is a instant sold so i am glad you did that little a7rv comparison at the end as it straight highlights teh shortcomings of the non stacked sensor in R5 and misses shots which are even more prevelent in overcast conditions to. while i will loose 11mp for cropping thats not much at all and i may sell my 70-200gmii and invest towards 300mm prime for extra reach on afl field. I am assuming visually/colours are very much same as a7rv?
Thanks - the straight out of camera colours in JPEG and HEIF format keeping improving, and I was very impressed with the AWB at the MotoGP where I expected to have to correct for some errors (but couldn't find any)
Thanks for this review, Mark. I'm very disappointed with my x2 converter which I use with a 70-200mm f/2.8 Mk 2 to get to 400mm. I find that the quality lost when using the converter equates to cropping in post. Is this normal?
There is a little loss of sharpness when using teleconverters. Some find the loss acceptable while others do not. I am very happy to use the 1.4x Teleconverter on all my white lenses but the 300 GM is the only lens I am entirely happy to use the 2.0x Teleconverter.
Canon R3 and Nikon Z9 Camera user and its very comprehensive overview for Sony action, Sports and wildlife usres.might get a loan of my sony mate user Alpha 1ii to compare against my current set up
Funnily enough I have never seen a pro motor sports photographer shooting MotoGP bikes travelling at speed with their smartphones. Maybe the iPhone 17 will have a telephoto lens to handle this next year.
Pre-Capture may be useful for some, but not all. Didn't really get to use the feature much at the MotoGP, so I did the additional 'birds taking off' shoot to highlight this feature. Sports photographers photographing any sport that involves hitting a ball with a bat will love this feature.
No change to the slots as far as I am aware. The buffering, however is 10% faster. I didn't find the speed of the slots at all restrictive for what I shoot. Bursts of 100+ shots at 20 and 30fps is good enough for what I shoot.
If you take photos of birds in flight, then the A1 II will give you a clear advantage over the A7RV in terms of blackout-free shooting and pre-capture.
Any improvement with moire. I love my A1 but it's often unusable when shooting presenters in front of an LED screen. I do a lot of this type of work and have to leave the A1 in the bag and reach for my A9mkI, which is now getting old. So as much as I would love to pick up an A1II I may resort to a A9III ( but do love the 50MP)
I did - but it is only available to my patrons on Patreon.com/markgaler as I was not provided with a camera prior to the launch in New York. I think a new camera should be tested for at least 2-weeks rather than after a couple of hours at a press launch. I also have an eBook and camera setup file for the A9III on my support channel.
Thanks - I don't see this review business as a competition, but I do think these cameras need to be fully tested using appropriate subjects before a reviewer should start talking. I was a photographer for 30 years before I started reviewing cameras, but I feel that some reviewers may have started reviewing cameras at the same time as they were learning the craft of photography. Some reviewers may also not have the time to spend weeks with the gear before they commit to making the review video.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Well said, too often the reviewers comment on the specifications without fully understanding or explaining the ramifications. Theory without practice is just, well, theory!
As usual great insights ! But, I have to say that I don't hope that Sony has used the AI engine from the A7R5 on the new A1II - its a hyper complicated system to configure and more often than not messes up focussing rather than helping. The AI engine is as far as I can tell not getting updated or better via firmware so it's kind of useless. The point of AI is to make things easier and improve your hit rate - but the A7R5 doesn't get these updates it seems. But, if they have actually improved the user friendliness of the AI subject detection on the A1II I can only hope that they will improve the A7R5 via a firmware update if the processing unit is the same.
The auto switching is new to the A9II and A1 II cameras and at least the A1 II has an AI processor to upgrade if the algorithms improve over the next year or two.
The ai chip was a game changer for me. I shoot on wide focus and I have a small tracking square set to activate when I press the back button af. Best of both worlds
If comparing against other cameras such as R5Ii and Z9. I think you need to be objective and not just give the better points. Z9 has fastest sensor, 2 CFexpress B cards, faster speeds than A type. Etc etc, r5ii for similar specs is much cheaper. I have the a1 but don’t think this feature upgrade on the a1ii is worth it.
I am not really interested in comparing it closely with the Nikon and Canon alternatives as most A1 / A1 II photographers will never be able to afford to switch camps once they have invested in the 300, 400 and 600 professional primes. I personally think the new A1 II is the best of the bunch for what I shoot 9and this is born out by some friends who have used both he canon and Sony or the Nikon and Sony). The Nikon has the slowest full-size frame rate, lower resolution finder and is 2 Kilograms heavier when working with a 300 prime so I personally wouldn't want to use this for the MotoGP I covered with the A1 II or even to keep the lens aloft while waiting for the parent swallow to come to feed the baby bird. This review is of more interest to photographers who currently own a Sony Alpha camera who is thinking of upgrading. Pre-capture, 30fps with AF Tracking (50% increase), 50% better bird subject recognition and 8.5 steps stabilisation is a major upgrade to the photographers that will use these features and a minor upgrade for those that won't use any of these features.
I didn't need to as the AWB was so reliable. When registering a white balance with a memory I choose Kelvin WB and then assign a dial to adjusting the temperature.
I compared some of the specs of the R5ii and Z9 with the A1M2 in this review, but to be honest, a Pro sports photographer or a wildlife photographer using GM primes, is extremely unlikely to jump to using a different make of camera when the benefits are non-existent or too close. The money that is tied up in premium G-Master glass commits most users to the mount of camera. The 400 GM and 600 GM lenses are more than twice the price of an A1 II.
Sorry, not enough improvement to warrant a trade up. Maybe if you need a new camera, but this is the MO of these manufacturers be it Apple, DJI, Sony, etc. Small increases for top dollar. No way. This is what Intel did for years back in the day and where are they now?? Resist buying and falling into the Apple trap basing your purchase on "fear of missing out". I promise you, if you hold tight and resist spending a shit load of money, these greedy manufacturers will listen. As of now, the Canon BLOWS this out of the water for HALF the price!!! Shame on Sony!! This is a $6500.00 PLUS TAX camera folks! Sony wants us to take 3800.00 for our A1’s and pay almost double for a few updates???? I’d rather buy a brand new RV to complement it or a new A74s
Pre-capture and AI Subject recognition is not a minor upgrade for some sports/action/bird photographers - certainly not if these new tools massively increase their hit rate.
Bad take, imo. There are a number of quality of life features that the A1 didn't have that the competition have been adding and Sony has since added to other models.. This took the best they have in every area and put it all in one.. But you would have rather they just kept seeing the A1 M1 so that your resale value held up?? Terrible.
This is not a short yes or No answer. This is a conversation I am prepared to have with my Premium Plus members on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Thanks for another great review, Mark, but you mention that Auto Subject Recognition was first featured on the A9 Mark III. I own that camera and cannot find that anywhere. I'm using firmware on the A9 Mark III. Am I missing something here?
I don't have one on my shelf, so was working from memory (never really a good idea at my age). Hopefully it will appear with a firmware upgrade if it doesn't already have it.
it's a great camera if not the best camera in the world for half the price of an overhyped leica/hasselblad, but it's not a significan update from the a1m1
It's a very significant upgrade for photographers who need Pre-Capture, AI Subject Recognition and Subject Tracking when shooting movies of animals ...and not significant for those photographers who don't. I think I would prefer to compare an A7RV with a Hasselblad as the A1 and A1 II cameras are really designed for photographers who need a stacked sensor to shoot rapidly moving subjects with a decent frame rate. Medium format cameras are not an appropriate choice for this type of photography, due to their slow frame rates and an extremely limited choice of long telephoto lenses.
@AlphaCreativeSkills well, the Hasselblad is not really "that good" , it's just a one frame style camera, for product photography and for those who laugh at us for being poor. The difference between A7RV and A-1 resolution is very small. A-1 would be what the A99II was back then
@@AlphaCreativeSkills the camera was released before the introduction of this feature, and Sony doesn’t seem too interested in updating its older cameras via firmware. A7CR got this feature though
I sometimes wish Sony would list the specifications of the processing chips and then list the processing requirements of some of the newer features. In this way we would know if Sony is holding back on a firmware update or the camera simply doesn't have the processing power to implement a new feature. Many A1 owners requested the AI Subject recognition but completely missed the fact that the A1 does not have an I processing unit. That leads it to me to explain why they will never get it rather than me being able to refer Alpha owners to a Sony statement.
CF express type A, really? I'm sorry but I can't understand the reason for using the worst high speed media for a camera with this resolution. Sony has always done this with its cameras, since the memory stick, unfortunately. Deserved CF express type B.
There is not enough room in the current body design to accomodate 2x CF Express Type B cards. I find the buffer of the A1 II more than acceptable for clearing 100+ bursts in a timely manner.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills There is plenty of space, I have an A9 mk3 that has hybrid slots and I can assure you that it would be possible to install a CF express type B slot. Remember that most CF express type A are more expensive and slower than CF express type B, that is, only Sony uses type A. I much prefer to have the Canon R5 format that you mentioned, but that is just my personal opinion. Hugs.
I am not sure that is correct as I was led to believe the CF-Express Type B requires substantially more room behind the physical slot. I suppose the answer to this is to see both cameras broken down. I was also led to believe Sony had a substantial part to play in the development of the cards that Nikon currently use so would Sony cripple their own cameras to give an advantage to a competing company? I might raise this with the engineers although Sony are reluctant to make statements about the development of their technologies.
![ARGENTINA vs. PERÚ [1-0] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 12](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xtI25ENDDSY/mqdefault.jpg)
The first place I come for Sony reviews. Not disappointed!
I was fortunate to have the camera delivered to me just one day before the MotoGP :-)
Me too. Very comprehensive review as always. And his pictures each worth a thousand words.
I’d agree except Mark never did do a full review of the A9III
My A9III preview is available on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel, along with the A9III eBook and camera setup file (CAMSET). I did not make a review available on RUclips as I did not have the camera prior to the A9III launch in New York. My reviews are based around several full-day shoots and not a quick 'hands-on' session.
Real review with real results. Excellent as always.
I appreciate that
I especially appreciated the informed, objective and very helpful comparisons among the 4 Sony bodies. Mark puts extensive time and effort into his work, and I am happy to support him via Patreon.
Thanks for your support and positive feedback Susan. This has been the best part of a month's work to put together the review and the learning support materials on Patreon. I got two day's notice that this work would need to be carried out!!
So many points Sony PM Mark B should have made in his presentation! Thanks for another great review Mark.
Thanks for watching!
This review is absolutely definitive. Greatly enjoyed it.
Looked for your video first on the A1II! So awesome!
Awesome! Thank you!
Join me on Patreon for the best Alpha Support and Guidance. A single $10 Membership fee includes access to my 300 to 700-page camera-specific eBooks + Over thirty hours of member-only seminars + cameras settings files + access to the Raw files from the lens and camera reviews (there is no contract or commitment beyond the first month). www.patreon.com/markgaler
2
So many details!
Thanks for this amazing presentation!!!
Glad you liked it!
Great review, as always, packed with well-organized info. I especially appreciate that your videos apply a novel approach (in this case, shooting the event with the 300 mm lens), you choose subjects/events where the camera's new/upgraded features would be important to test for pro photographers, and that you say the name of your subjects.
Thanks for the positive feedback
Excellent review especially as you were using my favourite motor sport as examples.
Thanks - should be an interesting 2025 season with Marc Marquez (love him or hate him) on a factory Ducati :-)
- Nice, some questions:
- Does it have focus stacking functionality (take several automated images at different focus points)?
- Does it have a mechanical shutter?
Yes to both questions
@@lorismiotti884 Thnx. Has it exact the same body as A9III e.g. L-Bracket accessories are compatible?
Probably the same body design as it uses the same vertical grip as the A9III
Very informative 🎉thanks for the great effort you did
Excellent. I shoot professional motocross so this answers a lot of very specific use cases for me. Thank you for the detailed look. World-class shots, as always.
Thanks Justin
Thank you mark .. very excellent review and the best one as usual!
there is one thing I want to know and I still can’t find a resource for it which is a comparison of the resolution of A7r4/5 and the A1 side by side .. I want to see the difference between the 60 and 50 megapixel when cropping tightly, in many times I do crop a lot .. especially for birds, do you have any comparison ?
Thanks for the positive feedback. I personally limit a tight crop to a 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels). I won’t crop any tighter. With an A7RIV/A7RIV you can perform a 2.5x crop (APS-C is a 1.5x crop). With an A1/A1 ll you can do a 2.25x crop. You can see the extent of the crop I am doing in this video as these crops are mostly 1.5x and 2.25x. I offer in-depth and full educational support on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel where I have an extended seminar on resolution and noise (in addition to the eBook and camera setup files).
This is a dream camera! Own A7IV and A7RV. Considering upgrading to the A7V (AI, AF) next year to compliment my A7RV.
The updates are more than fine for me. It's a great option for someone who doesn't have the A1. It has the features that A1 has missed out over the years.
Look forward to possibly A1 II or III.
The big difference between the A9, A9II, A1 and A1II cameras is the use of a stacked sensor. Not everyone, however, needs the ability to pan in order to accurately follow fast and erratically moving subjects.
Thank you, Mark, for a fantastic review!
Glad you liked it!
Absolutely great review as always
Glad you enjoyed it
As a Sony shooter and a MotoGP fan, this is my favorite type of video!
Thanks - I so wanted to be able to release my photos of Jorge Martin on Sunday when he became the 2024 world champion.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Pre-ordered 😊
Not sure whether to px my A1 or my AR7V.
Difficult decisions. I talk my Patreon Premium Plus members through these difficult choices on my Patreon Q&A forum - Patreon.com/markgaler
My first stop, excellent review as usual, no need to go look at other reviews now!
Thanks for the positive feedback Chris :-)
Great timely review. I have a question. If you are shooting with a mechanical shutter and press c5 for a speed boost will it automatically switch to the electronic shutter? Thank you.
I didn’t think to test that one out, as I was in Continuous shooting for most of the review period.
Hi Mark, as usual, great review with loads of useful information. One question on the Preset Focus/Zoom, do you know if this works on non-power zooms (ie 200-600) on the Mk 2, as it does not work on my A1 (mk1) only with my one prime. Thanks.
The focus works on all lenses, but the zoom requires a power zoom as the camera cannot turn the zoom ring of lenses that don’t have power.
Great Review Mark. For sure I consider the A1-ii Sony's perfect Rolling Shutter Mirrorless camera. It doesn't get any better than this now with tall these features.
The Pre-capture and AI Subject recognition not elevates it above the completion again.
Yours is the first video I sought out for information on the new A1, Mark. No one reviews Sony cameras better than you do.
As someone who pays attention to your channel, I wouldn't have thought that you'd bother much with APS-C mode when shooting. You've largely convinced me that cropping in post is just as good, so I can save the mental bandwidth when my camera's in hand. However, a few times in this review you mentioned shooting shooting in APS-C mode. Was that primarily to test the camera's capabilities as part of the review? Are there instances where you recommend shooting in APS-C in regular use for advantages that can't be achieved in post with a crop?
The outcomes are the same, but sometimes when you know you are going to have to crop much more tightly it is nice to be able to enjoy the action larger in the viewfinder and also increase the buffer capacity + store more images on the card.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Makes sense. It's a bit of usability and feel, a bit more headroom if your card's getting full. Good to know that the intuitions that you created are reliable.
Awesome review as usual. Appreciate your time and effort keeping us informed.
My pleasure!
Great review Mark, time to upgrade the A7R5!
...and out in time for Christmas if you can get in an early pre-order :-)
Great objective review. Does this camera model have focus bracketing?
Yes
Good report, thanks. In your table of movie data, I believe the A7rV uses a 1.2x crop in 60 & 120p.
Thanks - I'll check this data
Excellent can't wait to get my hands on one 2. Awesome review 👍
Thanks for the positive feedback
When comparing MG’s Alfa reviews vs the usual suspects I always get the feeling I’m watching a Tik Tok video vs a NatGeo documentary. As always, this is the last word in Sony reviews. Nice job.
Wow - that's some great feedback. Thanks.
Great review and thanks for all the detail!
Thanks for the positive feedback
Mark thanks for the videos, love your reviews. I'm really surprised the A1ii is almost the same as the Canon R5ii and a massive price gap between the two. Thoughts on this?
Canon: 45 megapixels, 1 x CF Express card slot, lower resolution finder, no 4-axis monitor and access to better glass (Sony and non-Sony lenses)
The focus will undoubtedly be better on the new A1 II with its AI subject recognition.
The bottom-line is that it comes down to the glass a sports shooter owns, which invariably costs more than the camera bodies. A photographer doesn't switch bodies without a considerable hit on the glass.
One of the most professional people on the internet
Thanks :-)
Thank you very much for this very complete and very well illustrated presentation.👍👏
It may seem a little against the current but I am much more attracted by the Sony A9III because it is truly exceptional in terms of speed, precision and shooting management thanks to its global shutter.😉
The decision probably comes down to the resolution and the benefits of using a global shutter sensor for some photographic jobs. I expect the global shutters sensor technology to continue improve over time (as was the case with stacked sensor technologies) so one day, we may well see an A9V camera become the new flagship of Sony's camera range.
It's definitely a substantial face lift from the a1 with many of the requested features from the a1 user base (half of which should have been on the original camera... tilt screen and focus bracketing... come on). But there's really nothing ground breaking or overly impressive to warrant the need to upgrade from the a1. It is nice to see Sony bringing the previous generation cameras in alignment with their latest tech though! Fantastic overview!!!
A photographer may need or may not need Pre-capture and either need or doesn't need AI Subject Recognition and either need or doesn't need 8.5 steps of stabilization. If a photographer is happy with 30fps without AF tracking or 20fps with AF Tracking and doesn't use Steadyshot or Pre Capture this is, indeed, an upgrade they don't need to consider purchasing. For other photographers who will use all three of these features it should be considered a major upgrade. 50% faster frame rate with AF Tracking 60% improved Stabilization and 50% more reliable subject recognition for subjects in amongst obstacles are not minor upgrades.
Thanks mark. ive been temporarily using a7rV while waiting fort this camera and this is a instant sold so i am glad you did that little a7rv comparison at the end as it straight highlights teh shortcomings of the non stacked sensor in R5 and misses shots which are even more prevelent in overcast conditions to. while i will loose 11mp for cropping thats not much at all and i may sell my 70-200gmii and invest towards 300mm prime for extra reach on afl field. I am assuming visually/colours are very much same as a7rv?
Thanks - the straight out of camera colours in JPEG and HEIF format keeping improving, and I was very impressed with the AWB at the MotoGP where I expected to have to correct for some errors (but couldn't find any)
Thanks for this review, Mark. I'm very disappointed with my x2 converter which I use with a 70-200mm f/2.8 Mk 2 to get to 400mm. I find that the quality lost when using the converter equates to cropping in post. Is this normal?
There is a little loss of sharpness when using teleconverters. Some find the loss acceptable while others do not. I am very happy to use the 1.4x Teleconverter on all my white lenses but the 300 GM is the only lens I am entirely happy to use the 2.0x Teleconverter.
Canon R3 and Nikon Z9 Camera user and its very comprehensive overview for Sony action, Sports and wildlife usres.might get a loan of my sony mate user Alpha 1ii to compare against my current set up
I am currently trying to get a second loan period so I can shoot the triathlon events this summer. Now I have used this camera there is no going back.
@AlphaCreativeSkills that will be a good test
Mark's review is the best
Thanks for the positive feedback Vincent
@AlphaCreativeSkills My dream is to photograph like you. You are my inspiration sir!
Thank you again :-)
Finally a camera that can compete with a smartphone!
Funnily enough I have never seen a pro motor sports photographer shooting MotoGP bikes travelling at speed with their smartphones. Maybe the iPhone 17 will have a telephoto lens to handle this next year.
A1II is what I wanted the A7RV to be. Conflicted to upgrade or not. Pre-Capture is very tempting for wildlife.
Pre-Capture may be useful for some, but not all. Didn't really get to use the feature much at the MotoGP, so I did the additional 'birds taking off' shoot to highlight this feature. Sports photographers photographing any sport that involves hitting a ball with a bat will love this feature.
Thank you for your review! What about the CF-A slots? Are they 2.0 or 4.0?
No change to the slots as far as I am aware. The buffering, however is 10% faster. I didn't find the speed of the slots at all restrictive for what I shoot. Bursts of 100+ shots at 20 and 30fps is good enough for what I shoot.
@@AlphaCreativeSkillsTrue👍🏻 Thank you very much!
Brilliant, thanks Mark!
Glad you enjoyed it
Fan-tas-tic review 👏👏👏👏
Thank You
Sony A1ii review with MotoGP shots! Impossible to get any better 😅
Absolutely
For a bird photographer, do you think it is worthy the money difference when comparing with A7RV?
If you take photos of birds in flight, then the A1 II will give you a clear advantage over the A7RV in terms of blackout-free shooting and pre-capture.
When It Comes To Sony....It's Mark.... Detailed Review.... Waiting For CAM set File On patreon...
Thanks for the positive feedback - a 700-page eBook (Draft version) and camera setup file (CAMSET) are now available on Patrteon.com/markgaler
@@AlphaCreativeSkills 👍👍
Any improvement with moire. I love my A1 but it's often unusable when shooting presenters in front of an LED screen. I do a lot of this type of work and have to leave the A1 in the bag and reach for my A9mkI, which is now getting old. So as much as I would love to pick up an A1II I may resort to a A9III ( but do love the 50MP)
It's the same sensor so maybe you need to be using a camera with an anti-aliasing filter for these tasks.
Will you make an A9III video like this as well?
I did - but it is only available to my patrons on Patreon.com/markgaler as I was not provided with a camera prior to the launch in New York. I think a new camera should be tested for at least 2-weeks rather than after a couple of hours at a press launch. I also have an eBook and camera setup file for the A9III on my support channel.
@AlphaCreativeSkills thank you! Your awesome 👌🏾
Dear Mark, you put the other reviewers of this camera to shame!
Thanks - I don't see this review business as a competition, but I do think these cameras need to be fully tested using appropriate subjects before a reviewer should start talking. I was a photographer for 30 years before I started reviewing cameras, but I feel that some reviewers may have started reviewing cameras at the same time as they were learning the craft of photography. Some reviewers may also not have the time to spend weeks with the gear before they commit to making the review video.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Well said, too often the reviewers comment on the specifications without fully understanding or explaining the ramifications. Theory without practice is just, well, theory!
As usual great insights ! But, I have to say that I don't hope that Sony has used the AI engine from the A7R5 on the new A1II - its a hyper complicated system to configure and more often than not messes up focussing rather than helping. The AI engine is as far as I can tell not getting updated or better via firmware so it's kind of useless. The point of AI is to make things easier and improve your hit rate - but the A7R5 doesn't get these updates it seems. But, if they have actually improved the user friendliness of the AI subject detection on the A1II I can only hope that they will improve the A7R5 via a firmware update if the processing unit is the same.
The auto switching is new to the A9II and A1 II cameras and at least the A1 II has an AI processor to upgrade if the algorithms improve over the next year or two.
The ai chip was a game changer for me. I shoot on wide focus and I have a small tracking square set to activate when I press the back button af. Best of both worlds
What a beast !!!
it surely is
If comparing against other cameras such as R5Ii and Z9. I think you need to be objective and not just give the better points. Z9 has fastest sensor, 2 CFexpress B cards, faster speeds than A type. Etc etc, r5ii for similar specs is much cheaper. I have the a1 but don’t think this feature upgrade on the a1ii is worth it.
I am not really interested in comparing it closely with the Nikon and Canon alternatives as most A1 / A1 II photographers will never be able to afford to switch camps once they have invested in the 300, 400 and 600 professional primes.
I personally think the new A1 II is the best of the bunch for what I shoot 9and this is born out by some friends who have used both he canon and Sony or the Nikon and Sony). The Nikon has the slowest full-size frame rate, lower resolution finder and is 2 Kilograms heavier when working with a 300 prime so I personally wouldn't want to use this for the MotoGP I covered with the A1 II or even to keep the lens aloft while waiting for the parent swallow to come to feed the baby bird.
This review is of more interest to photographers who currently own a Sony Alpha camera who is thinking of upgrading.
Pre-capture, 30fps with AF Tracking (50% increase), 50% better bird subject recognition and 8.5 steps stabilisation is a major upgrade to the photographers that will use these features and a minor upgrade for those that won't use any of these features.
Can you finally set a custom WB when using memory recall?
I didn't need to as the AWB was so reliable. When registering a white balance with a memory I choose Kelvin WB and then assign a dial to adjusting the temperature.
Surely you should be comparing flag ships for all so the Canon R1 or at least R3 because on cost alone the canon R5ii is a much better proposition
I compared some of the specs of the R5ii and Z9 with the A1M2 in this review, but to be honest, a Pro sports photographer or a wildlife photographer using GM primes, is extremely unlikely to jump to using a different make of camera when the benefits are non-existent or too close. The money that is tied up in premium G-Master glass commits most users to the mount of camera. The 400 GM and 600 GM lenses are more than twice the price of an A1 II.
Sorry, not enough improvement to warrant a trade up. Maybe if you need a new camera, but this is the MO of these manufacturers be it Apple, DJI, Sony, etc. Small increases for top dollar. No way. This is what Intel did for years back in the day and where are they now?? Resist buying and falling into the Apple trap basing your purchase on "fear of missing out". I promise you, if you hold tight and resist spending a shit load of money, these greedy manufacturers will listen. As of now, the Canon BLOWS this out of the water for HALF the price!!! Shame on Sony!! This is a $6500.00 PLUS TAX camera folks! Sony wants us to take 3800.00 for our A1’s and pay almost double for a few updates???? I’d rather buy a brand new RV to complement it or a new A74s
Pre-capture and AI Subject recognition is not a minor upgrade for some sports/action/bird photographers - certainly not if these new tools massively increase their hit rate.
I know a Pro motor sports photographer who has used the Canon and he doesn't think its even as good as the original A1
Dji still punches out good updates but progress in drones seems to be tapering off probably until they fit a bigger sensor on a Mavic pro
@@SoggyKatnip drones have been trickling down well though, the minis are very capable now.
Bad take, imo. There are a number of quality of life features that the A1 didn't have that the competition have been adding and Sony has since added to other models..
This took the best they have in every area and put it all in one.. But you would have rather they just kept seeing the A1 M1 so that your resale value held up??
Terrible.
300mm + teles is my new favourite setup as well, so incredibly light :)
You and me both :-)
For Multidisciplinary (fine art) and For Long-term relation. (for 10 years) Should I Invest!
This is not a short yes or No answer. This is a conversation I am prepared to have with my Premium Plus members on my Patreon.com/markgaler support channel.
Thanks for another great review, Mark, but you mention that Auto Subject Recognition was first featured on the A9 Mark III. I own that camera and cannot find that anywhere. I'm using firmware on the A9 Mark III. Am I missing something here?
I don't have one on my shelf, so was working from memory (never really a good idea at my age). Hopefully it will appear with a firmware upgrade if it doesn't already have it.
it's a great camera if not the best camera in the world for half the price of an overhyped leica/hasselblad, but it's not a significan update from the a1m1
It's a very significant upgrade for photographers who need Pre-Capture, AI Subject Recognition and Subject Tracking when shooting movies of animals ...and not significant for those photographers who don't. I think I would prefer to compare an A7RV with a Hasselblad as the A1 and A1 II cameras are really designed for photographers who need a stacked sensor to shoot rapidly moving subjects with a decent frame rate. Medium format cameras are not an appropriate choice for this type of photography, due to their slow frame rates and an extremely limited choice of long telephoto lenses.
@AlphaCreativeSkills well, the Hasselblad is not really "that good" , it's just a one frame style camera, for product photography and for those who laugh at us for being poor. The difference between A7RV and A-1 resolution is very small. A-1 would be what the A99II was back then
no auto framing on A7R5
I think the A7RV pre-dates this feature. I think it first appeared with the ZV-E1
@@AlphaCreativeSkills the camera was released before the introduction of this feature, and Sony doesn’t seem too interested in updating its older cameras via firmware. A7CR got this feature though
I sometimes wish Sony would list the specifications of the processing chips and then list the processing requirements of some of the newer features. In this way we would know if Sony is holding back on a firmware update or the camera simply doesn't have the processing power to implement a new feature. Many A1 owners requested the AI Subject recognition but completely missed the fact that the A1 does not have an I processing unit. That leads it to me to explain why they will never get it rather than me being able to refer Alpha owners to a Sony statement.
1st
Thank you for prioritizing my video to watch :-)
CF express type A, really? I'm sorry but I can't understand the reason for using the worst high speed media for a camera with this resolution.
Sony has always done this with its cameras, since the memory stick, unfortunately. Deserved CF express type B.
There is not enough room in the current body design to accomodate 2x CF Express Type B cards. I find the buffer of the A1 II more than acceptable for clearing 100+ bursts in a timely manner.
There is a reason the Canon R5 II only has one CF Express card and the humungous Nikon can accomodate two.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills There is plenty of space, I have an A9 mk3 that has hybrid slots and I can assure you that it would be possible to install a CF express type B slot.
Remember that most CF express type A are more expensive and slower than CF express type B, that is, only Sony uses type A.
I much prefer to have the Canon R5 format that you mentioned, but that is just my personal opinion. Hugs.
@@AlphaCreativeSkills Remembering that the R5 mk2 is not Canon's flagship, the A1 mk2 is.
I am not sure that is correct as I was led to believe the CF-Express Type B requires substantially more room behind the physical slot. I suppose the answer to this is to see both cameras broken down. I was also led to believe Sony had a substantial part to play in the development of the cards that Nikon currently use so would Sony cripple their own cameras to give an advantage to a competing company? I might raise this with the engineers although Sony are reluctant to make statements about the development of their technologies.
Oh my goodness! What a beast 😱
Yes it is :-)