Sony A1II - First Impressions After 2 Months

This is a camera that I talked myself out of getting since the day it was released. While to the outside world it might seem that I buy cameras left, right, and centre, I am, at my core, very frugal and practical. Every purchase must have a clear reason, and it must perform a task that my current tool can’t.

When I started using the Sony system, I went for the A7RV primarily due to the resolution and cost relative to the A1. As time went on, there were small drawbacks that started becoming more inconvenient. The primary one is the horrific rolling shutter when shooting video. Anytime there was fast movement, such as filming out of trains or cars passing by, you would see skewing in the verticals. The second annoyance came from the loud shutter mechanism, which could be heard even on a busy street. Of course, you can shoot in silent mode, but since the sensor is so slow, you can only do it for still life shots.

The A1II is as overkill as it can get for my type of photography. I am not tracking leopards through Africa, nor am I taking photos of Messi scoring a goal. I am not shooting Hollywood movies, nor am I connecting it via LAN for immediate image delivery. By all accounts, this is not the camera for me, but as I now enter the second month of using it, I am kicking myself for not pulling the trigger earlier.

Before getting into the rest of the blog, I would like to make it clear that I have no affiliation with Sony. I purchased this camera with my own money, and it’s not in my interest to sell or promote camera gear. This initial impressions blog is a true reflection of my thoughts based on my own experience. This isn’t a review. That will come after 6 to 12 months of heavy use.

What is the A1II?

The A1II is often marketed as a sports camera, however I feel that is selling it short. In my opinion, the A1II is a camera with the least amount of technical compromises. It’s the result of combining Sony’s A7R, A7S, and A9 lines into one body. Whether you’re shooting a movie, capturing the Olympics, doing street photography, taking high resolution landscape shots, or recording a quick vlog, this camera does it all without any real compromises. It’s the camera that removes the decision fatigue of which body to take based on the use case. You don’t need to choose between resolution or speed. You don’t need to bring a photo and a video camera. You can just bring one body that does it all.

Why did I get it?

There are three specific reasons for me getting the A1II. The first one is the lack of any rolling shutter in video. I can now get videos of fast moving subjects without seeing any banding or distortion in the verticals. This has already proved invaluable to my work.

The second reason is the instant silent shutter when taking photos. I often find myself in very quiet places, and a loud mechanical shutter can ruin the moment. Now I can use a fully electronic shutter without worrying about banding, warping, distortion, and other weirdness. In almost all cameras, the electronic shutter is slower than the mechanical shutter. In the A1II, it’s the same speed. The only reason I still use the mechanical shutter is for the satisfying feedback through the camera.

The third reason is the extra top dial and function button. The A1II has a dial dedicated to focusing and drive mode, which is something I used to have on my Fuji X-T bodies, and having it here is really nice as it makes switching between them much faster. I also like the extra function button on the front of the camera, again, similar to my Fuji X-T cameras.

Body & Ergonomics

The body is a little bigger than the other A7 cameras, however the difference is not noticeable unless comparing them side by side. What is noticeable is the larger grip. At first I wasn’t a fan, as my small hands struggled to reach a couple of the buttons, but I soon adapted, and now going back to the old one feels like a step backwards.

Other than that, this is a typical pro level Sony body. It’s built well, has an amazing screen design, a good viewfinder, solid weather sealing, and a fairly premium feel. I still wish they didn’t label all the custom buttons. The same goes for the ergonomics. This camera is great because it fits me like a glove. Of course, this is personal, and for some people it won’t be as comfortable.

Performance & Reliability

Without a doubt, this is the fastest camera I have ever used. It switches on right away, everything is instant, everything happens when you expect it to, and it just works. I’ve used the A1II in some heavy downpours without any covers, and it was totally fine. I’ve used it in 40°C heat all day, and it didn’t overheat.

I have had the odd bug or freeze-up which needed a battery reset, but that’s true of every camera out there. I haven’t had a camera from any brand that didn’t need a battery reset at some point. The battery life is pretty bad, and you need at least one spare, ideally two, for a day’s shooting. Overall, this camera has performed well and has been reliable, however this will be more accurately reported in the full review later on.

Image Quality

I think I will start removing this section from future blogs, as image quality these days is top notch, and the A1II is no exception. Here are a few from the last few weeks.

Other Features

The A1II is packed with more features than you could ever need, however here are my favourite ones that I use all the time:

• Pre Capture is a godsend when you need to time something and can’t afford to miss it. It keeps shooting while you’re focusing and waiting. You then get your shot, plus a bunch of shots from before you even pressed the shutter.

• Tracking is phenomenal. I can use it as a focus and recompose technique.

• I love the shutter sound.

• Active stabilisation for video is good enough to make it look like the camera is on a tripod.

• This is easily the most customisable camera I have ever used. It takes time, but you can set it up exactly to your liking.

Fun Factor

This is an important point for people who enjoy using the camera as much as getting the end result. Some cameras are fun to use, while others simply feel like tools to get a job done. The A1II is very much a tool with a clear purpose, and unlike Leica or Fuji, where the user experience is a key factor, with the A1II, how it makes you feel probably isn’t even in the top ten considerations.

Is it fun to use? For me, yes, 100%. I love the shutter, I love the speed, the reliability, the grip, and the feeling it gives me of pure capability. The A1II is fun because you know it will get the job done. It’s a different feeling compared to using my Fuji X100VI, the Leica Q3, or even the X2DII, but it’s no less fun.

Summary

This is the Swiss Army knife of cameras. In the automotive world, this would be a high end sports SUV like a Cayenne GTS or Range Rover Sport. It will do everything anyone could ever want, and while it might not be fun to drive, it can easily cross continents with your whole family inside, bikes on the roof, regardless of the terrain or weather conditions. Those are not cars you pick for an engaging Sunday drive down some twisty roads. Those are the cars you pick when you need to get shit done.

The same goes for the A1II. I wouldn’t pick this for a relaxed Sunday morning stroll in the park with my family, nor would it be my choice for a golf trip with the boys. However, for a month long backpacking trip through Asia where I am shooting day and night, both photo and video, in all conditions, and not knowing what I will encounter, it’s the only camera I would ever consider taking.

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