Sony is one of the few companies to pivot from DSLR to mirrorless camera way before any of the big companies chose to see the trend. In many ways, this worked in their favour, making Sony the only one to offer exceptional lenses and superb autofocus that was ahead of its time. If you’re looking to buy a new camera that meets the needs of professionals, then here are the two options you should consider.
Sony A1 II
What makes it so great? The camera excelled in tracking fast-moving horses, and its AF tracking performance on people with darker skin tones remains impressive. The latter is one of the primary reasons we recommend this camera. Similarly, the JPEGs from this camera are pretty incredible as they are. This camera is everything a professional has hoped for, making it also ideal for hybrid photographers.
Who is it for? The camera features an AI chip, making it the first Sony camera to incorporate this technology. If you frequently photograph people, such as at weddings, events, or sports, then this device is ideal for you.
Why is it so unique? A 50MP camera offers the best capabilities to focus on people of color in low-light conditions. There are plenty of video needs, including 8.5 stops of image stabilization. It can also feature a 9.44M dot viewfinder with refresh rates of up to 240fps, as well as slower refresh rates. One can achieve 30fps with full AF tracking and a custom function button.
In our review, we said:
It, by far, does the best job at autofocusing on people of color in low light in the realm of Sony cameras. But otherwise, it’s more or less just the Sony a1. And that’s not a bad thing at all — the Sony a1 is still an excellent camera. So, in truth, most photographers probably might not need to upgrade if they’re still primarily shooting stills.
Sony a9 III
Why is it so great? One can shoot images at any time of the day without needing high-speed sync, an ND filter, etc. The camera features a fast autofocus, but sometimes it requires a specific focusing point to provide the camera with a bit of assistance. However, unlike the a1 II, the camera can’t focus on people of color in low light. As for the image quality, the skin tones are improved, and at ISO 6400, the dynamic range is excellent. The device is perfect if you are shooting across genres.
Who is it for? Ideal for wildlife photography, sports photography, photojournalism, and weddings, the camera can also be used by more artistic photographers who need a flash.
What makes it so unique? The 26MP full frame has the ability to shoot images at 120fps with tracking. It is also the first camera for phtoography that features a global shutter. So this allows the camera to work at fantatsic flash sync speed. It also means one can shoot images at 1/80,000 in a single shot, burst up to 1/16,000. The camera also features 759 autofocus points, with a focus range that extends down to -5 EV.
In our review, we said:
But perhaps the greatest innovation is the global shutter. While I miss the fact that I could physically feel the shutter, I’ll accept that it comes with new technology that makes strobism even better. If you’re a photographer that uses a lot of off-camera flash, then this is the single best camera you can get on the market right now.
