Sony A1 II with FE 28-70mm f/2 GM Lens

The Sony a1 II is their most versatile camera yet, offering the best overall mixture of speed, video capabilities, high-resolution stills, and a robust, professional-worthy body design. It pulls much of the original a1's well-rounded feature-set into an a9 III body and adds the AF and IBIS technologies introduced with the a7R V. It's a camera meant for working professionals, whether they are sports, editorial, product, fashion, or advertising shooters, and it's equally appealing to landscape, portrait, wedding, and event photographers, too. And, beyond photography, it has the video tools the a1-series is known for, including 8K recording, along with useful stabilisation and framing aids borrowed from the ZV class of cameras.

Sensor and Processing Improvements

The original a1 was already known for its strong imaging performance and the a1 II improves on this with upgraded BIONZ XR processing, an AI processing unit, more powerful 8.5-stop IBIS, and the impressive 50MP stacked BSI CMOS sensor from its predecessor. The sensor and processor still afford a top 30-fps shooting rate, expandable sensitivity from ISO 50-102400, and an impressive 15-stop dynamic range. Additionally, on the speed front, the a1 II gains the Pre-Capture and Speed Boost functions that debuted on the a9 III.

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Up to 30 fps continuous shooting with an electronic shutter, or 10 fps with the mechanical shutter, with AF and AE supported.

Pre-Capture Shooting records at up to 30 fps for up to 1 second prior to fully pressing the shutter, helping to ensure you don't miss fleeting moments.

Speed Boost lets you vary your continuous shooting speed mid-burst; when the C5 button is depressed while burst shooting, you can switch from the chosen continuous shooting speed to a faster or slower one to suit the pace of action you're photographing.

Refined 5-axis in-body image stabilisation compensates for up to 8.5 stops of camera shake at the centre of the frame and 7 stops at the periphery; an improvement of 3 stops of shake control compared to the original a1.

Same full-frame 50MP stacked BSI CMOS sensor as the a1, mixing high resolution with the speed and reduced rolling shutter of a stacked design to suit both meticulous and quick-working shooters.

Smarter, Faster Autofocus and Subject Tracking

The a1 II's focusing system received similarly significant upgrades from its predecessor, now sporting an AI Processing Unit and refined subject detection and tracking. The phase-detection AF system itself still comprises 759 points, which cover about 92% of the sensor area, and support focusing down to -4 EV at f/2. Subject tracking and subject detection is improved, too, specifically how the camera is 30% faster at detect human eyes and 50% faster with animal eyes.

First seen in the a7R V and a9 III, the a1 II sports a dedicated AI Processing Unit for refined, responsive, and intelligent subject tracking and detection of humans, animals, birds, insects, cars, trains, and airplanes.

Human pose estimation tracks body and head positions for accurate focus in portraiture and sports settings and Real-time Eye AF performance has been improved by 30%.

Additionally, human pose estimation can distinguish between multiple people and maintain focus on the targeted subject; even if someone crosses in front, the camera maintains focus on the key person.

Real-time Tracking benefits from AI-based subject recognition for following moving subjects, making it particularly well-suited to sports and action subjects.

Auto Subject Recognition modes no longer necessitate selecting a subject type, letting the camera detect and track the intended subject.

XS and XL focus area spot sizes have been added for more versatility or you can customise AF focus areas to suit uniquely sized or shaped subjects.

Full-time DMF (Direct Manual Focus) enables using the lens's focus ring for manual focus control at any time, making it easier to switch focus to a different subject even when working with AF.

Alpha's Alpha in Video Capabilities

The core video specs of the original a1 were ahead of their time, and in many ways, still are. The a1 II keeps many of the core resolutions and frame rates but refines the video recording capabilities with more supportive modes and features, including access to Dynamic Area Stabilisation and timecode input with an optional adapter. This makes the a1 II just as capable on a professional film set as it is in a photography studio.

Familiar recording formats: 8K 30p with 10-bit 4:2:0 sampling and 4K 120p with 10-bit 4:2:2 sampling. When using a Super 35 recording area, 4K footage can use 5.8K oversampling for improved detail and the full-frame area offers 8.6K oversampling for the 8K footage.

AI subject recognition, gained from the AI Processing Unit, benefits the Framing Stabiliser mode, which can be used to automatically crop and recompose so the subject remains centreed in the image.

Dynamic Active Mode Stabilisation also helps retain accurate framing while filming, especially when recording while walking or moving.

Included S-Cinetone profile, ProRes RAW output over HDMI, and the ability to import LUTs all point to the great amount of colour control the a1 II offers.

Support for Breathing Compensation mode, which reduces the effects of focus breathing when using select lenses.

Pre-Capture & Speed Boost-Never Miss a Moment

Along with the key technology delivered by the sensor, the a1 II brings additional features to unlock the camera's full potential.

Pre-Capture: The a1 II can be configured to begin recording images to the buffer when the shutter button is half-pressed. Users can set this between 0.03-1.0 second. Upon pressing the shutter these images will be saved to the memory card.

Speed Boost: With Speed Boost and the C5 button, which is conveniently placed near the grip on the front of the camera, users can instantly switch their camera from their usual continuous shooting frame rate to a faster one to make sure their next shot is just right. Photographers will be able to select various frame rates up to 30 fps.

Professional Body Design and Connectivity

The a1-series has always been a top-of-the-line model for Sony and, as such, had one of the most durable and refined physical designs within the system. The a1 II, though, gains a bit of an upgrade to bring it in line with the a9 III in terms of button layout, screen and EVF implementation, and durability. It's a camera built for professional use and has the strongest, most reliable design in Sony's lineup.

Versatile and Durable Design

The a1 II gains the latest Sony mirrorless body design first seen on the a9 III which includes a C5 custom button on the front of camera body and an enhanced grip.

For transferring, an upgraded 2.5GBASE-T wired LAN port offers faster transfer speeds to suit high-profile tethered shooting applications. There is also a USB-C port and a full-size HDMI port.

USB-C port offers fast USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds of up to 10 Gb/s.

Dual memory card slots both accept either CFexpress Type A or SD-type memory cards. The dual slot design allows for flexible file saving and handling and can be configured to partition file types or can be used for overflow recording. Additionally, both of the card slots are rated to support UHS-II memory cards for faster transfer speeds.

Tru-Finder EVF and Tilting Touchscreen LCD

An impressive QXGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF features a high 9.44m-dot resolution and 0.9x magnification for exceptionally bright, clear, and detailed eye-level viewing. There is also a 120-fps option that maintains the higher resolution for a better mixture of clarity and motion fluidity.

3.2" 2.1m-dot 4-axis multi-angle touchscreen LCD-first seen on the a7R V. This screen has a wide colour gamut covering the DCI-P3 space.

Intuitive menu structure that complements having different workflows with different settings selections for movie recording and stills shooting. The menu system also works in conjunction with the touchscreen design of the rear LCD.

Enhanced Functionality and Usability

Sony has continued to improve the workflows of their professional cameras with upgraded and additional features:

A voice memo function promises clearer recording with a microphone located close to the user. These memos can be transferred via FTP and can be converted to text using Sony's Transfer & Tagging application.

IPTC metadata can be automatically added to images and up to 20 presets can be saved.

Built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet can be used for fast networked data transfer during shooting.

Sony FE 28-70mm f/2 GM Lens (Sony E)

A high-performance all-arounder, the Sony FE 28-70mm f/2 GM is a faster standard zoom compared to conventional f/2.8 options. This lens is Sony's first GM zoom with a constant f/2 maximum aperture and spans a useful wide-angle to portrait-length range-it is a lens for photographers looking to replace a set of primes with a single zoom without sacrificing on speed. It covers some of the most frequently used focal lengths, offers impressively fast AF, and is a single, well-balanced option for photography and filmmaking needs.

G Master Performance

Sony's G Master designation is reserved for its highest performing optics, those that offer the greatest sharpness, smoothest bokeh, utmost speed, and best overall performance. This 28-70mm f/2 checks all of these boxes as it sets out to be a single lens replacement for several primes.

Constant f/2 maximum aperture is a full stop faster than an f/2.8 lens, helping this zoom to further excel in low-light conditions and offering even greater control over depth of field and subject-background separation.

XA, Super ED, aspherical, and ED elements yield high sharpness and smooth rendering that suits subjects ranging from architecture and landscape to portraiture and weddings.

Nano AR Coating II suppress flare for rich contrast and bright colours in a variety of lighting conditions.

Floating focus design maintains high image quality throughout the focusing range, resulting in matched sharpness from infinity to the 1.2' minimum focusing distance.

Rounded 11-blade diaphragm results in smooth, circular bokeh quality.

Designed for Hybrid Shooters

As a lens equally suited for photography and filmmaking purposes, the 28-70mm f/2 GM has a number of useful features in its design to benefit its hybrid use:

Four XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors generate fast and responsive AF performance that's equally quiet and smooth. The focusing system is compatible with continuous shooting speeds up to 120 fps or high-speed video recording at up to 240 fps.

Internal focusing design promotes quicker focusing speeds and maintains the lens length during use.

Short-throw zoom design means the lens only extends 0.7" when changing from 28mm to 70mm positions, meaning, despite the lens not being a true internal zoom, you still do not need to adjust gimbal settings when changing the zoom position.

Portable and Nimble Design

Despite its huge maximum aperture and versatile range, this 28-70mm f/2 still manages a portable, relatively lightweight design that's suitable for handheld shooting and everyday use.

Measuring 5.5" long and weighing 0.91 kg, this lens is 28% larger and 24% heavier than the 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II while managing to be twice as bright.

Manual aperture ring offers tactile exposure control and the ring can be de-clicked for smooth and silent iris pulls or it can be locked in the 'A' position for camera-based aperture switching.

Two programmable focus hold buttons and a focus mode switch for intuitive focus control.

Zoom smoothness switch for changing between Smooth and Tight zoom ring torque.

Hybrid construction uses both metal and plastic components to maximise both durability and a low weight design.

Dust- and moisture-resistant design includes rubber gaskets at each seam and a rubber ring sealing the lens mount for ensured use when working in inclement weather conditions.

Key Features:

50MP Full-Frame Stacked CMOS Sensor

AI Tracking and Human Pose Estimation

8K 30p and 4K 120p Video

30 fps Shooting with AF/AE

8.5-Stop IBIS and Dynamic Stabilisation

240 fps EVF Refresh Rate

Dual CFexpress and SD Slots

Ultra-Fast Standard Zoom Lens

Four XD Linear AF Motors

36.6 cm Minimum Focus Distance

XA and Super ED Elements

Dust and Moisture-Resistant Construction

What's in the Box:

Sony A1 II with FE 28-70mm f/2 GM Lens

Sony NP-FZ100 Battery (2280mAh)

Sony BC-ZD1 Dual-Battery Charger for NP-FZ100 Batteries

Sony ALC-B1EM Body Cap for E-Mount Cameras

Sony FDA-EP19 Eyepiece Cup

FDA-EP21 Deep Eyepiece Cup

Sony Multi Interface Shoe Cap

Cable Protector

Shoulder Strap

ALC-F86S 86mm Front Lens Cap

Sony ALC-R1EM Rear Lens Cap

Lens Hood

Lens Case