Sony has introduced the A1, a new full-frame mirrorless camera designed to combine high-resolution and high-speed performance with a new 50.1-megapixel full-frame image sensor.  Despite the sensor’s high pixel count, the Alpha 1 is said to achieve high sensitivity with low noise, claiming 15+ stops of dynamic range as well as a wide ISO sensitivity range of 100-32,000.  The A1 is capable of not only shooting 50.1-megapixel images continuously at 30fps, but for the first time in an Alpha series camera, 8K 30p 10-bit 4:2:0 video is available as well as 4K 120p / 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 recording.  

The Alpha 1 features S-Cinetone with an S-Log3 gamma curve to better match the VENICE, FX9, FX6, and other higher end professional cinema cameras. Other features include 16-bit RAW output to an external recorder via HDMI, a digital audio interface for clearer audio, and 5.8K oversampled full pixel readout without pixel binning for high-resolution 4K recording in Super 35mm mode.  The camera has two media slots that both support UHS-I and UHS-II SDXC/SDHC cards, as well as new CFexpress Type A cards.  The Alpha 1 will be available in March 2021 for approximately $6,500 USD.  More information can be found at www.alphauniverse.com.