曲面感光元件版 RX1 會是 Sony Alpha 發表會的重磅新品？
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眼看相機市場上多數對手都踏進了全幅無反的領域，甚至開始威脅到 Sony 原先算是有點獨佔的領域。似乎是時候打開黑科技寶箱拿出些新東西了？沒錯，緊接要在明日登場的 Sony α（Alpha）新品，也許將並沒有那麼地「前所未見」（咦）。據傳，他們將可能端出多年前曾公開展示先進技術的曲面感光元件所打造的產品。繼續閱讀傳曲面感光元件版 RX1 會是 Sony Alpha 發表會的重磅新品報導內文。
▲圖片來源：Spectrum
曲面感光元件版 RX1 會是 Sony Alpha 發表會的重磅新品？
做為 Alpha 全幅無反時代的前奏，2012 年在 NEX-6 與 α99 的發表會尾聲，Sony 重磅推出了搭載全幅感光元件的固定式鏡頭便攜型 DC，Sony RX1。到了 2021 年，現在似乎也傳出 Sony 可能再用這樣的傳奇產品系列開啟「前所未見（The one never seen）」的 Alpha 數位相機新篇章。
根據 Sony Alpha Rumors 的消息，採用曲面全幅感光元件且光圈更大的 RX 系列新品（RX2？RX1R III？）很可能將會在這次的 Alpha 發表會上發表 — 雖然 DC 在可交換鏡頭產品的 Alpha 發表會上發表有點奇怪，但仔細想想 RX1 其實當時也算是個不速之客囉。
假若 RX 系列採用曲面感光元件規格的消息成真，這可能代表未來 Alpha 可交換鏡式無反相機，也將會像是 RX1 之後推出 A7 系列那樣，緊接著推出搭載相同感光元件的產品。
▲圖：現階段具備 42.2MP、無低通濾鏡的 RX1R II 感光元件。（來源：Sony）
相對於以往的平面式感光元件，根據以往的技術資訊，曲面感光元件因為在四個角落都有透過陶瓷機構來支撐來達到更向前彎曲的型態，將可根本上有效解決相機系統光學上以往難解的邊緣失光問題。帶來的好處，普遍認為應該會讓鏡頭的設計更簡單，也意味著可能在保持高畫質的前提下，採用更小型輕便的鏡組 — 也就是更小型的全幅 DC。
儘管這一切，包括更輕巧更高畫質的鏡頭聽起來都很美好，更是非常適合較為講求可攜性的無反相機產品。但鏡頭設計的改變基本也意味著 Alpha 接環很可能將會有極大的改變 — 也許可以沿用現有 FE-mount，但理論上對應曲面感光元件的鏡頭應該是完全無法在以往的 Alpha 無反上使用（搞不好平面感光元件的 APS-C 相機可以勉強沿用？）。
以往，普遍猜測曲面感光元件的出現應該是為了彌補 Sony 相對於 Nikon 與 Canon 等對手，在打造鏡頭方面的技術劣勢而來。然而 Sony 近年來 G Master 鏡頭的表現，算是讓人看到了源自於 Konica Minolta 的工藝技術其實也毫不遜色於其他系統。所以 Sony 到底是因為曲面感光元件的技術還未到位，還是只是準備要在更適當的時機出招，這都是未解之謎。
假若這次 Sony 真的啟動了曲面感光元件的進化，個人認為理由大致應該會是因為市場上對手都已經追上了全幅無反的規格，甚至還端出了完全利用超低法蘭距特性的更誇張光學表現的產品。為了要拉開與其他人的差距，一套從感光元件開始完全進化的相機系統，將會是另一次超越的開始。
簡而言之，當對手都不斷在小巧無反相機掛上 砂鍋大 超大顆鏡頭的時候，Sony G Master 如果能端出保持同樣的光學品質卻在重量與體積上都更小巧的鏡頭。那麼別的對手真的是只剩下傻眼的份了。就期待一下這次 Sony 會不會端出這麼前所未見，將高階全幅無反系統打掉重練的產品了。
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Sony Alpha A1 camera official – and it’s the most powerful mirrorless camera ever
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The new Sony Alpha A1 full-frame camera has just been announced during Sony’s ’the one never seen’ livestream event – and the 50MP full-framer is the most powerful mirrorless camera we’ve ever seen.
Until now, the camera had been kept totally secret, with no leaks or solid rumors – but now the Sony Alpha A1 is official, and it’s a huge launch for camera fans.
The Sony Alpha A1 combines a 50MP full-frame sensor with 30fps burst shooting for the first time, along with 8K video shooting for filmmakers. The word ‘beast’ is somewhat overused when it comes to flagship cameras, but it’s entirely fitting here.
Based on what appears to be a similar chassis to the Sony A9 II, the Alpha A1 crams in the kind of tech and features that we haven’t seen in a hybrid camera before.
It brings Real-time Eye AF for birds for the first time, has an impressive 759 AF points covering 93% of the sensor, and shoots 8K/30p video, along with a 4K/120p mode. Thanks to some heat dissipation tech taken from the Sony A7S III, it promises to shoot 8K/30p for an impressive 30 minutes, too.
That isn’t the only tech the Alpha A1 borrows from the A7S III either – the new flagship also has the same 9.44-million dot viewfinder, with 0.90x magnification and 240fps refresh rate, which promises to be an incredible way to view and frame your scene. You also get an in-body image stabilization (IBIS) that promises 5.5-stops of compensation, which is now standard for any flagship mirrorless camera.
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(Image credit: Sony)
The ultimate hybrid
We thought Sony’s billing of the Alpha A1 as the photographic equivalent of Neo from The Matrix might have been overkill, but its specs truly do make it the supercar of cameras (no doubt with a price tag to match).
The headline spec for sports shooters is that ability to shoot 50MP stills in 30fps bursts, even if there was no mention of buffer size. But the Alpha A1 appears to have been built for all kinds of professional shooters, with Sony bigging up the camera’s autofocus performance in particular.
Sony’s autofocus has been class-leading for a while now, but it appears to have been taken up another notch on the Alpha A1. Sony has now added birds to its Real-time Eye AF for animals – we’ve seen something similar on the Canon EOS R5, whose Animal Eye AF blew us away, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Alpha A1 performs.
Sony is promising continuous shooting with AF tracking even at f/22, and for portrait photographers there’s the usual Real-time Eye AF for humans, too.
What’s most impressive about the Sony Alpha A1, though, is how it combines a pro stills camera with a super-powerful video tool, in one relatively compact body. Filmmakers will certainly be eyeing it up, given the specs – it shoots 4K in 10-bit 4:2:2 video internally and can output 16-bit raw video over HDMI.
Underlining its pro leanings are the inclusion of two CFExpress Type A slots (which do also accept UHS-II SD cards) and some impressive wireless transfer tech for journalists. There’s a built-in Ethernet connection and dual-band Wi-Fi that apparently allows FTP transfers that are 3.5x faster than the Sony A9 II. Yes, this camera is very much built for the Tokyo Olympics.
So how much does all of this tech cost? A lot, as you’d imagine – the Sony Alpha A1 will cost $6,500 / £6,500 (around AU$11,520) and will be available from March. We’ll bring you our first impressions as soon as we manage to get our hands on what is likely to be the most trailblazing camera of the year.