The Sony Alpha 1 continues to turn heads and make waves among professional photographers everywhere. It's not just another camera – it's a flagship powerhouse packed with cutting-edge technology and unmatched performance that photographers continue raving about. Today, we're diving into the stories of 10 amazing photographers who swear by the Alpha 1. Keep reading to see why it’s the camera you’ll always find in their bags.
Nancy Borowick
“This camera is my sidekick. Whether it is slung over my shoulder, tucked into my camera bag or situated on the dining room table out of reach of my toddler, it is always with me. Frankly, it does it all, and when photographing family, versatility and convenience are king. I use it mainly for stills but love that I can quickly switch to video. I love to capture normal, everyday life, so I often have it set with the continuous drive speed of medium to high, shutter on silent, and the AF Face detection on. To be honest, I shoot a lot of mediocre frames to get to the one I want. I work the situation not knowing if my kids will do something interesting, or walk into the nice light. As a photographer who is also a mom, it’s hard to not feel guilty about missing moments so having it within arms-reach brings me great comfort.” – Nancy Borowick, What's In My Bag: The Perfect Tools For Family Photography
Renan Ozturk
“Since I was directing the documentary and shooting stills for the magazine, I needed a camera that is amazing for stills and also has all the highest end video functions. For me the Sony Alpha 1 has this, since I can shoot 120 fps slow motion still in 10-bit color and the stills will hold incredibly well for anything from the cover shot to a giant billboard promoting the show.”
"This photo with the Sony Alpha 1 was part of the epic sailing journey to reach the remote island which had an unclimbed volcano with a previously undiscovered lava lake in the crater. Some of the most treacherous seas on earth. I had the camera just in a small splash cover not a full housing which allowed me to move quickly in between these epic waves which buried the bow of the boat." – Renan Ozturk, What’s In My Bag: A Film Director & Photojournalist’s On-Assignment Kit
Patrick Murphy-Racey
“The camera choice is really easy for me for football. I use a Sony Alpha 1 around my neck with the Sony 50mm f/2.5 G compact prime on it and without a battery grip. The only other change I make is that I enable “AF with shutter,” in this one specific use, so that when I grab and shoot with it, it is AF-ing as I am pressing the shutter button at 30 fps. In this way my 50mm setup is better than John Beiver’s gaff tape because the AF is so fast with Sony it can keep up with focus with ease, even when players are literally flying in the air towards you.” – Patrick Murphy-Racey, What’s In My Bag: See This Sports Photographer’s Kit For College & Pro Football
Matt Kloskowski
"I’ve never ordered a camera so fast as when the Sony Alpha 1 was first announced. I immediately knew that was the camera I had always wanted. It was exactly what I was looking for. As a landscape photographer I always liked having at least 30MP. As a wildlife photographer, I valued frame rate, high iso performance, and auto focus features. But a higher megapixel count was nice too, for cropping, since we can’t always get close. Well, in most camera lineups that meant carrying two cameras up until that point and both cameras rarely had what I needed for both genres. But the Sony Alpha 1 had everything I needed for landscape and wildlife photography. Plenty of megapixels, amazing Auto Focus, 30 FPS and great low light performance. So I immediately placed my order and that became my go-to camera." – Matt Kloskowski, What's In My Bag: A Nature Photographer's Kit That's All About The Need For Speed
Rachel Jones Ross
Everything you’ve ever loved in a Sony is wrapped up in the Sony Alpha 1. Every time Sony comes out with a new camera body, I can’t help but think “this is more than I ever thought possible.” Then Sony released the Sony Alpha 1. This camera is a hybrid of the high-resolution R line, with the speed of the Sony Alpha 9, and more light sensitivity for shooting in low light than should be possible with a 50.1 megapixel sensor. I use this camera for everything, including wildlife photography, landscapes, Milky Way, and on this night the aurora borealis." – Rachel Jones Ross, What’s In My Bag: How This Adventurer And Nightwatcher Gets Ready For Prime Aurora Time
Nino Rakichevich
"This is the ultimate camera. The best. In addition to its dynamic range, the Sony Alpha 1 has more than 50 megapixels which is plenty for shooting fashion editorials." – Nino Rakichevich, What’s In My Bag: A Pro’s Two Lens Kit For Fashion Week
Nick Gruen
“I love Sony's flagship Alpha 1. It will always have a place in my bag. Its AF is fantastic and it doubles down as a great camera for video work. The Sony Alpha 1 is my primary action camera. I've lost too many frames in the past with other cameras AF and I can feel confident when using this in action scenarios.” – Nick Gruen, What’s In My Bag: A Boundary-Pushing Outdoor & Commercial Photography Kit
Amber Favorite
“In 2021, I made the jump to the Sony Alpha 1 after realizing I really wanted bird eye autofocus. I love my Sony Alpha 1 so much that I bought a second one last year just so I didn’t have to keep changing out lenses when on location. I love that I can customize the Sony Alpha 1 to me which gives me freedom to instantly adapt to changing circumstances without ever pulling my eye away from the viewfinder which is so important when photographing birds in flight when you have to be quick. The versatility of having 50 megapixels combined with the ability to capture 30fps has allowed me to find that perfect pose out of many in-focus shots while still being able to crop if needed because you can’t always get close to wildlife. An added bonus is having a silent shutter so as to not spook wildlife when I’m trying to be super sneaky.”
“Being able to seamlessly switch between photos to video is super important as I do a lot of 8x slow motion in S&Q in camera. I like using zebras to my advantage so I don’t overexpose my shots on bright days when videoing and shooting stills. Reliability is important as Mother Nature and I have put my two Sony Alpha 1s through the environmental wringer varying from hot and rainy Florida mornings, sandy beaches and salty wave splashes, dusty African environments, humid rainforests, and negative freezing temps in Canada.” – Amber Favorite, What’s In My Bag: An Outdoor Photo & Video Kit For Travel, Wildlife & Landscapes
Evan Possley
"This camera can do it all. The ability to shoot high quality stills and amazing video in one package is essential for me, especially when I’m underwater. The autofocus is unbeatable. I love the option of using bird eye autofocus, which I have found even works with some fish and sharks. When I can’t get close enough to a wildlife subject, the 50 megapixel resolution allows me to punch in and still get crispy results." – Evan Possley, Explore Evan Possley's Gear For Stunning Wildlife & Underwater Photography
James Sengul
“My primary camera is the Sony Alpha 1. I'm captivated by its exceptional image quality and autofocus system. The camera's 50.5-megapixel image resolution is ideal for wildlife photography, especially when paired with Sony G Master lenses like the Sony 600mm f/4 G Master. I primarily use my Sony Alpha 1 in APS-C mode, which consistently delivers superb image quality and vibrant colors. The autofocus system is top-notch and perfectly designed for capturing wildlife, particularly fast-moving birds such as peregrine falcons.” – James Sengul, What’s In My Bag: An Alpha 1 & Extreme Lens Kit For Photographing Birds In Their Natural Habitats
