Sony A1 II Rumors Roundup - What Can We Expect?

We are rapidly approaching the fourth birthday of the Sony A1, the company’s flagship mirrorless camera. Considered by many to be one of the best cameras ever released, it has set the precedent for Sony mirrorless units, and is a hard unit to beat. But as we enter the second half of 2024, can we expect an upgrade?

Sony has been diligent in releasing new Alpha cameras with regularity in recent years. In 2023 we were treated to the a6700, the A7C II, and the A7CR; but 2024 has seen only an A9 III. Though Sony has prioritized other camera ranges and accompanying lenses, that doesn’t mean the range is being neglected. We think there are signs that the sequel to the A1, an A1 II, could be on the way.

Sony A1 II Release Date Predictions

In early June, the midpoint of the year, Sony registered a trademark for a new camera body in Indonesia for a Sony Alpha camera. Though this sounds like mere bureaucracy, registering trademarks is generally done a few months before a camera enters production.

According to leaker Andrea Pizzini, however, this mysterious camera isn’t the A1 II, and is more likely an addition to the Alpha 7 range instead. Though leaks aren’t always trustworthy, the product launch expected on the 28th of August may yet bring news of the A1 II.

With the lack of information from official sources, the rumor mill has been churning over steadily over the past months. We had a trawl through the forums to see what professional photographers think about the potential of an A1 II release date, and what they wanted from the camera when it came around.

Anticipation is high for the A1 II, given the gulf between the previous-generation release. Most people seem to agree that the camera isn’t due this year, unfortunately, and posit a release date that responds to Canon’s latest offerings - namely the R1 and R5 Mark II. In a discussion on DPReview’s forums, Portrait Photographer Brian Smith predicts that late 2025 would be the likely earliest release:

Most likely to see [the A1 II] at least six months before the 2026 Winter Olympics and it will have - with never-before-features - not a mash-up of what's already been released.
Source: DPReview

We would somewhat disagree with him in some aspects, however. As you’ll see below, our predictions lean less toward new features and more toward improvements on existing ones; partly because it’s hard to predict something that’s never been seen before, but also because we think that there’s been enough improvements to Sony’s camera technology in the intervening years to implement an upgrade.

Feature-wise, many others echo this sentiment, with users on the Sony Rumors Forum effectively asking for a more ergonomic A1. Numerically-named user 93333-1 posits a very barebones update, almost too barebones for our liking:

a9 III body
Same 50MP sensor as the original a1 with same IQ
Focus stacking
A better grip which fits properly
Faster CFExpress Type-A 4.0
Source: Sony-Rumors Forum

This minimal model upgrade would be a poor showing for Sony, and would effectively make the A1 II a reductively modern A1. Not that these changes wouldn’t improve the camera, but we think that a balance can be struck between the all-new, all-powerful 2026 A1 II that Brian Smith wishes for, and the tiniest tinkering suggested here.

Either way, we aren’t convinced we’ll see the A1 II this year, but we’re aiming for a Sony A1 II announcement that falls on the anniversary of its predecessor’s release: namely January 2025. This would keep Sony within their usual product life cycles whilst also allowing for other products to enter the market in the meantime. As you’ll see from our predictions, the A1 II isn’t going to be for everyone…

Sony A1 II Possible Specs

• Sensor - 50.1MP BI-CMOS
• Shooting Speed - 60FPS
• Maximum Shutter Speed - 1/80000
• Video - 8K 60FPS RAW

Following up the original A1 is no mean feat: the original Sony flagship boasted a 50MP sensor that was capable of stunning detail and incredibly generous cropping. With a 30FPS shooting speed, you were guaranteed to capture the moment. We’d place a bet on Sony following up the A1 with a similar 50MP sensor, but implementing an even faster shutter speed. Though there were rumors initially that the A1 II would use the recent global shutter found in the A9 III, for 120FPS shooting speeds, we doubt that will be the case. Expect improvements in image processing regardless, however.

In terms of video, we can expect 4K 120FPS, which has been the benchmark for high-end Sony cameras for some time now, along with cinematic camera presets such as S-Log 3. However, though this is unlikely, we’d love to see the A1 II incorporate even heavier-duty video capabilities not seen outside the FX range. There are rumors that Sony could also be following up on the extremely popular FX9 cinema camera within the year, so we doubt that they will want to step on the toes of this cinema flagship unit.

We’re also hoping for improvements in the ISO range and shutter speed, to minimize blur and noise in fast-moving conditions. Recent cameras and photo editing packages have experimented with AI-based denoise features, and Sony’s a6700 used deep-learning AI in its new autofocus engine. Could we see in-body noise reduction, to make each of the A1 II’s 50 million pixels as flawless as possible?

Regardless, we’ll almost definitely see that new AI engine in the autofocus. Sony’s AF systems have always been impressive, and the latest iterations have only become more precise. For pinpoint-accurate focus that can track subjects behind objects and other interference, this will almost be enough on its own to warrant upgrading from A1 to A1 II.

As with all modern Sony cameras, we expect that the E-Mount system will remain unchanged. The E-Mount is one of the most developed-for lens systems on the market thanks to Sony products all sharing it, and it wouldn’t make sense for them to ditch it now at the height of its popularity.

Other improvements we hope to see include an improved EVF and display screen - potentially an OLED model if it's cost-effective - a slightly more ergonomic design and some mild improvements to battery life. Sony seems to have committed to the NP-FZ100 battery for their current crop of cameras, so seeing if the cameras themselves can become more energy-efficient would be a suitable challenge for the innovators at Sony.

None of this is confirmed, however - more of our wishlist for what Sony could offer with an A1 II. We’re eagerly awaiting word on a Sony A1 II release date and specs, and hopefully, we won’t have much longer to wait.