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Sony a1 Underwater Housings

Sony Alpha 1/ a1               Sony Alpha 1 Back

Is it true that the Sony a1 or Alpha 1 could be the best camera Sony has ever made? In this article we will discuss what this camera can really do and what this camera is truly capable of. According to Sony, the Alpha 1 can do just about anything with its rare combination of speed, high-resolution stills and high-end 8K video.

Sony a1 processor

 

At the heart of any camera is the sensor and processor, the a1 or Alpha 1, features a newly designed 50.1MP full-frame Exmor R BSI CMOS sensor which produces incredible image quality, and is powered by dual Bionz XR image processing engines which helps produce 30fps continuous shooting. 

This combo helps accommodate the camera’s ability to shoot video at up to 8K at 30fps and 4K at 120/60fps and also, recording in multiple raw formats including S-Cinetone and S-Log3.

The Sony Alpha 1, or a1, is probably the most versatile professional camera there is.

 

Other key specifications are as follows:

  • 50MP ‘stacked’ full-frame CMOS sensor
  • 30 fps burst shooting with electronic shutter (lossy compressed Raw/JPEG only)
  • 8K/30p video recording with Log and 4K Raw video out over HDMI
  • 1/400 sec flash sync with mechanical shutter (1/200 sec with electronic shutter)
  • 9.44M-dot OLED electronic viewfinder with 0.9x magnification
  • 3.0″ tilting touchscreen with 1.44M-dot resolution
  • Full-size HDMI port, headphone / mic ports, USB-C port with 10 Gb/s transfer speeds, ethernet port
  • Dual UHS-II / CFexpress Type A card slots
  • CIPA rated to 530 shots with rear LCD (430 through the viewfinder)
  • Weather-sealed body
  • 737g (1.62 lb)

The only real downside with the Sony A1 is that it’s an extremely expensive camera. It costs around $6,500 / £6,499 / AU$10,499 for the body only. But other than that, the Sony Alpha 1 is truly a remarkable camera.

 

Underwater Housings for Sony a1

We want to make things easier for you, so we’ve created this mini-guide to help you decide what’s the best underwater housing for your Sony a1! 

*Major Consideration – Both housing supports the A7s III and the a1, that’s pretty rare.

Ikelite 200DL Underwater Housing for Sony a1 / a7S III

Ikelite Underwater Housing for Sony a1

Click to view the Ikelite housing for Sony a1 on the Mozaik Website

The Ikelite housing is very similar to previous mirrorless housings.  If you are contemplating whether to get this expensive camera, this may be your solution.

Its certainly worth saving $2000-$3000 vs the Nauticam housing if that allows to you get the a1 Camera or even better lenses.

This Ikelite housing is slightly ($100) more expensive than others, it supports an HDMI bulkhead for an external monitor.  Note that TTL is no longer included with the Ikelite housings and an external TTL connector is required.  (DL2 DS Link Sony TTL Converter Ikelite ST1 Hotshoe Kit # 46042)

Read more about Ikelite housings here.

Nauticam NA-a1 Underwater Housing for Sony A1 and A7s III

Nauticam NA-a1 Underwater Housing for Sony a1

Click to view the Nauticam housing for Sony a1 on the Mozaik website

If you are expecting more than 100 dives per year.   If you use this camera as part of your profession, if quality comes first for you, the Nauticam housing is the right choice.

Read more about Nauticam housings here.

Comparison Chart

  Ikelite 200DL  Nauticam NA-a1
Material Polycarbonate Aluminum
Port Lock System Dry Lock (DL) port system N100 Port System
Controls Full Controls except Multi-function Bar Full Controls except Multi-function Bar
Vacuum System Vacuum valve included (pump sold separately) Valve and Pump sold separately
Default Bulkhead (strobe connection) Ikelite ICS-5 bulkhead connector 2 fiber optic cable connection
Depth Rating 200ft/60m 330ft/100m
Grips Included Left side only Both sides, w/ ball mounts
Price (USD) May 28 2021 $1,795.00 $3,534.00

Athena
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