Designing a NO COMPROMISE Sony Flagship Camera

Imagine a top spec Sony Alpha camera, with an integrated grip, top speed cards, a full size battery, excellent thermal management & no bottlenecks thanks to the best processors and buffers on the market.... and a top screen. It would crush the market!

NOTE - I updated the title of this video as it seemed to overshadow the specific ideas I wanted to share.

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[mattgranger]

What's your 'NO COMPROMISE' Pro Camera?

[dwightsbeetfarms]

Sony a1 not having a battery grip is actually a big plus for me. I attach a battery grip when I shoot weddings or I attach an L plate when I shoot interiors for designers. Also, video shooters usually don’t appreciate an integrated battery grip on their cameras.

[paulhancock]

I personally like any camera not having an integrated grip. Having a removable grip in a modular design just makes it versatile...

I agree with you though, Matt. Was it the Sony A99 which was a DSLR size body? They have made bigger bodies, and they absolutely should just deliver a no compromise pro body.

The frustration with Sony is they are the most advanced manufacturer with the biggest R&D budget/resources and manufacture most of the sensors on the market... They 'can' do literally whatever they want, but always seem to be sandbagging.
I believe the reason for that is the other manufacturers are playing catch-up, and so they can hold back, never quite show their hand to Canon/Nikon, and keep rolling out a new model every year with incremental updates rather than dropping a bleeding edge product which they can't update for another 5 years. I don't like it but I see the logic!

For me, the next-gen step they should be taking is integrating an 'Xperia' Android interface into a camera. We know that's where things are going. They're the only camera manufacturer with a premium smartphone division... So surely it's a logical step?


Anyway I'm rambling but I agree... And I'm sure Sony are aware of the demand.

[sjm.photos]

The A1 is still is the camera that does pretty much everything you really need. i know its plenty for 95% of pros

[RG-rmjt]

Ultimate rage bait video! You win 1 YouTube algorithm!

Edit: I see he changed the title to be less triggering. I agree with all the points Matt is making. Making the cameras modular comes with certain trade-offs that Canon or Nikon would not make.

[SP-teil]

As someone who shoots both Z9s and Sony A9IIs, A1 professionally I can tell you that the the top line 9II now 9III and the A1 are hands down professional cameras. Putting grips on the Sony cameras works just fine. And to be honest I have never found myself using the top screen on the Z9. You can for sure have your own opinion but the title and view of this video is wrong in my opinion.

[FerdinandTerreros]

as someone with large hands I envy the Nikon or Canon cameras with their larger bodies. A few grams for better grip is not a deal breaker for me.

[philforrester]

You made so much sense I only have an aps-c a6400 but next camera has to be the best not bothered about size how it looks but has to do everything

[RaymondwLin]

The reason the A9III muddled the water is that it came out before the next A1. It is good that they haven't held back the A9III in spect and save the Global shutter for the A1 just to keep the A1 a flagship, something Canon does a lot (shot them for 15 years). New cameras always pushes the model forward even if it is a lower model. The idea that no cameras can be better the A1 in anyway and that came out 5 years ago is such an archaic way of doing business, just to keep people who bought the flagship happy.

[paulwhite]

So would you switch to Sony if they produced a flagship that you were happy with, or would you just be after Nikon to produce an equivalent as the Z9 mk 2?

[AsianWithHat]

Sounds like an excuse.

A good swordsman is more important than a good sword.

[j.kimmer]

This video is "game changing" insights.... :) thank you for the video.

[waynerm]

Great video Matt! Sony has some great tech in their cameras but, they aren't for everyone. At the end of '22 I sold my Nikon Z6 II and picked up the A7R V, I was fully into Sony after purchasing the FX30 a month earlier. Wasn't a fan of it's colors compared to the Z6 II and I really needed a video camera with great autofocus, so I kept the Z6 II for photos. The A7R V was uncomfortable for me to use in the normal way (eye to viewfinder), the ergonomics didn't work for me, I got blisters on fingers. I started to use it screen only (great screen implementation, other manufactures needs this) but, had struggles in bright sunlight. I ended up trading the A7R 5 for the Z8 as it was a more rounded camera, the AF was quite the same (thought it wasn't at first, due to using adapted Sony lens at night), has better ergonomics, with a ton of video features, it just felt better overall. I kept the FX30 due to it having a fan to manage the heat her in South East Asia, when I record for long periods. I have learned how to use SLog and color grade to get the colors looking correct (A7R V has better white balance system) however, I still prefer the Nikon colors and use it for short clips and for talking head video at times. When I'm lazy, I just record in HDR.
It's great that Sony made some improvements to the A9 III, they made it a tad bit bigger, with an improved grip and that global shutter sensor is great but, I do agree the flagship camera should be the best of the best. Sony makes a grip for the A1 but I think it would have been nice if they made a larger capacity battery to fit, like Canon's and Nikon's integrated grip flagship cameras. It's nice to have a smaller lighter camera which performs great but, when the experience while shooting isn't great, it doesn't make you want to keep using it. Let's hope Sony continue to improve the overall ergonomics and handling of their cameras.

[pawelmod]

This is the most convoluted video I’ve seen in a while. The truth is that every camera has the compromises. Even Z9.

In the engineering there is a term: quality. This is a precisely defined term as an opposite to compromised / uncompromised…

[leod]

Interesting point of view. I agree that while Sony seems to lead the pack in technologizes it comes with some heavy drawbacks. To me the Z9 is the true, take it out in the mud and snow work horse. I do not have one of course, but I do have the D850 with its dedicated grip and it is a work horse! I have a Z7 I use for street and travel pictures but when I am shooting something that matters, I use the D850. I may upgrade to Z8 or Z9 in the future, but for now I am comfortable with what I have. Thank you, Matt for another interesting video.

[powerfuldreams]

Love my A1 it's a camera that just works and gets the job done. I like not having a large grip I just wish the grip was 1 large battery if any changes would be made. But having the flexibility to go small is something I like. A1 is the king even after the a9iii

[eliotopian]

top screen: I have never seen the point? I either just saw the settings in the evf or on the rear screen if I just took a photo. and if I need a glance... I can glance at one of those...? I WOULD like a larger body with a bigger battery and regular CF cards so they aren't so pricey... if they had that extra room for heat and battery, could we have a global shutter a1?

[petripuurunen]

Bigger battery ? You are not shooting Nikon or Canon - with Sony A7rV you can get twice the amount of promised shots with one battery. I would say you can your body from the group A7rV, A1, A7s3 and A9III. They are all made for different use. A1mk2 is about to be released soon ;)

[Nateinthewild]

Some of us prefer smaller cameras, Matt, because some of us leave our house. The A1 is absolutely a professional camera (arguably the best flagship available on the market) if you take time to read the specs. If all you want is bigger, then that's just an absurd complaint that's very easily fixed by adding the external grip. You can add a grip to make it bigger but you can't subtract anything to make a hulking behemoth of a camera smaller. Customizability is better.

But, I think you knew all this. You're clearly just fishing for rage bait engagement.

[jbailey]

Let's be real, that chair is the back of a durag