Upgrading your photography equipment as you go is an integral part of developing a professional photography business, but knowing when to upgrade can be tricky.

Camera manufacturers are constantly releasing newer and better gear, but that does not mean that you need the latest equipment. It is when you’re camera body starts to limit your progress that it may be time to trade in your gear while it still has value on the second-hand market.

Sony Alpha A1

The Alpha a1 is Sony’s new, flagship full-frame mirrorless camera that offers a rare blend of speed and resolution, making it a serious stills and video contender. Firing off burst images at 30 frames per second, the a1’s blazing speed also makes it an excellent candidate for fast action sports photography. This may be overkill for some photographers, but for those professionals who need detailed, high-resolution shots all the time – the Sony a1 is the camera to rely on.

In a nutshell, the camera boasts 50MP high-res stills, 8K video recording, high speed and sensitivity, and connectivity for demanding (and versatile) professional workflows. It is equally capable whatever the task at hand.

Unsurprisingly, this incredibly proficient camera scooped up the 2021-2022 Expert Imaging & Sound Association (EISA) Award for the Best Product and the 2021 Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) Award for the Best Full-Frame Professional Camera. Both of these awards are judged by expert panel members from around the world.

Sony Alpha a1 Mirrorless Camera
  • 50MP Full-Frame Exmor RS BSI CMOS Sensor
  • Up to 30 fps Shooting, ISO 50-102400
  • 8K 30p & 4K 120p Video in 10-Bit
  • 4.3K 16-Bit Raw Video Output, S-Cinetone
  • BIONZ XR Image Processing Engine

Sony a7R IVA

Also at the top of Sony’s full-frame mirrorless lineup is the a7R IVA. It is built around a BSI-CMOS sensor that outputs 60.2MP high-resolution images. It also offers a 15-stop dynamic range, continuous bursts up to 10 fps, and an updated design that marries refined controls with an incredibly robust build quality.

Highly capable, this beast of a camera is well suited to stills photographers who want to streamline their connectivity and productivity. The Imaging Edge Webcam application also makes it easy to use the a7R IVA as a high-quality webcam, with wide compatibility, for impressive live streaming and conferencing.

Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Camera
  • 61MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor
  • BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI
  • 567-Point Phase-Detection AF System
  • UHD 4K30p Video with HLG & S-Log3 Gammas