In the Field: Sony A1 for Bird & Wildlife Photography

Travel and wildlife photographer Jason Fenton was looking to take his work to the next level while lightening the load in his kit bag. After trading in his previous setup and upgrading to a used Sony A1 from MPB, he headed to the Isle Of Mull in Scotland to photograph the white-tailed eagles. So, how does the Sony A1 perform for bird and wildlife photography? Will this full-frame mirrorless setup help Jason spread his creative wings? Read on to learn more.

I started my photography journey with a Canon EOS 450D before quickly turning to the full-frame Canon EOS 5D Mark III. From there, I moved to the mirrorless Sony A7R III. This had been my work-horse camera for several years before investing heavily in my photography and upgrading my camera bodies and lenses.

I purchased the Sony A7R IV for the extra megapixel count, which allowed me to crop in on certain subjects. I also purchased the Sony A9 II for fast-moving wildlife—giving me those 20 frames per second to ensure I never missed the shot.

After a year of shooting with these two Sony bodies, the weight of my camera bag had taken its toll on my back. So I started thinking of ways to reduce the weight and invest in one camera body that does it all.

You can sell your used equipment to MPB, or trade-in to free up funds to put towards your next gear purchase. I had my eye on the Sony A1 for a while. MPB is my go-to site when I want to upgrade my kit.

I offset the cost of the Sony A1 by trading in my Sony A7R IV and Sony A9 II, which reduced the cost hugely. I got an instant quote, boxed up the items and booked their courier for door-to-door service. 

Just a few days later, my Sony A1 arrived. You couldn’t tell it was used. I booked a trip to Ireland to do some landscape photography and to put the 50-megapixel stacked full-frame CMOS sensor through its paces. It also means I can take full advantage of the APS-C mode and get that tight crop without losing too much detail.

While I also photograph wildlife too, the 30 frames-per-second burst allows me to capture a whole scene—ensuring I get that pin-sharp shot. I have recently been getting into video, so 8K 30p recording—with LOG—will boost the quality of my work.

To put the camera through its paces, I headed north to the Isle Of Mull to photograph the white-tailed eagles—something that had been on my bucket list for a number of years. I chose the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens, due to its versatility in shooting the eagles at different distances.

To ensure I maximised the potential of getting some great images of the white-tailed eagles, I spent three days on the island basing myself in my VW Camper at Loch na Keal. This is where the Eagles frequently hang out. In fact, a keen bird spotter pointed out one of their nests to me, so I was able to track them early enough. 

One of the most impressive things about the Sony A1 is its autofocus system—one the most responsive and accurate autofocus systems in the industry—I was always able to lock on to the eagles as they approached. 

After witnessing the Eagles coming down five to six times, most days, I was lucky enough to get some fantastic shots coming in close. The quality and sharpness that was coming off the Sony A1 were just incredible.

Looking for more wildlife content?

This article is part of the MPB Guide to Wildlife Photography and Videography, our comprehensive look at how to create wildlife imagery, with camera recommendations, advice and interviews with experts.