Is the Sony a1 the Ultimate Fishing Photography Camera?

Spoiler Alert: The Sony a1 is the most amazing camera I’ve ever used to photograph fishing. Yes, it’s a serious investment, but if used properly it just might pay for itself.

The author put the Sony a1 to the test through low-light, long distances, and difficult focus scenarios. | Jason George

My Test of the Sony a1

For 30 days, I traveled the country and experienced some of the coolest events in fishing—legendary waters, secluded fishing destinations, the Bassmaster Classic and more. And glued to my hand through nearly all of the action was one of the best cameras ever made, and certainly the best I’ve ever had access to—the legendary Sony a1.

The range of photo ops I encountered included everything from panoramic scenery to close up product shots to indoor and outdoor sports action, and I got every shot I wanted and more. Honestly, I always love to take photos, but using the a1 gave me a feeling of excitement and inspiration I haven't felt in a long time.

Jacob Walker on Lay Lake fishing the MLF REDCREST. This shot is from about 60 yards away. If you zoom in, you'll find a ton of detail from the shadows on his clothing to the individual drops of water flying in the foreground around the fish. | Sony a1 & Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 OSS II, f/4.5, 1/2000, ISO 160 | Kurt Mazurek

Why the Sony a1 Belongs in Your Boat

Yes, there is an obvious point I may as well address right up front: the Sony a1 is not cheap. More than not cheap, relative to almost every camera you’d consider buying, it’s expensive. But let’s be honest, lots of expensive things make their way into our fishing arsenals. It always comes down to whether we believe the cost will justify the increase in our fishing enjoyment and satisfaction.

Bassmaster Elite Pro Tyler Rivet, rolling into the Dickies Arena in Ft Worth, TX on the final day of the Bassmaster Classic. Rivet had won (or lost) a bet the day before and was showing off his new Mohawk hair style. But most importantly, the Sony a1 kept sharp focus on him, even with the railing in the foreground, and used a relatively small amount of light to capture a great shot with tons of detail. | Sony a1 & Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 OSS II, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 1000 | Kurt Mazurek

Unmatched Speed, Resolution, and Autofocus for Fishing Action

Precision

The Sony a1 is a dream camera. It captures full-frame 50.1-megapixel images. In the simplest terms it records more detailed information in every shot than anything you’ve ever seen. It also has the ridiculous ability to take 30 pictures every second—each frame packed with all that deep, rich detail that only 50-megapixels can provide. And the speed and accuracy of this camera’s auto-focus is surely some kind of black magic.

Dustin Connell with his third MLF REDCREST trophy. With all that confetti flying there are plenty of distractions for the a1's auto focus to sort through, but his face and the trophy remain sharp. | Sony a1 & Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 OSS II, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 1000 | Kurt Mazurek

Low Light

And right in line with all of this camera’s other next-level stats is its ability to perform in low light. I could tell you specs like up to ISO 102400, or I could just say that it really doesn’t need much light to capture shockingly beautiful, sharp images. Think sunrise, but then think well before the sun is actually anywhere in sight. That’s a great time to catch fish. Now it’s also a great time to photograph those fish.

This shot is from the back deck of Greg Hackney's boat on Day 2 of the Bassmaster Classic, first thing in the morning before the sun is fully above the horizon. Ideally, he would have turned the boat so the available light was in front of him, but he seemed more focused on his job than mine. But the shot does demonstrate how even in this relatively low light, there's a ton of detail in the darkest parts of his clothing. | Sony a1 & Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM, f/8, 1/125, ISO 100 | Kurt Mazurek

Video

And as you’d probably expect from a camera with those monster stats, it captures video with amazing clarity. Record at 30-frames per second in up to 8K (7680 x 4320 pixels) resolution. That’s twice as high as almost any device you’d try to watch the video on. That gives you the option to crop way into any shots and still be able to output super-sharp 4K final video. Or record 120-frames per second in 4K. The benefit of 120-frame speed is the ability to play it back in super-slow motion while retaining sharp, buttery smooth movement.

Preserve Every Detail of Your Most Epic Fishing Memories

This is Chris Lane setting the hook hard during the REDCREST on Lay Lake. I was a couple hundred yards away and 200mm was my biggest lens. The bottom half is the image as taken. But because this camera captures so much information, I felt perfectly confident to crop in for the image on the top half and publish on my page at 2560px X 1440px. | Sony a1 & Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 OSS II, f/11, 1/1250, ISO 1000 | Kurt Mazurek

When your fishing buddy is connected to a six-pound smallmouth tail-walking across your favorite undisclosed rocky point in the first golden light of sunrise, you’re not praying you got the shot—you know you got the best shot, multiple best shots. You captured every single drop of water flying through the air for the entire fight. Missed shots are a thing of the past.

Fishing is filled with once-in-a-lifetime, blink-of-an-eye moments: the first rays of the rising sun cutting through the trees on the shore ahead of you, an osprey diving after a shad, the look on your child’s face when they catch their first bass. These things happen once and then they’re gone. The a1’s depth of information, speed and razor sharp focus allow you to hold onto more of those moments than ever before.

Here's a candid shot of MLF Pro Wesley Strader just before takeoff for Day 3 of REDCREST. The light was low, the dock I was shooting from was crowded with fans, and I was a fair distance away from this where this moment was happening. But the amazing capabilities of the Sony a1 allowed me to create a nice visual story. | Sony a1 & Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 OSS II, f/4, 1/160, ISO 125 | Kurt Mazurek

A Wise Investment for Anglers, Creators, and Pro Staff

Sure, you could just rationalize that your phone is “good enough”. And for something that isn’t technically a camera, most phones are capable of better captures than they should be. But if you value your fishing like I do and want to get the most out of every day on the water, capturing those special moments forever, as clear, sharp and dynamic as when they happened, the a1 is the tool for the job.

Maybe think about it in the context of your total investment in fishing. For many of us being an angler includes a pretty serious financial commitment. You’ve probably spent thousands on rods, reels and lures. How much does a boat cost? Fishing trips? Gas? Guides? It doesn’t take long to realize most of us are in pretty deep.

I was genuinely journaling at our campground one morning when I noticed how cool the combination of all the elements in front of me looked. I grabbed the camera and got this shot of my own hand with my Citizen Tsuki-yomi A-T watch and my YETI coffee mug. If you're a sponsored fishing pro, imagine how excited your sponsor would be if you gave them shots of their product like this. | Sony a1 & Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM, f/4, 1/160, ISO 125 | Kurt Mazurek

And for those of you who are professional anglers or aspire to become professional anglers seeking sponsorship, consider this. If you provide your sponsors with above average photos and videos—better focused, more dynamic, and way, way higher resolution than your peers doing afterthought shots with their phone—believe me, as someone with decades of experience overseeing marketing efforts and pro staff teams for multiple fishing manufacturers, your sponsors will notice and they’ll love you for it. Land a deal or two you may not have otherwise closed, and your Sony a1 has paid for itself.

Why Your Phone’s Camera Isn’t Enough

The Sony a1 isn’t for everyone. If you don’t have any interest beyond the ol’ grip-and-grin, that’s your call. Side Note: This thing can capture some of the most stunning grip-and-grins ever!

But if you are as committed to this fishing lifestyle as I am, you realize that we’re all chasing those fleeting, special, epic moments that only fishing can provide. A couple decades from now, you’ll be very happy you invested in the best tool of its time and preserved your moments like only the Sony a1 can.

One of those moments that doesn't come around very often...well, Fothergill is pretty young, so time will tell. But still, he'll only win the Classic for the first time once. You wouldn't want to miss it. The conditions for this shot were less than optimal, but the a1 gathered more than enough information to capture the moment beautifully. | Sony a1 & Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 OSS II, f/2.8, 1/1600, ISO 1000 | Kurt Mazurek

Transparency Note: Although I have not been paid by any of the manufacturers or companies mentioned, some of the gear reviewed in this article has been provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are entirely my own.