This is just a very simple appreciation post for all those smaller Alpha series cameras that don't always get the love. On Christmas Eve I was tasked at my church with taking stills at a photobooth before and after the service. During the service, I shot b-roll of whatever I wanted. They could use it for next year's promotion or a year-end recap video. Note: I used to work for this church as their creative director for 7 years doing exactly this.
I used a 24-105mm f4 for the photo booth but took a bit to decide on what lens I wanted to bring to shoot the service b-roll. After I considered a few options, I stuck with my gut and took the Leica R 80mm f1.4 and I am glad I did.
Simply put, it was a joy and refreshing to use such a small setup with nothing holding me back. Inside a dark church setting, I didn't need ND and I didn't want anything holding me back or distracting me. I had zero limitations and could move wherever I wanted thanks to the fact that my setup looked like nothing more than a simple stills camera.
To harp on one final note, it is absolutely insane that we can shoot 8k 10-bit 422 on the Sony A1. The image is absolutely gorgeous whether you need 8k or not. I think I am going to try to lean in on the 8k on the A1 more often when I travel so I can come back with images I may not have otherwise.
Head over to the cinematography threads to see frames from this church service shot on the A1 and Leica R 80mm f1.4.
