Saturday night, I had the chance to photograph the 12th Thessaloniki Night Half Marathon, using the Sony a1 (Alpha 1), and the experience was nothing short of remarkable.

Although I’ve photographed running events before, this particular Half Marathon presented distinct challenges. Previous editions of this event or the Alexander The Great Marathon, held along Thessaloniki’s vibrant seafront, offered more iconic landmarks that naturally enhanced image composition.

However, this year’s route through the dimly lit streets of Western Thessaloniki provided less natural light among the buildings, making it challenging to capture well-exposed images. With no appealing landmarks or scenic views to add depth and interest to the photos, I had to rely heavily on the advanced technical features of my camera and my creative approach to capture compelling and dynamic shots.

The overcast sky and low-light conditions presented challenges for capturing dynamic moments, but the Sony A1 excelled in this environment. Its performance in such lighting was especially impressive, particularly the eye autofocus system, which locked onto athletes’ faces with remarkable precision. Although there were a few instances where the camera failed — either due to the dense crowd or extremely low light —the A1 maintained a consistently high success rate in autofocus, allowing me to capture many of the images I had envisioned.

In addition to its exceptional autofocus, another standout feature of the A1 is its continuous shooting capability, which can reach up to 30 compressed RAW images per second with the silent electronic shutter (or 20fps with uncompressed RAW) and 10 frames per second with the mechanical shutter. This functionality allowed me to effortlessly capture critical moments of the race in daylight using the electronic shutter, while I switched to the mechanical shutter in the dim artificial light to prevent any banding (I haven’t had the chance to test the camera’s electronic shutter under artificial lighting yet to assess its performance in those conditions.). This strategy enabled me to secure the action shots I aimed for, despite occasional interruptions when other videographers, photographers, or marathon organizers crossed into the athletes’ paths.

Equipped with a 50.1 MP Exmor RS CMOS sensor, the Alpha 1 delivered images with exceptional detail. While this high resolution can be challenging when photographing moving subjects, especially with a lens like the new Sony 70-200mm f2.8 (requiring careful handling to avoid blur), it also offered considerable flexibility during post-processing. This capability allowed me to crop images without sacrificing quality, which is essential for refining shots captured during fast-paced events.

Overall, my first experience using the Sony Alpha 1 at such an event confirmed why it is widely regarded as one of the best cameras available for sports and wildlife. Its performance allowed me to capture everything from the athletes’ intense facial expressions to shots showcasing their endurance and efforts under challenging conditions.

Next up, I’m embarking on a unique photography trip to Kenya this Wednesday, where I’ll test the Sony Alpha 1 in some of the world’s most demanding environments. I’m eager to see how this remarkable camera will handle the wild landscapes and wildlife of Africa, both in shooting photos and videos.

A huge thanks to Sony Hellas for giving me the opportunity to try and test this camera for my photography!