I've had my new Sony A1 ii camera for a couple of weeks now, and while I haven't put it through a full rigorous test yet, my initial impressions are very positive. This is Sony’s newest flagship, an upgrade from the already powerful A1, and the improvements are noticeable right out of the box.

First and foremost, the image quality has truly impressed me.

Responsiveness also feels improved. The camera fires up instantly, and there’s a tangible quickness when navigating settings or reviewing images. It's subtle, but it makes the whole experience smoother, especially when I’m out shooting wildlife where every second counts.

Autofocus, always one of Sony’s strong suits, is even better. The tracking speed and accuracy have been spot-on, quickly locking onto and following subjects without fail. Sony has expanded their auto subject detection options, adding more categories like insects, which I’m excited to test thoroughly come spring when the bugs return. Right now, I stick mostly to birds, animals, and humans—these modes remain excellent.

Of course, not everything is perfect. Sony repeatedly claims they've "improved" their menu system, but navigating it never seems to get easier. I still find myself spending a bit too much time hunting down certain settings. I could upload my A1 i setting so it was back to menu. Lockly once setup I can limit my need to use the menu.

One feature that caught my attention right away is the addition of three new autofocus modes looks to be tailored for object (bird, animal, human) moving across the frame. They look promising and I anticipate these will make capturing fast-moving wildlife significantly easier.

My real test for the A1 ii will happen soon, as I’m heading to Nebraska to photograph the sandhill cranes before moving on to prairie chickens in April. Both trips should provide ample opportunities to see just how good this camera really is in real-world wildlife photography situations.

More after the spring photo trips.

• Sony A1 ii Overview – DPReview
• Sony Unveils Alpha 1 ii – PetaPixel
• Sony Announces Alpha 1 ii – Alpha Universe