The Perfect Photography Partners

No two days are the same for a press photographer. In a world where news is accessible to everyone, 24 hours a day, the demand for the latest images to accompany breaking stories is relentless. From local stories to shooting major international events, press photographers have to be ready to capture them all, and they need cameras and lenses that they can rely on.

The UK and Ireland’s largest press agency is PA Media Group, and as of September 2021, the 90 photographers, video journalists and reporters they have on staff are being kitted out with the latest Sony cameras and lenses.

One of the key moments in the step to mirrorless was when PA photographer, Owen Humphreys, first used a Sony Alpha 9 camera.

“I cover a wide variety of events in the North East, from news, to sport and weather, to any royal visits. Basically anything that’s going to make a picture that can be used in the media,” Owen says. “It’s in low light that these cameras come into their own.  I use them to photograph landmarks in the north of England with the Northern Lights when they are visible, or the Milky Way, and the results are sensational.”

“In the north east I cover Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough football clubs on a regular basis, but have also been extremely lucky to cover other major sporting events around the world such as World Cups, Euros, Olympics, and major golf tournaments,” continues Owen.  “I shoot each game with three cameras and lenses and use the 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master lens which I will have on a Sony Alpha 9 II over my shoulder. Then, I’ll usually be shooting with the FE 400mm f/2.8 OSS G Master and behind the goal, I will put a remote camera with a maybe a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, or something a little wider. I usually carry the FE 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master lens in a pouch with me in case I need it and as you can see, I am covered for everything from 12mm all the way to 400mm, or 800mm with a 2x teleconverter.”

Now all 90 photographers, video journalists and reporters at PA will be able to rely on the entire range of Sony Alpha cameras. But it isn’t just about the headline camera specifications; press photographers need to get their images across to picture desks as soon as possible to make sure that it is their image that gets used.

“The way that the Sony Alpha 9 II transmits images straight from the camera is fantastic. The transmission is really quick, so we can have pictures on the desk in London almost instantly. When you combine that with the silent shutter, it allows us to photograph events and locations that we usually wouldn’t have access to, and then be able to get the images delivered straight away,” says Owen.

With the addition of the Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master and 400mm f/2.8 G Master lenses in the last few years, Sony now has a strong professional lens line-up that goes beyond the faithful FE 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses.

“From our point of view, we now have a team of photographers who are all using the same brilliant Sony sensors, so all of images have a similarity to them. The autofocus is fantastic, the colour is superb and the images look sharper. Very simply, our pictures look better!” continues Martin.

“To be able to give an entire team brand new kit is a rare occasion. It is an amazing leap forward.  But more importantly, to have the support of the Sony team who guide us through how best to use the cameras when it comes to specific situations has been invaluable. That ability to lend equipment, answer a technical question and feedback our needs and challenges to the engineers in Tokyo is a great relationship for any organisation to have with a manufacturer and its representatives,” concludes Martin.