Sony's major firmware adds new features to Sony A9, A7iii and A7Riii
Sony announced a major feature upgrade to its a9, a7iii and a7riii mirrorless cameras that will be available via a firmware update.
After the big announcement of the new Sony α6400, Sony announced major firmware updates to its acclaimed full-frame α9 camera and the Sony Alpha A7III and Sony A7RIII cameras.
Source: Sony Global
Sony just released its new APS-C camera α6400, which will supposedly target Vlogger’s/YouTuber’s under various demographics.
Just after the announcement Sony released a statement on various platforms as well as on their official website that they shall be releasing their new firmware update for their mirrorless camera, Sony α9, they have named it the Version 5.0 update.
The upcoming firmware Version 5.0 for α9 adds Sony's newly developed Real-time Tracking mode for object tracking. This mode utilizes Sony's latest algorithm—including Artificial Intelligence-based object recognition—and processes color, subject distance (depth), pattern (brightness) as well as spatial (distance) information to ensure that all subjects can be captured with extreme accuracy and precision. When photographing or videographing humans or animals, face and eye position information is recognized by AI and the subject's eye is monitored in real time with extremely high tracking precision. In addition, "Tracking On" helps initiate real-time tracking at any time by simply pressing a custom-assigned button and "Touch Tracking," which quickly activates through the touch screen.
Source: Sony Global
Source: Sony Global
“With this new firmware version 5.0, Sony's acclaimed α9 camera will receive advanced "Real-time Eye AF," the latest version of Sony's acclaimed Eye AF technology. This exciting new capability employs AI-based object recognition to detect and process eye location data in real time, resulting in improved accuracy, speed and tracking performance of Eye AF. In all autofocus modes, the camera can automatically detect the eyes of the subject and activate Eye AF with a half press of the shutter button, and the camera will seamlessly track the eyes at all times when in AF-C mode. The new firmware will also enable photographers to select the preferred eye (left or right) of their subject as the focus point.”
- Sony Global
Other focusing capabilities that will be available with the new firmware include Touch Pad, Touch Tracking, an extended phase-detection AF aperture range that has been increased from F11 to F16, and Fast Hybrid AF for movie shooting that provides smooth, automated focusing for movies.
Below are some of the points that Sony claims will help with the performance of the camera and what they have added to improve it.
The new Version 5 will improve image quality. The camera will more accurately account for subtle changes in light for smoother, more natural tonal gradations in elements like the sky.
Sony has added a new white balance algorithm in the firmware so that the images that are produced are more consistently balanced while burst shooting.
There are new functions for efficient controls and data management which basically include the My Dial and Dual Slot media menu improvement, rating and protect functions.
It also adds compatibility with Sony's new Imaging Edge Mobile application - the successor to the PlayMemories Mobile application.
The Version 6.0 firmware for the α9 camera will add Eye AF for animal eyes, an exciting new feature for wildlife photographers that will enable interval shooting functionality for creating time-lapse movies.
The new system firmware update Version 5.0 is scheduled for launch in March 2019, and Version 6.0 is scheduled for Summer 2019.
Do not worry. Sony has not forgotten about the α7R III and α7 III full-frame cameras.
Source: Sony Global
Source: Sony Global
Sony's popular α7R III and α7 III full-frame cameras will both receive enhanced Real-time Eye AF performance with the upcoming firmware Version 3.0. This will be available in AF-C mode with a simple half-press of the shutter button. Real-Time Eye AF for animals will also be available.
The cameras will also receive interval recording functionality that will allow for simple creation of time-lapse movies. The new feature can be set for anywhere between 1 and 60 seconds, with a total number of shots from 1 to 9999. AE tracking sensitivity can also be adjusted to "High", "Mid" or "Low" during interval recording, allowing for reduced changes in exposure over the shooting interval.
The new system firmware update Version 3.0 is scheduled in April 2019.
If you don’t know how to update the firmware of your Sony camera then watch our video below.
Source: GMax Studios YouTube Channel
