Choose the Right Focus Area on your Sony Alpha Camera

Today deals at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon IT, FotoErhardt DE, FotoKoch DE.
All you need to know about the New Tamron 50-300mm Lens! (Mikes Camera).
Eye Photography: How to Take Close-Up Photos of an Iris (42West).
Back to School: 43 Needs and Wants for Film School (Explora).
Are Retro Camera Designs Stupid? (Cammackey)
The Best Mirrorless Cameras (ThePhoBlographer).
Shure Announces Plethora of New Wireless Offerings (Explora).
How to Choose the Best Camera for Portraits (42West).

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We have our own Facebook camera groups you can join to discuss the upcoming new cameras in detail:
Sony Alpha group. Sony A1 group. Sony A9 series group. Sony A7r series group. Sony A7s series group. Sony A7 series group.

The top three best selling cameras

The large Japanese store Mapcamera has shared the top 10 best-selling cameras in August:

1. Fujifilm X-T5
2. FujiFilm X100VI
3. Canon R5II
4. Nikon Z8
5. Sony ZV-E10II
6. FujiFilm X-T50
7. Sony α7C II
8. Canon EOS R6 Mark II
9. Nikon Z f
10. Nikon Z6III

Compared to the July ranking the A7rV and A7IV have fallen out of the top 10. Fujifilm gained the most with two cameras on top. We also find lot’s of new entries like the R5II, Z6III and ZV-E10II. We really need to get some new camera from Sony to see a comeback of strong Sony sales: We need the A7sIV, A1II and A7V!

Sony suspended the firmware update for the Sony A7RV:

We confirmed that some ILCE-7RM5 cameras may not start up after installing the version 3.00 update.
We have suspended the update while we investigate the cause.
(September 13, 2024)

Some readers (including youtuber Peter Gregg) told me they experienced issues withe the new FX30 firmware update too (But Sony did not suspend the FX30-FX3 firmware update yet). What’s also true is that most testers did not have any issue at all. Weird…

My favorite camera is the Sony A7rV …which I do own :) And not only got this camera the biggest price drop ever (- $500 on Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama) but today there is also a major firmware update (Click here) that brings a ton of new features:

Benefits and Improvements

• You can now continue shooting while transferring captured photos and videos to a smartphone or tablet
  Note: Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.
• Transfer to smartphones and tablets can now be resumed even if interrupted in the middle of a transfer
  Note: Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.
• You can now transfer only the differences that have not yet been transferred to your smartphone or tablet, or add videos to be transferred during the transfer process
  Note: Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.
• Allows you to upload camera images directly to the Creators’ Cloud app
  Notes:
  • Settings must be adjusted in the Creators’ App in advance. For more information, please visit the Creators’ App support website.
  • Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary. This service may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.
• Adds support for the Network Streaming function
  Notes:
  • Settings must be adjusted in the Creators’ App in advance. For more information, please visit the Creators’ App support website.
  • Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.
• Adds support for the Monitor & Control app
  Note: The Monitor & Control app connects wirelessly to a camera and enables video monitoring and remote control with a smartphone or tablet device. Ver. 2.1.0 or later of the Monitor & Control app is necessary. The Monitor & Control app may not be available in some countries or regions.
• Adds a function that automatically creates still images with Shot Marks from movie frames after recordings
  Note: You can add a Shot Mark while shooting or playing a movie and use it as a mark for selecting, transferring, or editing the movie.
• Increases the maximum number of images that can be recorded in one folder to 9,999
• Displays the Wi-Fi signal strength when the Wi-Fi function is On
• Allows the use of Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier in MF while using the Bright Monitoring feature
• Allows notifications to be displayed when the latest software is available for your camera
• Adds support for the Custom Grid Line feature
  Note: The Custom Grid Line feature is available as a paid license. Availability depends on country and region.
• Fixes an issue where Auto Review is not displayed on the camera during HDMI output
• Improves the functionality and operational stability of the camera

Note: Please refer to the Help Guide for details on all updated functions.

Both the FX3 ($200 off on Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama) and FX30 ($200 off on Amazon, BHphoto,Adorama) got a new major firmware update today!  There is a new 6.00 firmware for the FX3 (download here) and 5.00 firmware for the FX30 (download here)

Benefits and Improvements

• Allows you to choose the exposure time (from either shutter speed or shutter angle) when shooting movies
• Allows you to add OK/NG/KEEP flags to clips during or after movie recording
• Improves the image quality when using 3D LUT software
• Adds the 709tone color mode to Picture Profile. Please set one of the Picture Profiles (PP1-PP11) to the 709tone color mode
• Allows notifications to be displayed when the latest software is available for your camera
• You can now continue shooting while transferring captured photos and videos to a smartphone or tablet
  Note: Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.
• Transfer to smartphones and tablets can now be resumed even if interrupted in the middle of a transfer
  Note: Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.
• You can now transfer only the differences that have not yet been transferred to your smartphone or tablet, or add videos to be transferred during the transfer process
  Note: Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.
• Adds support for the Network Streaming function
  Notes:
  • Settings must be adjusted in the Creators’ App in advance. For more information, please visit the Creators’ App support website.
  • Ver. 2.5.0 or later of the Creators’ App is necessary. The Creators’ App may not be available in some countries or regions. For more information, please visit the Creators’ Cloud support website.
  • Confirmation has been made that input is possible in M2 Live using SRT.
    M2 Live is an All-in-One cloud switcher service that allows real-time switching of video and audio, overlaying of graphics, and playback of video files on the cloud.
    A contract is required to use M2 Live. This service may not be available in some countries or regions.
• Supports the following Monitor & Control app functions
  Note: Ver. 2.1.0 or later of the Monitor & Control app is necessary. The Monitor & Control app may not be available in some countries or regions.
  • Wired connection via a USB cable
  • Clip review during camera playback mode
  • Focus map display
  • IRIS operation bar display
  • Selection from shutter speed or shutter angle for exposure time
• Improves the functionality and operational stability of the camera

Note: Refer to the Help Guide for details on all updated functions.