TTartisan announced the AF 56mm f/1.8 for Sony in China. So far we have no info about the release date in other countries. The X-mount version is priced at $178 at BHphoto.

Sony now reports that the A1 firmware update has been suspended:

It was confirmed that some products updated to Ver.2.00 may not be able to connect to the network.
Due to this issue, we have suspended the update. (March 29, 2024)

Yesterday one of my readers shared this screenshot showing the problem on the A7sIII too:

Hope Sony can fix this ASAP because now A1 users will have quite an annoying issue!

Finally folks! My rumors were spot on and we got the major firmware update! If you don’t know how to update the firmware on your camera here is a How-To from Alphauniverse. Please do share your experience and discoveries with the new firmware. Send me your feedback or youtube video and I will do a post later on SAR with all of it!

This is the press text:

Sony Electronics Delivers Firmware Updates including C2PA Compliancy as a Next Step to Ensure Authenticity of Images
More than 45 Updates for the Alpha 1, Alpha 9 III, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 7 IV will also improve Shooting Functions and Workflow

SAN DIEGO, March 27, 2024 – Today, Sony Electronics delivers the highly anticipated firmware updates for the Alpha 1 (Ver. 2.00), Alpha 7S III (Ver. 3.00), Alpha 7 IV (Ver. 3.00), and after April 2024, the Alpha 9 III (Ver.2.00). The update contains some of Sony’s most impactful technology, including Camera Authenticity Solution, the proprietary in-camera digital signature and C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) format support¹. Together, these tools will make it possible for news agencies to ensure the authenticity of images, contributing to industry efforts to protect creators, and society from fake imagery

Additionally, the firmware updates include many requested features to improve everyday use. The update evolves shooting functions and post-shooting workflow and brings advanced movie features like breathing compensation. It also includes new remote-control capabilities, new features for professional applications, and expanded access to cloud services applications.

“There is nothing more core to our mission than listening to the voices of the photographers, videographers, and filmmakers who shoot with Sony Alpha cameras. We know this community has been asking for these updates, and we’re happy to deliver. Each of these updates are designed to promote ease of use for our creators and allow them to maximize the strengths of their cameras,” says Yang Cheng, Vice President, Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “We’re especially pleased to deliver C2PA compliancy with this update. This compliancy paired with our unique digital signature technology, allows us to offer the most secure and comprehensive solution to protect professional photographers, news agencies, and society from manipulated imagery.”

Camera Authenticity Solution

Last year, Sony announced its commitment to developing technology in its cameras to aid in the fight against manipulated imagery and AI-generated fakes. The severity of this issue is only increasing and it’s a complex problem that requires the focus and attention of our entire industry.

One critical part of the solution is making more Sony cameras C2PA compliant. C2PA is a Joint Development Foundation project, where Sony is a steering committee member. C2PA aims to develop an end-to-end open technical standard to provide publishers, creators and consumers with opt-in, flexible ways to understand the authenticity, and provenance of different types of media. The C2PA is a standards-setting body that will develop technical specifications on content provenance and authentication by certifying the source and history of media content. With this firmware update, the authenticity information embedded on images from Alpha 1, Alpha 9 III, Alpha 7S III, and Alpha 7 IV can be maintained from capture through publication. This provides professional photographers with the ability to preserve their digital signature from the camera, while tracking the editing history throughout revisions.

 Another critical component of the solution is Sony’s in-camera digital signature technology² that signs images in real-time. This new feature certifies the authenticity of an image at the point of capture and creates a ‘digital birth certificate’ that is retained throughout revisions. The signature contains metadata including 3D-depth information captured through the proprietary technology in the image sensor developed by Sony. This depth information can show if the image captured was of an actual 3D object, vs a photograph of an image or video, providing an extra level of protection and ​ even more assurance of the content’s authenticity, and making Sony’s solution especially unique for photojournalists and news agencies.

Sony’s solution also helps protect the authenticity of content by including an Image Validation Site, which verifies the image even after edits have been made by C2PA-compliant editing software. This service confirms the authenticity of the photo was taken by a specific camera and that the object of the photo is 3D. This service will initially be offered to select news media agencies, expanding to other agencies at a later date.

Shooting and Playback Updates

The firmware updates include over 10 new features, as well as improvements to existing features, designed to improve the user’s overall shooting experience. These improved capabilities showcase Sony’s commitment to continuing to evolve the functionality of Sony’s existing camera models. A few highlights of the firmware update functions include:

File Transfer and Network Connectivity 

Additional updates aimed to optimize the post-production workflow efficiency include improvements to International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC) preset and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) transfer operability. To streamline processes for users, expanded cloud upload and application services will be available. Key updates include:

Many of these updates are applicable to multiple cameras, however for a list of each body’s specific update please check the Sony website.

Exclusive stories and exciting new content shot with Sony’s imaging products can be found at www.alphauniverse.com, a site created to educate and inspire all fans and customers of Sony α – Alpha brand.

Notes:

¹ This feature is available to some news organizations at the press release timing.

² Both Sony’s in-camera digital signature technology and C2PA compliancy are currently available through a separate upgrade license.

³ For compatible lens information, please refer to the support page (https://www.sony.net/dics/breathing/)

⁴ For regional app/service availability, check here. To use this service, it is necessary to download and install the upgrade license.

⁵ Remote Camera Tool Version 4.1.0 is required to activate the function.

⁶ For compatible lens information, please refer to the support page (https://www.sony.net/dics/func1002/)

⁷ A dedicated adapter cable, which is sold separately, is required to connect to the timecode source equipment.

⁸ Availability varies depending on country and region. Available through the Upgrade and License Management Suite at https://ulms.sony.net.

⁹ For regional app/service availability, check here. Creators’ App Ver.2.3.1 or later is necessary. Settings must be made in the Creators’ App in advance. For more information, please visit the Creators’ App support website (https://www.sony.net/ca/help/opr/)

¹⁰When connecting to a device with a USB Type-C port, please use a commercially available USB cable or a conversion adapter.

I really never something like this before: The Lancer 300 is a Camera Backpack with Exoskeleton design and integrated battery! You can read all the details and preorder it on Kickstarter (Click here).

What do you think…is this a bit of an overkill or is it really useful?

Reminder: The German company Spinn now has over 1,000 backers for the new magnetic Swift-lock on Kickstarter (Click here). This is how it works:

So folks, I collected your feedback from this site, from my youtube channel and from our Facebook page and collected them here. I do own the A7rV so I cannot test today’s firmware update myself. If I made a mistake or forgot something please let me know in the comment systems.

Download links:

• Alpha 1 (Ver. 2.00), Alpha 7S III (Ver. 3.00), Alpha 7 IV (Ver. 3.00),

One Warning:

• You will have to completely re-setup your A1 from scratch after the 2.0 update. You cannot save your settings (Thanks Eric Durnall)

Here is a list of positives that are not mentioned in the official press release:

• AF assist, which wasn’t stated in the list of updates or in any news article that I read. This is a massive help to control video AF as you can override its tracking at any point by manually focusing on where you want it to be. First seen in the a7 IV, it’s such a relief that they’ve added it. (Source: Philip Bloom)
• The new video mode display which again wasn’t stated anywhere. Not only that, but we have the updated version introduced with the ZV-E1 where you can change ISO/ aperture/ shutter speed/ WB via touch, and there are additional options when you swipe left / right. This is a huge thing, too and I don’t understand why they are not touting it. If you start recording video in the stills mode, you still get the old display. (Source: Philip Bloom)
• Future firmware updates can be done via SD card, which is great as these updates were slow and painful, especially as I had to do two for each as they weren’t on the previous FW. (Source: Philip Bloom)

Here is a list of things still missing:

• The one thing I still cannot fathom is their refusal to give them Animal Eye AF for video when they updated the a7c and ZV-10 over two years ago to provide them with this via firmware. On top of that, you can STILL select Animal Eye AF in the video menu; it just doesn’t recognise any animals. I’ve asked them if they could explain why, but I doubt they will. At this point, I’ve given up hope we will ever see it. (Source: Philip Bloom)
• Focus breathing finally, although not in 8K on the alpha 1, probably because there’s no clear image zoom ability in 8K. (Source: Philip Bloom)
• The dedicated log mode with user LUTs would have been nice. (Source: Philip Bloom)
• The updates for stills for alpha 1 are minimal and have upset those users. One key missing thing is focus bracketing. (Source: Philip Bloom)
• I would love to have seen variable shutter on the a7s III added as this is so important for matching dodgy lighting environments or screens. (Source: Philip Bloom)
• Pavol Varga: The battery percentage indicator disappeared for third-party batteries (Please do verify if that is really happening!)
• No pre-capture on the A1 that would be easy for them to add in firmware
• No anamorphic desqueeze on the A7sIII

Youtuber videos:

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Japanese stores officially marked the Sony R1XrII as “discontinued”.  You can still find a limited stock overseas at Amazon US&EU and BHphoto. You can also get it with an over $900 discount as recondtioned item on Amazon (with 90 day warranty).

The RX1rII was announced back in 2016 so it’s normal that they now discontinued it. But I hope this ins’t the end of the line because right now the Leica Q3, Fujifilm X100VI and the Ricoh GRIII are selling like hotcakes! I hope Sony will surprise us with a new model in the near future!

via Asobinet