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Sony's Curious New Firmware Updates


BTM_Pix
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So, Sony have released a set of firmware updates for cameras old and new.

These are :

A6500, A7ii, A7iii, A7Rii, A7Riii, A7Sii, A77ii and A9

Beyond saying these firmware updates "improve the overall stability of the cameras" they don't elaborate at all on what the specific issues might have been.

I'm presuming that there must be some sort of common library that these models share that they've found a bug with but I wonder if its something else?

Possibly some new future functionality that needs an intermediate update for would be one possibility. 

Another might be a patch related to similar issues that Blackmagic original Pocket/Micro and VideoAssists have with reading new Sandisk cards.

Another might be some sort of semi-lockout/feature reduction or enhancement related to 3rd party lenses in relation to IBIS? 

The last one I could think of would be to patch some vulnerability to a hack.

Its this last one that is an immediate concern to me as I'm writing this jetlagged to fuck in Tokyo and looking to go out and pick up a cheap used A7Rii or A7Sii in the next few days which both rely on using the PlayMemories hack to get them into English and I don't want the very diligent vendor to have upgraded them ;)

I think the IBIS one might be the most likely though as it is the common link between all of them. 

Curious though and I do wonder how many of us who own a camera on that list consider it unstable enough to upgrade it based on such a vague statement as that from Sony?

 

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That is basically what manufacturers say for OS updates that fix minor parts of code to increase efficiency and reduce the chance of hangups.

Playmemory functionality will not be removed however, since some of those cameras were sold with that functionality in place and people have payed money to Sony for applets in those cameras. Having some undocumented removal of that functionality would likely get them into trouble.

Your hacks might not work anymore however, since they may access parts of the OS that have been changed.

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1 hour ago, Mokara said:

That is basically what manufacturers say for OS updates that fix minor parts of code to increase efficiency and reduce the chance of hangups.

Playmemory functionality will not be removed however, since some of those cameras were sold with that functionality in place and people have payed money to Sony for applets in those cameras. Having some undocumented removal of that functionality would likely get them into trouble.

Your hacks might not work anymore however, since they may access parts of the OS that have been changed.

Thats what I was driving at really, I'm not aware of any substantial numbers of reports of hangups with these specific models (or any these days to be fair) that would require it, particularly as some of them have been out in the wild for a good few years.

IBIS is the common link between them so perhaps its just pre-emptive based on there being something that has come up as a potential long term risk based on their service data.

Interesting timing with it coinciding with Nikon having to recall Z6 and Z7 because of IBIS issues as well. I was thinking about getting a used Z6 on this trip if I saw one cheap enough but I'll be taking a big swerve on that one now ;)

With regard to the Playmemories, the A9, A7iii and A7Riii have already had it removed so this won't be specifically to close the door on the hack but as you say it may well do it indirectly on those that can be language changed/record limit removed using it.

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3 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

Let me know how the Japan store camera hunting goes.

Some great shops there.

I found a Canon 200mm F1.8 EF in Berlin or 1150 euros last week :) No idea how I am going to fit it in my hand luggage though.

The current score is a bit measly, just a used 7Artisans 24mm f1.4 but I'm off for a serious go around again in a couple of hours so that will be added to :)

I've been toying with the S1/24-105 as its about £600 saving so that might happen. 

Thats some deal for that 200mm f1.8. Judging by the picture you put of it on twitter, someone had the same dilemma over putting it in hand luggage and strapped it to the outside of the plane instead!

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On 5/18/2019 at 7:11 AM, BTM_Pix said:

Possibly some new future functionality that needs an intermediate update for would be one possibility. 


Could be for Sony's new wireless? All their older cameras would need an update for this! 
(but if this was true, I'd have expected Sony to explicitly mention this in the firmware update as a new feature)

 

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8 hours ago, IronFilm said:


Could be for Sony's new wireless? All their older cameras would need an update for this! 
(but if this was true, I'd have expected Sony to explicitly mention this in the firmware update as a new feature)

 

I just asked the man in the camera shop what it was for and he said its for the upcoming ProRes RAW output.

Or he may have been giving me directions to the toilet.

I dunno, my Japanese is limited to asking if that price is tax free.

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1 hour ago, BTM_Pix said:

I just asked the man in the camera shop what it was for and he said its for the upcoming ProRes RAW output.

Or he may have been giving me directions to the toilet.

I dunno, my Japanese is limited to asking if that price is tax free.

Prores RAW on most Sony cameras of the past 5 years??!! That would be something.. I wouldn't give more than 1/1000 for the a6500 or A7ii to get such feature, and that is because only fools believe in 0 chances!

If I was a fool I would say that it is in no way possible.

Maybe @IronFilm. Is into something..

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2 minutes ago, Kisaha said:

Prores RAW on most Sony cameras of the past 5 years??!! That would be something.. I wouldn't give more than 1/1000 for the a6500 or A7ii to get such feature, and that is because only fools believe in 0 chances!

If I was a fool I would say that it is in no way possible.

Maybe @IronFilm. Is into something..

I was only kidding about the external ProRes RAW thing obviously.

Its internal ProRes RAW really.

;)

 

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5 hours ago, Kisaha said:

What all of these have in common? IBIS? Could have been compatibility with new lenses, or slightly olders, or some kind of improvement.

Or the Chinese had access to your rolling shutter.

IBIS is the common denominator.

New lenses could well be the reason actually.

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