New Sony A7S III Firmware Update Adds S-Cinetone Color Profile

Written by Matt Kilefner
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Published on March 3, 2021
Sony A7Siii Firmware 2.00 Update
Sony A7Siii Firmware 2.00 Update
Matt Kilefner
Adorama ALC

Just last week, Sony announced the release of firmware version 2.00. The update takes the Sony A7S III to another level by adding the S-Cinetone color profile to the camera, as well as an upgraded Active Mode. Best of all, it’s free to download. Here’s what we know about the new firmware version 2.00 for the Sony A7S III.

Key firmware details

  • Added S-Cinetone color profile
  • Updated Active Mode for Slow & Quick shooting
  • Free to download

Improving the celebrated Sony A7S III

The Sony A7S III launched in mid 2020 and received early praise for its incredible shooting capabilities and intuitive menu and button layout. The A7S III offers shooters 4K recording at 120fps, 5-axis stabilization, 10fps continuous shooting, low noise at high ISO settings, 15 stops of dynamic range, and, to the delight of many creators, a video recording button next to the shutter button.

Sony’s new firmware version 2.00 takes the A7S III to another level. The main component of the update, S-Cinetone, vastly enhances color and tones to fit the style and look of cinema and video. S-Cinetone was initially introduced with the video-focused Sony FX3, and its success and popularity made it an important addition for the A7S III.

What is S-Cinetone, and why is it important?

Without getting too technical, S-Cinetone offers high contrast in low-luminance levels, low contrast in high-luminance levels, black levels slightly lower than traditional video, and total color reproduction. The adjustments to tones and color reproduction lead to more natural skin tones and “film-like” colors, such as richer colors in darker exposures.

On top of S-Cinetone, firmware update 2.00 boosted the ability of Active Mode while shooting S&Q frame rates. Now, Steady Shot is supported while shooting in S&Q mode, so users can expect more image stabilization for smoother recording.

How to download the Sony A7S III Firmware 2.00 update

To download the exciting new firmware 2.00 update, go to Sony’s support page. The webpage provides detailed instructions near the bottom, but the quick gist is: download the firmware to your computer, connect your camera to your computer via USB, and transfer the update to your Sony A7S III.

Matt Kilefner
Matt is a director of photography at a creative studio in New York City. Feel free to check out his portfolio at mattkilefner.com and get in touch at mattkilefner@gmail.com.