In addition to announcing its brand new a6400 APS-C mirrorless camera, Sony announced major firmware updates to its acclaimed full-frame a9 camera.
Update March 25, 2019: Sony has officially released Version 5.0 for the Sony a9 camera. You can download it here.
Version 5.0 brings in a Real-time Tracking mode that uses artificial intelligence (AI), along with depth, brightness, and distance to detect and track high-moving objects with increased accuracy. The update also allows for the camera to recognize eye position of the subjects (whether they are humans or animals) to increase tracking precision.
Additionally, the a9 is receiving Real-time Eye AF, which uses a half press of the shutter button to track the eyes of all subjects in AF-C mode. Users can also toggle between the preferred eye (left or right) to get even more specific tracking and detection.
“These new firmware upgrades demonstrate the strong commitment that Sony has to our customers,” said Neal Manowitz, vice president of Imaging Solutions at Sony Electronics. “Their voice is critical to everything we do, and being able to provide our customers with new capabilities is a source of great pride for Sony.”
The firmware also allows for Touch Pad, Touch Tracking, and Fast Hybrid AF that allow for autofocusing in movies and an increased aperture range.
Color reproduction also gets an update with the 5.0 firmware, along with a new auto white balance algorithms, as well as My Dial and Dual Slot menu functions.
One note for users: cameras will be formatted and restored to factory settings after the update, so remember to note your go-to camera settings before launching version 5.0.
“All setting values of the camera are initialized because of an update that adds functions and makes major changes to the specifications,” Sony instructs. “Even if camera settings for the camera’s system software (firmware) Ver.4.10 or earlier have been registered to the memory card using Memory (Camera Settings1 / Camera Settings2), those settings cannot be restored to a camera using system software (firmware) Ver.5.00 or later. We recommend you write down frequently used camera settings and other important information prior to executing the update.”
Version 5.0 is available for download now.
Version 6.0 for the a9 — which is scheduled for summer 2019 — brings an exciting new feature for wildlife and pet photographers: eye AF for animal eyes. This will allow users to track fast-moving animals with high accuracy, out in the field, and inside the studio.
Sony also announced that additional firmware updates (Version 3.0) will be coming to the a7R III and the a7 III, and will include the Real-time Eye AF in AF-C mode. Real-Time Eye AF for animals will be included. The a7R III and the a7 III will also receive interval recording functionality (like the new α6400), and will be coming in April 2019.
