Firmware update announced for A850/A900

[Philip]

According to dpreview http://www.dpreview.com/news/1012/10120 ... rmware.asp Sony have finally released the long expected firmware. However as of 7.15am (GMT) it wasn't availible on Sony UK's support page. Details are also on Sony's website http://presscentre.sony.eu/content/deta ... wsAreaId=2.

Philip

[kysham]

Philip, do check out the asian Sony websites, it had already been posted there. The firmware from these sites works on my A850 just fine, even though I am not from that country (I am from Malaysia, and I downloaded from Japan site). Go to the main page of photoclubalpha (not this forum's main page). David put up the links for the firmware already.

My A850 coupled with the 85mm Zeiss seems to be focusing much more accurate & with more confidence than before. The rotational speed of the lens remains the same. But the time it took the lens to lock focus had decreased substantially.

[David Kilpatrick]

I am still waiting for a response from Sony EU telling me they have updated their website to actually include the firmware!

This is not the first time they've done this - sent a release, with a link, and the link is not active or complete. I am cautious about advising anyone to use firmware from outside their own region.

In the case of the NEX-5 and NEX-3, and possibly also the A33/55, 560/580 in the future, installing the wrong firmware will leave you with HD video in the wrong format unable to play back through your region's TVs. I suspect the default HDMI playback output from the A900/850 may be affected by choice of regional firmware too, but on these cameras you can change it anyway.

So I am waiting until the European release is actually available before doing mine.

David

[Philip]

I have down loaded from Sony's Australian site http://www.sony.com.au/support/download ... /dslr-a900 and everything appears to be working fine. Video output is default PAL and HDMI is default HD(720)prior (1080i is an option). Haven't really tried the camera out since flashing the firmware, but a quick check with the 70-400 indicates faster AF lock.

Philip

[agorabasta]

David, the FW updates for the Nex5/3 were the same bit-exact files, no matter if downloaded from Japan/Europe/Americas.

That sure doesn't mean it's the same with A900/850, though.

[kysham]

David, please shoot some ISO3200 photos as reference before you update to v2.00. Would be interesting to know your findings on the high ISO performance. Thanks.

[01af]

I just downloaded firmware 2.00 for Sony A900 a few minutes ago from Sony Europe's website. Haven't installed it yet; will do it later today.

[01af]

... but a quick check with the 70-400 indicates faster AF lock.

So AF speed has been improved indeed. Now I wonder if AF accuracy also has changed ... be it for the better or the worse

[Mike-Photos]

... but a quick check with the 70-400 indicates faster AF lock.

So AF speed has been improved indeed. Now I wonder if AF accuracy also has changed ... be it for the better or the worse

Yes, I'm wandering about my micro focus adjustment on my 100mm macro lens. My adjustment is quite severe, -9 I think. I guess I am going to have to re-test it.

[agorabasta]

All the FW update files from all around the world are exactly the same. No diff Japan/EU/US/whatever - nada.

[David Kilpatrick]

ISO - no change. Before and after shots have slightly different noise distribution, but no more so than any two shots separated by a few minutes. There is no significant (visible) improvement in high ISO or normal ISO performance, and indeed the information did not suggest that there would be.

David

[01af]

My adjustment is quite severe, -9 I think. I guess I am going to have to re-test it.

Umm ... I wonder if the camera keeps all the AF micro-adjustment settings after the firmware update!? Maybe it's better to cycle through your lenses and make notes before installing the update, in case you want/have to restore the settings afterwards.

[kysham]

My A850 kept the micro-adjustment settings after the firmware update.

David: Hmmm... looks like I was over my head in suggesting the ISO3200 shots were cleaner after the update. I was pretty sure there were some improvements.... *hmm.....* oh well, guess I was wrong then.

[agorabasta]

David,

On the noise performance - were your results with JPEG or raw? And if raw, what software?

I would actually try with dcraw/Ufraw since using the current ACR may be smoothing the noise out too much already.

Thanks.

[Mike-Photos]

My adjustment is quite severe, -9 I think. I guess I am going to have to re-test it.

Umm ... I wonder if the camera keeps all the AF micro-adjustment settings after the firmware update!? Maybe it's better to cycle through your lenses and make notes before installing the update, in case you want/have to restore the settings afterwards.

I've seen a number of posts that indicate the adjustments remain. This is the only lens I adjusted, but I'll note it anyway - thanks for the tip.

I've also seen posts that:
* The date / time adjust sometimes
* The menu setting to show the last used menu changes to the first menu. Makes sense considering there are changes to the menus.