I reached out to Sony support via the chat platform and the representative stated that they are testing/working on new firmware for the A1. This obviously guarantees nothing but I took it as a good sign. Also asked what features Id like to see added.
One of my previous photography students came over. She still had her a1 on firmware 1.30. Mine is on 1.31. We experimented with both cameras, using the same 400 2.8, 200-600 and 70-200 II. We set the cameras with the same settings and tried bird eye AF on various large prints I have displayed. Now, this is by no means scientific but it did seem 1.30 did work a little better for bird eye AF. Realize this was with indoor lighting and two dimensional prints verses live birds in outdoor lighting. But I could see her camera with 1.30 was a little bit faster, sticker and more precise. YMMV.
Lon
A9Lon wrote:
One of my previous photography students came over. She still had her a1 on firmware 1.30. Mine is on 1.31. We experimented with both cameras, using the same 400 2.8, 200-600 and 70-200 II. We set the cameras with the same settings and tried bird eye AF on various large prints I have displayed. Now, this is by no means scientific but it did seem 1.30 did work a little better for bird eye AF. Realize this was with indoor lighting and two dimensional prints verses live birds in outdoor lighting. But I could see her camera with 1.30 was a little bit faster, sticker and more precise. YMMV.
Lon...Show more →
In real world shooting that is my finding as well with the 600GM. Just not as sticky on the eye with some drift off and then on again. I don't recall that happening as much with 1.30
That said, I making up for it with FPS boosts but ideally you want things to work at least as good as before the 1.31 update
Yes, I noticed a difference right after I updated to 1.31. But I kinda shrugged it off and kept shooting and always over shoot during action and always get plenty of keepers. But this is the first time I had to compare the two versions of the firmware.
I've written to Sony twice about this difference in bird eye AF and less expensive new models getting features not in the flagship a1. I've not received any response from Sony.
Lon
It is definitely a good sign and the first informal (and unexpected) leak from Sony. How long ago this chat was?
Interesting that they asked you to suggest features, I wouldn’t expect this either.
Mattstig wrote:
I reached out to Sony support via the chat platform and the representative stated that they are testing/working on new firmware for the A1. This obviously guarantees nothing but I took it as a good sign. Also asked what features Id like to see added.
A9Lon wrote:
Yes, I noticed a difference right after I updated to 1.31. But I kinda shrugged it off and kept shooting and always over shoot during action and always get plenty of keepers. But this is the first time I had to compare the two versions of the firmware.
I've written to Sony twice about this difference in bird eye AF and less expensive new models getting features not in the flagship a1. I've not received any response from Sony.
Lon
I think a direct comparison is the only way to prove the issue is there to Sony.
Did you review the resulting images as well or only the eyeAF frame in EVF / on LCD?
This was yesterday 3/31. I had seen so much chatter/rumor etc. I figured why not ask directly and was surprised when the agent responded the way he did. I specifically mentioned the 2.0 firmware for the A74 and A7R5 and support for the creators app. The representative said they didn’t want to rush it out and that it had to be tested properly. He also asked what gear I own and then was new featurws I’d like to see in firmware. I was very surprised.
baltmin wrote:
It is definitely a good sign and the first informal (and unexpected) leak from Sony. How long ago this chat was?
Interesting that they asked you to suggest features, I wouldn’t expect this either.
Mattstig wrote:
This was yesterday 3/31. I had seen so much chatter/rumor etc. I figured why not ask directly and was surprised when the agent responded the way he did. I specifically mentioned the 2.0 firmware for the A74 and A7R5 and support for the creators app. The representative said they didn’t want to rush it out and that it had to be tested properly. He also asked what gear I own and then was new featurws I’d like to see in firmware. I was very surprised.
Since it was only comparing the 1.30 vs 1.31 indoors using bird photos, we did not shoot images.
Yes, a direct comparison in the field would be great.
j4nu wrote:
I think a direct comparison is the only way to prove the issue is there to Sony.
Did you review the resulting images as well or only the eyeAF frame in EVF / on LCD?
I will be very hesitant to buy another Sony flagship camera in the future. I have two A1s and other Sony cameras. If Nikon makes a Z9 in the A1 size, I will take a serious look at it to pair with their 600 TC. I can't believe I would say that.
The comments on YT under this video are pretty interesting. This can't be good publicity for Sony.
I can now relate to people who say do NOT buy a product based on potential future software feature updates.
I bought an A7R5 and got FOMO after seeing newer ZV camera has now eye AF in Sony Clear Zoom, frame guide etc. R5 is no longer most feature rich Sony camera. But Sony did sell most feature packed camera to me at the time of purchase with no promise.
Same happened with Apple users, some of them keep hoping Apple to release MacOS on iPad Pro as it’s using the same hardware as Macs now. On each iPad OS update, these people vent their anger at Apple. Apple used to trickle down these latest software features to older and low end models not anymore, Apple has restricted stage manager feature to only latest and most expensive iPad Pro models, 2018 and 2020 users felt left out.
Douglas L wrote:
I will be very hesitant to buy another Sony flagship camera in the future. I have two A1s and other Sony cameras. If Nikon makes a Z9 in the A1 size, I will take a serious look at it to pair with their 600 TC. I can't believe I would say that.
&t=3s
If it weren't for all the other FE glass in the kit - totally understandable.
It seems like I got lucky that I'm on 1.30
I'm pretty much stuck with Sony now but it's seriously good stuff and as far as I know - the Z8 or non-bloated Z9 is still vaporware.
liggy wrote:
If it weren't for all the other FE glass in the kit - totally understandable.
It seems like I got lucky that I'm on 1.30
I'm pretty much stuck with Sony now but it's seriously good stuff and as far as I know - the Z8 or non-bloated Z9 is still vaporware.
I share a similar sentiment to the one in the video .
Switching is not completely out of the question though because there's an AF adapter that has great reviews when it comes to AF speed & accuracy.
A possible explanation for Sony’s behaviour might be that they are going to keep the same sensor on the A1ii, the same as they have done with A7RIV - A7RV. If it is going to be a software update, not a hardware update (excluding that AI chip), this is why we are not getting the features.
They should still offer another update to fix the AF inconsistency 1.31 generated at least.
Outstanding wrote:
I can now relate to people who say do NOT buy a product based on potential future software feature updates.
I bought an A7R5 and got FOMO after seeing newer ZV camera has now eye AF in Sony Clear Zoom, frame guide etc. R5 is no longer most feature rich Sony camera. But Sony did sell most feature packed camera to me at the time of purchase with no promise.
Same happened with Apple users, some of them keep hoping Apple to release MacOS on iPad Pro as it’s using the same hardware as Macs now. On each iPad OS update, these people vent their anger at Apple. Apple used to trickle down these latest software features to older and low end models not anymore, Apple has restricted stage manager feature to only latest and most expensive iPad Pro models, 2018 and 2020 users felt left out.
baltmin wrote:
A possible explanation for Sony’s behaviour might be that they are going to keep the same sensor on the A1ii, the same as they have done with A7RIV - A7RV. If it is going to be a software update, not a hardware update (excluding that AI chip), this is why we are not getting the features.
They should still offer another update to fix the AF inconsistency 1.31 generated at least.
Yeah, I think there is a very good chance the A1II will have the same sensor. Which is okay with me.
With better processing they will probably let us shoot Lossless Compressed at 30FPS and Compressed at some new high rate of 40FPS or similar (even cheap Canon MILCs can do 40FPS now).
We will get all the updates that we've seen in A7IV and A7RV and even the ZE-1.
Then the highlighted new feature that none of the other cameras have will be some awesome ProCapture type feature in Compressed RAW at 40FPS which will best everyone other than Olympus but of course these will be FF sensor RAW files, not tiny M4/3.
baltmin wrote:
A possible explanation for Sony’s behaviour might be that they are going to keep the same sensor on the A1ii, the same as they have done with A7RIV - A7RV. If it is going to be a software update, not a hardware update (excluding that AI chip), this is why we are not getting the features.
They should still offer another update to fix the AF inconsistency 1.31 generated at least.
I was at the same location shooting eagles yesterday, at 1/4000 shutter speed, there were plenty of less than sharp images that I discarded, the saving grace is the fast frame rate, I can always find some sharp ones.
