Finally available! Here is the official press text just issued by Sony:

Now Available: Sony Electronics’ Custom Grid Line License
Gives Alpha Users Creative Consistency

SAN DIEGO – Apr. 18, 2024 – Sony Electronics is addressing one of the most common challenges for professional content creators – maintaining consistency and quality when capturing multiple images – with its new Custom Grid Line license. It is now available in the United States and Canada for Alpha 1, Alpha 7S III, Alpha 7 IV, Alpha 9 III, and other mirrorless camera bodies.

The license upgrade, built for volume photography and video production professionals, lets creators import up to four customized original grid lines. These can be displayed on the camera’s electronic viewfinder (EVF) and rear LCD monitor, or on an external monitor using an HDMI® output, to ensure consistent results during long shooting sessions.

Custom grid lines alleviate the burden of volume photographers working at schools, photo studios, theme parks, cruise ships or malls who often need to take similar shots repeatedly, sometimes thousands in one day. The ability to clearly see pre-set customized grid lines, especially when working quickly or in challenging lighting conditions, provides unprecedented peace of mind knowing that each shot will be framed perfectly.

Additionally, sports photographers can apply one set of gridlines for full team photos and another for individual player shots, enabling uniformity. They can also create gridlines customized for specific sports to follow the action and player movements more precisely. ​

Additionally, videographers can benefit from Sony’s Custom Grid Line license. ​ It lets creatives capture videos looking at the aspect ratio they need, allowing users to frame content that can easily be repurposed for social media or other specific uses.

The combination of Custom Grid Lines with Alpha camera features, such as Face AF and Eye AF, make it easy to line up standard family and couple photos, as well as capture dynamic activity shots.

Users can create the grid lines as PNG files – which can also contain characters, logos, and other graphic elements – and replace them as needed. They can also choose grid line colors, for example, to avoid blending with subjects’ clothing color or backgrounds.

Information about the license and how to purchase it can be found on Sony’s camera upgrade website: https://pro.sony/digital-imaging/ or at https://youtu.be/gH3X_vn2DNw. It is available for $149 USD/$202 CAD, per permanent camera license, through Sony’s Upgrade and License Management Suite at https://ulms.sony.net. Learn how to set up the license at https://youtu.be/J4pkJ8pjRsk.

While currently supported cameras include the A1, A7S III, A7 IV, and A9 III, the Custom Grid Line license will be available for other Alpha camera bodies with future compatible models announced through the web site: https://pro.sony/digital-imaging/.

Canon did a Canon thing and managed to disappoint even when sharing what should be good news! Why do I think that?

Today Sigma and Tamron announced the launch of their first RF autofocus lenses, but they are all APS-C. There is a strong suspicion that Canon has allowed competition only in the APS-C segment, focusing on the profitable and much more attractive Full Frame lens line.

This means that large lenses such as the Sigma 50mm f/1.2 FE or the Tamron 35-150mm f/2.0-2.8 FE will NOT be available to Canon R. This gives a competitive advantage to Sony, Nikon and the L-mount system.

Back in January Sony officially announced it will release a major firmware update for the FX3 and FX30 in September 2024 (or later). It will include:

• Addition of Shutter Angle: Users will be able to choose from both Shutter Speed/Shutter Angle similar to what is available with the FX6
• Ability to add clip flags to mark shots
• SRT/RTMP/RTMPS support for live streaming via the Creator’s App

Chris Brockhurst met with the Sony FX3 developer and he displayed to him an FX3 with the beta verison of this new firmware. You can see the video on his IG channel:

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A post shared by Chris Brockhurst (@chrisbrockhurst)

Dear Sony…try hard ot release this firmware sooner than expected …and with no bugs liek we had on the A7sIII and A1 firmware udpate!

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Thanks to our reader Hannes for spotting and hsaring this!

So folks, it’s time to look ahead because it appears we are going to get two more announcements from Sony in May and June. Trusted sources confirmed the ZV-E10II will be announced in May along a new APS-C E-mount kit lens optimized for “Vloggers”. In June we should get the 85mm f/1.4 GMII. I am still unsure about when the 24-70mm f/2.0 GM will be announced…but I guess it’s coming in June. After that…it’s firework times with new Full Frame cameras ;)

In May we will get:

• New Sony ZV-E10II: specs not known yet but I guess it’s a specked down version of the A6700 with additional AI tech)
• New APS-C E-mount kit lens: optimized lens for vloggers

In June:

• New Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II: Optically superior lens to the original 85mm GM while also being more compact and lighter
• New Sony 24-70mm f/2.0 GM: Still unsure if it’s coming in May or June. But size will be about the Canon 28-70mm f/2.0 despite having 4mm more at the wide end.

Summer:

• First Full Frame E-mount cameras: More details about that soon ;)
• New Full Frame E-mount lenses: More details about that soon ;)

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The Australian store Georges already listed the upcoming Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie FF II lens. The price is 728 ASUD which is about 470 USD. The lens comprises 13 elements arranged in 9 groups, featuring 4 extra-low dispersion (ED) glasses and 2 aspherical glasses.

On the stores page you can find some image samples shot with this lens. I guess this means the lens will be announced within days!

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Thanks to the tipster!