Sony A7rii Firmware Update (TheDigitalDigest)

Here are just a couple of new feedbacks on the new major firmware update. Feel free to add your findings on the comment system:

Matthew “Hey Andrea, just put together a quick and dirty video testing the differences (if there are any) between firmware 1.02 and 1.03 for the a6500 using a manual-focus telephoto. Not sure if the update helped performance of the IBIS or not. It may have just improved performance when IBIS is used in conjunction with a lens’ OSS. See video description for more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD1bwU9uUYQ.”

TickTock: “I’ve just posted a YouTube video showing my results from a quick test out in ~80 degree Fahrenheit weather (shaded located for the camera position): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TACuw64kNhI.I hope this can be of some help on what users can expect as well as another user report.”

Firmware links:
A9: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.
A7rII: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.
A7sII: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.
A7II: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.
A6500: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.
A6300: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.

Shooting the Sony A9 Blindfolded and in the Dark by Patrick Murphy-Racey

Diglloyd made a banding test of the camera. The problem is the Red Channel which does show some banding:

I state here (as before) that for most color images, the pattern noise that I show is unlikely to be an issue for “ordinary” usage, since the green and blue channels blend with red in a color image (thus masking noise), plus subject color, type of lighting, and exposure also contribute substantially. The Sony A9 makes a very fine camera for what it is designed for (very high frame rate).

As stated by Jim Kasson in previous noise tests the problem is that the noise behaviour isn’t random enough. This is something Sony could work out by processing images in a slightly different way.

Sony A9: Australian Review (Gizmodo).
How to take AMAZING portraits in the harsh midday sun | Featuring the Sony A9! (Video by Manny Ortiz).
Une première expérience avec ma Sony A9 (Adobe Spark).
Sony A9 & Sigma 135mm F1.8 Art Test – MC-11 Adapter (Video by Dan Watson).
Sony a9 — multiple ACD operations? (Jim Kasson)
Behind The Scenes Shooting In The Studio With The New Sony a9 (Video by Miguel Quiles).
Sony A9 – Erste Erfahrungen (Mysticalpics).
Banding on the Sony A9 with LED Lighting- a Test in the “Cocaine Room” of the Waldo Hotel (Video by Jason Lanier).
David Fliss spotted the A9 in the White House.
Low light tests on the Sony Alpha 9 (Video by Visual Impact).

Ryan Brenizer is ditching Nikon D5 for Sony A9 and here is the one hour long video where he explains why he is doing so:

Sony A9:
Sony A9 at BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon, BestBuy. FocusCamera. Calumet.de. Park UK. Wex UK. Jessops.
Sony A9 with Grip Extension Kit at BHphoto, Adorama and Amazon.
Note: US readers preordering the A9 at BHphoto or Adorama using our links (and our affiliated links only!) have a chance to win a Sony A9.

And the fastest SD cards are now in Stock:
Sony SF-G 128GB: BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon. In EU: AmazonDE, AmazonUK, AmazonFR, AmazonIT, AmazonES.
Sony SF-G 64GB: BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon. In EU: AmazonDE, AmazonUK, AmazonFR, AmazonIT, AmazonES.
Sony SF-G 32GB: BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon.

The new Sony FE lenses preorders:
16-35mm GM at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy, Focus and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.
12-24mm G at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy, Focus and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.
Sony 100-400mm GM at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumet.de. Park UK. Wex UK. Jessops.

Alin Popescu tested both new wide angle lenses and posted many image samples and comparisons on his website:

16-35mm test:

The lens is straightforward to use, with excellent handling and smooth zoom and focus ring movement. They’ve said the drive by wire was improved and I must agree.
The lens is an amazing performer starting wide open. And very resistant to flare and resolves all scenes with minimum Chromatic Aberration.

12-24mm test:

Serious resistance to flare and minimum aberrations with superb contrast. I have found it even better compared to the G Master when it come to Chromatic Aberration handling.
Sharpness wise, this lens is a performer. It’s very sharp corner to corner, ignoring the normal distortions for a 12mm.

The new Sony FE lenses preorders:
16-35mm GM at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy, Focus and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.
12-24mm G at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy, Focus and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.
Sony 100-400mm GM at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumet.de. Park UK. Wex UK. Jessops.

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No comment :)

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Sony A9 at BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon, BestBuy. FocusCamera. Calumet.de. Park UK. Wex UK. Jessops.

Ken Rockwell (known as the Chuck Norris of the photoblogosphere) tested the new A9. And his conclusion in short is:

The Sony A9 is an obvious pick — possibly the pick — for sports, news and action. Nothing is as fast, it has an AF system to match, and it’s also silent. Sony is out to kill Nikon and Canon, and this certainly helps, at only 2/3 the price of the competitive DSLRs.

If Chuck Norris says so it must be true :)

One more bit of news: David Fliss spotted the A9 in the White House.

Sony A9:
Sony A9 at BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon, BestBuy. FocusCamera. Calumet.de. Park UK. Wex UK. Jessops.
Sony A9 with Grip Extension Kit at BHphoto, Adorama and Amazon.
Note: US readers preordering the A9 at BHphoto or Adorama using our links (and our affiliated links only!) have a chance to win a Sony A9.

And the fastest SD cards are now in Stock:
Sony SF-G 128GB: BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon. In EU: AmazonDE, AmazonUK, AmazonFR, AmazonIT, AmazonES.
Sony SF-G 64GB: BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon. In EU: AmazonDE, AmazonUK, AmazonFR, AmazonIT, AmazonES.
Sony SF-G 32GB: BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon.

The new Sony FE lenses preorders:
16-35mm GM at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy, Focus and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.
12-24mm G at Bhphoto, Adorama, BestBuy, Focus and Amazon. In EU at Calumet DE, WexUK, Jessops.
Sony 100-400mm GM at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Calumet.de. Park UK. Wex UK. Jessops.

Yesterday’s huge firmware upgrades brought some good news. With the exception of the new A9 all A7II series camera do no more have the “Star Eater” issue. I expect the same fix will be available soon with firmware 1.02 for the A9 too.

One of the major improvement has been seen on the A6300. With the new firmware it takes more than double the time before it overheats in comparison to the older firmware.

Firmware links:
A9: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.
A7rII: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.
A7sII: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.
A7II: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.
A6500: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.
A6300: Sony Japan, Sony Support, Sony Australia.

Our trusted sources told us that Sigma will announce the first FE lens this summer. And it will be a new 35mm f/1.4 FE autofocus lens. And Sigma will also another zoom FE lens shortly after. And why is this exciting news? Because Sigma makes lenses that are on par or even better than the bets Zeiss Otus lenses for a price that is 3-4 times less. One more proof of that is the new Sigma 135mm f/1.8 lens. The very severe reviewers from Photozone tested the lens and wrote:

In our review of the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 HSM DG ART we were pretty much stunned by its quality. However, the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 HSM DG ART tops that. Those who have followed us over the years know that we don’t easily come up with superlatives but this time it’s hard to avoid them really. The Sigma lens is the best lens that we have tested so far.

The new Sigma FE autofocus lenses will NOT be adapted DSLR lenses. These will be from ground up newly designed lenses. And if they will be as good as their current ART lens lineup it will make the Sony E-mount system much more attractive.a

Sigma 135mm f/1.8 store links: [shopcountry 59635].