As great as mirrorless cameras are, one area where the good old DSLR still reigns supreme is battery life. For instance, the Nikon Z9 has a CIPA-rated battery life of 740 shots, whereas the D6 can manage an incredible 3580. In real-life shooting the Z9 will likely do much better, but the fact remains that using an LCD display for live-view shooting consumes precious battery life.
But a new rumor suggests Sony might be working on a possible solution. According to a source via Sony Alpha Rumors:
Sony is working on a new display technology for its Alpha cameras after 2026’Q3. This FSC-LCD unit will use 70% less energy and make the camera’s Live-View time much longer.
The FSC (Field Sequential Colour)-LCD, uses a high-transmittance grayscale liquid crystal display without R,G,B colour filters. It uses RGB Edge-Mini LED backlight, which means that the red, green, and blue light-emitting diodes can be switched on and off 720 times a second. This technique combines to produce a 240Hz refresh rate colour image on a grayscale 720Hz IPS LTPS LCD, delivering a flicker-free visual experience.
FSC-LCD technology is currently under development by Sony, TCL and Hisense. TCL is planning to promote FSC-LCD televisions featuring RGB-LED backlighting in the future, and a prototype TV has been exhibited in 2025.
Sony’s BRAVIA TV business will establish a joint venture with TCL in the 2027, with both parties operating the venture jointly.
It should be noted that a 70% energy saving in a camera's LCD display probably won't result in an equivalent percentage increase in shots captured per charge. This is due to the LCD screen being just one of many camera components that drain battery power. However, such a significant energy saving in the LCD should at least give a noticeable improvement in overall battery life. If this rumor is true, we may only have a few months to wait to see the new screen tech materialize.
