Am I going to have to eat my words? Just last week I was moaning about how Sony seems to be releasing lackluster firmware updates while Canon and Nikon are adding entirely new features. Perhaps Sony has decided to take on board customer comments as it looks like a much more exciting update might be here. Finally.
Released in January 2021, the Sony A1 is yet to receive any mind-blowing firmware updates. Sony customers have aired their frustration at the company's lack of ongoing su[port especially considering the flagship model costs $6,498/£5,879/AU$9,000. More recent releases that cost considerably less such as the Sony FX30 and ZV-E1 have benefitted from advanced features including focus breathing and animal AF that are still absent in the company's top-of-the-range camera.
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However, that could all be about to change. According to YouTube Andrea Pizzini who is often bang on the mark when it comes to camera rumors, the A1 could be receiving some software updates in December that add features found in cheaper Sony models.
Although there has been no mention of what features they will be exactly, according to Sony Rumors it’s likely the Sony A1 will benefit from the addition of focus breathing, AF assists, animal eye AF in video as well as layout changes for video settings.
In a recent interview shared by Sony Rumors Mr Yann Salmon-Legagneur, head of imaging products and solutions marketing at Sony assured LensVid that the highest people in Sony are aware of the need of the market but he could say little else of substance. If Sony is serious about instilling customer satisfaction this major update hinted that the A1 could be just what we were waiting for.
Since Nikon and Canon started to make such bug software changes to cameras with firmware updates, it has left other brands not doing the same stuck in a gutter. Should these rumors be correct, maybe I will think differently about switching brands when it comes to upgrading cameras. Although I am not hopeful any firmware update for the Sony A7 III is going to make any significant changes (it was after all released in 2018) it is good to know Sony might’ve listened to customer feedback and acted accordingly and that is something worth praising. Even if it did take them a while.
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