Sony Alpha Rumors reports that the Alpha One will be getting a firmware update before year end. While firmware updates aren't new for mirrorless cameras, it is something that Sony rarely does, and when they do issue firmware updates, they rarely contain much more than support or big fixes.
Canon, Nikon and Lumix constantly update their mid- to high-end cameras providing significant improvements like 240 fps in the Canon EOS R3, Canon Log 3 in the Canon R5, significant improvements to the EOS R5 heat management and many other capabilities.
It's good that the Sony Alpha One will get a firmware update this year. But what is more striking is that Sony Alpha Rumors says the firmware update will be a big one and the A7S III will also get one This would be a big departure for Sony mirrorless cameras. Firmware 1.32 was nothing but a bug fix. No additional enhancements were provided, though firmware 1.3 was a little more generous. We did get Lossless Compressed RAW file options in Small, Medium and Large resolutions, and we can now record 8K 4:2:2 10-bit as opposed to just 4:2:0. But Sony is a consumer electronics company. Always has been and always will be. They believe in releasing a product with a certain set of features. After a few years, they release a newer model with enhanced capabilities.
A big firmware update for the Sony Alpha One and the Sony A7S III would indeed be a big deal, but Sony Alpha Rumours isn't the only one teasing about a big firmware update. Sony executives said that the request for firmware updates, “that the highest-ranking people in Sony are aware of this.” A glimmer of hope at best, and big tease at worst.
