Sony A9 firmware V6 released

[Martin Kristiansen]

The update was scheduled for the end of summer so I suppose it’s technically a few weeks late

Animal eye detect now available as per V3 for the A7R3 and other later models. AF area that used to be in a not always clearly visible grey can now be set to red or white as well as the default grey. An Interverlometer has been added, useful that. You can now also set the My Menu tab to open first whenever you press the menu button instead of going to the last menu tab active if you prefer and I do prefer.

Easy to find, download and install. A tidy update that I am pleased with.

I took the A7R3 away with me the last week and was surprised how much slower the AF is on that camera is compared to the A9. Not that the A7 is any slouch.

[Martin Kristiansen]

I finally found the time to test the animal eye AF. My three dogs and two cats the models. The one dog is a very exuberant Boerboel Ridgeback puppy so it was a good test.

I have used the A9 previously in the same situation and have found the animal eye AF a very big help. The camera tends to lock onto the noses of the animals, I guess because of the contrast factor, and that’s not optimal. Both cats are black and that was a very easy target for the eye AF the eyes being very distinctive.

I set the AF target display to red and that made a substantial difference to ease of shooting when I had all three dogs leaping about.

[LinusM9]

I've not had the pleasure of using an A9 and comparing it with the A7R III, but I do have two of the later bodies.  Have been really impressed with their speed I must say.  I suppose it's all comparable from where you have come from and the situations you shoot in.

Coming from a Canon, then Fuji mirrorless before coming to Sony - I've been really impressed with the quality, the huge files, along with the video cross over.  So many features it's impossible to fully appreciate all the extras packed into such a small bit of kit.

Yes, I'd love an A9, I'd also like a few more bits of Sony kit.  The old school big boys of Canon & Nikon are left in the dust.  I'll never be changing back.

The animal eye AF on the A7r III works a treat for me and captures my ridgeback well, even travelling at speed, as she has no slower gearing! :-)

[Martin Kristiansen]

I have also used the animal eye AF to photograph my ridgebacks. Didn’t realise people had ridgebacks anywhere else other than down here in the bottom end of Africa. Nice dogs.