Sony has released firmware updates for a7RII and a7SII that Improve 4K movie recording time when using the vertical grip (VG-C2EM) or when the APS-C/Super35mm mode is activated. The updates also lists “improved picture quality” – please note this normally refers to Jpeg quality – not RAW.
Release Date: 12/18/2015
Benefits & Improvements:
Download Links:
Sony a7RII FW Update 3.00: MAC | WIN
Sony a7SII FW Update 2.00: MAC | WIN
PLEASE NOTE: Sony a7RII has been out longer so it gets FW 3.00 while a7SII gets FW 2.00 – but the updates are the same. Sony Firmware Updates are cumulative so if you missed a previous update you can skip it. All previous improvements are included in this update.
Before Updating Please Read:
Bulletproof Guide to Sony Camera Firmware Updates
9 thoughts on “Sony Releases a7RII & a7SII Firmware Updates”
Hello Brian, i am really disappointed from the a7Rii in long exposures. i recently bought the camera and tried my first LE yesterday (6mins), it is AWFUL. red/blue/green pixels everywhere. Is there any possibility to solve this issue you think?
Thanks
Minas
I have not seen anything like that in exposures up to 3 minutes. How long are your exposures and what ISO?
My exposure was 330 seconds at ISO 100. You can see a sample following this link http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56963305
see bottom right part of the photo or zoom in, it is everywhere
To quote one of the respondents on DP Review “Unless you’re crazy enough to pull as much as five stops from your raws or view your shots at 300%, you should be fine.”
A couple other suggestions:
1. Accept the fact that by turning off Long Exposure Noise Reduction you’re limiting the camera’s performance to less than it was designed for.
2. Be certain you are running the latest firmware. One of the first a7RII updates targeted reducing chroma noise.
3. Lightroom does a very good job of reducing chroma noise if you know what you’re doing – but consider using Capture One (for Sony) or Sony’s Image Data Converter which both do a better job reducing chroma noise if you don’t.
4. Every camera has a plateau where chroma noise really explodes. Five minutes can look fine – but five minutes and ten seconds looks like crap. Test your camera to find that threshold for your taste.
5. For extreme long exposures consider shooting multiple shorter time-exposure (IE: 10 consecutive 3-minute exposures instead of one 30-minute exposures) and combining them in post using ‘Lighten’ or ‘Screen’ blend modes.
Thanks for the response.
Most of my photos are meant to be printed in large format. I work a lot with B&W and gray tones, any kind of noise shows a lot, therefore it is not a matter of zooming 300% to notice the issue. As you know, printing photos does not allow mistakes.
I work with long exposure for water smoothing and clouds streaking, when required, not an option for me to do multiple shots of 1 min instead of one shot of 5 mins. Thing is, i used the a6000 the last two years and I never faced the chroma noise issue
I tried with Capture one for Sony, no luck, will try also Sony Image Data Converter and update the post
Thanks again
Minas
Are you using a variable ND filter? If so, could it have been past the safe zone? That vignette like area looks familiar 😉
I am using Formatt hitech filters, not variable. Of course the vignette is from the filter, the Red/Green/Blue pixels are not. From Sony support i have been told that a service might help!!!!!! The camera is 2 weeks old, should i sent it for service?
hi brian. maybe i missed somewhere on your blog, you have a lot of great info, but can’t seem to find info about the stock picture profiles on the A7Rii. I’m on fm v3. just recieved it and wondering if you could point me in the right directions. thanks in advance!
finally found it:
http://helpguide.sony.net/ilc/1420/v1/en/contents/TP0000435736.html
hopefully this will help others