Sony revealed at the end of its presentation for the new a9 III full-frame camera with global shutter that it will finally be delivering some of its new software capabilities to select older cameras via firmware updates.

Sony introduced new firmware for the Sony a1 and a7S III, as well as the pioneering new a9 III, the first full-frame camera with a global shutter sensor. The most common complaint among Sony photographers was the company’s apparent reluctance to update older cameras with new functions, even if they were not difficult enough to necessitate new hardware. Sony appears to have heard and is providing a significant update to a small number of cameras. It’s certainly a start.

The Sony a1 will finally acquire the company’s breathing compensation relay playback technology for still/movie shooting. When recording DCI 4K video at 24p, the a7S III will additionally receive breathing compensation.

The a1 and a7S III are also programmed to accept numerous IPTC settings, which can be saved in the camera and swapped out at any time by the user. In addition, the cameras will now enable protect and transfer as a single action, ensuring high-priority transferring without a line.

Authenticity of content is a big concern for many organizations these days, and Sony is no exception. C2PA format support will be available for the a1, a7s III, and the upcoming a9 III. At the time of publication, the particular nations and regions that will support this capability had not been finalized.

Sony has already guaranteed a firmware update for the new a9 III camera, which will be available early next year. After-launch support for the Sony a9 III will include functional additions like as FTP operability, relay playback, and C2PA format support.

Sony, which joined the standards organization that runs the CP2A in 2022, is the first camera manufacturer to promise that existing cameras will be updated with CP2A content credentials via firmware update. While this was always possible, the only camera company that had implemented the feature into a camera at the time of publishing was Leica, and that capacity required purchasing an entirely new camera body in the M11-P.

Camera firmware updates for the a1, a7s III, and a9 III will be available in the spring of 2024.