Sony A7 IV firmware update withdrawn

Image courtesy: Sony

Sony has released a new firmware update for its Sony A7 IV mirrorless camera. Firmware update v1.1 has some great new features however Sony has already withdrawn it. Read on to find out more.

Lossless compressed RAW

The A7 IV v1.1 firmware update added new lossless compressed RAW file sizes. Sony said this was a highly requested feature. You can select Small, Medium or Large files sizes. The Large size has the same image quality as an uncompressed RAW format but significantly reduces the file size. However, the Medium and Small sizes record fewer pixels than the Large, which gives you even smaller RAW file sizes.

New video feature

The A7 IV v1.1 firmware update allows you to record the camera’s serial number in the metadata of your video files.

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New photography features

The A7 IV v1.1 firmware update allows photographers to retain shutter speed and ISO settings for flash photography. There is also a Touch Shutter function and improved accuracy of the Eye AF feature. 

Other new features

Sony said that the A7 IV v1.1 firmware update improves the camera’s Wi-Fi connection operation. There is also a one-minute setting added to Power Save by Monitor menu. In addition, the update added the ability to brighten the viewfinder display according to the ambient brightness. Somewhat ironically, Sony stated that the update improved the operational stability of the camera.

Issues

Sony put out a press release about the A7 IV v1.1 firmware update on August 23, 2022. However, it was withdrawn the very next day. The download page for the firmware now has a statement that reads: “It was confirmed that some products that updated may not operate properly in some cases. Distribution will be suspended until we can inform you of modified version.”

What does this mean for video creators?

There aren’t any major new video-related features in the A7 IV v1.1 firmware update, so the withdrawal of the update isn’t a major inconvenience to video creators. However, there are some great features for shooters who also use their cameras for stills. Hopefully, Sony will iron out the bugs and rerelease the update soon.