2024 has already been a year filled with great camera releases, but none has had an impact quite like the Sony A9 III.
Now considered Sony's flagship camera and one of the best mirrorless cameras on the market, the Sony A9 III has impressed with its packed spec list and functionality. The global shutter has revolutionized mirrorless camera technology, and its impressive burst rate has provided stiff competition to the best sports and wildlife cameras available.
Sony has just released a firmware update that improves the already stacked camera, by adding new functions and fixing early teething issues. The firmware notes for Version 2.00 are broken down into three categories; Shooting & playback functions, FTP (File Transfer Protocol) transfer & network functions, and Others.
I have provided a slimmed-down list of the first two categories below along with the download link:
Sony A9 III (Ver.2.00)
"Shooting & playback functions:
Allows you to turn the camera on/off remotely from a computer using a wired connection to the internet (LAN)
Adds a function that automatically creates still images with 'Shot Marks' from movie frames after recordings
Allows the use of shutter speeds up to a maximum of 1/80000 seconds in all drive modes and the 'NR Shooting' setting (long-exposure noise reduction) when the aperture value is F1.8 or higher
Adds support for the 'Relay Playback' function
Adds the 'Sync Release' function that releases the shutters of multiple sub-cameras in conjunction with the main camera's shutter timing
Adds a function that displays the focus frame on the 'Remote Camera Tool' app screen when the monitor and viewfinder are turned off
The maximum number of images that can be recorded in one folder has been increased to 9,999
Enables display of the Wi-Fi signal strength
Adds support for C2PA format (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity)
Adds support for 'Custom Grid Line'
FTP transfer & network functions:
Allows you to upload camera images directly to the Creators' Cloud app
You can now automatically schedule FTP transfer of protected movies and still images
Movies/still images transferred via FTP transfer can now be automatically protected
Adds a function to prioritize specific images via FTP transfer
Adds support for SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol)"
Above: A video explaining how to update Sony firmware
Sony has introduced some interesting new functions with this update, in addition to fixing many issues that I have not listed above but can be found on the download page.
A standout addition for me is the ability to add 'Shot Marks' when recording video which will capture points, turning it into a keyframe for editing, or a still image in its own right. This could save a lot of video post-processing time.
The video capabilities of the Sony A9 III don't get as much attention, most likely due to being overshadowed by its stills capabilities, but they are very impressive. Director Steven Soderbergh recently showed a feature film solely on a Sony A9 III.
The firmware update also mentions Sony's new Custom Grid Line system. This is an optional paid license firmware that adds custom grids/guidelines to the camera to aid in composition. Currently, this is only available in select regions.
The full list of firmware notes can be found on the download page above, along with a step-by-step guide on updating the firmware.
See our guides for more information on the best Sony cameras, the best Sony lenses, and the best cameras for video.
