Sony A1 Update a1 firmware

Robbe

Newcomer
Followers
0
Following
0
Joined
Jan 20, 2023
Posts
1
Likes Received
0
Name
Rob van der Veer
When comes the update for the a1 to stack in the body like the a7 V already can?
 
Fully agree it is time Sony stepped up to the plate to provide in-camera focus stacking .......
Nikon have been providing this since their D850 DSLR was released around 5 years ago.
 
Maybe never ,no reason why it should be in a firmware ,what about a74 and a7r4 users ,although sony has been lacking this feature for a while now ,and more of a reason to update to a a7r5 .but fingers crossed,
 
When comes the update for the a1 to stack in the body like the a7 V already can?
The A7RV (not A7V) does not stack “in body” but it does capture the images for the stack in a focus bracket (which is then processed on a computer with more RAM, more CPU, and more disk space, then the camera). I won’t be at all surprised to see that appear in a firmware update for the A1, probably with the bulb timer.

As to when? When it is done and thoroughly tested, I expect. I am sure Sony does not want an embarrassment like the A7IV update.
 
Focus bracketing is fine for landscapes etc wherein the images are few in number
But for macro shooting wherein to produce a fully exposed subject at very low DOF
It is not unusual to be in the 30 to +100 images range.

The preferred focus stacking software of photoshop, Zerene stacker, Helicon Stacker and
More recently ON1 Photo Raw all have their strengths and weaknesses but In my opinion
Photoshop is the best but is expensive and needs major PC power at the 100 image level.
 
I don't see the need to be honest. It's really only good for macro shooting, and that's pretty niche really. As Tony said, more processing is required too, and more storage.
 
I don't see the need to be honest. It's really only good for macro shooting, and that's pretty niche really. As Tony said, more processing is required too, and more storage.
Can be very useful for landscapes, like a leading line shot of a fence run if you want the entire thing in sharp focus. Of course you don't need the number of shots that you would for macro, but 3 or 4 can make a huge difference.

As to the original post: Never. Their version of it from the RV will probably be included on the A1M2. Sony's attempt is a lackluster feature, there's no reason they can't provide in-camera stacking. Maybe it has to be limited to 10 or 20 shots with the option of stacking in the computer if you want more, but at least provide that. Their approach to some of these features that everyone else has been doing better for years is archaic.
 
Macro as a genre maybe appear to some to be niche, but the reality is the principles of focus stacking to provide fully focussed images at low DOF is applicable to landscapes, high and low magnification macro and for product photography.

As a Macro lens provider it is in Sony's interests to service their potential customers with such simple functionality even if it is only of interest to 10% of their potential sales, especially when their competitors have already taken the initiative.

As is often highlighted on this forum, Sony do not have a history of putting their customers before commercial interests alone, but sometimes whilst small changes/tweaks might not seem to be of great practical significance to all of their user base, often such changes have much greater significance in the big picture of overall commercial interests.
 
I don't see the need to be honest. It's really only good for macro shooting, and that's pretty niche really. As Tony said, more processing is required too, and more storage.
it is good for more than just macro ,excellent for landscapes also ,church interiors lots of times it could be utilized , on my m43 you could nearly shoot stacked images handheld the ibis was that good in fact it has probably improved even more since i became a sony shooter ,if macro was my niche i would be back with smaller sensors and maybe the new olympus 90mm f3.5and the om1 ,not much competes in real world applications to m43.
 
it is good for more than just macro ,excellent for landscapes also ,church interiors lots of times it could be utilized , on my m43 you could nearly shoot stacked images handheld the ibis was that good in fact it has probably improved even more since i became a sony shooter ,if macro was my niche i would be back with smaller sensors and maybe the new olympus 90mm f3.5and the om1 ,not much competes in real world applications to m43.
I would never use it for landscapes, there's enough DOF in normal shooting IMO. We never had it in film days and I have plenty of landscapes that don't require it.
 
Landscapes you can either decide to focus at hyperfocal distance or on infinity, with appropriate aperture setting, or focus stack, all are possible but many use focus stacking wherein lighting conditions/colour change across the landscape - one opinion or preference does not make a general principle for all......
 
I shoot a lot of macro and closeups, and have done so for years. One thing I rather like about this type of image is that I can be creative with effective use of blur and bokeh in some areas of the image while other sections are sharp, which presents an interesting visual contrast and a pleasing overall view of the subject. I do understand, though, why some photographers are all over the whole focus stacking thing and certainly for some projects, such as product shots, it really is very useful.

Anyway, so my A7R V has the ability now to do focus stacking, but I still have not gotten around to trying it out as it just isn't all that important to me. It is nice to know that this particular process and technique is now available when and if I do want to try it. I also have the A1 and I use that camera mostly for different kinds of shooting (wildlife in particular) than I do the A7R V and really couldn't care less if there is a firmware update at some point adding focus stacking to that camera. I wouldn't use it, I know that. Of course others do want it and are eager to have it, and presumably have specific intentions for how and where they will use it, and that's fine.

What I really wish is that Sony would make their firmware updating process much smoother and more intuitive than they do. Maybe people with Windows machines don't have a lot of issues, but I definitely have had with my Macs. I'd much prefer a system such as other camera manufacturers offer with their firmware updates, where one downloads and copies the appropriate files to a memory card and then puts that into the computer and goes from there with the updating process....
 
I shoot a lot of macro and closeups, and have done so for years. One thing I rather like about this type of image is that I can be creative with effective use of blur and bokeh in some areas of the image while other sections are sharp, which presents an interesting visual contrast and a pleasing overall view of the subject. I do understand, though, why some photographers are all over the whole focus stacking thing and certainly for some projects, such as product shots, it really is very useful.

Anyway, so my A7R V has the ability now to do focus stacking, but I still have not gotten around to trying it out as it just isn't all that important to me. It is nice to know that this particular process and technique is now available when and if I do want to try it. I also have the A1 and I use that camera mostly for different kinds of shooting (wildlife in particular) than I do the A7R V and really couldn't care less if there is a firmware update at some point adding focus stacking to that camera. I wouldn't use it, I know that. Of course others do want it and are eager to have it, and presumably have specific intentions for how and where they will use it, and that's fine.

What I really wish is that Sony would make their firmware updating process much smoother and more intuitive than they do. Maybe people with Windows machines don't have a lot of issues, but I definitely have had with my Macs. I'd much prefer a system such as other camera manufacturers offer with their firmware updates, where one downloads and copies the appropriate files to a memory card and then puts that into the computer and goes from there with the updating process....
(y)
 
Hmm. I honestly can't say I've noticed it on the Tamron 24, 2.8
Diffraction occurs on most lenses when stopped way down. Some are worse than others. Although, I'd disagree that it's occurs to the extent noticeable at f/11 on a full frame camera. It would be moreso on APS-C or M-4/3 . In the case of the Tamron 28, it doesn't come into play until f/22. From ephotozine:

Tamron 24mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 Performance​

Centrally, sharpness is excellent from f/2.8 all the way through to f/16. It is still very good even at f/22, where diffraction just starts to take effect. The edges are excellent at f/2.8 and f/4, very good from f/5.6 to f/16, only softening due to diffraction at f/22.

tamron_24mm_f28_MTF50_graph_1578311920.jpg


So it's not surprising you never noticed it on that lens. Some can get very bad. The advice from most people is to find the sweet spot of your lenses and try to stick with them. Charts like this can be very helpful for anyone looking for that information.

I still have to convince myself that f/11 and up is safe with the FF. Using M/43 you knew that by the time you got to F/11 on most lenses you were getting into diffraction. The reason it's more prevalent with smaller sensors is due to the smaller opening for an equal aperture. Because F stops are derived from a mathematical formula based on focal length of the lens, and crop sensors use physically smaller lenses, the light starts to bend into diffraction earlier in the aperture range.
 
Last edited:
If you follow conventional wisdom, and light physics in general, Paul's reference to light diffraction is a reality both from the point of view resulting softness on landscape images and the reason for a practical limit on closing down the aperture beyond f11 for macro work.......as has been discussed in the past on this forum as regards the macro aperture limit.

Individuals experience and perception of what is a soft image and what is not can vary dependant the individual standards and expectations and at the end of the day if working at of near f22 meets an ndividuals expectation and personal measure of image sharpness that is fine.

At a personal level my view is simple in so far as i will follow whatever tried and tested photography principles/working methods are available to me through others who are more experienced and/or are available through well documented channels to achieve the best image quality I can in my images.
 
Diffraction occurs on most lenses when stopped way down. Some are worse than others. Although, I'd disagree that it's occurs to the extent noticeable at f/11 on a full frame camera. It would be moreso on APS-C or M-4/3 . In the case of the Tamron 28, it doesn't come into play until f/22. From ephotozine:



tamron_24mm_f28_MTF50_graph_1578311920.jpg


So it's not surprising you never noticed it on that lens. Some can get very bad. The advice from most people is to find the sweet spot of your lenses and try to stick with them. Charts like this can be very helpful for anyone looking for that information.

I still have to convince myself that f/11 and up is safe with the FF. Using M/43 you knew that by the time you got to F/11 on most lenses you were getting into diffraction. The reason it's more prevalent with smaller sensors is due to the smaller opening for an equal aperture. Because F stops are derived from a mathematical formula based on focal length of the lens, and crop sensors use physically smaller lenses, the light starts to bend into diffraction earlier in the aperture range.
Yep, so all of my Seascapes are at f20 or f22 on that lens, and I based my settings on what we used to use on film, which seems to work perfectly well on the FF sensor. It's all a personal thing. I probably wouldn't be worried about diffraction unless it was glaringly obvious, which it hasn't been so far.
 
Yep, so all of my Seascapes are at f20 or f22 on that lens, and I based my settings on what we used to use on film, which seems to work perfectly well on the FF sensor. It's all a personal thing. I probably wouldn't be worried about diffraction unless it was glaringly obvious, which it hasn't been so far.
What's interesting about that lens is even at f/22 it still ranks very good in the center. Like you, I'd use it and not worry one whit!
 
Holy crap! $200? WOW! I never looked at it before, the 24-105/4 is ok for me, but that's a helluva deal!
It really is, I think I paid £180 here, but interestingly it came from your side of the pond even though I bought it on Amazon.
 
Yep, so all of my Seascapes are at f20 or f22 on that lens, and I based my settings on what we used to use on film, which seems to work perfectly well on the FF sensor. It's all a personal thing. I probably wouldn't be worried about diffraction unless it was glaringly obvious, which it hasn't been so far.
I would not be obvious unless you shot the same image at say F11 and compared them
 
Back
Top