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Sony announced its first firmware update of the new year, bringing changes to the a9 III (Ver. 3.00), a1 (Ver. 3.00) and a1 II (Ver. 2.00). The bulk of the update surrounds various shooting, movie and transfer functions of the three camera models. Perhaps more significant is the update to Sony's Camera Authenticity Solution, which aims to improve the implementation of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA). The update will be available sometime in January 2025, though Sony didn't provide a specific date. You can check the status of the firmware availability on Sony's downloads page.

Camera Authenticity Solution updates

Sony is a member of the C2PA Steering Committee, playing a leading role in developing and implementing industry standards for digital content verification. As we all know, there are growing concerns with image manipulation and AI imagery, resulting in misinformation. The C2PA aims to provide publishers, creators and consumers with "flexible ways to understand the authenticity, and provenance of different types of media," according to a press release in March 2024.

Sony says that the latest firmware update expands the Camera Authenticity Solution compatibility with the a9 III, a1 and a1 II with the launch of an Image Validation Site and the Digital Signature Upgrade license developed for select news organizations and their staff photographers.

Sony says this "service is designed to enhance the implementation of C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity), particularly within the news industry, by providing additional authenticity information and introducing a streamlined workflow for professionals requiring higher content verification standards." The expanded initiative will allow photographers to add digital signatures to their images, which allows for confirmation that the photographs haven't been tampered with.

Sony had previously only made this feature (on the a1, a7S III and a7IV) available to select news agencies, with a promise to expand it at a later date. It's slightly unclear from the current wording whether it's now more broadly available.

Chart: Sony Sony a9 III Ver. 3.00 firmware update

The a9 III is the only camera of the three to receive a completely new function. With the Ver. 3.00 update, there will be a newly added option to use shutter speeds up to 1/80000 seconds at all aperture values when the Exposure Value Expand function is set to "On." This feature will be most helpful for sports and action photographers shooting at wide apertures in bright conditions.

The a9 III will see updated support for the Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier in MF in Bright Monitoring mode, making it easier to get precise focus in tricky lighting situations. Additionally, Sony says that users should see an improvement in image quality when applying user LUTs. There are also updates to the notification display when the latest software is available, an update to "scheduling of FTP transfers while writing data to the camera's storage media" and "improved operability including continued shooting during image transfer to the Creators' app."

Sony a1 Ver. 3.00 firmware update

The Sony a1 doesn't get any new features, but gets quite a few updates to existing features. First, it will see an update to focus bracketing support for continuous shooting while automatically shifting the focus position. Sony says there will be additional settings for exposure value adjustments and the number of shots in exposure bracketing. It will also see the same updates as the a9 III to the Focus Magnifier and Auto Magnifier usability.

Also like the a9 III, the a1 will see updates to new software notifications, FTP transfer scheduling, and continued shooting during image transfer. It will also have an update on the "use of the Custom Key settings on the AEL button and Delete button during playback."

Sony a1 II Ver. 2.00 firmware update

The a1 II sees the least updates of the three cameras, with no new features available and only a single function updated. With this firmware update, Sony promises an improvement in image quality when applying user LUTs, just like the a9 III.

Press release:

Sony Electronics Announces Firmware Updates for Alpha 1 II, Alpha 1, and Alpha 9 III

Updates include shooting function improvements and additional support for the Camera Authenticity Solution

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 14, 2025 – Today, Sony Electronics Inc. announces new firmware updates for the Alpha 1 II (Ver. 2.00), Alpha 1 (Ver. 3.00), and Alpha 9 III (Ver. 3.00) cameras. These firmware versions bring varying updates to shooting, movie, and operability functions, as well as added compatibility for Sony’s evolving Camera Authenticity Solution.

Shooting, Movie, and Operability Updates Per Model: Camera Authenticity Solution Updates:

The new firmware updates bring compatibility with the Alpha 1 II, Alpha 1, and Alpha 9 III for Sony’s expanding Camera Authenticity Solution. This expansion includes the launch of an Image Validation Site and the Digital Signature Upgrade License¹, created for select news organizations and their staff photographers. The service is designed to enhance the implementation of C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity)², particularly within the news industry, by providing additional authenticity information and introducing a streamlined workflow for professionals requiring higher content verification standards. As a member of the C2PA Steering Committee, Sony plays a leading role in developing these standards and driving their broader implementation.

Availability:

Alpha 1 II (Ver. 2.00), Alpha 1 (Ver. 3.00), and Alpha 9 III (Ver. 3.00) firmware downloads will be available in January 2025.

To check the status of the latest firmware availability, please visit: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/cameras-camcorders-digital-cameras/downloads

For more information on Sony’s Camera Authenticity Solution, visit: https://www.sony.net/cas/

1 Only still images in JPEG/RAW (.ARW) format are supported.

2 A standards organization that develops open standards and technical specifications for the origin and authenticity of digital content.

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We've spent a bit more time with the Leica D-Lux 8, an enthusiast compact camera that captured our imaginations last year. As part of our continued testing, we've put it in front of our standard studio test scene, to get a sense of what kind of image quality we can expect from the up-to 17MP crops it takes from a 21MP Four Thirds sensor.

Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes to see the effect of different lighting conditions.

Image ComparisonThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

When shooting Raw, the D-Lux 8 captures a touch more detail as the Sony RX100Va, but falls behind the Fujifilm X100 VI and Ricoh GR III. Its base ISO Raw noise performance, viewed at a comparable size, generally follows sensor size, with the D-Lux 8 exhibiting less noise than the Sony, but more than the Ricoh and Fujifilm, an trend that continues at higher ISOs.

Leica's JPEG engine is roughly on par with Sony's when it comes to pulling out fine details, though the RX100 V's processing is a bit more aggressive, occasionally bordering on oversharpening. At higher ISOs, the Leica does a good job of removing noise, though at the cost of smoothing out some details.

The Leica's JPEG colors are similar to the Ricoh's, but slightly more saturated. They appear to hew towards accuracy, which doesn't necessarily result in the most pleasing skin tones, something you can see in our sample gallery for the D-Lux 8.

It's worth noting that our copy of the D-Lux 8 couldn't quite match the peak sharpness that we achieved with the Panasonic LX100 II, despite repeated attempts at focusing and the two cameras using the same sensor and lens combination. This is likely to be a result of copy-to-copy variation.

Dynamic Range

The D-Lux 8 offers a fair amount of image processing flexibility for those looking to pull shadows up. The results from our exposure latitude test can only be used to compare cameras with the same size sensor, which is especially tricky with the D-Lux 8 given that it doesn't use the entirety of its Four Thirds sensor. When raised, you can expect its shadows to have a bit more noise when you push them by several stops, though the results are arguably still quite usable even after quite large pushes.

The decent, but not class-leading, performance trend continues when looking at its ISO behavior. The camera's added read noise becomes relatively noticeable in more extreme situations, like if you were trying to protect your highlights by shooting at an ISO 3EV below what you'd normally use for a given aperture and shutter speed and then brightening parts of your image in post. The D-Lux 8's competitors generally fare better in this respect, but if you're making smaller changes in post, the difference won't be as obvious.

ISO Invariance | Exposure Latitude

Buy now:

$1595 at Adorama$1595 at B&H Photo

'Life in Another Light' infrared photography contest 2024 winners

The winners of the fourth Life in Another Light photo contest have been announced, showcasing unique views captured with infrared photography. The Biennial contest is hosted by Kolari Vision, a company specializing in infrared photography gear, camera conversions, and tips. This year's contest drew over 3,000 submissions across 11 photography categories and a short film category, a first for the contest.

While the main aim of the contest is to highlight infrared photography, Kolari Vision also included some categories focused on traditional visible light, opening up the competition beyond the niche of infrared imagery. Additionally, there was a category for ultraviolet light and categories specifically for Kolari Vision's Candy Chrome Infrared Lens Filter and IR Chrome FIlter.

The contest was judged by seven judges, including guest photographers Pierre-Louis Ferrer and Yann Philippe, who helped judge the filter-specific categories. Kolari Vision explains that each image was evaluated "based on technical execution, composition, and creativity in three rounds of judging before selecting the finalists." The resulting images are otherworldly examples of what's possible with this method of photography.

Landscape infrared – first place

Photographer: Gavin Spooner

Title: Switzerland

Gear used: Panasonic GX85 + IR Chrome Infrared Filter

Type of light: Infrared

Landscape infrared – second place

Photographer: Jonas Hangartner

Title: WA1K345

Gear used: Full spectrum Canon 5D MKII + 720nm filter from Kolari Vision

Type of light: Infrared

Infrared short film – first place

Cinematographer: Lambert Grand

Title: When Earth Took A Breath

Gear used: IR Chrome Infrared filter (camera used not provided)

Type of light: Infrared

Astro landscape – first place

Photographer: Jonas Hangartner

Title: Losing Track Of Time

Gear used: Panasonic GH5

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Astro landscape – honorable mention

Photographer: Troy Casswell

Title: Luminous Jewels

Gear used: Canon EOS R5 (full spectrum converted) with 365nm UV light to induce fluorescence

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Black & white – first place

Photographer: Carolyn Hinton Hutchins

Title: Alligator In Morning Mist

Gear used: Nikon Z6

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

IR Chrome – first place

Photographer: Mitja Kobal

Title: Dreams Of Reality, Dream 5: Plaza of Kanagawa, Japan

Gear used: Fujifilm GFX50S + IR Chrome Infrared Filter

Type of light: Infrared

Landscape – visible light – first place

Photographer: Yohan Raintung

Title: Merapi

Gear used: Nikon Z9

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Aerial – first place

Photographer: Bobby Ritchey

Title: Black Sand Beach

Gear used: Not provided

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Long exposure – first place

Photographer: Dibakar Roy

Title: People Mixture

Gear used: Not provided

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Portrait – first place

Photographer: Rob Jemmett

Title: Meg With Scarf

Gear used: Fujifilm X-T2 (converted to full spectrum) + 720nm Infrared Filter

Type of light: Infrared

Ultraviolet – first place

Photographer: Michael Riffle

Title: Magnolia Grandiflora

Gear used: Nikon D750 + UV Bandpass Filter

Type of light: Ultraviolet Reflective

Candy Chrome – first place

Photographer: Ginny Taylor

Title: Bout To Bloom

Gear used: Canon EOS R5 + Candy Chrome Infrared Filter

Type of light: Infrared

Abstract – first place

Photographer: Olga Ivanova

Title: Stairsteps

Gear used: Canon EOS 6D Mark II

Type of light: Visible light (normal)

Image: Adobe

Adobe has announced that it's working on a feature for Photoshop called Live Co-Editing, which lets multiple people view and edit the same document at once. The concept will be familiar to anyone who's worked in a Google Doc with other people, though applied to photo or graphical editing instead of word processing.

The feature is coming next week as a private beta, so it won't immediately be accessible to everyone. If you sign up for the beta and are accepted, you'll be able to use it via the share button, similar to the existing collaboration feature. However, instead of only one person being able to work on the document at once, you'll have the option to turn on Live Co-Editing.

Adobe's press release details some examples of when the ability to work on the same Photoshop document could be useful. The first is the most obvious one, where there's a big project with several pieces that designers can work on at once. It could also be handy if a teacher is trying to explain a specific process to a student or if you're on a call with a client and want them to be able to see your work in as much detail as possible.

The announcement is Adobe's latest move to present Photoshop and its other products as services rather than simply applications, along with the increasing number of built-in generative AI features. It may hope that these features will help justify the ongoing cost of a subscription, especially as some tiers of that subscription are getting more expensive. To start, Live Co-Editing will be available on the desktop and web versions of Photoshop.

Photo: DJI

DJI has announced a new drone, offering a folding design unique to its lineup. The DJI Flip is the company’s first foldable drone with full-coverage propeller guards, maintaining safety in a compact, portable package. The palm-sized drone combines the simplicity of the DJI Neo with the photo capabilities of the DJI Mini 3. Like both the Neo and Mini 3, it weighs less than 249 grams, so it's more accessible to fly than heavier drones since you don't need a license from the FAA. DJI is calling it an all-in-one vlog camera drone with features ideal for content creators on the go.

Photo: DJI

The standout feature of the DJI Flip is its foldable design. The propeller guards are attached to the rotors using carbon fiber string, and each rotor can then fold down for easier storage. Like the Neo, it offers very simplified flight controls, making it an easy option for those who don’t have drone flying experience. That includes one-tap flight, six intelligent shooting modes (Dronie, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, Helix and Boomerang) and AI Subject Tracking. It also offers automatic braking with the 3D Infrared Sensing System, making it safer to fly.

Photo: DJI

Regarding camera capabilities, the DJI Flip features a 48MP Type 1/1.3 (9.6 x 7.2mm) CMOS sensor behind a lens with an F1.7 aperture. The sensor has a Quad Bayer-style color filter layout, meaning it can either output 48MP photos, or combine pixels to give 2.4μm "4-in-1" output, just like the DJI Mini 3.

DJI also promises "Dual Native ISO Fusion," which appears to be its branding for sensor maker Omnivision's Dual Conversion Gain HDR feature. This claims to sample each pixel's charge twice, using different conversion gain levels to boost DR, while also combining variable exposures. It appears to be for capturing wide-DR video in a standard DR space rather than true HDR footage for playback on high DR screens. We've asked DJI for more information.

The drone can record HDR video up to 4K 60 fps, supports slow-motion recording at 4K 100 fps, and the 4:3 sensor produces vertical crops up to 2.7K. It also supports 10-bit D-Log M color mode for those who want to dive into color grading.

A sample image taken with the DJI Flip

Photo: DJI

The DJI Flip offers up to 31 minutes of flight time, which is quite a bit less than the DJI Mini 3’s 51-minute flight time (provided you use the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus) but substantially longer than the Neo’s 18-minute max flight time. You can control the Flip with Voice Control or the DJI Fly app, and it is also compatible with the DJI RC-N3 and RC2 controllers. It supports up to 13 kilometers (8.1 miles) of 1080p 60 fps video transmission, so you don’t need to be right next to your subject to record or capture photos.

The DJI Flip is available for purchase as of today. You can opt for only the drone only for $439, buy a kit with the DJI RC 2 for $639 or opt for the Fly More Combo with the DJI RC 2 for $779.