Latest Sony firmware update adds authentication tools and new features

Sony is pressing on hard with its Camera Authenticity Solution, which is designed to combat the rising tide of fake imagery and allow news agencies to check the authenticity of images. The latest round of firmware updates brings these authenticity tools to four key Alpha cameras.

It’s early days yet, but the aim of Sony's Camera Authenticity Solution is to use a three-tier approach to embed image authenticity credentials at the point of capture, track any editing carried out and check images against an Image Validation site.

In-camera digital signatures will act like a kind of “birth certificate” for image captures and will also use 3D depth information to check that a real scene is being captured and not a 2-dimensional image. Image edits and adjustments, meanwhile, must be carried out in C2PA-compliant editing software so that any changes can be properly tracked.

Both Sony’s in-camera digital signature technology and C2PA compliancy are currently available through a separate upgrade license, we’re told.

The scheme is being rolled out to selected news media agencies, with plans to expand this to other agencies in the future.

Quite apart from the Camera Authenticity Solution support, though, the Sony A1, A7S III, A7 IV and A9 III get some useful feature updates too. It's a significant update as these are among the best Sony cameras right now, not to mention the best cameras for professionals.

Sony A1 Ver. 2.00 improvements

• Breathing compensation during video recording
• Latest remote control & FTP transfer features for professional photographers
• Enhanced touch & playback operations
• Improved image stabilization for specific Sony lenses
• 4K 30p UVC streaming
• Creators’ App & Direct Creators’ Cloud transfer support
• Monitor & Control App support including waveform & false colour monitoring

Sony A7S III Ver. 3.00 improvements

• Breathing compensation during video recording
• Free DCI 4K 24 p license download with true 24p frame rate and 1/96s, 1/48s & 1/24s shutter speed settings
• AF assist feature for focus flexibility while recording
• Time code sync compatibility
• Enhanced touch & playback operations
• Monitor & Control App support including waveform & false color monitoring
• Creators’ App & Direct Creators’ Cloud transfer support

Sony A7 IV Ver. 3.00 improvements

As far as we can see, the main  improvement for the Sony A7 IV, apart from the image credentials support, is an increase in the upper limit of recordable images in a folder from 4,000 to 9,999.

There are a relatively small number of improvements to the Sony A9 III, too, though this is such a new camera that there’s probably a lot less ground to make up compared to older models like the Sony A1 and A7S III.

Sony A9 III Ver. 2.00 improvements

• Relay Playback: Seamless sequential playback from one memory card slot to another
• Sync Release function: Simultaneous shutter release with two or more multiple cameras connected to the main camera
• Focus frame display on the Remote Camera Tool screen
• Increased upper limit of recordable images in a folder from 4,000 to 9,999

Will Sony’s Camera Authenticity Solution stop fakes?

It’s hard to see how, since anyone who wants to fake an image will always be able to find a way around it – or simply use different cameras!

But maybe we’re looking at this the wrong way round. Instead of proving an image to be fake, which may be impossible or impractical, Sony’s plan will allow news agencies to check if images are authentic. It won’t stop individuals faking images for social media, but it will let news agencies check that images are real so that they can take the high ground.

Sony’s stance may appear altruistic but it has strong commercial benefits too. If it can get in early with image authentication and news agencies, Sony may become the de facto camera brand for ‘true’ journalism, and authentic press imagery.