This Sony A7 IV firmware update comes with a warning

Firmware updates are like operating system updates on a computer. They add new features, fix things that are broken or both. They may also be ‘cumulative’ or ‘incremental’, and that’s important here.

Before you install the Sony A7 IV Ver. 1.10 update, you have to check the camera’s current firmware version first. If it’s lower than version 1.01, you MUST apply Sony’s previous Ver 1.05 update before attempting to install the new one. 

The latest Ver. 1.10 update is an incremental update that relies on the previous update having been applied. This is different to the ‘cumulative’ updates often released, where the update includes all previous updates too. It’s not difficult, but this has to be done in the right order, and the Sony support site has all the instructions you need.

For this update, Sony has also swapped to using memory cards (SD or CFexpress Type A) for transferring the update to the camera. Previously, Sony used Windows or Mac software installers.

What’s new in Sony A7 IV update Ver. 1.10

Here’s Sony’s list of benefits and improvements:

• Allows you to select M and Ssizes in addition to L when using the RAW recording lossless compression method

• The shutter speed and ISO sensitivity settings dedicated for flash photography can be retained

• Adds the Touch Shutter function

• Improves the accuracy of the Eye AF feature

• The camera’s serial number can be recorded in the metadata in the movie files

• Improves operability of Wi-Fi connections

• Adds a 1 minute setting to the Power Save by Monitor menu

• Fixes an issue where the viewfinder display may not be brightened according to the ambient brightness

• Improves the operational stability of the camera

Many of these appear to be routine bug fixes but we notice the addition of the Touch Shutter feature. This looks like one of those times a camera maker adds a feature later with a firmware update that really should have been there from the start. 

The serial number recording in movie metadata is interesting too. This could be a valuable way of identifying different cameras in multi-cam shooting setups.