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Sony Alpha 200 Firmware Update: Everything You Need to Know



Sony LA-EA3 Adapter firmware updateSony 24-70mm F2.8 GM firmware updateSony 24-70mm F4 ZA firmware updateSony 24-240mm OSS firmware updateSony 28-70mm OSS firmware updateSony 50mm F1.4 ZA firmware updateSony 50mm f/1.8 firmware updateSony 85mm F1.4 GM firmware updateSony 70-200mm F2.8 GM firmware updateSony 70-200mm F4 G firmware update


Word on the street is that the Sony FS100 will get a firmware update soon that will add aspect ratio options for 2.35:1 Cinemascope, 1.85:1 35mm theatrical and 1.66:1 Super 16mm. Additional improvements are expected to include 4x and 8x expanded focus settings.




sony alpha 200 firmware update



The earlier A7 III did not incorporate the "Real-time Tracking AF" technology that Sony first debuted with the A6400 and A9 via a firmware update back in 2019. The A7 III still had tracking autofocusing, called Lock-on AF, but it's not as capable or as high-speed as this current implementation. With Real-time Tracking AF, the A7 IV is better equipped to detect and track a wide variety of different subjects, including people and certain animals, including birds. It's also better able to handle challenging subject-tracking situations better than Lock-on AF could, such as continually tracking a moving person's face and eyes even if the face or eyes are briefly obscured from view (i.e. the subject turns away from the camera) or the leaves the frames. The A7 IV can now maintain focus on the subject and quickly reacquire precision face/eye focus once the subject returns into the frame.


The score got better more when I tested the camera again later with other lenses, mainly the Sony 200-600mm and Tamron 150-500mm. The camera had also received various firmware updates that might have contributed to the boost in performance.


Machines with the ARC or AlphaBIOS console firmware wereintended for WindowsNT. Some have SRM console firmware available inthe system ROMs which you only have to select (via an ARC orAlphaBIOS menu). In other cases you will have to re-flash the ROMswith SRM code. Check on to see what isavailable for your particular system. In any case: no SRM meansno FreeBSD(or NetBSD, OpenBSD, Tru64 Unix or OpenVMS for that matter). Withthe demise of WindowsNT/alpha a lot of former NT boxes are sold onthe second hand market. They have little or no trade-in value whenthey are NT-only from the console firmware perspective. So, besuspicious if the price appears too good.


As part of the SRM you will get the so called OSF/1 PAL code(OSF/1 being the initial name of Digital's UNIX offering on Alpha).The PAL code can be thought of as a software abstraction layerbetween the hardware and the operating system. It uses normal CPUinstruction plus a handful of privileged instructions specific forPAL use. PAL is not microcode. The ARC console firmware contains adifferent PAL code, geared towards WinNT and in no way suitable foruse by FreeBSD (or more generic: Unix or OpenVMS). Before someoneasks: Linux/alpha brings its own PAL code, allowing it to boot onARC and AlphaBIOS. There are various reasons why this is not a verygood idea in the eyes of the *BSD folks. I don't want to go intodetails here. If you are interested in the gory details search theFreeBSD and NetBSD web sites.


after halting FreeBSD you should update your SRM firmware toV7.2-1 or later. This SRM version is first available on theFirmware Update CD V5.7, or on This SRM problem is fixedon both Miata MX5 and Miata GL.


The EB64+ SRM can boot both 53C810 and Qlogic1040 SCSI adapters.Pitfall for the Qlogic is that the firmware that is down-loaded bythe SRM onto the Qlogic chip is very old. There are no updates forthe EB64+ SRM available. So you are stuck with old Qlogic bits too.I have had quite some problems when I wanted to use Ultra-SCSIdrives on the Alpine with Qlogic. The FreeBSD kernel can becompiled to include a much newer Qlogic firmware revision. This isnot the default because it adds hundreds of kBytes worth of bloatto the kernel. In FreeBSD 4.1 and later the isp firmware iscontained in a kernel loadable module. All of this might mean thatyou need to use a non-Qlogic adapter to boot from.


Machines with the ARC or AlphaBIOS console firmware were intended for WindowsNT. Somehave SRM console firmware available in the system ROMs which you only have to select (viaan ARC or AlphaBIOS menu). In other cases you will have to re-flash the ROMs with SRMcode. Check on to see what is available foryour particular system. In any case: no SRM means no FreeBSD (or NetBSD, OpenBSD, Tru64 Unix or OpenVMS forthat matter). With the demise of WindowsNT/alpha a lot of former NT boxes are sold on thesecond hand market. They have little or no trade-in value when they are NT-only from theconsole firmware perspective. So, be suspicious if the price appears too good.


As part of the SRM you will get the so called OSF/1 PAL code (OSF/1 being the initialname of Digital's UNIX offering on Alpha). The PAL code can be thought of as a softwareabstraction layer between the hardware and the operating system. It uses normal CPUinstruction plus a handful of privileged instructions specific for PAL use. PAL is notmicrocode. The ARC console firmware contains a different PAL code, geared towards WinNTand in no way suitable for use by FreeBSD (or more generic: Unix or OpenVMS). Beforesomeone asks: Linux/alpha brings its own PAL code, allowing it to boot on ARC andAlphaBIOS. There are various reasons why this is not a very good idea in the eyes of the*BSD folks. I don't want to go into details here. If you are interested in the gorydetails search the FreeBSD and NetBSD web sites.


after halting FreeBSD you should update your SRM firmware to V7.2-1 or later. This SRMversion is first available on the Firmware Update CD V5.7, or on This SRM problemis fixed on both Miata MX5 and Miata GL.


The EB64+ SRM can boot both 53C810 and Qlogic1040 SCSI adapters. Pitfall for theQlogic is that the firmware that is down-loaded by the SRM onto the Qlogic chip is veryold. There are no updates for the EB64+ SRM available. So you are stuck with old Qlogicbits too. I have had quite some problems when I wanted to use Ultra-SCSI drives on theAlpine with Qlogic. The FreeBSD kernel can be compiled to include a much newer Qlogicfirmware revision. This is not the default because it adds hundreds of kBytes worth ofbloat to the kernel. In FreeBSD 4.1 and later the isp firmware is contained in a kernelloadable module. All of this might mean that you need to use a non-Qlogic adapter to bootfrom.


The earlier verdict is still relevant because, as far as I know, there has been no firmware update to address the issue of some kind of baked-in lens correction which is applied even when a telescope is attached. 2ff7e9595c


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