[StormSeeker]

Good evening everyone and thank you for supporting this community!

I would like to get in touch with someone owning an A7RII camera with firmware 1.00 (original never upgraded one) to dump and to share with the community for astrophotographers wanting a camera with no "star-eater" algorithm, i.e. with no noise reduction filters on RAW long exposures.
I can teach or carry out the hacky software steps involved :-)

Please, help!

Francesco

[aidualk]

Hi Francesco,

I do not have such a camera - but in 2015 I have compared the firmware 1.00 and 1.10 at 20 sec. at nightshot.
I am not sure, the firmware 1.00 is really usable for astro. Have a look:


→ Bild in der Galerie

I have converted a A7S (1. GEN) to Astrocam, no AA-Filter, no star-eater (up to 30 sec.) and I am very happy with it. If 12 MP is not enough, I think A7R (1.GEN) would be a better choice than A7RII. For me night-sky timelapse (4K) the A7S is a perfect choice.


Dynamik Comparison A7RII vs. A7S (timelapse). If the foreground is really dark, the shadows are about ISO 25.000 - 50.000. The A7RII has no chance compared to A7S.


→ Bild in der Galerie

[StormSeeker]

Zitat von aidualk

Hi Francesco,

I do not have such a camera - but in 2015 I have compared the firmware 1.00 and 1.10 at 20 sec. at nightshot.
I am not sure, the firmware 1.00 is really usable for astro. Have a look:


→ Bild in der Galerie

I have converted a A7S (1. GEN) to Astrocam, no AA-Filter, no star-eater (up to 30 sec.) and I am very happy with it. If 12 MP is not enough, I think A7R (1.GEN) would be a better choice than A7RII. For me night-sky timelapse (4K) the A7S is a perfect choice.


Dynamik Comparison A7RII vs. A7S (timelapse). If the foreground is really dark, the shadows are about ISO 25.000 - 50.000. The A7RII has no chance compared to A7S.


→ Bild in der Galerie

Good advice, thanks; maybe stacking can help for those hot pixels in firmware 1.00 photos? Anyway, do you have anybody to contact for such camera with such firmware version?

[aidualk]

No sorry - I have no contact.

But why do you want the A7RII so badly? There are better solutions from Sony.

Stacking is no solution for timelapse.
You know about the workarount by GEN II: Use continuous mode. The camera drops back to 12 bit RAW, but if you want to stack anyway, it is not a real problem.
And when you compare this workaround to 1.00 firmware's million colorful dots, it is complete different. So I think, the step from 1.00 to 1.10 is not the star-eater firmware step.

[StormSeeker]

Zitat von aidualk

No sorry - I have no contact.

But why do you want the A7RII so badly? There are better solutions from Sony.

Stacking is no solution for timelapse.
You know about the workarount by GEN II: Use continuous mode. The camera drops back to 12 bit RAW, but if you want to stack anyway, it is not a real problem.
And when you compare this workaround to 1.00 firmware's million colorful dots, it is complete different. So I think, the step from 1.00 to 1.10 is not the star-eater firmware step.

Could you please explain in other words "when you compare this workaround to 1.00 firmware's million colorful dots, it is complete different"?...
In the mean time, please look here for when troubles began:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/
As for your question, I have just purchased an A7RII + lens for 600 EUR (is it a good deal?) and I would like the community to benefit for all the flexibility firmware hacks might give them and firmware 1.00 is an important missing piece of the puzzle.

[aidualk]

Zitat von StormSeeker

In the mean time, please look here for when troubles began:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/

The colleague forgot one little thing at his information: At A7RII and A7SII it is possible to bypass the spatial filtering (star eater) by using the continuous mode instead of single mode, using exposure time longer than 3.2 sec. (the camera drops back to 12 bit RAW instead of 14 bit). So it is possible to get (for example) 20 sec. without star eater filter.

Zitat von StormSeeker

Could you please explain in other words "when you compare this workaround to 1.00 firmware's million colorful dots, it is complete different"?...

Assumption: Firmware 1.00 has no star-eater and 1.10 has got one, the 20 sec. exposure time picture, taken by this workaroung (continuous mode - no star eater), should look the same like the 20 sec. picture taken by firmware 1.00. But it does not.

So I am not persuaded, that 1.10 is the spatial filtering firmware.

Do you have access to an A7RII firmware 1.10? Is it possible to get 2 RAWs?
I have find out, how to see immediately the star-eater (or not) by comparing the noise, taken by a dark-frame (ISO 6400 RAW - develop in ACR - light max, contrast minimum - 200% crop - taken with no lens, only camera-body-cap and in a dark room - single shot mode, one picture 3.2 sec. the other 4.0 sec.).

For example A7SII: You see the difference (have a look at the large picture version at Galerie).


→ Bild in der Galerie

So we should confirm very quickly, if it is right or not.


--------------------

Zitat von StormSeeker

As for your question, I have just purchased an A7RII + lens for 600 EUR (is it a good deal?) and I would like the community to benefit for all the flexibility firmware hacks might give them and firmware 1.00 is an important missing piece of the puzzle.

You should consider whether it is worth or not, losing all the improvements of many firmware updates by using the old/first firmware.

[StormSeeker]

Zitat von aidualk

The colleague forgot one little thing at his information: At A7RII and A7SII it is possible to bypass the spatial filtering (star eater) by using the continuous mode instead of single mode, using exposure time longer than 3.2 sec. (the camera drops back to 12 bit RAW instead of 14 bit). So it is possible to get (for example) 20 sec. without star eater filter.



Assumption: Firmware 1.00 has no star-eater and 1.10 has got one, the 20 sec. exposure time picture, taken by this workaroung (continuous mode - no star eater), should look the same like the 20 sec. picture taken by firmware 1.00. But it does not.

So I am not persuaded, that 1.10 is the spatial filtering firmware.

Do you have access to an A7RII firmware 1.10? Is it possible to get 2 RAWs?
I have find out, how to see immediately the star-eater (or not) by comparing the noise, taken by a dark-frame (ISO 6400 RAW - develop in ACR - light max, contrast minimum - 200% crop - taken with no lens, only camera-body-cap and in a dark room - single shot mode, one picture 3.2 sec. the other 4.0 sec.).

For example A7SII: You see the difference (have a look at the large picture version at Galerie).


→ Bild in der Galerie

So we should confirm very quickly, if it is right or not.


--------------------




You should consider whether it is worth or not, losing all the improvements of many firmware updates by using the old/first firmware.

What about having a look at the photos posted here?

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/to...=2015#13237446
Anyway, I have firmware 1.10 if you want ;-)
Here you are:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lqyks306r...2MZ3uroGa?dl=0

[aidualk]

Zitat von StormSeeker

What about having a look at the photos posted here?
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/to...=2015#13237446

I cannot downlaod these old files.

Zitat von StormSeeker

Anyway, I have firmware 1.10 if you want ;-)
Here you are:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lqyks306r...2MZ3uroGa?dl=0

No I do not want an old firmware. By the way: My A7RII was sold last year after 7 years of using.
I want to have a look at two dark-frame-pictures made by Firmware 1.10, if it is possible.

[StormSeeker]

Zitat von aidualk

I cannot downlaod these old files.



No I do not want an old firmware. By the way: My A7RII was sold last year after 7 years of using.
I want to have a look at two dark-frame-pictures made by Firmware 1.10, if it is possible.

Just copy/paste the links text without clicking the actual links; it looks like bug of that website:

http://www.mattgrum.com/fm/ISO2000_3...Off_FW1.00.ARW
http://www.mattgrum.com/fm/ISO2000_3...Off_FW1.10.ARW

http://www.mattgrum.com/fm/ISO2000_3..._On_FW1.00.ARW
http://www.mattgrum.com/fm/ISO2000_3..._On_FW1.10.ARW

http://www.mattgrum.com/fm/ISO2000_3...ode_FW1.10.ARW
http://www.mattgrum.com/fm/ISO2000_3...ode_FW1.10.ARW

On my links you can right-click and select "Copy link adress" (in Chrome), then paste in the browser URL bar

[aidualk]

There is a little difference. Not so clear as to see at my example.
Unfortunately the picture made by 1.10 is with attached lens, 1.00 is without lens.

The best would be: Two pictures made by 1.10: 3.2 sec. and 4.0 sec. and same conditions.