Sony a7/a7R III Firmware v3 Adds Real Time Eye AF, Animal Eye AF, Timelapse

Sony has just released firmware version 3.0 for the Sony a7R III and a7 III mirrorless cameras. It’s a major update that adds Real-Time Eye AF, Animal Eye AF, and Time Lapse features to the cameras.

Real-Time Eye AF

In v3.0, the existing Eye AF technology has been upgraded further with an AI-powered eye-detection system that keeps focus on the eye, even in difficult situations.

“Through machine learning, Sony has created a system that can detect—and focus on—the human eye even if the subject is looking down, partially blocked in the frame, turning or backlit,” Sony says. “This feature is available in AF-C mode with a simple half-press of the shutter button.”

This is the same technology that was unveiled in the Sony a6400 in January 2019, promised for the a7 III and a7R III at the time, and added to the Sony a9 in a firmware update in March 2019.

Real-Time Animal Eye AF

As Sony promised, it has now upgraded its Eye AF technology to even include animal eyes. Animal Eye AF can detect and track animal eyes — cats and dogs for now, but more animals will be supported through future updates.

“Advanced subject recognition allows the α7 III and α7R III to detect and track animal eyes, and is the first step in a robust animal-tracking AF system,” Sony says. “The development of Animal Eye AF performance will continue, increasing the range of animals recognized by the system as well the system’s ability to track their movement.”

Interval Shooting for Timelapses

Finally, the firmware update adds a built-in interval timer in the two cameras, allowing the creation of time-lapse movies without a separate intervalometer.

Photos can be captured with an interval anywhere between 1 and 60 seconds, with a total number of photos anywhere between 1 to 9999. AE tracking sensitivity can be set to High/Mid/Low to help smooth out exposure changes between shots.

There’s also a playback feature that lets you view an in-camera playback of the timelapses you shoot.

Here’s a short sample timelapse shot by photographer Drew Geraci using the new feature: