New Sony lens firmware for Phase Detect AF activation – all E mount NEX lenses!

24 Comments

1. I am thinking of buying the nex7 for mostly video-shooting but the only thing that had me worried was that the autofocus where not going to be good enough for capturing moving objects in video mode.
   will this update mean it now has phase detection auto-focus?

   and anyone that knows if it have made any difference ?

2. Does anyone know if this firmware update applies to the Sigma 30mm and 19mm lenses as well?

3. Hi all.
   Please be aware that the camera firmware has to be updated to Version 1-01 first or the phase detect AF lens firmware updates do not function. After camera and lens firmware updates the AF works fine.
   Can be switched on/off in the settings menu. I updated my Sony 50mm f,1.8 OSS lens.
   However I’m still not sure if the Phase Detect AF gives any big advantage. Any experiences??

   • I have done all the updates(camera and lens) nex6..but in videomode i see more aliasing and moire ..(sel18-200)
     Is there a way to downgrade the lens firmware back to version 01, to see if it realy is the case

4. My Nex-6 focuses “by itself” without a typical half-stroke on the shutter release. Kind of spooky for someone used to putting the center spot on the area that I want to focus on, and then pressing the shutter release halfway. Does the NEX-7 do this?

   • Hey i just got the Nex-6 myself and i find that it focuses by itself too like you said.

   • have a look under the set-up menu, you probably have the eye-start AF enabled

5. It looks as if 35 1.8 is not included. I thought that lens shipped with the proper firmware for PDAF already.

   • The support is in the Lens when it was shipped it just wasn’t in the camera since the camera was released before the 35mm.

     The new firmware on the camera activates the PDAF for the 35mm. For the 50mm, you will have to download another firmware for the lens along with the camera update.

6. It sounds like a new NEX7’s coming out soon (o pretty soon): maybe that’s worth the wait; go from the NEX5 to a brand new NEX7! 😉

   • This was supposed to be a reply to “Nex5guy”… 😀

7. And I thought you were about to review that 35mm 1.8! I haven’t seen much about it… but it’s high on my purchase list. I’m debating whether to update my NEX-5 to the 5R so that I can have the faster auto-focus, or stick with the old NEX-5 and get the 35 1.8 (it’s one or the other, not both). So it comes to the old question: an updated camera body, or more lenses?

   • Get the LA-EA2 and more lens for faster auto focus than the 5R.

     I have the NEX-5R still wasn’t happy after the firmware update for the PDAF on the SEL35F18 that I ended up buying the LA-EA2. It’s like a whole new camera.

   • Get the new lens. Despite what everyone will tell you, your NEX 5 body is just fine. If you are committed to the NEX system, an investment in lenses will last, but a body’s life is relatively short in comparison.

     I was in a similar situation awhile ago, stuck with the NEX 5. I now have the 50 1.8 and 18-200 LE with my original 5, and although I don’t mind a new body, I think that can wait until my current body dies on me.

8. The speed on SEL50 is about the same… still hunts… such a letdown 🙁

   • Did you activate Phase Detect in the menu? Just making sure as it has to be done in order for Phase Detect to work.

     • Yeah, I see the PDAF box just fine now, but it still hunts… even at F1.8 or F2.0… the 16-50 PZ focuses much much quicker in dim light or when distances between subjects varies greatly.

     • I Steve.
       I updated to ver 2 for my SEL 50F 18 after seeing yot article. Update went OK and ver 2 for the lens shows when I check the version. However when I try to activate the function Phase Detect in menu I get vthe message “This function is deactivated at the moment” and I get on/off choice. I do get the on/off choice with the 16-50 kit lens.
       I see the fokus is still hunting with the 50mm F1,8. as som of the comments say.
       Am I missing something else in setup? Does phase detect AF work in all modes? Any tips.
       Love your site by the way. Great stuff.
       Best regards,
       Ian

       • Sorry Steve.
         The word no is missing, I get no on/off choice to initiate phase detect AF when the 50mm is on the camera.
         Regards again,
         Ian

         • I have same problem with either the 50/1.8 or the “macro” 30/3.5. However on the 55-210 it works fine and the phase detect comes on automatically (same as the 16-50)

   • In all honesty I found the sel50f18 about equally as slow as the 60 macro for the fuji x system, though that was on a NEX-7

     • the Sony 50 1.8 focuses much faster on my NEX-6 than the Fuji 60mm did on my X-Pro1, I’d say the Sony is a better lens too, pity the Sony 35 f1.8 isn’t as good

       • This is all relative- the 60 macro got (much) faster with fw upgrades – perhaps the same is true of the sel50. In any event I found the Sel50f18 unusable in low light other than in MF (because of inaccuracy).

9. Makes me wish I purchased the NEX-6 over the XE-1.

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