A7RIII Firmware Update Fails (Could not find the camera for this update)

[RooiValk]

I really love this camera but I am currently at my wit's end with this firmware update - I am trying to do a simple update to the latest firmware but despite the fact that my camera otherwise connects perfectly to my PC (remote shooting, Windows showing the camera folder etc. etc.), the update software refuses to find the camera.

I have tried the following:

• Ensured that I'm using the USB-C cable that came with the camera
• Made sure that the camera is in mass storage mode
• Restarted my PC
• Restarted the camera and took the battery out for a while
• Followed the sequence described on the firmware update page to the tee
• Tried it on a different laptop running Windows 7 with exactly the same result
• Tried with and without a lens attached
• Made sure that the cable is connected directly to the PC - that it's not going through a USB hub
• Closed all applications, disabled firewall

When I plug the camera in via the usb c cable, Windows reacts by showing a new device is connected, and the camera also shows that it is successfully connected via usb, then why does the software update application fail to find the camera? I had no issues with Imaging Edge connecting with the camera either. I also had no issue updating the A7SIII either.

I'm running an up to date Windows 10 that surpasses all requirements listed on the firmware update page and the camera is currently on v1.0.0 (the lowest/oldest version I think).

I've heard some say that one has to update from V1.x to V2.x, then only to V3.x, but I can not find any versions under V3 either, does anyone have a link for V2?

Has anyone encountered this before or has any advice for what I can try next? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[RooiValk]

I think I found the answer for those who might be facing the same "issue"!

Apparently there is a new version of the A7RIII out with product name ILCE-7RM3A vs. the older ILCE-7RM3 (note the A vs. no A at the end). I see the ILCE-7RM3A product code under my camera - I recently bought it. I never knew about this and kept landing on the ILCE-7RM3 firmware download page, little did I know there is a separate firmware download page for ILCE-7RM3A, but his page does not have any new firmware currently. Perhaps ILCE-7RM3A already has all updates from the previous ILCE-7RM3 camera firmware??

This is quite interesting. Apparently Sony made some minor improvements in  ILCE-7RM3A over the older version, most notably a higher res back LCD screen and the Sony label removed at the bottom of the back screen.

ILCE-7RM3A firmware download page:

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7rm3a/downloads

ILCE-7RM3 firmware download page:

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7rm3/downloads

The same seems to apply to the A7RIV too.

An interesting read on the topic:https://www.dpreview.com/news/8756997638/sony-quietly-updates-the-a7r-iii-a7r-iv-with-improved-lcd-displays

Edited June 17, 2021 by RooiValk

[Julian.cubillos_photograph]

I thought my camera wasn’t working properly for the exact same reason, thanks so much! Finally I understood why my PC doesn’t recognize the camera for the firmware upgrade

[craig50]

Yeah, the A has different firmware than the original.

[GuyWithANiceCamera]

I bought a Sony A7RIIIA because of the good sale price, never hurts to have an extra body. I pulled my hair out for about an hour trying to get my camera to get recognized by the Sony firmware updater for the Sony A7RIII firmware. After a short google search I found this. Thanks for the information! This seems to be the case for me too!

 

[colokoy007]

I’m so glad you posted this because I’ve been pulling my hair trying to figure out the same thing thinking there was a defect with my camera and that I’d be stuck with a camera that couldn’t be updated 

[7RM3A]

Hello,

I can't find the ILCE-7RM3A firmware download on the camera link:

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7rm3a/downloads

Was it removed or something? I tried with the 7RM3 (no A) updater but without success - the "Could not find the camera for this update" message appears.

Can anyone share link to the updater file?

Thanks!

[Angie]

I also couldn’t get the firmware to load on the site from that link.

[theswanlogo]

Thank you so much @RooiValk !

[SLAZT]

Hi,

Can't find the ILCE-7RM3A firmware download either

Anyone as the files to share ?

Regards

[SLAZT]

I came across an interesting reply on a board stating that : it is normal for a brand new camera A7R3a to have its firmware 1.00 because it's new and there's nothing to update.

Hope it helps

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by SLAZT
Comp

[Barry22]

Hi everyone, so frustrated, spent $2500 on my new a7IV plus a lens and I have literally spent hours online trying to find a solution for this - simply updating my firmware. ANY help would be appreciated... I've carefully done all the steps, but when I connect the camera to my MacBook M1 Silicon and click next, the Firmware updater for Sony A7IV looks but then says "Could not find the camera for this update." I have the right cable, updated my security, and have worked through the exact steps many times, PLUS have spent hours watching YouTube videos and reading about this issue. And help would be appreciated.

[deza7]

On 7/21/2022 at 8:13 PM, Barry22 said:

Hi everyone, so frustrated, spent $2500 on my new a7IV plus a lens and I have literally spent hours online trying to find a solution for this - simply updating my firmware. ANY help would be appreciated... I've carefully done all the steps, but when I connect the camera to my MacBook M1 Silicon and click next, the Firmware updater for Sony A7IV looks but then says "Could not find the camera for this update." I have the right cable, updated my security, and have worked through the exact steps many times, PLUS have spent hours watching YouTube videos and reading about this issue. And help would be appreciated.

Same problem here. If I find something I'll post.

Any luck on your end?

[deza7]

On 7/21/2022 at 8:13 PM, Barry22 said:

Hi everyone, so frustrated, spent $2500 on my new a7IV plus a lens and I have literally spent hours online trying to find a solution for this - simply updating my firmware. ANY help would be appreciated... I've carefully done all the steps, but when I connect the camera to my MacBook M1 Silicon and click next, the Firmware updater for Sony A7IV looks but then says "Could not find the camera for this update." I have the right cable, updated my security, and have worked through the exact steps many times, PLUS have spent hours watching YouTube videos and reading about this issue. And help would be appreciated.

I pulled the battery out for about 5-10 minutes and put it back in and it seemed to work until it restarted and then something happened and it crashed (updater said 'failed' and to restart).

Update: User error, of course. Turns out, when you google "sony a7 iv firmware update" (because the A7 IV doesn't show up when browsing their own site https://electronics.sony.com/imaging/interchangeable-lens-cameras/c/full-frame) , the top google result from sony.com is actually the product page for the A7RM4, not A7M4. I could take responsibility for this but it's 2022 and Sony should be better at SEO, so I refuse to admit culpability for my own problems.

Then, after that, more user error (apparently, although I'm going to blame Sony still). My XPS laptop doesn't have USB-A ports, so I used an adaptor to convert to USB-C. I knew this was 'bad', but when the firmware update tool recognized my camera I thought it'd be ok. Nope. When I finally connected to my desktop PC which had a USB-A port, then it worked.

I'm still going to hang on to the fact that I had to take the battery out for a bit and then re-insert as proof that I am not to blame for my lack of attention to detail. Harumph

Edited August 5, 2022 by deza7

[thalasur]

i Can't find the ILCE-7RM3A firmware download

[thalasur]

can someone provide direct download link for firmware ? guest survey Restaurant Survey

[VTC]

If I recall this correctly people were having issues because Google Drive was running / connected / in use when connecting their camera or updating firmware. Another problem was using a different cable than what came with the camera. Scope out these possibilities. I believe it was mentioned in this forum a time or two.

[Pieter]

On 12/10/2022 at 7:58 PM, thalasur said:

i Can't find the ILCE-7RM3A firmware download

Stop looking: there is no firmware update for the A7RIIIa. The latest version is 1.0.