Firmware upgrade of F707 to match F717?

[Trevor Watson]

I wonder if Sony will offer for sale a firmware upgrade to the F707 to match improvements to F717 just like Minolta did with the Dimage 7i.

 

[DavidH]

The DSC-F717 is the firmware upgrade for the DSC-F707.

 

[Ulysses]

I wonder if Sony will offer for sale a firmware upgrade to the F707
to match improvements to F717 just like Minolta did with the Dimage
7i.

--

Ulysses

 

[Stephen Waits]

I wonder if Sony will offer for sale a firmware upgrade to the F707
to match improvements to F717 just like Minolta did with the Dimage
7i.

Yes, I promise it'll be available, but only in your dreams. I work for Sony (not consumer electronics though), and in my experience they don't attempt ANYTHING that doesn't have decent profit potential, and a firmware upgrade is nothing but chump change and support problems IMO.

Of course, I'll purchase it too, but only in my dreams. See you on the flip side.

--Steve

 

[kiwi]

I wonder if Sony will offer for sale a firmware upgrade to the F707
to match improvements to F717 just like Minolta did with the Dimage
7i.

did you know that this is the fourth new thread that someone has raised on this subject in the last 24 hours?

the answer is always the same - see Ulysses response

It has been the same in the last 100 or so similar threads in the last year

Sony don't do firmware upgrades - to them it doesn't make business sense to do so

we Sony digicam lovers simply have to get over it

 

[BigBuzz]

And the lack of support from Sony for thier customers is the reason my next digicam won't be another Sony.

 

[Stephen Waits]

And the lack of support from Sony for thier customers is the reason
my next digicam won't be another Sony.

Not offering a firmware upgrade is a lack of support? Or are you referring to something else?

--Steve

 

[jorge elguera]

I have my f-707 for about two months.

1st of all, i felt a bit mad paying $1000 for it at Ritz Camera while others paid $650
2nd Knowing a replacement already exists.

This is not fair! I agree Sony has to give some firmware support. And if the f-707 does not have the possibility for rom replacement via software, let it be some kind of chip our local sony electronics or photo technician can change without voiding the warranty.

If Sony doesnt do this, I will also switch to Canon or Nikon, my other alternatives before deciding for the Sony. I chose it for its quality of image, but no support will definitely convince me to sacrifice some image quality.
jorge

 

[Suave]

And the lack of support from Sony for thier customers is the reason
my next digicam won't be another Sony.

Not offering a firmware upgrade is a lack of support?

Damn right it is! They have new software available that's compatible with my hardware and I can't have it?

 

[Steve Ives]

Suppose you'd bought a D30 a few months ago, then the D60 came out for the same price. Would this be 'not fair' also? Are you not aware that any piece of consumer electronics you buy will be replaced by something cheaper and better within a few months?

You paid $1000 for the camera (you must have thought that a fair price) when you knew that it could be had cheaper and you also shoul dhave know that a succesor was due out in the autumn, just as Sony have released a new flagship 'F' series Cybershot every year.

Also, as a replacement model, the 717 is a very minor upgrade - I was thinking maybe they should have called it the F707V, but all the previous 'V' models have been more of an upgrade than this.

Yes, a firmware upgrade (for the histogram, manual zoom, possibly the faster timings) would be nice and is probably possible, but isn't ours by right.

Get over it!

Steve

I have my f-707 for about two months.
1st of all, i felt a bit mad paying $1000 for it at Ritz Camera
while others paid $650
2nd Knowing a replacement already exists.

This is not fair! I
If Sony doesnt do this, I will also switch to Canon or Nikon, my
jorge

 

[leeves]

I don't think Sony really cares. Some customers are too expensive to keep.

And the lack of support from Sony for thier customers is the reason
my next digicam won't be another Sony.

 

[Suave]

I'm not saying Sony has to give it to us, no, I would gladly pay the same $50 Dimage owners pay for their firmware.

Yes, a firmware upgrade (for the histogram, manual zoom, possibly
the faster timings) would be nice and is probably possible, but
isn't ours by right.

Get over it!

Steve

I have my f-707 for about two months.
1st of all, i felt a bit mad paying $1000 for it at Ritz Camera
while others paid $650
2nd Knowing a replacement already exists.

This is not fair! I
If Sony doesnt do this, I will also switch to Canon or Nikon, my
jorge

 

[DavidH]

Sony brings out a new product while others are still scrambing and fixing and fine tuning.

I am not defending them, but merely stating an observation.

By the time they introduced and provided firmware changes (at todays' quickening market and technology pace) they will have successfully revised, improved and implemented a successor with better hardware; thus an earlier post : the DCS-F717 is the firmware for the DSC-F707.
The new circuitry and processors were probably not available a year ago.

The huge technology roadmap in place at Sony probably has next Springs' models in R&D as we speak with featues we are now thinking and dreaming of.

Are we all going to trash or get rid of our TV's and LCD monitors and laptops next Spring when OLED screens virtually replace everything display wise including cell phones?

(affordable flatscreened wall-mounted TV's coming...No...not science fiction this time)

Probably not immediately unless we have a deeeep pocket.

That's the age we're in and it's only going to get better with each new discovery.

I contend the DSC-F707 is a lot more than a 'firmware' update.

Look at floppy discs now

May Betamax AND VHS rest in peace.

 

[jorge elguera]

Hey Steve, do you work for Sony?

I said not fair but live with it (could you tell a patient with cancer not to say it´s not fair!), but i love my camera. Still, I think that paying $1000 does give me the right to some improvement, even if I have to pay for it, as they did with the Minoltas. I am not asking to get an upgrade to virtually have a f-717, just something to level things a bit. And i'm sure that this sort of improvement is not impossible for Sony.
jorge

 

[JimB]

good points Jorge,

I like to distinguish bug fixes vs. new features. All I want is some support to get my 707 updated to the latest software fixes since the camera was built. That's not too much to ask for. The return on customer satisfaction should be enough to offset whatever support calls come out of this type of an upgrade. These types of units are too expensive to be 'throw away' or 'sell it to some poor slob who doesn't know any better'.

Hey Steve, do you work for Sony?
I said not fair but live with it (could you tell a patient with
cancer not to say it´s not fair!), but i love my camera. Still, I
think that paying $1000 does give me the right to some improvement,
even if I have to pay for it, as they did with the Minoltas. I am
not asking to get an upgrade to virtually have a f-717, just
something to level things a bit. And i'm sure that this sort of
improvement is not impossible for Sony.
jorge

 

[JimB]

I contend the DSC-F707 is a lot more than a 'firmware' update.

I disagree... All you have to do is look at the past years worth of posts to realize that the 707 was a 'work-in-progress' with new firmware being loaded as fast as they were coming off the assembly line. That being said the very last 'new' 707 that leaves Sony, whenever that is, will have better software installed in it then the units picked up in Oct. of last year.

 

[Ken]

I'm still confused.

And how will Sony NOT make a tremendous profit by selling a firmware update package?

What is the cost to them?

They place the update on the Sony website. We pay some money via credit card. We download the new firmware to the camera.

Other digital camera's have this ability. You really think Sony doesn't?

Ken

 

[Steve Ives]

Sorry - didn't mean to be harsh You know the technology game though - if you buy the latest at full price, pretty soon you're going to get superceeded. I bought my 707 for $800 when I was in the States 2/3 months ago and I can honestly say that if the 717 had been available for $1000 I'd have had to think quite hard about which one to go for - the 717 really does seem to be a minor upgrade.

The 717's release takes nothing away from your 707 - it's still a superb camera.

Steve

Hey Steve, do you work for Sony?
I said not fair but live with it (could you tell a patient with
cancer not to say it´s not fair!), but i love my camera. Still, I
think that paying $1000 does give me the right to some improvement,
even if I have to pay for it, as they did with the Minoltas. I am
not asking to get an upgrade to virtually have a f-717, just
something to level things a bit. And i'm sure that this sort of
improvement is not impossible for Sony.
jorge

 

[Stephen Waits]

Damn right it is! They have new software available that's
compatible with my hardware and I can't have it?

How do you know the new software IS compatible with the 707's hardware. I for one am very doubtful, and for good reason - faster startup times. This indicates to me that the 717 might have gotten a new CPU.

Anyway, regardless, Sony's out to make money - lots of money. And because of that you all just need to stop dreaming about this BS.

 

[Stephen Waits]

I'm still confused.

And how will Sony NOT make a tremendous profit by selling a
firmware update package?

What is the cost to them?

They place the update on the Sony website. We pay some money via
credit card. We download the new firmware to the camera.

Other digital camera's have this ability. You really think Sony
doesn't?

Well, it'll clearly cost them a lot of money, and the possibility for profit is rather small since this "upgrade" isn't going to be a big-ticket item and it'll likely only be popular with users like you and me and other people that'd hang out on this site. And the fact is, that's a VERY small percentage of overall 707 owners.

It'll cost them R&D to develop the firware for the 707 - you're all (wrongly) assuming the 717 and 707 are identical pieces of hardware.

It'll cost them to develop a distribution method. From packaging, to instructions.

.. to distribute.

.. to advertise and market.

.. to support! This is a biggie. For every 1 user that bungles his/her firmware update and locks himself out of his camera forever Sony's dipping into any potential profits (which were small to begin with) in a big way.

Listen up.. you're all dreaming. Sorry to be brutal, but quit your bitchin and go outside and take some photography. Stop worrying about whether you have the latest and greatest and enjoy your 707 which is a fabulous camera.

For anyone that's forgotten JUST HOW GOOD the 707 can perform, please visit this for a reminder:

http://www.photosig.com/photos.php?cameraId=370

--Steve