Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

arkitect

macrumors 604
Original poster
Sep 5, 2005
7,366
16,030
Bath, United Kingdom
@arkitect have you watched this video? It's from a Sony photographer, and he walks you through the process really clearly. He notes that there are several times along his path when he had to redo things, start over, etc. The process involves several times when it asks for security permission, or sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it asks twice. You need to have multiple installer package windows open plus other "helpers." And it appears that at any point in the process you simply need to restart your Mac and redo everything.

It looks insane and awful. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I can understand why you're pulling your hair out!

The Sony software looks terrible. And there's even a couple warning windows that pop up and need to be clicked, but the warning (on software downloaded from the U.S. Sony site) is all in Japanese. So despite the FUD being spread around this thread, it is clearly Sony's updating software that is bad, and not Apple.

The directions for Mac and PC users both, based on Sony's site, are far more complex and arcane than they need to be. I used to own a Sony and got rid of it recently, partly because the camera software (menus, etc.) is the opposite of user friendly. If the same teams are designing the firmware updater, I can see why engineers are the only ones who can do it.

I use Canons, and I have some Sigma lenses. Products from both manufacturers require firmware updates, and both are easy and fast. Both work seamlessly with my OS.

I hope the linked video helps. Good luck.
👍 Thanks!
This should in theory work… but it doesn't work on Ventura.

It just fails.

TheSony updater launches and then crashes.

I'll get out the old Mac from storage and then see if it is old enough to support Sony's latest! 🤣


@arkitect
It looks insane and awful. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I can understand why you're pulling your hair out!

The Sony software looks terrible.
Thank you for the sympathy! 🙂
It is such an insane (and not in a good way!) process. What devious mind thought that out?

What do you mean? You said yourself that Sony only supports up to 10.14 and you're on 13.2... What did you expect to happen?

I mean... Uh?
Thanks for your helpful comment. 🙄
Read the thread keyboard warrior.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jumpthesnark

kenoh

macrumors 604
Jul 18, 2008
6,507
10,850
Glasgow, UK
I apologise for the rant!

But posting in the vain hope that someone might have an answer.

*sigh* Busy pulling out the remaining hairs I still have at this age trying to update my A6500 firmware…

You guessed it, I am using a Mac… MacOS 13.2 "Ventura" and Sony only supports up to 10.14

It. Just. Does. Not. Work.

Launch the Update "Helper" and it crashes.

For the love of all that is holy! Can Sony make this experience any worse?

I have searched and asked (which brings me here) and watched Youtube videos, but no answers or solutions… nothing prepares you for the frustration and ultimate failure of this process.

Oh Sony… I love your cameras, but words fail me.

Seems I am left stuck on 1.05 forever and ever.

What is a Sony firmware update? is that actually a thing? 😂

I remember updating my A7R2 way back when and it was super picky about the cable I used to connect it to the computer.

I had fun with a Godox flash firmware update that needed Windows 7. That was fun building a virtual machine just to run the update software.

Have you got a friend with a windows machine you could do the upgrade on ?
 

TracerAnalog

macrumors 6502a
Nov 7, 2012
785
1,444
Options:
- install an additional MacOS partition to boot into, and keep your files externally
- use one of many of the VM solutions to install Windows or MacOS (my preferred and often used solution)
- get a cheap older Mac for file imports :)
- buy a new camera :) :)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect

arkitect

macrumors 604
Original poster
Sep 5, 2005
7,366
16,030
Bath, United Kingdom
Success! 🙂

I have finally managed to update the A6500's firmware.

Thank you to everyone for pitching in and offering solutions…

Solution?
I used the 14 Day Free Trial of Parallels Desktop for Mac to run Windows 11.
Downloaded the camera's Windows Updater and… It worked flawlessly — apart from MacOS throwing a hissy fit about sharing USB connections with the VN… but it all worked fine.

Awesomeness! 😀

But it still leaves me asking why Sony cannot bother to do the same for Mac?

IMG_2497.jpeg



IMG_2498.jpeg
 

TechnoMonk

macrumors 68030
Oct 15, 2022
2,541
3,994
Success! 🙂

I have finally managed to update the A6500's firmware.

Thank you to everyone for pitching in and offering solutions…

Solution?
I used the 14 Day Free Trial of Parallels Desktop for Mac to run Windows 11.
Downloaded the camera's Windows Updater and… It worked flawlessly — apart from MacOS throwing a hissy fit about sharing USB connections with the VN… but it all worked fine.

Awesomeness! 😀

But it still leaves me asking why Sony cannot bother to do the same for Mac?

View attachment 2155350


View attachment 2155351
Glad it worked. Share some good footage. Lol.
 

Jumpthesnark

macrumors 65816
Apr 24, 2022
1,230
5,125
California
Success! 🙂

I have finally managed to update the A6500's firmware.

Thank you to everyone for pitching in and offering solutions…

Solution?
I used the 14 Day Free Trial of Parallels Desktop for Mac to run Windows 11.
Downloaded the camera's Windows Updater and… It worked flawlessly — apart from MacOS throwing a hissy fit about sharing USB connections with the VN… but it all worked fine.

Awesomeness! 😀

But it still leaves me asking why Sony cannot bother to do the same for Mac?

View attachment 2155350


View attachment 2155351
Yay! Glad it worked! Happy shooting.
 
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect

katbel

macrumors 68040
Aug 19, 2009
3,617
32,211
Success! 🙂

I have finally managed to update the A6500's firmware.

Thank you to everyone for pitching in and offering solutions…

Solution?
I used the 14 Day Free Trial of Parallels Desktop for Mac to run Windows 11.
Downloaded the camera's Windows Updater and… It worked flawlessly — apart from MacOS throwing a hissy fit about sharing USB connections with the VN… but it all worked fine.

Awesomeness! 😀

But it still leaves me asking why Sony cannot bother to do the same for Mac?

View attachment 2155350


View attachment 2155351
Glad you did it!
I had to update my Sony camera as well but I had non problems with BigSur. Maybe is just Ventura that creates problems?
Anyway Sony SHOULD have the updates working with the most recent systems, so weird they don't care....
 
  • Like
Reactions: arkitect

MOMSN

macrumors newbie
Mar 28, 2023
1
0
I apologise for the rant!

But posting in the vain hope that someone might have an answer.

*sigh* Busy pulling out the remaining hairs I still have at this age trying to update my A6500 firmware…

You guessed it, I am using a Mac… MacOS 13.2 "Ventura" and Sony only supports up to 10.14

It. Just. Does. Not. Work.

Launch the Update "Helper" and it crashes.

For the love of all that is holy! Can Sony make this experience any worse?

I have searched and asked (which brings me here) and watched Youtube videos, but no answers or solutions… nothing prepares you for the frustration and ultimate failure of this process.

Oh Sony… I love your cameras, but words fail me.

Seems I am left stuck on 1.05 forever and ever.

Edit:
Solution here!
I have done the same as you, searched the internet for forever! I used to shoot on Canon, and if Sony dosent get there **** together I will never ever buy Sony camera again, I have an A7 mkIII its not a cheap camera! But it feel like **** when the software is not working, and it looks like something from early 2000. With Canon you can shoot directly from Lightroom in "tether-mode", you only need a cable. With sony you have to use there ****** oldschool software to shot from and export to lightroom, until now, because now yeah it doesnt work! And I dont know if its only me and because I live en denmark, but it just says 404 when i visit there "Creative page" https://creatorscloud.sony.net/da-dk/
Omg i hate Sony right now, i need to shot images from the computer to do my job! Its not just for fun im taking photos.

 

Tofuyaki

macrumors newbie
Jul 13, 2023
1
0
Alas! Not the cable.
Sony's software is 100% to blame.
Any Mac running newer than 10.14 is SOL. 😕
Thanks for looking! 👍
How can be, testet 15 cables. I can move pictures all that works. I’m one of that persons without the original cable and a newer Mac (intel not m1).
I wonder if the update works without a software. Have someone made it with Bootcamp/WIN10, or would you not recommend that method? Can‘t manage do that update too. But a while ago i’ve updated a Mice in Bootcamp/WIN10 and that Mice works not right since back then. Now I’m afraid do it again.


Edit:
That was sad, my mac is hella fast but this problem was going to want throw that thing out of a window.

A very beloved one borrowed me a 2017 windows notebook and it works fine. It’s slow…

wait for a flea market and get me one for 50 euro… Time is more important that money

N8
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    516.3 KB · Views: 77
Last edited:

simplyvince

macrumors newbie
Aug 5, 2023
1
0
Had to use a Sony cable and boot to a Yosemite drive I created on an SD card on a 2013 iMac. Such a pain. Couldn't update on macOS 10.15 Catalina or macOS 13 Ventura.
 

TechnoMonk

macrumors 68030
Oct 15, 2022
2,541
3,994
Had to use a Sony cable and boot to a Yosemite drive I created on an SD card on a 2013 iMac. Such a pain. Couldn't update on macOS 10.15 Catalina or macOS 13 Ventura.
Just use trial version of parallel/windows or virtual box.
 

CooperBox

macrumors 68000
Slightly off-topic but I have a Sony 6400 and HATE it! Must confess I haven't updated the firmware as didn't think it necessary. Reading this and on a Mac with 11.7.7 Big Sur I'm pleased I didn't try.
The reason I dislike this camera is due to the (for me) over complicated menu system. Some may cry sacrilege but I'm now looking for a good point & shoot as a replacement.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.