Sony camera remote API archived

Question

Sony Camera Remote API is now archived. It was last updated in 2017 March, and some of the functionality that was added to the new models (A7 III, A7 R III, A9 ) are not documented. Does Sony plan to release an updated Camera Remote API document? Does Sony plan to release a new documentation for developers? Maybe release a document for their USB PTP protocol? Would be nice if someone from Sony could answer these questions.

Fionnula

Can you do something with the actual archived SDK with new models? I just can't work with A7 III because the old API can't handle the new JSON send from the cam. – Porch

@Porch i got the api working with a7iii only some functions missing (eg touch to Focus) and you have two call actHalfPressShutter before you can take a pic. (And the Focus has to be successfull) - what do you mean with "the old api can't handle the JSON" – Garth

@kilianeller By "old api", I mean that the current API is archived by Sony and doesn't list the a7iii in supported devices. See: developer.sony.com/develop/cameras/api-information/… The JSON that I received from the camera when I tried to connect was not a valid Json format (missing bracket, things like that). Luckily I intercepted it and I correct it by hardcode. – Porch

@Porch for me it sends exactly the same json Format as my a6300. Maybe you have to update your a7iii – Garth

Sony have now also gone and changed out how the API works on the a9 under our feet with the 5.0 firmware update (Yet to confirm if 3.0 update for a7iii has done the same) 😞 – Lewak

In a9 they removed the av:X_ScalarWebAPI_Service nodes from the discovery xml. And now as the 'Camera remote API' archived there is no documentation on how to access it. Great work Sony. Any info how to access the a9 with the 5.0 firmware? – Fionnula

@Zoltan Hubai did you ever get anywhere with this? I’m assuming the API works identically but there is some special method to retrieve the service nodes. I’ve tried running my own UpNP server on my MacBook to trick the Sony app into making calls to my MacBook so I can reverse engineer, but it only gets as far as asking for the service description xml file and then fails miserably. – Lewak

Unfortunately not, don't have the a9 so can't debug the way I need it. – Fionnula

Sorry to bump this! I’ve now managed to reverse-engineer the new method on the a9/a9ii/a7riv/rx100vii! It uses something called PTP/IP, if you find check out the 2.0.0 version branch of my library ROCC you can see how it works! – Lewak