Sony ILCE-7CM2 (A7C II) incompatibility

[starkgb]

Describe the bug
NINA reports an "Unsupported file format" error when using a Sony a7C II with NINA for stills capture, claiming that LibRaw does not support this camera when in fact recent versions of LibRaw (e.g., 0.22) do support this model (confirmed by Alex Tutubalin at the LibRaw team via info@libraw.org). The error states, "LibRaw open buffer failed: Unsupported file format or not RAW file."

After a bit of research, Alex Tutubalin at LibRaw discovered that the problem stems from the fact that NINA relies on two conflicting versions of LibRaw, one that is up to date (libraw_0_22_1.dll), and another that is very out of date (the version of LibRaw that is statically compiled into the FlyCapture2_v140.dll library is approximately ten years out of date). Alex believes that the out-of-date LibRaw library that is included in the FlyCapture library is the reason that the Sony ILCE-7CM2 (and likely other recent Sony models) image captures fail.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Install the Sony ASCOM driver.
2. Physically connect the Sony camera to the computer (Sony ILCE-7CM2 aka Sony A7C II) via a USB C cable.
3. From the Camera selection dropdown menu on the Equipment > Camera page, select and connect to the camera (ILCE_7CM2). The camera usually connects pretty quickly.
4. Switch to the Imaging page and try to take a still image. When you do, the camera will take the image (you can hear the shutter click), but when NINA tries to process it, it throws the "LibRaw open buffer failed: Unsupported file format or not RAW file" error as shown in the screenshots section. Note that the camera works fine if you shoot a video. It's only with stills that it fails.

Expected behavior
Given that the 0.22 version of LibRaw supports the Sony ILCE_7CM2, I expect NINA to be able to capture still images from this camera.

Screenshots

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: Windows 11 Pro 25H2
• OS Build: 26200.8875
• Experience: Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.334.0

Relevant logfiles and attachments
N/A

Additional context
Alex (the person who debugged this at LibRaw.org) said to feel free to contact his organization at info@libraw.org if you have LibRaw questions. An excerpt from his email is below:

"...

The 3.3 installation contains LibRaw in two locations

1. libraw_0_22_1.dll
   This is indeed 0.22 version (I know how to view the list of supported cameras directly in the binary, ILCE-7CM2 is listed)

2. Again, FlyCapture2_v140.dll with LibRaw compiled in statically
   This (statically compiled) LibRaw version is very old, Sony support ends with A7-II camera. There isn't even an A7R-II there so this is something 10+ years old.

..."

Thanks for your help!

[daleghent]

Hi,

There's something a bit off in your description, so I suspect there might be some confusion going on.

You say you're using the Sony ASCOM driver which, theoretically, has its own copy of libraw or whatever it uses to decode the image file from the camera and make it available to the client app (NINA) as a raw integer array.

But then you're saying you see the camera listed by model name in NINA's camera equipment selection menu. There's also a Sony driver plugin for NINA that the author of the Sony ASCOM driver made. I suspect you're not actually using the Sony ASCOM driver, but are perhaps using the Sony plugin for NINA?

It is likely that the Sony plugin for NINA is delivering its own, older version of libraw, this FlyCapture2 thing you're talking about. This isn't part of NINA itself, it is rather part of the Sony plugin for NINA. You will have to reach out to the plugin's author to address deficiencies in it. NINA's own libraw library would not be playing a role here.

[starkgb]

You’re correct. It’s the Sony plug-in. I’d forgotten that I’d tried the ASCOM driver, but abandoned it when it kept hanging the camera configuration page (after trying to use the ASCOM driver when this camera is connected, I have to restart NINA to be able to select another camera). I’m sorry, but I’m not sure where the FlyCapture2 library is located. The person at LibRaw that was helping me is heading out the door on an extended, internet-free vacation, and so I can’t ask. I’ll try to reach out to the plug-in developer to get their take on this. Funny thing is that they also claim to support this camera. Thanks for looking at it. On the plus side, I have a Sony a7R IVA that works well with NINA and the plug-in. I was just hoping to send it in for service and use the A7C II in the interim. Thanks for all that you guys do, and sorry for the hassle! Greg Sorry for the hassle.

…

On Jul 17, 2026, at 4:33 PM, Dale Ghent ***@***.***> wrote: daleghent left a comment (isbeorn/nina#324) <#324 (comment)> Hi, There's something a bit off in your description, so I suspect there might be some confusion going on. You say you're using the Sony ASCOM driver which, theoretically, has its own copy of libraw or whatever it uses to decode the image file from the camera and make it available to the client app (NINA) as a raw integer array. But then you're saying you see the camera listed by model name in NINA's camera equipment selection menu. There's also a Sony driver plugin for NINA that the author of the Sony ASCOM driver made. I suspect you're not actually using the Sony ASCOM driver, but are perhaps using the Sony plugin for NINA? It is likely that the Sony plugin for NINA is delivering its own, older version of libraw, this FlyCapture2 thing you're talking about. This isn't part of NINA itself, it is rather part of the Sony plugin for NINA. You will have to reach out to the plugin's author to address deficiencies in it. NINA's own libraw library would not be playing a role here. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#324?email_source=notifications&email_token=AWQVRNWEGWI3SVXLH7F4OID5FKSUFA5CNFSNUABFM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQXTKMBQHAYTEMRUGAY2M4TFMFZW63VGMF2XI2DPOKSWK5TFNZ2KYZTPN52GK4S7MNWGSY3L#issuecomment-5008122401>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AWQVRNTFBVQCGVNDHJTTW5L5FKSUFAVCNFSNUABFKJSXA33TNF2G64TZHM4TSNJZHEYTKMRXHNEXG43VMU5TIOJRGQ4TOOJVG4ZKC5QC>. Triage notifications, keep track of coding agent tasks and review pull requests on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://github.com/notifications/mobile/ios/AWQVRNT3F2WIWFQ4DLQJEP35FKSUFA5CNFSNUABFM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQXTKMBQHAYTEMRUGAY2M4TFMFZW63VGMF2XI2DPOKSWK5TFNZ2KUZTPN52GK4S7NFXXG> and Android <https://github.com/notifications/mobile/android/AWQVRNQD6GB5TMK37GYUM5D5FKSUFA5CNFSNUABFM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQXTKMBQHAYTEMRUGAY2M4TFMFZW63VGMF2XI2DPOKSWK5TFNZ2K4ZTPN52GK4S7MFXGI4TPNFSA>. Download it today! You are receiving this because you authored the thread.

[starkgb]

Also, just as a follow-up and per the plug-in developer, the Sony plug-in uses non-ASCOM components of the Sony ASCOM driver (see the plug-in developer's website: https://github.com/dougforpres/NINASonyCameraPlugin). I guess that further complicates things... I'll keep looking on this end to see if I can track down which code introduces the FlyCapture2 library.

[isbeorn]

FlyCapture2_v140.dll is part of the Atik SDK dependency set that NINA ships for its native Atik support.

I am still unclear how the LibRaw implementation statically linked into FlyCapture2 is expected to “pollute” NINA’s P/Invoke. NINA explicitly loads libraw_0_22_1.dll and declares libraw_open_buffer against that named DLL. On Windows, the function is resolved from that module’s export table; the loader does not search other loaded DLLs for a private, statically linked implementation with the same function. The Sony ASCOM driver being loaded in-process through COM does not change that resolution. It can affect the buffer returned to NINA, but not which DLL this P/Invoke targets.

To verify whether the Atik dependency is involved, please close NINA completely, temporarily move or rename the External\x64\Atik folder, restart NINA, and reproduce the still capture. This will disable native Atik support for the test. If the problem disappears, that would confirm that the Atik/FlyCapture dependency is involved, although we would still need to identify the exact mechanism. If the same LibRaw error remains, the embedded LibRaw implementation in FlyCapture2 is not the cause.

[starkgb]

As suggested, I removed the Atik folder, and the problem persists. I have substantiated that the LibRaw 0.22 dll works with my camera when used external to NINA. The LibRaw team provides a simple utility (dcraw_emu) that allows you to test the camera against the dll, and it works fine. Also, I reached out to the Sony camera plug-in developer, but I have yet to hear from him. I don’t know the architecture of NINA, but I’ll see if I can find a reference to an earlier version of LibRaw in either the Sony Camera plug-in or the Sony ASCOM driver (the plug-in counts on the driver having been installed). Thanks!

…

On Jul 17, 2026, at 7:15 PM, Stefan Berg ***@***.***> wrote: isbeorn left a comment (isbeorn/nina#324) <#324 (comment)> FlyCapture2_v140.dll is part of the Atik SDK dependency set that NINA ships for its native Atik support. I am still unclear how the LibRaw implementation statically linked into FlyCapture2 is expected to “pollute” NINA’s P/Invoke. NINA explicitly loads libraw_0_22_1.dll and declares libraw_open_buffer against that named DLL. On Windows, the function is resolved from that module’s export table; the loader does not search other loaded DLLs for a private, statically linked implementation with the same function. The Sony ASCOM driver being loaded in-process through COM does not change that resolution. It can affect the buffer returned to NINA, but not which DLL this P/Invoke targets. To verify whether the Atik dependency is involved, please close NINA completely, temporarily move or rename the External\x64\Atik folder, restart NINA, and reproduce the still capture. This will disable native Atik support for the test. If the problem disappears, that would confirm that the Atik/FlyCapture dependency is involved, although we would still need to identify the exact mechanism. If the same LibRaw error remains, the embedded LibRaw implementation in FlyCapture2 is not the cause. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#324?email_source=notifications&email_token=AWQVRNUOMCEVI4LTSAID2XD5FLFS5A5CNFSNUABFM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQXTKMBQHEYTCMBQGQY2M4TFMFZW63VGMF2XI2DPOKSWK5TFNZ2KYZTPN52GK4S7MNWGSY3L#issuecomment-5009110041>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AWQVRNSQYGSPU46AEKDKN2L5FLFS5AVCNFSNUABFKJSXA33TNF2G64TZHM4TSNJZHEYTKMRXHNEXG43VMU5TIOJRGQ4TOOJVG4ZKC5QC>. Triage notifications, keep track of coding agent tasks and review pull requests on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://github.com/notifications/mobile/ios/AWQVRNWMGQBHITRQWETKNR35FLFS5A5CNFSNUABFM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQXTKMBQHEYTCMBQGQY2M4TFMFZW63VGMF2XI2DPOKSWK5TFNZ2KUZTPN52GK4S7NFXXG> and Android <https://github.com/notifications/mobile/android/AWQVRNUNMGMC4BVOGWZZX7D5FLFS5A5CNFSNUABFM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQXTKMBQHEYTCMBQGQY2M4TFMFZW63VGMF2XI2DPOKSWK5TFNZ2K4ZTPN52GK4S7MFXGI4TPNFSA>. Download it today! You are receiving this because you authored the thread.