Kaizen-spirit (X100 firmware): “Fuji is the only one doing it. I’d love this to be industry standard”

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Three years have passed since the X100 was announced at the photokina 2010 (and, as you know, three years are a long time in the this business). Now, I don’t think that many X100 photographers expected such a major improvement for their camera after all these years.

But Fujifilm did it. The company invested time, effort and money to give your classic X100 a fresh, new software look. The camera is now significantly better than before.

diyphotography said here: “So why would a company release an update that is not going to generate any sales or hold users from moving to another system? If anything this update might slow down the move to Fuji’s X100s. They do it because they care about their customers. […] Fuji is the only one doing it. I would love this to be industry standard. Release new features on old cameras. I really can’t see why this would be too hard on camera makers. […] It is not enough because the camera can do more. This is just my wild guess here, and since the X100 is not firmware broken yet, we can’t really tell. But I think it is not pushed to the limits yet. […]”

Another feedback of long time X100 photographer Luke Bhothipiti can be read over here at Craig Litten’s website: “WHOA.  Manual focus WORKS now.  Like. . . it WORKS. […] However, all is not well with 2.0 as now the meter that was so fantastic before is now a little dodgy.  Shooting from the hip in aperture priority, I found that the camera was dramatically underexposing the images in bright scenes, regardless of which metering mode I was in.”

I’ve already shared the AF comparison firmware 1.30 vs 2.00 here. Many of you were enthusiastic about the new firmware, other still have some firmware wishes for the future. So, given Fuji’s Kaizen spirit (listen to feedback of customers and continuously improve its products through firmware updates), why shouldn’t we ask for more?

Now you know it, Fuji is listening. So don’t hesitate to extend the “TO DO” list in the comments! ;-)

Here is some feedback from the previous comments about the X100 firmware.

DONE

– “AF in low light seems much improved. MF works waaaay better, and the peaking is nice. General operation feels faster. I’m super pleased.”
– “The turn-on process is improved also, but it is not as impressive as the Af performance.”
– “Seems that the focus ring sensitivity was also improved. Chapeau!”
– “Manual focus actually works now! You don’t have to strain your arm turning the focus ring anymore!”
– “I have to say this is a spectacular improvement!”
– “So hats off to the team at Fujifilm, this is an amazing update! My X100 just got about 50% better and just feels faster overall. Thank you very much!!!”
– “New life for that little guy.”

TO DO

– “[…] the Q function […] (for the 3.0 version :-D ).”
– “Perhaps a “final”update with red focus peaking?”
– “Unfortunately, with all the nice things in FW 2.00 there also is a rather severe bug that renders manual focus highly unreliable, for detailed description see for example here (focus shift issue at fujix-series)”

PRE-ORDERS

by purchasing your camera using the link below, you’ll support Fujirumors. You won’t pay a single penny more for your camera, but a small commision goes to FR. It’s big help for the site and keeps it ticking over. Thanks for your support.

X-E2 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / Fotomundus24 GER / PCHstore /

XQ1 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / PCHstore /

 

cheers

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PDAF & LMO Lens Firmware Updates Coming in November

PRE-ORDERS

by purchasing your camera using the link below, you’ll support Fujirumors. You won’t pay a single penny more for your camera, but a small commision goes to FR. It’s big help for the site and keeps it ticking over.

Thanks for your support.

X-E2 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / Fotomundus24 GER

XQ1 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev

 

_ _ _

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback) – Rico’s Flickr sets – X-E2 Sample Images Set – X-E2 Tracking AF Samples (private set, must use this link) – X-E2 Lens Modulation Optimizer (LMO) Examples (private set, must use this link) – XQ1 Sample Images Set – Mastering the Fujifilm X-Pro1 reading samples (65 free pages) – Order my NEW book (print or DRM-free eBook/PDF): Mastering the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 (use code FUJISAVES30 to save 30%!)

Good news from Tokyo: Fujifilm has been expediting  their efforts to provide lens firmware updates in order to fully support the new X-E2 with its PDAF/CDAF hybrid autofocus system and lens modulation optimizer. Click here to learn more about these features and read my First Look on the X-E2.

Here’s the plan:

On November 7, Fuji hopes to roll out PDAF and LMO firmware updates to the following lenses:

  • [shoplink 12888]XF14mmF2,8 R[/shoplink] (V. 3.10)
  • [shoplink 12889]XF35mmF1.4 R[/shoplink] (V. 3.10)
  • [shoplink 12890]XF60mmF2.4 R Macro[/shoplink] (V. 3.10)
  • [shoplink 12887]XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS[/shoplink] (V. 3.10)
  • [shoplink 12892]XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS[/shoplink] (V. 3.10)
  • [shoplink 17197]XC16-50mmF3.5-5.6 OIS[/shoplink] (V. 1.10, PDAF update only, no LMO support)

By the end of November, Fuji plans to offer updates to the remaining XF lenses:

  • [shoplink 12891]XF18mmF2 R[/shoplink] (V. 3.10)
  • [shoplink 13829]XF27mmF2.8[/shoplink] (V. 1.10)

The [shoplink 16128]XF23mmF1.4 R[/shoplink] supports PDAF and LMO out of the box with firmware 1.00, so no update is required.

The new [shoplink 17198]XC50-230mmF4.5-6.7 OIS[/shoplink] supports PDAF out of the box, too (firmware 1.00). However, there will be no LMO support for XC lenses.

X-E2 kits sold with the XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS kit zoom include lenses that have already been updated to firmware 3.10.

Of course, all future Fujinon XF lenses will automatically come with full PDAF and LMO support, and future XC lenses will support the PDAF.

Still no word if or when Zeiss will offer PDAF and/or LMO support for their Touit lenses.

Please note that these dates are semi-official, so they may still change. As usual, you heard it here first.

By the way, the tiny XQ1 contains an LMO, as well, and I’ve spent a few hours earlier today taking a bunch of sample images. Click here to access the sample set on Flickr.

For your convenience, here’s a TOC with links to my previous X-PERT CORNER articles:

Rico Pfirstinger studied communications and has been working as journalist, publicist, and photographer since the mid-80s. He has written a number of books on topics as diverse as Adobe PageMaker and sled dogs, and produced a beautiful book of photographs titled Huskies in Action (German version). He has spent time working as the head of a department with the German Burda-Publishing Company and served as chief editor for a winter sports website. After eight years as a freelance film critic and entertainment writer in Los Angeles, Rico now lives in Germany and devotes his time to digital photography and compact camera systems. His book “Mastering the FUJIFILM X-Pro1” (Kindle Edition) (Apple iBook Store) (German version) is available on Amazon and offers a plethora of tips, secrets and background information on successfully using Fuji’s X-Pro1 and X-E1 system cameras, lenses and key accessories.

X-E2 on rank 2, 4, 6 and 10

In my previous post I wrote that the X-E2 is selling very well at AmazonUS. I’ve said this after checking their camera rankings. As FR-reader lettherebelight said in an older post: “The Amazon metric is widely used because it gives people without access to internal data the opportunity to take a snapshot in time and compare the current trend of a certain product(s). […]. Amazon is one of the largest retailers in the world and the data suggests what people are buying […]. It is a good metric.”

 

How to…

Here is how you can support Fujirumors: if you think the X-E2 is the camera that meets your needs and you want to pre-order it, feel free to use one of the links below. FR will get a small commission and it won’t cost you one single penny extra. Thanks in advance for every FR-reader who places his pre-order via Fujirumors. It’s a great help to keep the site ticking over.

X-E2 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / Fotomundus24 GER

XQ1 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev

 

VIDEO: X-E1 vs X-E2: EVF low-light performance: “EVF vastly improved!”

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PRE-ORDERS

by purchasing your camera using the link below, you’ll support Fujirumors. You won’t pay a single penny more for your camera, but a small commision goes to FR. It’s big help for the site and keeps it ticking over.

X-E2 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / Fotomundus24 GER

XQ1 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev

_ _ _

As you already read in the X-pert corner special of the X-E2, (must read, also the very interesting discussion in the comments!) “the EVF/LCD refresh rate has been significantly improved from 20 fps to 50-60 fps in low light“. What this means can be seen in the following video shared via youtube by Randall Cipriano. Randall says that “as you can see, the X-E2 has been vastly improved showing very little lag which was one of the major weaknesses of the X-E1.”

vastly improved EVF, faster AF and much more (read here) = great news :)

cheers
Patrick (google+, facebook and twitter)

X-E2: ACT FAST! Reports of gaps between first and second shipments! Available November 15, but very limited supply!

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AmazonUS says: “This is a new product with very limited supply from Fujifilm. We are accepting orders which will be filled in the order they are placed; your place in line will be held until we receive more units.”

So, first comes first. There have been reports of gaps between first and second shipments.

So, check out the best in depth first look available on the X-E2 here at Rico’s XPC! And if you like it, use the links below to pre-order your brand new X-E2.

Is it the camera you were looking for? Then if you act fast enough, you could shoot with the X-E2 already in one month!

PRE-ORDERS

by purchasing your camera using the link below, you’ll support Fujirumors. You won’t pay a single penny more for your camera, but a small commision goes to FR. It’s big help for the site and keeps it ticking over.

X-E2 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / Fotomundus24 GER

XQ1 – USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev