Firmware update ACR 7.3 and Lightroom 4.3 / X-Trans RAW: Adobe & Co. vs JPG out-of camera

codyhatch: “Come on, Adobe, help us unlock the potential of the X-Trans sensor.“

ACR 7.3 beta and lightroom 4.3 release candidate are now available, but no luck also this time for Fuji owners. You have to be patient. There is still no native X-TRANS RAW support for ACR 7.3 and lightroom 4.3 so that the support for X-PRO1 and X-E1 is not optimal. So take a look at the two comparisons in this post, and you’ll understand why Fuji owners are really hoping for this support to come soon.

First comparison

Take a look at this comparison on codyhatch.com. Same exposure, same subject, same camera (X-PRO1), two different results. If you want, before you read the review, take a look at the 2 images here and guess: which one is an out-of-cam JPG, and which an output after processing in Lightroom 4.2?

Here the solution: “The first one is the output after processing in Lightroom 4.2, while the second one is the output of an out-of-camera JPG utilizing the Velvia film simulation.” The second image looks much better than the first one! “The difference between those two photographs is shocking and demonstrates how far Adobe has to go before properly handling output from the X-Trans sensor. There is far more sharpness, contrast, and dynamic range in the out-of-camera JPG“. Therefore “the best RAW converter for X-Pro1 images is the camera itself.”

Second comparison

From dmcgaughey.com: He says that JPEGs are excellent with the Fuji X Pro1, but he needs to go to the RAW in two common situations: 1. Poorly exposed photos (usually when blowing the highlights) 2. Bad white balance is selected (often indoors, like most cameras)… “Unfortunately Adobe has done a … poor job in implementing their algorithm… they slap something together so they can check “Fuji X Pro1″ off  their list.” He tried to work with RAW-files with the following programs: Silkypix, Adobe Camera Raw 7.2, Raw Photo Processor. You can see in this image his 100% Crops!  (go directly to the review here)

image courtesy: dmcgaughey.com

“Okay. Clearly Adobe su….s! It renders the leaves as indistinct strokes of color. It gets far worse if you try and sharpen even semi-aggressively, leaving jagged edges around color blobs. RPP does a nice job, but there’s always a smattering of colored pixels dotting the scene. These can be removed with a touch of color noise reduction in Bridge. But still, edges tend to be jagged. SilkyPix very closely matches the X Pro1 rendered JPEG. It looks a bit less sharp, but that’s more likely due to the lower contrast.”

If you want to see more comparisons click here do read the whole post of dmcgaughey.

And so maybe you can understand why, at the end of his post, codyhatch says: “Come on, Adobe, help us unlock the potential of the X-Trans sensor.”

As you know, rumors we got (read the post) say that something is moving. According to the rumors, Fuji is now working with Adobe, Apple and DXO towards tweaking the RAW file processing from the new Fuji X-Trans sensor. Could we soon have the potential of the X-Trans sensor unlocked?

For everyone out there who has further information or rumors, write us an email.

bye

First X-E1 in Stock at Samys Amazon (and new testings).

At the moment of writing we have one single Silver X-E1 im stock via Samys on Amazon (Click here). It’s the first time the camera is in Stock with the normal price. You will not have a problem to find it in Stock in Germany at Wex and in UK on eBay (via Slidoo).

That said we also have some new reviews to report. A hands-on with RAW image samples on Quesabesde. JPG image samples on Photographyblog and Clubsnap.

Tested: Fujinon XF18-55mm F2,8-4 R LM OIS

The Chinese website PChome posted a review about the Fujinon XF18-55 F2,8-4,0 which will soon hit the market. The review is in Chinese (translated version) and you can see some shots at page 12 and 13 here. There is also a video on youku here. After 55 seconds of this video the reviewer did a few AF test clicks. Based on the sound the AF seems to be really fast!

thanks to our reader that linked us this review by email.

best

Firmware: 1.01 for X-E1 and 2.01 for X-PRO1

Here is the next update for Fuji lenses and the X-PRO1:

Firmware 1.01 for X-E1 (click here): It will add the compatibility with Fujinon XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R, improve the auto focus accuracy with XF60mm lens, and prevent under exposure when using the M-Mount Adapter .

Firmware 2.01 for X-PRO1 (click here) : Get full performance with the Fujinon XF18-55F2.8-4 lens. The size of the bright frame on OVF can be magnified in relation to zooming motion of Fujinon XF18-55mm lens. When using the focus checking function with “3-time” magnification in manual focus mode, you could find a few dots (black or color) only in live view image on EVF/LCD. Improve auto accuracy focus of XF60mm lens and prevent under exposure when using the M-Mount Adapter.

keep it up, Fuji!

X-PRO1 – open letter to Fuji: bugs and suggestions. From Pedro Kok

Bom dia!

Pedro Kok (click here to see his home page) published a long open letter addressed to Fuji (click here to read) . After using the X-PRO1 he made a list of all the bugs he noticed and also suggests some features he misses on the X-PRO1. I’ve just picked out some issues here. There is much more to read in his letter.

Software

The Q-Menu

There is no live-view image while you change the settings in the Quick Menu, and so he feels like making “blind decisions over White Balance, Film Simulation, Dynamic Range, Image Aspect Ratio and other parameters.” He suggests to lay all the icons horizontally in the bottom and choose the settings with the thumbwheel and/or the directional arrows.

Focus

“There should be an option for a manual override when in Single AF mode. Half-press shutter activates AF; then keeping it half-pressed, turn the focus ring to the desired distance (as a bonus, the focus distance scale could automagically appear!)…. And bring focus peaking to live view and image playback.”

Indecent exposure simulation:

“The Fujifilm X-Pro1 could certainly gain exposure simulation in all PASM modes. In PAS, metering should be activated with a shutter half-press, and stay on even if it’s released. All information displayed in the screen, including Auto ISO’s choice, varying the parameters as light changes. In M mode, display exposure as is; if the exposure values selected under or overexposes the image, let the screen blackout or whiteout. I’ll know what to do…. Also, please honor exposure compensation when in M mode and Auto ISO, by throttling up or down sensitivity. [DPR]”

Thumbwheel:

There are cases of inconsistent behavior: A) “Fn set to ISO [DPR]: in OVF mode, pressing Fn and scrolling the thumbwheel will change ISO. In EVF/Live view the thumbwheel is inoperable, up and down arrow changes settings”. B) “Focus modes: in AF modes, the thumbwheel button is inoperable. In Manual Focus, press the button to have the focus area magnified (to an absurd amount of magnification!).” [… personal note: by using the command dial, with the new firmware v 2.0 you can switch from 3x to 10x magnifications.]

The thumbwheel should be engaged also in the following functions: Drive, AE, Fn menus, General menu. “One might think that it’s a case of making menu orientation consistent (menus are sorted vertically, while the thumbwheel travels horizontally). But even when there are horizontally sorted settings (such as those in the AE and Drive menus) the wheel doesn’t work.“

He also would like that “in all AF modes, thumbwheel button presses would cycle between 1x, 5x and 10x magnifications, with the directional arrow buttons moving the enlarged area around.” [… see personal note above.]

Buttons

A nice feature is, that you can customize the buttons. “Hold button” on Fn and you can customize it. There are many other buttons that could benefit from it. He suggests: “HOLD DRIVE: could be customized to trigger the self-timer menu, selection by arrows and/or thumbwheel. Or instantly go to Movie Mode. HOLD AE: could be customized to trigger White Balance menu, selection by arrows and/or thumbwheel. This could be very helpful, as the current Q menu won’t let you preview how WB looks on the live image. HOLD AF: could trigger special focus behavior (…HOLD AF button could set focus to hyperfocal! If the DOF scale becomes meaningful, then this can be achieved when using the camera in Aperture Priority and Manual modes. Set the aperture, press and hold AF button and … voilá! I’d be in hyperfocal heaven….)”

While in image capture, there’s one button that does absolutely nothing: the down arrow. A perfect candidate to be a Fn2 (I’d choose it for DOF Preview)!”

Override

“The camera should honor my decision to change aperture whilst keeping the shutter half-pressed [DPR-AW]. If in Manual / Auto ISO, compensate exposure accordingly.”

The OVF

The OVF is great, but there are some problems that could be solved with firmware updates. So for example he asks Fuji to “calibrate the OVF framelines to the current XF lenses. They’re wildly conservative and inaccurate.”

 Hardware

He says that the X-PRO1 is a beautiful camera, build with good materials. But there are some things that Fuji could maybe correct in future versions of this camera:

– The battery slides in the camera in every position possible. “You might ask who is stupid enough to insert the battery this way … well, I am. And probably you’ll too, some dark night, succumb to this, and likely think the camera has died.”

– The hood’s rubber cap [RR]: “it won’t stay put… a light nudge… will knock it off.”

– There is no diopter adjustment [personal note: there is one on the EVF of the X-E1]

– Aperture ring [RR][LL-MR]: Early reviewers noted the very light aperture ring: “It’s far too easy to knock the aperture from “A” to f/16, and equally to any other setting.” Now other reviewers noted that “the Fujinon XF 18mm f/2.0 R had a very STIFF aperture ring”.

This were just some extracts of his letter. Read the whole letter here. My summary can’t do justice to the very clear step-by-step argumentation of Pedro Kok. And according to his to-do list, there is much work waiting on Fuji. And something has already been done with the last firmware update. As always, leave a comment, and tell me if you agree with the problems that Pedro noticed on his X-PRO1 and what do you think about his suggestions.

Make a list of the bugs you would like to have resolved and suggestions in order of importance! My list would begin with… 1) focus peaking…

tchau!