Spooky Fujifilm 🧟‍♂️ Cameras Brought Back to Life via Firmware Update — And Let’s Talk Kaizen

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Spooky Halloween is here… 🎃

It’s the night when ghosts rise from their crypts — and it reminded me that Fujifilm, too, has (or had?) a rather unnatural power: the power to bring its cameras back from the dead with a little bit of firmware Kaizen magic.

Cameras that refused to die.

Or better yet: cameras that Fujifilm simply did not allow to die — resurrected again and again through firmware updates that breathed new life into them.

Scary times in which those who wrote excellent Fujifilm camera manuals were doomed to rewrite them over and over again — slowly driven to madness by Fujifilm’s relentless Kaizen spirit, as they struggled to keep up with all the new features added to cameras that refused to stay dead.

So let’s talk about those times.

And let’s talk about where we are now and what has changed (if anything).

🧟 So it Began – The First Resurrection

It all began with Fujifilm’s older cameras:

The original Fujifilm X100 kept receiving firmware love for years — long after its successor, the X100S, was released, and even shortly before the X100T came out. From added focus peaking, to faster autofocus, to improved close-up focusing and smoother operation — Fujifilm just kept polishing it.

And here’s the spooky part: some of this happened after the X100 had already been discontinued.

Yet Fujifilm went back to its grave, revived it with firmware updates… and in doing so, even convinced some owners not to upgrade to the newer model. Now that’s Kaizen power. 💪

Another pair brought back to life through Fujifilm’s Kaizen magic were the Fujifilm X-Pro1 and X-E1.

Thanks to firmware updates, they received focus peaking, a more responsive manual focus ring, faster and more accurate autofocus, and plenty of smaller refinements that made a real difference in daily use.

And here’s what made it even more remarkable: the X-E2 had already been announced when Fujifilm decided to go back and give the X-E1 one more dose of Kaizen love.

📈 So it Peaked

Fujifilm didn’t just continue improving its cameras via firmware updates — they actually took Kaizen to a whole new level.

I still remember the day the beta test file of the Fujifilm X-T1 firmware 4.00 leaked online. Of course I downloaded it… and tested it for you 😉

That update was massive. It brought an entirely new autofocus system, complete with Zone AF, Wide/Tracking AF, and even Eye Detection.

And even before version 4.00, the X-T1 had already been showered with Kaizen love, with firmware 3.00 giving us Classic Chrome, adding the electronic shutter, natural live view EVF and overall 27 additions/improvements.

The Fujifilm X-T1 easily ranks as one of the most Kaizen-blessed cameras ever.

The X-E2 was another one that received a wave of love through firmware. It got Classic Chrome, shorter EVF lag, interval timer shooting, a completely new AF system with Zone and Wide/Tracking, Eye Detection, and more.

And then came the X-Pro2, which also enjoyed an endless list of refinements: faster and more accurate AF, an increased number of focus points, new film simulations, video enhancements, and general performance boosts. There’s too much to list here — but if you want to relive the Kaizen glory days, check the official Fujifilm X-Pro2 firmware page.

🔁 So it Continued

Over time, Fujifilm cameras started to come out more complete — more mature, you could say. And yet, whenever Fujifilm spotted even the smallest opportunity for improvement, they took it.

Focus bracketing, internal F-Log, 120 fps slow motion — these are just some of the features that came to the X-T2 with firmware 4.00.

And that was just the grand finale. Earlier firmware updates had already added: a new AF tracking algorithm, highlight warning, copyright information in EXIF data, display live histogram during video recording, RGB histogram and so much more.

It wasn’t just the higher-end models that got Kaizen love — the mid-range cameras did too.

The X-S10 received a nice set of improvements with firmware 2.00 and 3.00, further refining an already capable little powerhouse.

The X-T20 also got its share of love, including the new AF tracking algorithm and several other tweaks introduced with firmware 2.00.

And then came the X-T30, which, during the COVID-19 era, received X Webcam support via firmware 1.40 — a timely and practical update that allowed users to turn their cameras into high-quality webcams.
More small but welcome refinements followed in later firmware releases.

🐢 So it Slowed Down

It’s also clear to me that with the rapidly growing number of X-cameras, the cost of keeping all of them updated with the latest features would simply be unsustainable.

So it was unrealistic to expect Fujifilm to continue releasing major updates for every model at the same pace as before.

On top of that, modern Fujifilm cameras already come out of the box loaded with features — leaving far less room for those big, surprise firmware moments we once enjoyed.

Still, Fujifilm never completely stopped showing us Kaizen love. ❤️

  • GFX Love

There has been massive of Kaizen love for the GFX series cameras such as here and here. Updates have brought new film simulations, faster autofocus, a focus limiter, electronic image stabilization for video, a customizable Q menu, and even coordinated control between in-body and optical stabilization systems.

And while I doubt many people actually use the GFX system this way, Fujifilm even added video recording control from gimbals or drones via USB communication. Because… why not? That’s Fujifilm Kaizen for you.

The X-T4 also received some new features, though in this case the updates mainly focused on operational improvements rather than big feature additions.

The Fujifilm X100V also received some Kaizen love here, including the ability to use the built-in ND filter in video mode, improvements to the optical viewfinder, and a few expanded functionalities that made the overall experience even better.

🧭  So Where are We Now?

Now, these are just a few examples.

But for the sake of this article, let’s take a quick look at the 5th generation gear.

The Fujifilm X-T5 got Reala Ace via firmware update, F-Log2 C has been added to the Fujifilm X-H2 cameras. Upon community request, Fujifilm also added the option to assign ISO to the X-H2/S command dial, along with a few other small improvements here and there.

And let’s not forget the attempt back in April 2024 to give us a vastly improved autofocus thanks to an all-new AF algorithm, which sadly introduced a lot of issues, so that Fujifilm had to revert back (after months), to the older firmware, which, to be fair, was already working just fine for most users anyway.

But sure, compared to the early days, firmware updates have not been as massive lately.

💬 So What’s the Message?

This article is not only a journey through Fujifilm’s Kaizen history.

This article is also a friendly reminder to Fujifilm: never give up on Kaizen, dear Fujifilm!

Because sure, you’ve shown us love over the years — but the last truly substantial firmware update was the one of 2024:

And I get it: at some point, cameras and processors hit their limits. Plus, there are far more models today than there used to be — keeping them all updated must be an R&D nightmare.

So yes, it’s perfectly fine if the Kaizen pace has slowed down.

But here’s what I (and probably many of you) still wish for: that Fujifilm squeezes out everything possible from the most recent generation — and doesn’t wait for the 6th-gen platform to make the next big leap.

🔮 So What’s the Future

I don’t know where the future will bring us.

I guess Kaizen might not shake the ground like it once did — but I think it’s still part of Fujifilm’s DNA. And maybe that’s what matters most.

Because, sure, we’ve reached a point where Fujifilm cameras are so refined, so feature-packed, that there’s simply less room for dramatic transformations.

But even small updates — the kind that polish usability, fix quirks, or add that one thoughtful feature — still show Fujifilm’s commitment to its users.

I don’t expect miracles. But I do hope that Fujifilm keeps listening, keeps refining, and keeps pushing updates that remind us what Kaizen really means: not just change for the sake of change, but continuous care for the tools we love to use.

So please, keep improving at least the 5th generation cameras, keep that Kaizen spirit going! 💪

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