Fujifilm updates X-Pro1 and X-E1 to improve AF with 55-200mm lens

Still worthless for HDR pictures. FUJI again forgot to widen the bracketing function beyond the meager +/- 1 EV..What are they thinking? even my 4 year old Pentax DSLR can bracket in 1/2/3/5 EV Increments ... Do not buy X-E1 if you love HDR Pictures. Fuji Please release firmware to allow wider bracketing...as in all your competitors

Aug 29, 2013permalink

what about the inability to bracket in more than 1 EV increments which makes it basically useless especially with HDR pictures requiring a minimum of 2 EV increments? I am very disapointed that latest July 13 Firmware upgrade does not address this extremely basic function. My 3 year old Pentax brackets in up to 5 EV increments

Jul 31, 2013permalink

elvedhel

I for one appreciate the updates Fuji are doing, unlike some other brands that release a product , realise its rubbish then rather than fix things bring out a new version instead costing people a fortune ( apple's iphone anyone !). Fuji have listened to customer feedback and understood there needs and acted on it improving what is already a fantastic camera. Icing on the cake now would be to expand Bracketing to 5-7 shots and +3/-3 and i'll die happy

May 23, 2013permalink

I agree but I have written to Tokyo countless times about the 1 EV useless bracketing limitation and it is still not included in latest july 2013 firmware upgrade. I have reverted to my 3 year old Pentax DSLR with brackets to up to 5 EV increments and X-E1 gathering dust a very expensive paper weight

Jul 31, 2013permalink

UnChatNoir

No brand and camera range ever received such controversial reactions in reviews than Fujifilm and its X-range. But at least, Fujifilm takes care of improvement, has been listening. The X-range has become a major product and focus for them, a cornerstone for their future in the serious, even pro segment, clear. Over a one year trajectory, the X-Pro1 has become an entirely different camera, an enjoyable product, producing an IQ that a lot of DSLR's will never match. The last finishing touch was the improved RAW-decoding in nearly all major tools now, and the release of some very fine lenses, very Leica alike. Thank you, Fujifilm, I evolved from a rather disappointed early adopter towards a huge fan of these camera's and lenses. In a more than 40 years passion, I didn't ever enjoy photography so much as now.

May 23, 2013permalink

I completely agree, Chat...

FWIW, I just covered a pro motorsports event with a rental Canon 1Dx...and did my paddock work with the X-Pro1. IMHO, the image quality of the X-Pro1 is better than the Canon 1Dx. I personally think the image qualiity from the X-Pro1 is, in a word, magical. The only camera I can think of whose image quality left such a similar impression on me was the original Canon 5D when it first came out.

May 23, 2013permalink

what about the fact that it still cannot bracket in more than a useless 1 EV increment?

Jul 31, 2013permalink

I just confirmed the upgrade did improve aF at least with the xf35mm f1.4 prime. I was able to find a 90% reproduceable lens aF slight hunt ("gone over aF point by a bit then back) and now its gone.

May 23, 2013permalink

Yes, there's no question that the AF performance of the 35 and 18-55 are improved. From the Fuji video, Billy says that 18 and other lenses are improved also. My XP1 is now quite nicely snappy when it comes to AF performance.

May 23, 2013permalink

Sessility

Any reduction in accuracy? I find the AF speed totally fine, and even though the Fuji updates have been great so far, every time I hear AF speed improvement, I somehow have this fear that it will be at the cost of focus accuracy (which right now is spot on tack sharp).

May 24, 2013permalink

I, for one, don't know why people have a problem with this. Kaizen, the concept of continuous improvement, is a key best practice and is one of the cornerstones of all quality programs. As a quality professional in the biotech industry, I work every day to find ways to improve the quality of our products. I personally applaud Fujifilm for continually working to improve it's products as well as improve it's customer's experiences.

May 23, 2013*permalink

AlpCns2

You are absolutely correct, I couldn't agree more. Fuji is doing the right thing - listen to the customers, develop what they want, and constantly keep improving on it. In fact in some ways this sets them apart from the established competition (which could do with a wake up call every now and then!)

May 23, 2013*permalink

CFynn

@Marty

Nikon also upgrades the firmware for their cameras when they release new lenses - and I'm sure other camera companies do as well.

May 23, 2013permalink

I just installed 2.04 today and I observe a demonstrable system-level improvement in autofocus speed. The biggest improvement with the two lenses I own is with the 35mm/1.4 lens; the lens now no longer racks through it's full range focus travel every time when locking focus, and when focusing on objects that are at different positions but at approximately the same range of distance from the camera, focus lock is now quite fast, comparable in speed to the 18-55 prior to version 2.04. The 18-55, which has a faster AF motor, is now quicker to lock than with version 2.03.

Additionally, in the YouTube video of the 55-200 overview by Billy of the Fuji Guys, when he mentions the new firmware coming for the 55-200, he also specifically mentions (at 5:50 in the video) that this firmware upgrade will also improve overall X-Pro1 AF performace, including the 18, 35, 18-55 lenses. HIs comments are fully consistent with my observations.

May 23, 2013*permalink

sdribetahi

Do you all think they just had some scientific breakthrough only weeks after the product went out the door? No, they hadn't finished their work when the product went out the door. You have to give them credit for not trying to save face and sitting on this, but you also have to wonder who's getting fired for that goof up.

May 23, 2013permalink

day2012

What goof up?

May 23, 2013permalink

Marty4650

Fuji must be following the Microsoft business plan.

They seem to be very fond of marketing products full of bugs, then releasing lots of firmware upgrades ("Service Pack 2?).

Does "Version 1.05" mean that this is the fifth firmware upgrade for this relatively new camera? If so, it makes you wonder why they didn't do a better job testing the camera before release.

Fuji might want to consider making firmware updates into a subscription service. Each time you connect your camera to your computer it checks with headquarters and automatically installs this week's upgrade. The concept seems to be working well for Adobe. :)

May 23, 2013*permalink

57even

It does not have any bugs. The new lens requires new firmware to optimise it's performance, but it still works fine without it.

Funny how people can put a negative spin on a positive drive to improve. Nikon released a FW update for the D700 recently. Now why could they not have fixed that 3 years ago?

May 23, 2013permalink

Marty4650

Are you saying that Fuji did NOT anticipate creating any new lenses? Or didn't consider what their firmware might need to be able to use them?

A 55-200mm lens is hardly an innovative breakthrough that could not possibly have been foreseen.

My point was that if Fuji (and indeed Microsoft) had done a better job at the onset, they wouldn't need so many fixes later.

May 23, 2013permalink

Combatmedic870

Marty, maybe the testing process for the new lens af algorithms was not complete at the release of the camera. Everything has to be tested and re tested and tested again. They could have not released this(like most companies) and no one would have complained. The could have made this a "new feature" on an upcoming camera(like oly and panny do). But they decided to improve the current cameras out instead of releasing new cameras every year.

FW updates are good. No matter how small. Lets everyone know that the camera is still getting some love.

May 23, 2013*permalink

ptox

Right, and then you'd complain their products are taking too long to release.

It's impossible to write perfect software for the present--now you want it for the future, too?

May 23, 2013*permalink

CFynn

@Marty

Nikon also upgrades the firmware for their cameras when they release new lenses - and I'm sure other camera companies do as well.

May 23, 2013permalink

dengx

Marty, the consequent new firmwares add automatic correction and the proper handling for the new lenses.
It couldn't be done a year ago because XF55-200 exsisted only on the paper.

This is also the very same thing that Nikon did a few days ago for D300, D300s, D700.

May 23, 2013permalink

I am really sorry but I find this ridiculous. Maybe the very first release but the next ones are about improvements more than anything. Updating a firmware as a new lens comes out is hardly a surprise.

I actually applaud fuji here. What's the option? Keep stuck with a bug or have to buy a new camera for a slight improvement (Olymous I am looking a little at you).

I Don't understand whats so Wong about this. My x-e1 works fine. Cree gastar AF? Why should that Brother me? I mean wth?

May 23, 2013*permalink

Oh And Marty- To say Fuji anticipated the lens is a bit engineering naive. Yes, fuji most likely did not anticipate the *exact specifications* of the new lens. From the time the xpro1 and this lens came out there are marketing decisions, engineering investigations, material avail abilities to name a few variables that need to be locked in place before they can make it to the firmware

Look at the telephoto prime- it was specified as f1.4 and now will be f1.2.

May 23, 2013*permalink

xeriwthe

make it, launch it, fix it this is a basic fact of life in high tech. as much as we'd like cameras to ship as perfect little appliances, the fact remains that cameras like X-E1 are essentially mini super computers with millions of lines of software, and due to the massive level of bring-up required in the past half decade probably to make the x-pro line, you cannot ship a perfect product on time without sacrificing all your profits.

if you're just joking around, you got me. otherwise you can't say anything without considering how much software development resources have been invested to reach v1.05

anyhow, why can't fujifilm do it when others like canon and nikon can? well, fujifilm is a far last contender in terms of size and resources. i know it's sad i'm defending their slow development process but the fact that they innovate and surpass others in terms of image quality cost/performance in a field dominated by canon and nikon, just puts a big grin on my ugly face

May 23, 2013*permalink

@xeriwthe - actually I woudln't say "when Canon and Nikon can"- look at the features via firmware Canon added to the 5DMKII (or was it MKIII) so long after the camera shipped, recently.

It's basically a lot of what you said. I also think Marty's saying that Fuji knew the lenses a-priori does not reflect the reality of today's engineering.

May 24, 2013permalink

tomoyubu

FYI Nikon update for D700 was for the new 800mm lens. The lens wasn't available 3 years ago

May 26, 2013permalink

Fuji mentioned of a new firmware upgrade that improves the AF coming up in July. This is not that upgrade, this is a "let's have the camera work with a new lens."

Oh, it's also not July yet :-)

May 23, 2013*permalink

AlpCns2

No it isn't. The camera works fine with this lens out-of-the-box. The update does improve AF performance, which was already good. Possibly the July upgrade will improve things further.

May 23, 2013permalink

I mean better support for the new lens. The dates are so close it probably even fixes a few bugs.

May 23, 2013permalink

JohanP

Great Fuji! I knew what I bought in the first place so I am totally happy with it as it is. In this small package, which I can carry with me all the time, I can create stunning photos with great IQ.

May 23, 2013permalink

Lee W

Just tried the XE-1 with new 1.05 firmware. Autofocus certainly no faster with the 35mm 1.4 as claimed :(

May 23, 2013permalink

Andy Westlake

There's absolutely no claim you'll get faster AF with the 35/1.4. This firmware update specifically relates to the new 55-200mm telezoom.

May 23, 2013*permalink

Lee W

Andy,

You are right, I stand corrected (said the man in the Orthopedic shoes!).

May 23, 2013*permalink

@Lee- you realize that's for firmware update 1.04, not 1.05... Andy certainly didn't embarrass himself but looks like you did :-)

May 23, 2013permalink

Combatmedic870

womp womp

May 23, 2013permalink

zenpmd

A lot of people were hoping it would be focus peaking, but its not, and so the suspicions are confirmed that the processor cannot handle it. Glad I got rid of my XE1!

May 23, 2013permalink