Firmware Friday: Fuji adds camera features and fixes bugs; Sony boosts lens performance and stability

 

 

This week, our Firmware Friday roundup is a tale of two companies: Fujifilm and Sony. It's also a tale of two product categories, with Fuji's raft of updates focusing on camera bodies, while Sony pays attention instead to its lens lineup with its own updates. In all, Fuji has updates for six camera bodies, while Sony has updated nine lenses and one mount adaptor accessory.

Without any further ado, let's get right down to what's new!

Fuji GFX 50S, X-Pro2, X-T1, X-T2, X-T20 and X100F

In total, Fuji has released updated firmware for six camera models in the past week, including the first ever updates for the X-T20 and X100F, both of which launched earlier this year. Most of the updates are specific to each individual camera model, although the X-T2 shares its newly-added wireless tethering capability with the GFX 50S, and also shares two new, even lower electronic viewfinder brightness levels with the X-Pro2.

Since most of the updates vary, we'll list the changes (courtesy of Fuji's release notes, edited for brevity) alongside the download links for each individual camera below:

• Fujifilm GFX 50S firmware version 1.1

  1. Tether shooting is available by wireless communication.

  2. Operability improvement of exposure compensation
     When EXPO. CMP. BUTTON SETTING in BUTTON/DIAL SETTING is ON/OFF SWITCH, the setting is held even after power off/on, mode change and removing/attaching a lens.

  3. AF speed becomes faster for a relatively dark object.

  4. Option for accessory is added in the function of firmware upgrade. This enables you to upgrade firmware for Shoe Mount Flash and so on.

  5. Compatibility with GF23mmF4 R LM WR is added.

  6. The phenomenon is fixed that communication can fail when a big capacity image is being transferred to a smartphone or a tablet from a memory card in the slot 2.

  7. The phenomenon is fixed that setting can change when the setting of EVF COLOR in SCREEN SETTING is changed.

• Fujifilm X-Pro2 firmware version 3.10

  1. Options of "-6" and "-7" are added in the EVF BRIGHTNESS setting.
     With the additional options, even in an extremely low-light condition, the brightness of the EVF does not distract you from shooting.

  2. Function assignment to the Rear Command Dial.
     You can assign a specific function to be activated when the Rear Command Dial is pressed.

• Fujifilm X-T1 firmware version 5.20

  1. BACKUP & RESTORE function is added in USER SETTING for Tether shooting function.
     When Tether Shooting Plug-in PRO or Tether Shooting Software HS-V5 is used, this function can save all camera settings as a file and restore the setting from a stored setting. Therefore, you can change the camera settings at a moment and copy them to multiple cameras.

• Fujifilm X-T2 firmware version 2.10

  1. Tether shooting is available by wireless communication.

  2. Option of "ALL" is added to AF mode.
     With this option, select "All" in the AF mode so that you can select the AF mode and Focus Area size by only using the Command Dial.

  3. Function extension for "Shutter AF" and "Shutter AE".
     With the update, you can specify different settings for AF-S and AF-C in "Shutter AF" and for AF-S / MF and AF-C in "Shutter AE."

  4. Options of "-6" and "-7" are added in the EVF BRIGHTNESS setting.
     With the additional options, even in an extremely low-light condition, the brightness of the EVF does not distract you from shooting.

  5. Switchover of the main and sub displays in the Dual Display mode.
     The update allows you to switch between the main and sub displays in the Dual Display mode.

  6. Function assignment to the Rear Command Dial.
     You can assign a specific function to be activated when the Rear Command Dial is pressed.

  7. Image transfer speed becomes faster to a smartphone or a tablet from a memory card in the slot 2.

  8. The phenomenon is fixed that in MF mode, a focus can shift in a specified condition (ex. repeated CL shooting).

• Fujifilm X-T20 firmware version 1.01

  1. The phenomenon is fixed that IMAGE SIZE will be displayed when PHOTOMETRY is selected in ADD ITEMS of MY MENU SETTING.

• Fujifilm X100F firmware version 1.01

  1. The phenomenon is fixed that ISO cannot be changed by the command dial when ISO is set to AUTO by Camera Remote via WiFi connection to a smartphone or a tablet.

  2. When a camera turns on in MF mode, the focus position comes to the original position where a camera turned off.

  3. The phenomenon is fixed that in MF mode, a focus can shift in a specified condition (ex. repeated CL shooting).

  4. Improvement of operability for the command dials.

Sony LA-EA3 adapter and 24-70mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/4, 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3, 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6, 50mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.8, 85mm f/1.4, 70-200mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/4 lenses

Sony, meanwhile, has updates for nine lenses and one lens mount adaptor. Starting with the LA-EA3 mount adaptor, firmware version 02 adds support for 10 frames-per-second continuous burst capture when used with the Sony A9 in Continuous Mid or Continuous Hi drive modes. Interestingly, this update cannot be installed from a NEX-3, NEX-5, NEX-C3, NEX-VG10 or PXW-FS7 camera body, so if you only own one of these and don't yet have your Sony A9 in-hand, you'll want to wait to update until it arrives.

Both the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM  and 50mm f/1.8 lenses share updates promising improved autofocus stability, while firmware for the Planar 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.4 GM and 70-200mm f/2.8 GM lenses is said to improve autofocus tracking performance and allow 20 fps burst capture with the Sony A9 camera body. For the 70-200mm optic, startup time when the lens is attached to the A9 has also been reduced. Finally, updates for the Vario-Tessar 24-70mm f/4, 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3, 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 and 70-200mm f/4 G lenses are said to improve aperture iris control during continuous burst capture. 

You can download Sony's firmware updates at the links below:

• Sony LA-EA3 mount adaptor firmware version 02

• Sony FE 24-70 mm F2.8 GM (SEL2470GM) firmware version 02

• Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70 mm F4 ZA OSS (SEL2470Z) firmware version 03

• Sony FE 24-240mm F3.5-6.3 OSS (SEL24240) firmware version 02

• Sony FE 28-70 mm F3.5-5.6 OSS (SEL2870) firmware version 03

• Sony Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA (SEL50F14Z) firmware version 02

• Sony FE 50mm F1.8 (SEL50F18F) firmware version 03

• Sony FE 85 mm F1.4 GM (SEL85F14GM) firmware version 02

• Sony FE 70-200 mm F2.8 GM OSS (SEL70200GM) firmware version 02

• Sony FE 70-200 mm F4 G OSS (SEL70200G) firmware version 03

And that's all for this week. Be sure to check back next week for more of our regular firmware news updates!

(Camera parts image courtesy of Kelly Hofer / Flickr; used under a Creative Commons CC-BY-2.0 license. Image has been modified from the original.)