The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

X100 First Firmware update

barjohn

New member
I sent FUJIFILM USA X100 support the following information in an email. I hope they act on some or all of it. The camera is superb in so many ways that addressing these issues could result in a camera that others will struggle to beat for quite a few years and make a successor camera even better.


My definition of each of these classifications is as follows:
A. BUGS - Bugs are errors in execution of the design where the function does not perform in accordance with the description/specification of the user's manual
B. POSSIBLE BUGS - Errors in execution of the design more generally attributable to poor design decisions but where the user manual fails to provide adequate information
C. NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS- A subjective but educated assessment of design flaws that reduce or negatively impact the camera's usability ad could be fixed in firmware

The information is this list comes from a variety of sources/users and my own thoughts and has been updated to reflect changes in firmware version 1.01.


------------------------------------------------BUGS-------------------------------------------------
1. Page 23. Program shift does not work as described. This is because, when the user selects PROGRAM mode by setting both shutter speed and aperture to the ‘A’ position, the camera sets flash to AUTO. The user must set FLASH to off for program shift to work as described.
2. OVF auto focus visual confirmation does not work in manual mode when using the AEL button. Only the audible beep provides confirmation and for a silent mode the user has no confirmation of focus lock being achieved.
3. ISO settings are not global across all modes and the manual fails to describe how it actually operates. It shouldn’t matter which mode the user has selected, when the user changes ISO setting it should apply to all modes.
4. The way DR works in JPGs is not properly described in the manual and the fact that the DR is limited by the ISO selected. The user must select ISO 800 for 400% or ISO 400 for 200%. This information is not clearly stated in the user manual.
5. In JPG, film emulation modes, Provia and Astia are reversed, that is when Provia is selected one actually obtains Astia image characteristics and visa versa
6. The AUTO FLASH selection only appears in PROGRAM mode but the manual does not disclose this fact. One should be able to select AUTO FLASH in any mode.
7. Errors in the artificial horizon and frame lines resulting in tilted exposures, also pincushion errors in the frame lines (Because this is an acknowledged problem, it may be already corrected in newly released cameras).
8. The user manual states that the focus box size is user selectable; however, it fails to mention that it cannot be changed when using the OVF even though when looking at the LCD display it appears to change, when one looks through the OVF it remains the same size as before the user change and if the user tries to change it while holding the camera to the user’s eye, it will not do anything when the user tries to change the focus box size. The fact that it cannot be made smaller in OVF mode may be Fuji’s effort to solve the parallax focus issue. Because the axis for the sensor focus box (when centered) is different than the axis for the user’s focus box centered in the viewfinder. The focus point the user thinks is being selected may not be where the camera is actually focused. By making the focus box larger, the probability that the user’s desired focus object is somewhere within the focus box is increased.
9. When focus box is set to a different size, it reverts back to the camera default on switching between EVF and OVF. The user should be able to select a desired size and it should be left there until the user changes it. The manual fails to disclose this behavior.


------------------Could be classified as BUGS By a Photographer -----------------------------

a. Maintaining proper aperture behavior for the mode selected.
In any mode where the EVF is engaged, such as during focus assist in MF, or where the user has selected to use the EVF, the aperture should be held wide open until either the shot is taken or the user disengages the EVF or focus assist. This action creates minimum DOF and maximum brightness for the EVF to assist in MF or framing when AF and EVF is selected. In OVF mode, the aperture should be set to the user or camera-selected value (Aperture in ‘A’) for maximum shutter performance.
b. Frame lines should be set to the last focus distance and left there until a new focus is obtained or the user releases focus lock if engaged.
c. Failing to discuss and disclose the issues with focus parallax and how the camera handles it or better yet providing a better visible solution
d. Make Auto Review selectable between VF, VF & LCD and LCD only
e. Make writing to the SD card a background function in the OS (a thread or process) and dramatically improve the speed of the write to better match the write speed of the SD cards abilities.


----------------------------Classified as Needed Improvements---------------------------------

i. Adding the selection of Auto ISO to the ISO menu (Selecting Auto ISO parameters would remain a menu item)
ii. Changing the RAW button to a second assignable function button
iii. Making the AE button act as a toggle that toggles through the three exposure modes, one mode per press
iv. Adding focus assist to the list of assignable function to all function buttons
v. Move FORMAT to the top of the Set Menu
vi. Provide a means to select a higher magnification setting for focus assist (alternatively, allow the magnification to toggle between two values like the GXR with each push of the button used for activation
vii. Provide higher magnification in play back or review mode
viii. Expand the limit for auto ISO to include ISO 6400 as an upper limit and replace the maximum AUTO ISO displayed in the VF with just AUTO ISO until metered and then display the ISO selected
ix. File writes to the SD card need a significant performance boost and should be a background process or thread so that a user can continue to use the other camera functions and menus as needed
x. When macro mode is selected automatically toggle to EVF if in OVF
xi. Zoom the size of the frame lines to better display parallax correction for any distance or alternatively, set frame lines for 90% at 2 meters for better accuracy in the majority of circumstances (alternately allow the user to have a menu selection of frame line distances (1 meter, 2 meters and 4 meters))
xii. When a function button is set to a function that has a binary value, allow it to act as a toggle rather than bringing up a menu selection, example ND filter on or off
xiii. Allow for the histogram to be displayed on any PLAYBACK or REVIEW image
xiv. Remember the last display mode and keep the last display mode until changed by the user xv. Improve auto focus speed (not critical but it could be better ad the chip will support better performance) xvi. Replace the current focus box in the OVF with three small stair-step boxes forming a diagonal from top left to bottom right representing 3 focus points and distances (far, intermediate, and close) to allow for compensating for focus parallax (not framing parallax)
xv. xvii. Change the operation of the manual focus ring servo. The servo should be instantaneous in operation in that a movement of the focus ring should instantly translate to a change in the focus or lens movement. Additionally, it should mimic the way manual focus behaves such that focus distance is proportional to ring rotation where the ratio matches the traditional manual lens for example it takes about 110 degrees of rotation to go from infinity to the closest focus distance on a Leica 40mm Cron. In macro mode that could be changed to 220 degrees to allow for finer adjustment, something more challenging or not possible with a true manual coupling. Speed of change would be tied to speed of rotation just as it is on a manual focus ring.
 

Terry

New member
------------------------------------------------BUGS-------------------------------------------------
1. Page 23. Program shift does not work as described. This is because, when the user selects PROGRAM mode by setting both shutter speed and aperture to the ‘A’ position, the camera sets flash to AUTO. The user must set FLASH to off for program shift to work as described.
7. Errors in the artificial horizon and frame lines resulting in tilted exposures, also pincushion errors in the frame lines (Because this is an acknowledged problem, it may be already corrected in newly released cameras).
8. The user manual states that the focus box size is user selectable; however, it fails to mention that it cannot be changed when using the OVF even though when looking at the LCD display it appears to change, when one looks through the OVF it remains the same size as before the user change and if the user tries to change it while holding the camera to the user’s eye, it will not do anything when the user tries to change the focus box size. The fact that it cannot be made smaller in OVF mode may be Fuji’s effort to solve the parallax focus issue. Because the axis for the sensor focus box (when centered) is different than the axis for the user’s focus box centered in the viewfinder. The focus point the user thinks is being selected may not be where the camera is actually focused. By making the focus box larger, the probability that the user’s desired focus object is somewhere within the focus box is increased.
9. When focus box is set to a different size, it reverts back to the camera default on switching between EVF and OVF. The user should be able to select a desired size and it should be left there until the user changes it. The manual fails to disclose this behavior.


------------------Could be classified as BUGS By a Photographer -----------------------------
c. Failing to discuss and disclose the issues with focus parallax and how the camera handles it or better yet providing a better visible solution
----------------------------Classified as Needed Improvements---------------------------------

iv. Adding focus assist to the list of assignable function to all function buttons
John - some questions/comments

Bug 1 - I will check that out. I never use program mode but I was told for it to work you needed to turn off Auto ISO
Bug 7 - mine is not tilted - I have not had to straighten shots
Bug 8 - not sure this is a bug
Bug 9 - there are a lot of things that reset when you change modes. For instance if you are using bracketing and keep shooting your bracket stays in place. If you use playback review it resets. So, there are a lot of places where the camera resets itself back to default. Not clear they are bugs or were meant to be but they could be switched to stay in place.

Could be bug c. I really haven't been having a bad time with missing focus. Not sure why but I do glance at the distance scale when shooting.

NI iv - why would I want focus assist as an assignable button when it is there on the control dial when you need it?
.
 

barjohn

New member
Hi Terry,

Bug 8 is a bug in that it does not operate the way the user manual specifies. I do believe it is intentional to compensate for focus parallax. Their failure to describe what is happening in the user manual and to provide the user with suggestions on how to compensate for the potential problem and under which circumstances can lead a user to needless frustration. I have tested Sean's suggestion and it works a good percentage of the time. The difficulty lies when more than one object falls within the focus box. The camera will focus on the highest contrast object and If all of the objects are within the focus DOF the user will see no problem; however, when the desired object is the lower contrast object and the objects are not in the focus DOF, the desired object will be taken out of focus.

Bug 9, you are right, that should be expanded to cover the other areas where the settings don't stay.

NI iv. The reason would be to free up a control that has multiple possibilities (push, left & right) from a binary function (on or off) to make it available to be assigned to a more complex function like ISO that needs a range of values.
 

Terry

New member
Hi Terry,

Bug 8 is a bug in that it does not operate the way the user manual specifies. I do believe it is intentional to compensate for focus parallax. Their failure to describe what is happening in the user manual and to provide the user with suggestions on how to compensate for the potential problem and under which circumstances can lead a user to needless frustration. I have tested Sean's suggestion and it works a good percentage of the time. The difficulty lies when more than one object falls within the focus box. The camera will focus on the highest contrast object and If all of the objects are within the focus DOF the user will see no problem; however, when the desired object is the lower contrast object and the objects are not in the focus DOF, the desired object will be taken out of focus.
For the time being I would simply just look at the distance on the focus scale and you can get a pretty good idea of what you are doing.
 

barjohn

New member
Normally that is true but try that when the two objects are: one at 3' and the other at 3' 8" or 3'10" The camera will give you very close to the same reading for both object (though it will vary even when held on the same object). You will not know for sure which object is the in focus object if they both fall within the focus frame.
 
Top