X-T1 Firmware 4.20 SUSPENDED

[Tom]

http://www.fujifilm.com/news/n151222.html

[Patrick FR]

Firmware 4.21 availabable for download: update to downgrade here: http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/software/firmware/x/xt1/index.html

[johant]

This is not the first time they had to retract a firmware version. I am a bit surprised.

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[jhjl]

This bug bit me last Friday whilst trying to shoot some salsa dancing; needed to remove the battery to get shooting again

[milandro]

“ We have found a malfunction in the firmware ver.4.20 launched on December 17 2015, which rarely causes freeze when shooting in AF-C mode. So we will suspend the disclosure of this firmware right away.

We apologize for your inconvenience which this may cause.
We will post an upgraded firmware around the end of January 2016 to solve it.
As a tentative solution for customers who have upgraded their cameras to firmware ver.4.20, we have prepared the new firmware version of 4.21 whose functions are same as the previous version of 4.10.

Please update your cameras to ver.4.21 to avoid the malfunction...."

 

 

Positively the last time ever that I upgrade a firmware without waiting for the others to discover all the malfunctions ( how to trust that this patch would not cause any other problem? It comes from the same people who told us to upgrade with co nfidence in the first place! ).

 

This was NOT a beta version, nor was there a contractual obligation to meet a certain deadline.

 

I am very surprised too but also disappointed.

[CrazyCanuk]

So a few minutes later and 4.21 is installed...  software bugs happen (unfortunately) and the important thing is to react quickly to address the issue.  I'm glad Fuji didn't hesitate to own up to the problem... a simple download and camera update isn't cause for anguish here.

[milandro]

everything happens but with the introduction of a new firmware of a camera I would at least expect that they had tested it with several people before introduction date and testing all the functions of one camera alone,.

 

However many they are it involves a limited amount of operations and permutations, this is nowhere near the complications of a computer OS! Also they made modifications to precisely the CL mode to enable flash bursts if there was anything that had to be tested very much and well would have been precisely that!

 

Again it is not what happened but the fact that I might no longer trust the firmware updates tout court, since there is no guarantee that, like this bug, there wouldn’t be some other problem.

 

What about what another member got when he tried to download the update at work and he was told by a probably to sensitive firewall that the file contained a virus?

 

I dismissed it as a freak event due to the firewall being set too “ high”, so to speak,  but once the trust receives some damage ( despite the immediate action) and generates suspicion, it is difficult to re-establish it. 

[CrazyCanuk]

Bottom line for me is Fuji's overall track record in putting out quality firmware, especially given the frequency of firmware releases that enhance functionality and ease of use.  I see no value in beating them to the ground for this...  programming bugs are a fact of life and no amount of unit, integrated and regression testing can absolutely guarantee the release of perfect code each and every time.

 

If anyone finds themselves on a shoot without a working camera as a result of this then I feel for them...  otherwise we've been given the means to go back to an earlier firmware in record time.  A responsive and responsible approach in my book.     

[milandro]

I am not putting down anything or anyone, I am just saying that this will surely put an ding into their track record. If you think otherwise, it is your prerogative to differ.

 

Since this bug was not found ages after the firmware release, and it wasn’t hidden in a minor deep menu performing a function which nobody uses , I think that this means, in my book ( obviously a different book that yours) that it could and indeed should have been eas-y(ier) to spot during the trial phase.

 

One more consideration, hasting or being hasted into doing things is never a good thing.

 

Perhaps, being put under pressure from customers expecting firmware updates, updated that at this point some particularly needy customers are vociferously demanding rather then thankfully welcoming  ( and one should question how wise this was to create this level of expectation among the customers...

 

Things like this can backfire.

 

As we’ve already seen from the wave of hostility which quickly arose (although now seems to be quiescent ) among the ranks of a part of the Fuji users after the lack of X-E2 firmware updating, following  the introduction of the X-T10 and introduction firmware 4.0 for the X-T1, an update that the X-E2 has yet to receive... .

 

 

Although that update (or another?), we were told, should now come in January 2016... therefore after a a long, long testing time... )

 

Who knows.. Fuji might have been mobbed by the high expectations into releasing this firmware before having the chance to fully test it.

 

Remember the fact that first the date was set , then it was declared that the software wasn’t yet ready and would have been delayed, then it was released on time ( when it probably shouldn’t) because of not disappointing the people who had been promised a date already and then it was pulled back because there was a problem.

 

I know a proverb saying:

 “ The hasty cat delivers a litter of blind kittens"

[yukosteel]

I'm sure Fuji performed excellent testing level on the fw4.20 . Just take into account that every fw file grows in size, and amount of features and possible combinations as well.

So each release it requires more and more testing.

 

I'm also proud of Fuji doing that for free, investing a lot of time and effort.

 

Only such a minor bug discovered in 5 days by thousands of people. Fantastic! : )

I don't know how many people test Fuji fw, but they did really great job, and I feel very confident about fw4.20 .

[Merde]

I'm also proud of Fuji doing that for free, investing a lot of time and effort.

That is a very naive thing to say.

You have paid for it when you bought X-T1.

[yukosteel]

That is a very naive thing to say.

You have paid for it when you bought X-T1.

Yes, I paid for the camera with initial fully working firmware, which Fuji calls "ORIGINAL FIRMWARE" (the one distributed with purchased item).

 

But once you decide to install the firmware yourself - there is Fuji License Agreement.

Fuji has "NO WARRANTY", they specifically say that. And they warns: SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND

 

It's the work they do for free, you pay no extra for that product and features. I know it's actually a significant budget, and appreciate Fuji about that each time I see any effort on FW updates.

 

fw 4.20 changes have significant value for me, and I feel happy about that update

[Tom]

Guess I'll take the risk and stay with 4.20. Don't use AF-C very often. And if removing the battery solves the freeze it's fine.

[milandro]

I am staying with it, I don’t use  AF-C. When the next firmware will come it will correct the problem.

 

I don’t understand being “ proud” about the fact that Fuji provides free firmware updates.

 

I understand being thankful about something that I receive “ for free” but proud?

 

I understand of being proud of your kids and wife, your job or anything that you have achieved in life. I also understand about the proud owner of a Fujifilm camera but if someone gives me something I am, in the first place, thankful then when it is mine I might become proud of it.

 

Kia, the brand of my car, organizes once a year a Kia day. I take my car there, they give me a cup of coffee and cake while I wait for them to check my car and make some small repairs ( change the windshield washer fluid or a burnt lamp) if needed, in the meantime I am there and I am browsing in the showroom with the new cars for sale, being told of the possibility to trade in my car and get a new one. 

 

They also used to give soup and presents before but they have now reduced the expenses I suppose due to some austerity.

 

Nevertheless I am thankful of this customer care, I am proud of my Kia, but I am thankful for this act of customer care, an investment on their side, into making me feel a valued customer.

 

They also send me a Kia magazine every so often.

 

It is the way you market cars to people.

 

 

Updating the camera firmware for free is as much a part of the marketing strategy as it is to provide a strap with the camera or a lens with soft cloth bag ( the more expensive lenses the cheaper ones don’t get this because this is not factored in their cheap price).

 

 

Strictly speaking they could give you a camera and a lens without any of this and charge you for the strap and bag, but they elect to do this in the hope that this act of customer care would enhance the customer satisfaction.

 

I’ve never used the original strap or the cloth bag of the lenses but I have them and I am happy to have had them.

 

But they didn’t come for free. Nothing that a company does is free, someone always pays for it.

 

Since no business can afford giving things for free, its cost is factored in the camera exactly like Fuji advertising costs are factored in the camera too. 

 

I regularly read the Fuji magazine and I am thankful for it and even read it and take part to the competition to win cameras or lenses.

 

If one wins a camera or a lens, one receives it for free, and you are right one should be thankful, but the cost of that camera is born by all the Fuji buyers.

 

 

But I digress.

 

I would be happier if, in future, there would be less pressure on Fuji to release firmware only after it has been fully and completely tested. The sequence of events that I described before tells me that the camera firmware was not ready the date that they had said it was going to be ready ( hence Fuji USA saying that the firmware would not be released the 17th) but the customer’s pressure was so big that they decided to release it all the same in the hope that everything was ok and then it wasn’t.

 

Better late & safe than sorry.

 

The license agreement says what you wrote because this is a standard disclaimer because, if by installing this software something goes wrong they are not responsible for the damage that it could have happened.

 

It is very fortunate that this can be simply helped with taking out the battery and resetting the camera but it could have been worse and now you could have been sitting with your pride and joy and a camera which was locked shut just  on Xmas day, with the Fuji repair shop closed and your kids opening presents in a ceremony that you might not have been able to photograph.

 

That, your family and kids, you can absolutely be proud of. Be thankful to Fuji and the fortunate fate that our cameras all still work. But be even more thankful of health, serenity and prosperity which I wish for all of you.

 

Be well!

[yukosteel]

Agree with all mentioned, very right points. I'm not native speaker so quite often can misuse the word. Yes, I feel thankful at first for the time and effort Fuji makes. It's nice to see that the problem got resolves so quick.

I feel confident about Fuji, and like new changes of fw 4.20, and accept the possible risk.

 

btw, I feel thankful for KIA things as well, my experience is very positive there, except one factory defect that could cause accident at any time. Fortunately that bug was reported on time and problem got preventively repaired for free. But I still trust KIA. And I still trust Fuji.

[milandro]

well, except the fact that KIA declares a fuel consumption which is in NO possible way achievable under normal conditions by any human driver... not even by following the on board computer for fuel saving!

 

I’ve tried and failed.

 

In the USA & Canada KIA buyers were returned a certain amount of money to compensate for the false advertising but this hasn’t happened in the EU anywhere.

 

http://business.financialpost.com/news/transportation/fuel-consumption-error-leads-hyundai-kia-to-issue-credit-cards-to-compensate-canadian-customers

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/02/hyundai-kia-admit-exaggerated-mileage-claims-will-compensate-o/

 

“ We are committed to compensating both current and past owners fairly for the change in their vehicle’s fuel-consumption rating... "

 

 

Still trust KIA?

 

You are a very trusty person! Did you get your compensation? I didn’t!

 

 

How much petrol did I use more than they promised after driving my Kia for 60.000 Km?

 

Recently people have taken to sue VW for their fraudulent software, there would be a disclaimer on that software agreement too but it won’t be enough to prevent enormous losses in money so the set aside 6.5 BILLIONS  of € ( and won’t be enough) don’t trust too much anyone!

 

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/22/emissions-scandal-volkswagen-may-have-to-set-aside-more-funds-if-sales-fall.html

[yukosteel]

Well, I trust Fuji more than KIA : ) just because had less problems, and also less influencing.

 

It's interesting that Fuji expects to prepare fixed version of 4.20 only by end of Jan.

This term sheds no light how much time fix and regression testing actually takes.

But I think they have to spend a lot of effort there, and of course not less then spent for 4.20 testing.

 

Will just keep watching how camera works, and wait for news from Fuji.

[milandro]

No gripes with Fuji other than this firmware thing cockup and the fact that they seem to have been able to convince all the Dutch physical shop dealers ( there is one on line shop claiming they are in the EU which is cheaper that the rest but they ship from China or Gibraltar so they are not a Dutch shop)  to sell every single product at the exact same price in all the shops.

 

Strange, very strange. I tried once to make a sales assistant see the incompatibility of this price uniformity with the requirements for business competition but he didn’t want to understand that if you have competition some should would have to offer a product at a lesser price otherwise why should I buy from them instead of someone else?

 

No answer to that question ( privately in a phone call one person admitted to “ agreements” which if proven would be both illegal and severely punishable) 

 

Few days ago there was a shop Calumet.nl which had briefly listed the old X-E2 at €599 instead of the €699 ( same price as the X-T10) even before I was able to consider buying it, the price was put back where it belonged , at par with all the other shops.

 

By the way, even there, that camera is listed but not in stock!

 

But that, is a whole different saga!

[bulldog]

I installed 4.20 then a couple of days later saw problems with 4.20. As advised downloaded and installed the 4.21. I am now not able to shoot in RAW the option has vanished from the Shooting Menu. What a bummer just on Christmas. Its a long way to wait till mid January to resolve the situation.

[milandro]

So this is a further bug? No raws when downgrading to 4.21 ?

 

 

I didn’t downgrade because I don’t use AF-C and since they promised to fix the problem in a few days I didn’t bother to do anything.

 

Yet, I did go out to shoot some pics (on the 4.20 firmware) yesterday. I shot Raw+ jpeg. 

 

The camera performed as usual the only thing was that, for reasons that weren’t and aren’t obvious to me, it created two folders and put some shots in one and some other shots in another. I might have been accidentally doing this myself but I didn’t mean to and frankly even if this were a bug or a malfunction it would be a very minor one for me.

 

But being unable to shoot Raws would be a major problem for some. I am quite happy in most cases to use the jpegs straight off the camera but shoot raws all the same because there might be some rare cases which require a bit finer tuning and then I would revert to the raw or, for example, one shoots B&W and has the colour Raw should one change his mind about some shot, without having to change the settings.

 

Maybe other people who have downgraded will care to comment on their ability or inability to use raws after installing the repair patch 4.21

[rogiep]

Just checked and RAWs working ok for me with 4.2.1

[CrazyCanuk]

I installed 4.20 then a couple of days later saw problems with 4.20. As advised downloaded and installed the 4.21. I am now not able to shoot in RAW the option has vanished from the Shooting Menu. What a bummer just on Christmas. Its a long way to wait till mid January to resolve the situation.

 

Verify that you did not unintentially move the Drive dial to any position right of S(ingle shot). 

[JRphoto]

Furthermore, RAW images canot be recorded setting ISO to L, H1 or H2 ( page 50, X-T1 manual).

[jll59]

Hello,

 

I have no problems with fw 4.20, even in AF-C mode... 

[milandro]

was it exercise or exorcise ?