Copying basic config between 2 identical Fujifilm X-T bodies

[mecsw500]

So I have 2 Fujifilm X-T30-II bodies. I wanted  to have them both configured to the same base setup, so this is what I did:

First, I went to the Fujifilm support website and I downloaded and installed the X-Acquire application. I am running on an iMac with an M1 processor, with the Ventura release of OS X. Then I made sure both of my X-T30-II bodies were at the same firmware revision level, I had to upgrade one of mine first.

Next I connected a USB-C to USB-C cable directly to the iMac USB-C port. The process of downloading the backup to the iMac from the camera with X-Acquire fails with an "error"  (no information as to what the error was though) if I connect the camera via a powered USB 3 hub and a USB-A to USB-C cable. It only works for me if the USB-C to USB-C cable plugs directly into the iMac itself.

On each  of the cameras I set the menu setting "Wrench / Connection Setting / Connection Mode" to "USB Raw Conv./ Backup Restore". I reset this to the "USB Card Reader" when I'm finished so iPhoto, Capture One and Google Photos all work as they normally do.

I went to the "Configuration Settings" on the X-Acquire app and un-clicked all the file jpg settings etc so no data files get transferred as I use iPhoto and Capture One for that. If you right click on the X-Acquire icon on the menu bar you will see all the options. The Backup and Restore options are grayed out if the camera is not connected BTW.

Now I connect the USB-C cable and power up the camera. After a minute or so the X-Acquire icon in the menu bar turns into color from monochrome and I backup the camera to a file on my desktop using the "Backup" option. The file is about 11k and downloads in a couple of seconds. Of course it doesn't tell you when it has finished. Then I turn off the camera and unplug the USB cable.

To copy the data to my second body, I repeat the process with the second body, but this time I choose the "Restore" option and wait about 30 seconds for it to complete. Of course, it doesn't tell you when it has finished, but it seems to only take a few seconds to restore. Once again turn off the camera and unplug the USB cable. Now I turn on and reset the "Wrench / Connection Setting / Connection Mode" to "USB Card Reader" for both bodies.

Now I have both my camera bodies configure the same. The following bit I'm not sure if you need to do it, but I configure each body to use a different name for saving files. I configured one camera to save images in XXX1 filename and the other in XXX2 file name. I did this because I wasn't quite sure how iPhoto, or Capture One, or Google Images was going to handle having two cameras saving images with the same root name for the image files. You might know how this works better than I do and I might just be overthinking this bit.

Anyway, I now have 2 bodies configured largely the same and if I add custom settings to one I'll only have to duplicate the settings on the other manually without keying in everything. I will probably drift a bit from one body to the other as I might use one body for one type of picture with the prime lenses and the other with the long reach zooms. All the entries I added for custom manual lenses on adapters copied across too which was nice. As my manual lenses were all FF Zuikos and Nikkors, I made sure I entered the focal length in Focal Length divided by 1.5.

This may or may not be useful to you and I may not have done this in the optimal manner, I don't know, but there you go. I think it would probably work mostly the same on a Windows machine, but I don't have one to try it. I have not tried this on anything other than my X-T30-II bodies and I have no idea if it would work between different types of body like an X-T30-II to and X-T30, or an X-T3.

Your mileage may vary of course.