DOWNLOAD NOW X-T1 Firmware 4.0 ! Share your first impression

[George61d]

OK, I figure I must be doing something wrong. Using FW4, wide tracking mode and AF-C with a 35mm lens. When I half press and hold the shutter release the camera just hunts back and forth and never locks on to the subject - even if it is static and fills the focus points.

 

So what am I doing wrong ?

[darknj]

I'm impressed with FW 4.0 - understatement! Will be doing more testing later today. However, I'm interested in hearing about performance with FW 4.0 compared with your DSLR or some of the other mirrorless systems said to have superior focusing abilities. So, if you have access to say, a Sony A6000 for example, could you tell us about how the X-T1's performance compared both before and after the 4.0 update? 

 

I'm convinced that there is a significant improvement over previous firmware AF performance. No argument with that, since I was often frustrated with AF with previous FW. And, Fuji has provided incremental improvements since 1.0. I was far less frustrated by the time 3.0 came around. 4.0 so far seems more like a 6.0 release in terms of the increase in AF performance when compared to previous updates. That is really cool. But, has Fuji closed the AF performance gap with competing systems. If not, what do you think Fuji needs to do to achieve parity?

 

I have access to both a D3S with mostly primes lenses (35mm F1.8 and 50mm F1.8 among others) and a D800 with 24-70mm F2.8 and while the X-T1 with new upgrade is certainly good, it still can't compete against those 2 old monsters DSLR, specially the D800 with 24-70mm, that body lens combo is just insanly fast, you hardly need to do any half press for the focus to lock on.

 

Now, the closest competitor I have in house is my lil' Nikon1 AW1 with almost all lenses aside the 10-100mm and 70-300mm. 

In good light condition, the AW1 is really close of the D3S in term of focusing speed, we have to leave it to Nikon, they are awesomely good on the AF for their bodies.

 

So how does it match up ? Well, my AW1 with the 18.5mm F1.8 (50mm eq.) against my 35mm F1.4 on X-T1, the AW1 wins up with a good margin in good light condition, the update did good on the body but the lens could really use some update(s ?), but as soon as we start hitting the low light and the ISO shoots up, the X-T1 is catching up really good, around 3200 ISO the AW1 pretty much lost the battle, it can still grab a lock but with a bit more hunting and IQ goes down the drain.

 

In overall, the 35mm F1.4 is a really pretty lens, but it does shows its age, I could be tempted by the 35mm F2 WR that is going to be released end of this year but I love the bokeh and "spirit" of this 35mm too much to just replace it because it's not as fast other 50mm equivalent.

 

While I do not own a Sony A6000, I guess that depending on the lens, the X-T1 could be up to par with it, give or take 10-15% for error margin.

 

 

OK, I figure I must be doing something wrong. Using FW4, wide tracking mode and AF-C with a 35mm lens. When I half press and hold the shutter release the camera just hunts back and forth and never locks on to the subject - even if it is static and fills the focus points.

 

So what am I doing wrong ?

 

 

Don't use the AF-C on static subjects, the AF-C is expecting to have a moving subject, if everything is static, it tries to compensate for something that doesn't move.

[Wabisabiphotography]

Thanks for the video. For even faster AF-S, try to put "rilevamento volto" (face detection) to OFF... you'll then be able to take advantage of the Phase Detection Pixels

 

Yes Patrick! I did it after finish the video and it works really well! really fast even on the 14mm. I think is a big help for street photography!

[George61d]

Thanks for the response Darknj. I think you misunderstood my point.....Its not locking on to anything moving or static.

 

If I set drive mode to CH, then it behaves more or less as I would expect. But in CL and S drive modes the AF just judders and does not lock. The viewfinder display is different too between CH and the other two.

[darknj]

Thanks for the response Darknj. I think you misunderstood my point.....Its not locking on to anything moving or static.

 

If I set drive mode to CH, then it behaves more or less as I would expect. But in CL and S drive modes the AF just judders and does not lock. The viewfinder display is different too between CH and the other two.

 

Humm... Weird behavior, in all honesty I couldn't say what could be causing it since I haven't toyed with with the wide tracking in AF-C yet.

Quick question tho, are you using only MS or a mix of MS + ES ? I recall reading something about the AF-C wide zone tracking not playing nicely with any shutter mode beside MS.

[JanH]

How about a new X T1 Owner's Manual ? In Dutch please.?

After this latest FW update i think almost a must.  It's now a brand new camera after all !

 

  Jan

[milandro]

download it here

 

http://www.fujifilm.com/support/digital_cameras/manuals/pdf/index/x/fujifilm_xt1_manual_en_es_ru_zhs_04.pdf

 

it has a Dutch version too

[craigk49]

I have access to both a D3S with mostly primes lenses (35mm F1.8 and 50mm F1.8 among others) and a D800 with 24-70mm F2.8 and while the X-T1 with new upgrade is certainly good, it still can't compete against those 2 old monsters DSLR, specially the D800 with 24-70mm, that body lens combo is just insanly fast, you hardly need to do any half press for the focus to lock on.

 

Now, the closest competitor I have in house is my lil' Nikon1 AW1 with almost all lenses aside the 10-100mm and 70-300mm. 

In good light condition, the AW1 is really close of the D3S in term of focusing speed, we have to leave it to Nikon, they are awesomely good on the AF for their bodies.....

 

Thanks darknj for the comparison! Appreciate the time you took to post.

[Hans K Aspenberg]

I just briefly tested the new FW 4.0 zone-focus with my XF-35 tonight. It's like having a completely new lens when it comes to AF. Then I put i back onto my now old but venerable X-Pro1, and ... I had forgotten how slow it once was. Kudos Fujifilm! 

[Trenton Talbot]

Funny thing: so many people complained before that exposure correction dial didn't work in full manual with auto ISO… and now it seems that only a handful of users noticed that Fuji fixed that in 4.0 

[milandro]

well you know about  "people who have a problem for every solution” ?

[Geotheo]

Does back button focusing still work only in manual mode?

[darknj]

Does back button focusing still work only in manual mode?

 

Good news for you. Not anymore ! I just tried it out and it was working on AF-S

[Bluemanta]

Since I've installed FW 4.0, I've noticed that the eye sensor IR spot remains lit (red glow) when I switch off the camera. It's weird.

This happens only if "performance mode" is activated. In normal mode, it still behaves normally.

Have you noticed the same thing or am I the only one?

Thanks guy for your feebacks.

[Trenton Talbot]

Since I've installed FW 4.0, I've noticed that the eye sensor IR spot remains lit (red glow) when I switch off the camera. It's weird.

 

It is weird indeed, but not new at all, as I've been observing the same behavior since FW3. Consider it a standby light.

[Bluemanta]

It is weird indeed, but not new at all, as I've been observing the same behavior since FW3. Consider it a standby light.

 

Thank you for your feedback. I guess I've never noticed it before (it's been only 2 weeks hat I bought the camera). I was afraid that it could drain the battery even more with this "standby light" on... Why is it only lit when performance mode is enabled? It's a mystery.

[Trenton Talbot]

Thank you for your feedback. I guess I've never noticed it before (it's been only 2 weeks hat I bought the camera). I was afraid that it could drain the battery even more with this "standby light" on... Why is it only lit when performance mode is enabled? It's a mystery.

 

Sounds like a harmless bug. But don't worry, it will take at least a few months to drain your battery with such "powerful" infrared LED alone. Other standby circuits combined with battery's own self discharge will finish the job much faster.

[MikeA]

Good news for you. Not anymore ! I just tried it out and it was working on AF-S

 

Meaning back-button focusing. I wish I could say the same here. I have the buttons switched: AE-L for back focus and AF-L to lock exposure. I was always used to having the AF-L button in that position. With the camera set to MF: no problem. It all works. But with AF-S or AF-C, neither back button has any effect. I tried swapping their positions to the default -- no change. They function only in manual-focus mode.

 

Bit of a disappointment but perhaps it depends on which lens you're using. Seems like a bug to me.

[MikeA]

Meaning back-button focusing. I wish I could say the same here. I have the buttons switched: AE-L for back focus and AF-L to lock exposure. I was always used to having the AF-L button in that position. With the camera set to MF: no problem. It all works. But with AF-S or AF-C, neither back button has any effect. I tried swapping their positions to the default -- no change. They function only in manual-focus mode.

 

Bit of a disappointment but perhaps it depends on which lens you're using. Seems like a bug to me.

 

A moment later ... it is lens-dependent. I replaced the 35 with the 23 -- a clutch lens. I locked the focus ring -- now it's in autofocus mode. With the camera's own focus switch set to either AF-S or AF-C: still no back-button functionality. But when I moved the focus switch on the camera to M, both of the back-buttons started working.

 

I'm going to report it as a bug. Limiting the functionality that severely doesn't seem like much of a feature.

[Wintermute]

No noticable change in AF speed with 18mm F2 here. Still slow.

[brijcharan]

Already posted this as another topic.  Didn't read this topic title correctly, but I get this 'wonderful' message after trying to focus a few times.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

[Trenton Talbot]

Already posted this as another topic.  Didn't read this topic title correctly, but I get this 'wonderful' message after trying to focus a few times.

 

That's pretty much like Canon's infamous "Error 99".

[dkr82]

The new AF microsite shows the AF+MF settings under the new AF menu on P1 of settings (along with most other AF settings like face detection), however, on my camera, AF+MF is sitting on P5 of the settings, just above AF+AE interlock. Is this the case with everyone else?

 

Also, I've noticed under the new firmware with the 18-135mm, it seems like the IS motors in the lens are running full time, whenever the camera is turned on, regardless of the IS setting 1 or 2. I don't remember this being the case under old firmware. Anyone else finding IS is on full time with any lenses on new firmware? It's absolutely killing the battery life.. 

[MikeA]

Ok, even stranger yet. Egad, am I imagining this?

 

Clutch lens -- in this case the 23, in manual focus mode (focus ring turning):

 

Camera focus setting "M": Shutter release has no effect on focus -- completely expected.

Turning focusing ring focuses lens, activating focus-assist feature as it does so. Also expected.

Camera focus setting "C": Shutter release has no effect on focus -- expected.

Turning focusing ring focuses lens and activates focus-assist feature. Expected.

Camera focus setting "S":  Shutter release activates focus.

Turning focusing ring does not activate focus-assist feature.

And the weirdest thing of all: turning the focusing ring DOES NOT focus the lens.
 

Like the nice lady on TV used to say: what what WHAT?

 

[HengLong Beh]

Superb updates.... my 60mm focus much faster .....