Firmware 4 - My main issue

[ychen]

(For the record - i love Fuji and i’m not a troll!)

 

Remember why you bought the X-T1?

1. “Back to Basics” photography
2. Direct Manipulation
3. Nostalgic / Emotional
4. Best in class for what it did. Didn’t pretend to outdo competitors in specialised fields.

 

Now, firmware 4 is an amazing achievement (and i can’t thank Fujifilm enough for investing so much in customers), but take a look at what else it brought:

1. Trying to play in new territories but not being the best.
2. Not basic: New AF efficiency depends on the combination of 3 Tracking modes, 2 focus modes, 3 Drive modes, 2 Face Detection modes and 3 Shutter modes (anyone want to do the math?)
3. Not direct: There are no shortcuts for changing 3 dials and 2 menu options in one click.
4. “Fun Factor” diminished when i need an excel sheet to memorise what works in which combination.

 

To Fujifilm - i love you, and my only request for any future camera or future firmware is that you’ll keep the experience and the original spirit that was the essence of the X line. 

 

Your Truly,

 

A very satisfied X user (really).

 

YC

[mrgooch]

An excellent article. I am also a long time user of Fuji going back to the late 60's. The problem is most of us " want it all " and Fuji seems to be trying to do that. But it can't be done with this new type of camera. Yet!

I was probable the first to purchase the XT-1 because it was retro.

[rcusgeorge]

I tried to open the firmware 4.0 DAT file with my windows 7 computer but got a message that there was no program associated......Not being  so much a computer geek, how do I open this file so I can update the firmware in my XT1?  Thanks

 

 

[hrk]

Copy it to your SD card (the DAT file)

turn on your X-T1 with the DISP/BACK button held down and follow onscreen instructions

[erwiurewurwehu]

(For the record - i love Fuji and i’m not a troll!)

 

Remember why you bought the X-T1?

1. “Back to Basics” photography
2. Direct Manipulation
3. Nostalgic / Emotional
4. Best in class for what it did. Didn’t pretend to outdo competitors in specialised fields.

 

Now, firmware 4 is an amazing achievement (and i can’t thank Fujifilm enough for investing so much in customers), but take a look at what else it brought:

1. Trying to play in new territories but not being the best.
2. Not basic: New AF efficiency depends on the combination of 3 Tracking modes, 2 focus modes, 3 Drive modes, 2 Face Detection modes and 3 Shutter modes (anyone want to do the math?)
3. Not direct: There are no shortcuts for changing 3 dials and 2 menu options in one click.
4. “Fun Factor” diminished when i need an excel sheet to memorise what works in which combination.

 

To Fujifilm - i love you, and my only request for any future camera or future firmware is that you’ll keep the experience and the original spirit that was the essence of the X line. 

 

Your Truly,

 

A very satisfied X user (really).

 

YC

 

You are making good points but I personally am happy that they are trying to improve. I bet a lot of the options will be removed in the future. Eg. if the sensor had phase detection points on the whole surface then the choice wide/zone would go away. 

[milandro]

no one has to install the new software...  it is not compulsory

[Trenton Talbot]

no one has to install the new software...

 

…or use the new features 

[milandro]

seriously, I understand the fact that the camera operation is very much more complex than it originally was, but one can install the first version of the software (I think) and disregard all the subsequent Kaizen

[Dis]

Eg. if the sensor had phase detection points on the whole surface then the choice wide/zone would go away.

 

I don't agree. I like only center zone AF during tracking. Thus even with PDAF all over the sensor I would require the choice of zone AF.

[ychen]

Just to make my point clear - i was referring to the implementation from the user experience POV. 

The added capabilities do not follow the same experience that was one of the main reason most of us were attracted to the X line in the first place.

 

We were spoiled with “Turn On - Start Using” experience. Simple. Direct.

We now have: turn on A, switch to B, set menu option 1 to C, revert menu option 2 to D, check the setting of E and start using… 

 

So.. i wasn't complaining about the kaizen, i only wished for Fuji to remain... Fuji.

[milandro]

In all frankness I find the camera rather more complicated that it needs to be ( for me that is) and in some cases downright awkward with functions that are there but only work , for example, in MS or with more than one setting to be switched in or out.

 

My answer to it is to use the camera with the functions that I need and keep the other functions in mind (and that’s why I wanted a NEW small portable manual, like the one I have from when the camera was new, with all the new functions in it and with simple instructions as in: if you want to do this, do 1, 2, 3...

 

Some members told me to buy a book that another member wrote (which is definitely too big to take with me and wouldn’t be as coincise as I had in mind because you can’t charge good money for what I had in mind).

 

Yes.......as they say, keep it simple. If Fuji can’t , we can.

[CRAusmus]

(For the record - i love Fuji and i’m not a troll!)

 

Remember why you bought the X-T1?

1. “Back to Basics” photography
2. Direct Manipulation
3. Nostalgic / Emotional
4. Best in class for what it did. Didn’t pretend to outdo competitors in specialised fields.

 

Now, firmware 4 is an amazing achievement (and i can’t thank Fujifilm enough for investing so much in customers), but take a look at what else it brought:

1. Trying to play in new territories but not being the best.
2. Not basic: New AF efficiency depends on the combination of 3 Tracking modes, 2 focus modes, 3 Drive modes, 2 Face Detection modes and 3 Shutter modes (anyone want to do the math?)
3. Not direct: There are no shortcuts for changing 3 dials and 2 menu options in one click.
4. “Fun Factor” diminished when i need an excel sheet to memorise what works in which combination.

 

To Fujifilm - i love you, and my only request for any future camera or future firmware is that you’ll keep the experience and the original spirit that was the essence of the X line. 

 

Your Truly,

 

A very satisfied X user (really).

 

YC

 

 

You still have all these, but now you have options.  Nothing wrong with options.

[x-tc]

Clinton,

If I understand the OP, they are basically saying that new feature settings are getting buried away into menus without direct controls to switch back quickly and many of these things when enabled prevent other features from working right. In short, we have to keep messing with settings in the menus, back and forth depending on what we are shooting. Portraits, vs sports. Etc.

 

Seems like a fair observation to me. I think Fuji needs to spend more time on making things more intelligent and less complex. Like they did to eliminate the need to have a macro button.

 

It is relatively simple to introduce new complex features, compared to the complexity involved to make these new features simple for the end user to live with.

 

I suspect it's on someone's todo list, but was not a high enough priority to delay the released core features

 

I'd like to see the option to have different AF setting based on drive mode. I.e. FD and MS+ES when in S drive, FD off and ES off when in CH drive.

[kin2son]

OP I think you should just go back and shoot film.

[Azimuth]

As others have said, its nice to have options.

 

It is perfectly feasible to leave the camera on AF-S or manual focus and shoot the same way you were shooting before 4.0 arrived.

 

Personally, I am lukewarm about the zone tracking, but really happy with continuous focusing that really works now and better functionality from the phase-detect points.

[ychen]

Clinton,

If I understand the OP, they are basically saying that new feature settings are getting buried away into menus without direct controls to switch back quickly and many of these things when enabled prevent other features from working right. In short, we have to keep messing with settings in the menus, back and forth depending on what we are shooting. Portraits, vs sports. Etc.

 

Seems like a fair observation to me. I think Fuji needs to spend more time on making things more intelligent and less complex. Like they did to eliminate the need to have a macro button.

 

It is relatively simple to introduce new complex features, compared to the complexity involved to make these new features simple for the end user to live with.

 

I suspect it's on someone's todo list, but was not a high enough priority to delay the released core features

 

I'd like to see the option to have different AF setting based on drive mode. I.e. FD and MS+ES when in S drive, FD off and ES off when in CH drive.

 

x-tc, thank you for understanding my point :-)

 

Adding features is not the same as implementing them.

[kim]

Can you not assign the settings you need to the different 'C' modes in the 'Q' menu? I know on the 5D3 I can set assign the total settings of the camera to the three 'C' modes, giving me three different set up's. Must grab my X-T1and give it a test.

[mrgooch]

You can't

[MrJones]

(For the record - i love Fuji and i’m not a troll!)

 

Remember why you bought the X-T1?

1. “Back to Basics” photography
2. Direct Manipulation
3. Nostalgic / Emotional
4. Best in class for what it did. Didn’t pretend to outdo competitors in specialised fields.

 

Now, firmware 4 is an amazing achievement (and i can’t thank Fujifilm enough for investing so much in customers), but take a look at what else it brought:

1. Trying to play in new territories but not being the best.
2. Not basic: New AF efficiency depends on the combination of 3 Tracking modes, 2 focus modes, 3 Drive modes, 2 Face Detection modes and 3 Shutter modes (anyone want to do the math?)
3. Not direct: There are no shortcuts for changing 3 dials and 2 menu options in one click.
4. “Fun Factor” diminished when i need an excel sheet to memorise what works in which combination.

 

To Fujifilm - i love you, and my only request for any future camera or future firmware is that you’ll keep the experience and the original spirit that was the essence of the X line. 

 

Your Truly,

 

A very satisfied X user (really).

 

YC

You could get overwhelmed if you attempt to use all of these features but you don't have to use them so you don't need to create the confusion that you're talking about.   Instead just use what you want.   Nothing has changed with the focus modes or the drive modes and it's easy enough to add the tracking modes to the Q menu or to a function button.   If you want to use face detection or ES then you are adding a layer of complexity but I consider ES to be a special situation feature so I don't know how often you need to mix that with the tracking modes.    And I'm not sure how effective face detection is anyway so maybe it isn't much of a factor.

 

For me I have tracking modes, shutter type and face detection next to each other in Q menu.   Shutter type stays on MS and face detection stays off almost all of the time so I'm just changing drive mode and focus mode as always and then tracking mode for the times I need zone focusing.   It's really easy to manage and not a big change for me and on the rare occasion that I need ES or face detection I'm in AF-S single point anyway.   

[ychen]

For me I have tracking modes, shutter type and face detection next to each other in Q menu.   Shutter type stays on MS and face detection stays off almost all of the time so I'm just changing drive mode and focus mode as always and then tracking mode for the times I need zone focusing.   It's really easy to manage and not a big change for me and on the rare occasion that I need ES or face detection I'm in AF-S single point anyway.   

 

I'm actually working in a similar way and i know its not such a big deal.. IF you are fully aware of what work with what and in what efficiency.

One new thing FW4 introduced is a partially working feature - the same function works in different combination BUT not as efficient.

Not all of it is even documented and many of us are learning this through forums, blogs and 3rd party books.

 

Efficiency of a function is not something a common consumer should be aware of. A function should either work or not, and if something doesn't work it should be clearly indicated or not be enabled at all.

The current situation in the X-T1 AF is that its not visibly clear if the camera settings is optimised to what the user wants to do and as you can clearly see in this forum, we need a thread to inform users of what works and what doesn't.

 

So, my only point is that the user experience can be better.

 

Thanks.

 

YC

[MrJones]

I'm actually working in a similar way and i know its not such a big deal.. IF you are fully aware of what work with what and in what efficiency.

One new thing FW4 introduced is a partially working feature - the same function works in different combination BUT not as efficient.

Not all of it is even documented and many of us are learning this through forums, blogs and 3rd party books.

 

Efficiency of a function is not something a common consumer should be aware of. A function should either work or not, and if something doesn't work it should be clearly indicated or not be enabled at all.

The current situation in the X-T1 AF is that its not visibly clear if the camera settings is optimised to what the user wants to do and as you can clearly see in this forum, we need a thread to inform users of what works and what doesn't.

 

So, my only point is that the user experience can be better.

 

Thanks.

 

YC

I understand your point but at the same time most other advanced cameras are similar where the more advanced features you want to use the more you have to learn the system.   In fact Fuji has a website dedicated to the new autofocus and I'm not sure that other companies have done this for their users.

 

http://fujifilm-x.com/af/en/

[Sunglass]

no one has to install the new software...  it is not compulsory

... But you can't go back once you installed it.

[milandro]

well, better thinking twice before you do then!

[geko]

I don't notice much of FW 4.0, except better AF performance with some lenses, especially the 60mm. 

 

I stick with single point AF as I did before and I don't have to go into the menu more often than I used to. That is hardly ever, actually.

 

So, as others have pointed out before me, the new Firmware gives you more options. If you take advantage of them, of course the camera gets slightly more complicated. That's the price for the added versatility, you can't have one without the other.

 

But if you don't, the user experience is just like before. How can anyone complain about that ?

[jeremyclarke]

I see both sides on this issue. I was dying for the new features, so I'm 100% glad they are there no matter how complex they are. 

 

That said, the implementation is kind of insane with it's permutations. The fact that Face Detection breaks PDAF is a real bummer, especially since it seems to break it even when there's no face detected which sucks because it means you need to always be turning it on and off when it doesn't lock on in dark situations. (I found it really effective in bright situations though, unsurprisingly since contrast-AF works great there too). 

 

I think a lot of users would prefer that more of the new modes would hardcode settings they take for granted in a consisten way, rather than failing and depending on you to change another setting for it to work. This is especially complicated when it comes to AF-C and zone, which can be neutralized by ES, FD etc. 

 

I too would love if the C (saved settings) system could help with this. One for face-detect portraits with MS+ES, one for full-AFC-zone action shooting, etc. Unfortunately that system is a piece of crap and is essentially only useful for JPG shooters because most of the settings you can control only apply to JPG. I removed it from my Q menu because it did more harm than good when altered by accident.