Fuji X-T1 firmware update set for June

[Rand47]

Looks very promising.

Video:  http://fujifilm-x.com/x-t1/en/

Notes: http://www.fujifilm.com/news/n150511.html

Rand

[armand]

Speed is almost there.
I think the one I'm most excited for is the eye detection and focusing.
The zone focusing could be helpful but it needs real world performance.

Many things that will make the camera better but the reality is it's already quite good and the lenses are competitive with the other systems out there.

[Alan Smallbone]

I agree this is all nice and great to see the improvements. I wish they would also expand the bracketing, that has been asked since day one, one day hopefully but I am happy with what I have and the great updates that they are doing. All good for us.

Alan

[Chris Kern]

Aside from the fact that Fuji keeps adding new features to my current favorite camera, I suspect these repeated firmware updates mean the eventual successor(s) to the X-T1 will be very impressive.

Fuji can't go full-frame since its entire lens product line is designed for a smaller sensor, but it could easily field a new body with a resolution of 25 Mpx, or perhaps 36 Mpx with an ever-so-slightly larger sensor that would fit within the image circle of the Fuji lenses.  I can also imagine the company offering a new 16 Mpx body with DSLR-like autofocus performance.  The lens line-up is already quite complete except for a long telephoto.  I think Fuji may be trying to position itself to become a serious challenger to both Canon and Nikon.

[rdonson]

I'm going to be delighted with the new firmware.  I see many uses for the new capabilities.

I don't care if Fuji ever goes full frame.  Let Nikon, Canon and Sony duke it out in that market.  Fuji found a wonderful niche with APS-C that fits a real set of needs for me.  The X-T1 is a delight and the lenses are pretty dang good. 

To Kevin's point in his Rantatorial..... if the future X-T2 has a 20-24 MP sensor I'll be in hog heaven.  I might even sell my Canon DSLRs and lenses.  Its a delight not to haul that weight around.

To Alan's point, I hope the next firmware beyond 4.0 includes the much needed bracketing update.

[W.T. Jones]

Interesting & potentially useful update. And at no charge, that I like. As Kevin says it is like getting a new camera.

[Paul2660]

To OP, thanks for posting.  I would love to see an improvement in the single point AF, as it's often hit or miss with my X-T1. 

Paul

[AFairley]

Still no love for the X-E2 owners from Fuji.  I recognize that the AF improvements in this FW release likely could not be implemented for the E2, but I'm still smarting from the last FW release that largely snubbed the E2.  I really like the RF style form factor of the E cameras, but have zero interest in switching over to the DSLR style T camera.  Fuji's silence on the future of the X series is keeping me from fully buying into the system.

[armand]

While they are "silent" on the cameras they are pretty open on the lenses. It seems both the 16 F1.4 and 90 F2 will be available roughly around the time this new firmware will be out.

I don't think this firmware will make it significantly more competitive with the DSLRs focus wise though, they'll need a new body +/- sensor.

[rdonson]

I use a Canon 7D for action/sports/wildlife/etc.  I love my X-T1 but it's hard for me to imagine it keeping up with the predictive AF in AIServo mode and 2 CPUs that Canon uses. I will test the new firmware to see how it does though.  Next up for me is a sprint Tri so maybe the X-T1 with version 4.0 firmware can handle it.  If it does then the biggest difference will be battery life.  With 2 batteries in the 7D I can shoot an entire event and not worry about taking time to change batteries.  I've yet to do that with the X-T1.  I do usually shoot a couple of thousand images at events.

[rdonson]

Here's an article on the 4.0 firmware from someone who's been using a beta version.

http://danbaileyphoto.com/blog/fuji-announces-major-x-t1-firmware-update-and-vastly-improved-af/

[Sbarroso]

In addition to the bracketing "issue" and the lack of zebras, I hope a future firmware update addresses the "minimum shutter speed". I find unpractical that only a single and absolute value can be entered.

It would be much better a desired X value for a speed  of 1/(X*Focal) , so if we zoom or change a lens we can get automatically our optimum value for the Focal length we are using+shacking hands. It could also be lens dependent, changing automatically upon changing lenses: I would set a slower minimum speed with a lens with OS (e.g X=1 for the multi-purpose 18-55) than with a lens without stabilization (e.g. X=3 for the 56mm 1.2 portrait lens), without the need to go into the menu every time I switch lenses.

I may email Fuji, and we will see if I'lucky.

Santiago

[armand]

What you are asking is a combination of the previous way it was done with the current way along with some refinements.
The way Nikon does it is good but I would like to be even more nuanced, such as 1/eqFL but not under 1/125 for example and so on.

[bdbender4]

In the past year I spent about $4000 on an X100S, XE-2, and three lenses.  No love or further updates for the X100S - go buy an X100T.  Fuji, you already have my $1300.  The last XE-2 upgrade disabled the Wi-Fi!  The XE-2 started out pretty close to the XT-1 in hardware and software both.  I wanted the non-SLR form factor.  So here I sit with two quite new expensive second-string cameras.  Hence my irritation when y'all (and DP review) treat Fuji like heros.  Fuji may have put out a lens roadmap but it sure would be nice and much more useful to have a software and body roadmap.  The XT-1 is getting its last hurrah with this upgrade, judging from the recent price decrease.  I sure hope the XE-2 gets the equivalent before it is replaced.  (And I sure hope the XE-2 form factor gets continued instead of just going away altogether.)  To draw a parallel: which auto company does a better job for their customers?  The one that releases a not-quite-ready car to meet a deadline and then follows that with numerous "service bulletins"?  Or the one that has enough quality control in place to thoroughly debug their cars as well as meet the deadline?  Fuji has a high number of upgrades, but I think that most of them are remedial and should have been in the product in the first place.

[armand]

In the past year I spent about $4000 on an X100S, XE-2, and three lenses.  No love or further updates for the X100S - go buy an X100T.  Fuji, you already have my $1300.  The last XE-2 upgrade disabled the Wi-Fi!  The XE-2 started out pretty close to the XT-1 in hardware and software both.  I wanted the non-SLR form factor.  So here I sit with two quite new expensive second-string cameras.  Hence my irritation when y'all (and DP review) treat Fuji like heros.  Fuji may have put out a lens roadmap but it sure would be nice and much more useful to have a software and body roadmap.  The XT-1 is getting its last hurrah with this upgrade, judging from the recent price decrease.  I sure hope the XE-2 gets the equivalent before it is replaced.  (And I sure hope the XE-2 form factor gets continued instead of just going away altogether.)  To draw a parallel: which auto company does a better job for their customers?  The one that releases a not-quite-ready car to meet a deadline and then follows that with numerous "service bulletins"?  Or the one that has enough quality control in place to thoroughly debug their cars as well as meet the deadline?  Fuji has a high number of upgrades, but I think that most of them are remedial and should have been in the product in the first place.

I saw this discussion multiple times already.
The point I tend to agree with the most is that the camera was quite functional when it was launched and if you weren't happy with it at that time you shouldn't have bought it. Future firmware upgrades are more like refinements and bonus features but are not warranted and you shouldn't buy on camera based on their possible release.
Yeah, some features were half baked but you knew this when you first got it; it's nice and a good marketing strategy that they are improving on those but they were more aggressive than most in the beginning and it looks like other manufacturers are following the trend which can be only good. It's still a business and like you I would like them the support and upgrade the firmware forever but they have to make some money in order to stay competitive. I think that what this firmware updates are means to stay competitive until they get out a significantly different body.

As a matter of fact I'm still mostly happy with my X-E1 and I don't think it gives up that much to my X-T1. The more advanced focus would have been nice or a chrome film simulation but it wouldn't have changed the camera and it already got some firmware updates. I still didn't update the firmware on the lenses because I'm OK with the performance even it would be better (the OS) with the newest firmware. Doesn't mean the OS was dysfunctional or that it had to be upgraded.

[JV]

In the past year I spent about $4000 on an X100S, XE-2, and three lenses. 

And you still have 2 good cameras and 3 excellent lenses... Not sure whether there is anything wrong with that...

[bdbender4]

Greetings, armand et al -

If I had bought an XT-1 instead of the X100S and XE-2, I WOULD soon have the latest and greatest, and at less cost.  How was I supposed to know that? If Fuji is going to update the top-of-the line, shouldn't they update the others, too?  Or should they just tell the XT-1 users "you knew what limitations it had when you bought it, so live with it"?  Totally inconsistent on their part, and obviously not a rationale that I personally am particularly happy with.

[Alan Smallbone]

Greetings, armand et al -

If I had bought an XT-1 instead of the X100S and XE-2, I WOULD soon have the latest and greatest, and at less cost.  How was I supposed to know that? If Fuji is going to update the top-of-the line, shouldn't they update the others, too?  Or should they just tell the XT-1 users "you knew what limitations it had when you bought it, so live with it"?  Totally inconsistent on their part, and obviously not a rationale that I personally am particularly happy with.

I have agree with armand and others, you cannot depend on future upgrades and wish list enhancements. If the X-t1 was available at the time, why did you not buy it? New products come out all the time, some will get enhancements and others do not. But you have avoided the question, what does the cameras have that you did not know about before you bought them? Buying something and then wishing they would upgrade to the latest greatest with the same features as a newer model is pure gambling. Like gambling there are no guarantees. No other camera manufacturer has come out with upgrades that Fuji has done, the fact that they have done upgrades is great and should be taken as a bonus not as an expectation. Electronics and computers have limited lives, Fuji keeps them up to date more than anyone else but they will have their limitations that are based on what is good for their business model. Look at Sony or Canon, they just come out with new bodies, sometimes with just moderate changes, especially Canon. It has been mostly incremental changes.
Your cameras still work, new features are not going to make you a better photographer. If you need the new features you either upgrade or use what you have, if you needed those before you bought the Fujis then maybe you should have done more research. I personally will rent a new camera to see if it meets my needs. I rented a X-pro1 when they first came out, liked it and bought one. I still have it but I also now have a X-T1 because it has features I know I can use, kind of like upgrading a computer. I had no expectations that they would ever update the x-pro1 but they did but now have pretty stopped, still makes it a good camera, it still functions well, just with less features than the X-t1.
I do get what you are saying but is sure seems like maybe you had unrealistic expectations when you bought the cameras. You could always sell them and then upgrade.

Alan

[Manoli]

If I had bought an XT-1 instead of the X100S and XE-2, I WOULD soon have the latest and greatest, and at less cost. [...] Totally inconsistent on their part, and obviously not a rationale that I personally am particularly happy with.

The X-E2 came out in November 2013 ( at least that's when I bought mine). 18 months have gone by there have been several firmware upgrades, and still the price has dropped by almost 40% since launch. It's every bit as good, if not better than when it was unveiled, and the only thing that's seriously missing compared to the X-Tx is full exposure compensation in manual mode . The improved autofocus may not simply be a question of upgraded firmware but rather hardware also.

Whether you need the autofocus is down to the individual,  but Fuji are offering advantageous trade-in bonuses to X-Ex users who wish to upgrade to the latest. I've lost the email but WEX (UK) IIRC, are offering an £80 bonus on top of the PE value - which translates to less than £200 to 'upgrade' .

The extra features didn't exist 18 months ago. They do now and to a large extent on the legacy cams too.
So if £200 is all that the cam has cost you over 18 months and you can have the latest and greatest on launch - I'm really not sure what you're moaning about.

[Manoli]

If Fuji is going to update the top-of-the line, shouldn't they update the others, too? 

Perhaps tweet that message to Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, et al and see what response you get ...