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New Firmware Features (3): X-T1 Firmware Version 3.00
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Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets
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This Thursday (18 DEC 2014), Fuji is releasing new firmware for the X-Pro1, X-E1, X-E2 and X-T1. This is the third and final article explaining the changes and enhancements brought to you by these updates. In this edition, I am going to cover features and enhancements of firmware 3.00 for the Fujifilm X-T1.
This update also includes the AF+MF feature that I have already covered here.
Please click here to learn more about the remote control feature of the X-T1, X-E2, X30 and X100T.
I have sorted the X-T1 firmware enhancements into 18 categories, starting with the…
Electronic Shutter
Already available in the X100T and in firmware version 2.00 for the X-T1GS, the electronic shutter offers fast shutter speeds of up to 1/32000s. Due to the rolling shutter effect, this option is not suitable for fast-moving subjects or flash photography, but it’s a great way to take portraits in bright light with a fast, wide-open lens—no need to attach an ND filter.
Here’s a sample shot I took with the X100T at f/2, using 1/32000s:
1/32000s SOOC JPEG
With firmware 3.00, X-T1 users can now also enjoy this feature.
Here’s what the electronic shutter (ES) can do for you:
- Completely silent shutter release
- No shutter shock, hence less camera shake
- Fast shutter speeds (up to 1/32000s) allow wide-open use of f/1.2 lenses in bright daylight without attaching an ND filter
And here are some drawbacks of the electronic shutter:
- The ES is not suitable for moving subjects (rolling shutter effect). Accordingly, AF-C tracking isn’t available in burst mode (3 fps, 8 fps) when ES is engaged.
- There’s no flash photography when the electronic shutter is engaged.
- ISO is limited to 200-6400, and the slowest available shutter speed is 1s.
SHOOTING MENU > SHUTTER TYPE offers three different shutter settings:
- MS is the standard mode that exclusively uses the mechanical shutter. Hence, maximum shutter speed is limited to 1/4000s. Flash and AF tracking work as usual.
- ES exclusively uses the electronic shutter. ISO is limited to 200-6400, shutter speed is limited to 1s -1/32000. No flash photography, and no AF-C tracking in burst mode.
- MS+ES combines both shutter types: The camera defaults to the mechanical shutter, but it will automatically use the electronic shutter for shutter speeds beyond 1/4000s. The speed limit is 1/32000s. Once again, no AF-C tracking in burst mode. ISO is limited to 200-6400. If you fire a flash, the camera will always use the mechanical shutter with the usual maximum sync. speed of 1/180s and maximum shutter speed of 1/4000s.
Classic Chrome
Adding the Classic Chrome film simulation to the X-T1 is another feature that was already available in firmware 2.00 for the X-T1GS. Many users like (or even love) this JPEG rendering, so it’s nice to have it not just in the X30 and X100T, but also in the X-E2 and X-T1. Hopefully, it will also find its way into the X100S (internally, such a firmware version has been available for months) along with the promised intervalometer function that was already part of firmware 3.00 for the X-E2.
Classic Chrome SOOC JPEG
Live View Enhancements
These improvements bring the X-T1 one step closer to the X30 and X100T. Here’s what you get (and don’t get):
- Individual brightness and color saturation controls for the LCD and EVF (located under MAIN MENU > SCREEN SETUP). However, there’s no EVF auto brightness option like in the X30 and X100T.
- Natural Live View mode (MAIN MENU > SCREEN SETUP > PREVIEW PIC. EFFECT > OFF) presents a live view with less contrast that ignores all JPEG settings such as film simulation and contrast parameters (Highlight Tone, Shadow Tone). Unlike the X30 and X100T, the Natural Live View of the X-T1 only lifts shadows and doesn’t add 2 EV of highlight dynamic range to the viewfinder or LCD image. Accordingly, the X-T1 offers no WYSIWYG representation of extended dynamic range settings (DR200% or DR400%). Natural Live View is still useful when you are shooting contrasty scenes that make it difficult to view what’s going on in dark areas. Some of you may also use this setting as a “RAW shooter mode”.
- In manual exposure mode, the live view can now ignore custom white balance settings or presets. This option always uses auto white balance for the live view display—without affecting the white balance of the actual shot. This way, you can use a custom white balance setting for daylight flash in a studio along with incandescent model lighting, and the live view still won’t turn reddish. Select MAIN MENU > SCREEN SETUP > PREVIEW EXP./WB IN MANUAL MODE > OFF to use this feature.
Direct AF frame selection
By selecting MAIN MENU > BUTTON/DIAL SETTING > SELECTOR BUTTON SETTING > FOCUS AREA, you can now directly move the active AF frame (using the four selector buttons) without having to press the AF button first.
Sadly, choosing this convenient option also means that you are giving up four of seven Fn buttons. Fuji could have mitigated this sacrifice by allowing the SELECTOR BUTTON SETTING menu to be a Fn button setting by itself. This could have facilitated a quick change of the selector button mode depending on what kind of subject you are shooting, but in their mysterious ways, Fuji’s product designers forgot to include this option in the Fn button menu. They also forgot to add an option that turns the Movie Recording button into another programmable Fn button. Funny thing, since the Movie button on the X30 already is a Fn button.
Switching AF-L and AE-L buttons
Yet another mysterious enhancement: MAIN MENU > BUTTON/DIAL SETTING > SELECTOR BUTTON SETTING > AE-L/AF-L BUTTON SETTING allows you to make the AF-L and AE-L buttons swap positions. This could be a nice feature if one could use it independently for the AF-L/AE-L buttons on the camera body and those on the vertical battery grip. But no, you can’t do that, so the user interface inconsistency between the camera body and the vertical grip remains: On the body, the AF-L button is located to the right of the AE-L button, but on the grip it’s located to the left of the AE-L button. Switching their positions both on the body and the grip simply mirrors the inconsistency instead of resolving it.
Manual focus enhancements
There are two notable enhancements for manual focus (MF) users:
- The size of the autofocus frame can now be set and changed in manual focus mode (for use with Instant-AF)
- Instant-AF (pressing the AF-L button to autofocus in MF mode) now also works with the faster PDAF method
No surprises here, as these features have already been available in the X30 and X100T.
Direct macro mode selection
The macro mode Fn button now serves as a toggle instead of a menu. Nice! We already asked for this feature when the original X100 was released. However, other functions such as Shutter Type Selection, Face Detection or Preview Pic. Effect still lead to cumbersome menu selections instead of serving as a toggle when they are assigned to a Fn button. Again, the X30 and X100T do a much better job here.
Customizable Q menu
Like in the X30 and X100T, the Quick menu is now customizable. Each of its 16 blocks can control any of the following functions:
- SELECT CUSTOM SETTING
- DYNAMIC RANGE
- WHITE BALANCE
- NOISE REDUCTION
- IMAGE SIZE
- IMAGE QUALITY
- FILM SIMULATION
- HIGHLIGHT TONE
- SHADOW TONE
- COLOR
- SHARPNESS
- SELF-TIMER
- MACRO
- FACE DETECTION
- AF MODE
- FLASH MODE
- FLASH COMPENSATION
- MF ASSIST
- MOVIE MODE
- MIC LEVEL ADJUSTMENT
- SILENT MODE
- EVF/LCD BRIGHTNESS
- EVF/LCD COLOR
- ADVANCED FILTER
- SHUTTER TYPE
Video enhancements
Like the X30 and X100T, the X-T1 now supports additional video frame rates (50P/25P/24P) to complement the existing 30P and 60P options. If anyone would actually shoot video with this camera, this might be good news for the PAL regions.
Additionally, firmware 3.00 adds manual controls to video, so you can now set your own aperture, shutter speed and ISO. And yes, you can use the camera’s film simulation modes for video recording.
Interlocking of spot metering and focus frame
Like in the X30 and X100T (I am sounding like a broken record now), there’s an option to have the spot metering area determined by the position and size of the selected AF frame. This is a convenient feature for concert and stage photography.
Enhanced face detection
Face detection has been improved by providing an automatic fallback to the active focus frame in case face detection cannot find a target. This is a (so far) undocumented feature, possibly a last minute addition. However, it doesn’t come as a big surprise, because the X30 and X100T already offer this feature.
Expanded Program Shift
Program Shift has been expanded to allow shutter speeds as slow as 4 seconds. The previous limit was 1/4s.
Three custom white balance settings
Instead of one, the X-T1 now offers three slots for custom white balance settings.
Camera lock
This function locks the camera and prevents users from misconfiguring the camera by accidently pressing a button, turning a dial, pushing a switch or selecting a menu. You can lock the entire camera or configure this function individually for many dials, buttons and menu functions of the X-T1 (and an attached lens). All in all, I counted 36 camera/lens functions that can be individually locked or unlocked.
I have no clue what such an elaborate lock feature could possibly be useful for (especially since it isn’t protected by a passcode, so everyone can override or change it anytime), but it’s obvious that Fuji engineers have spent considerable time implementing it instead of directing their resources towards other features and improvements that we actually need.
Additional Fn function settings
Flash Compensation, Shutter Type, Preview Pic. Effect, Preview EXP./WB in Manual Mode and the Lock function can now be assigned to any of the camera’s seven (or three, depending on your Selector Button Setting) Fn buttons.
As mentioned before, the Selector Button Setting function cannot be assigned to a Fn button. And the Movie button is still useless for those 99.5% of us who don’t shoot video with the X-T1.
Direct Instax Share printing
The X-T1 now also supports direct Instax Share printing via wifi. Sounds good, but the image is automatically cropped from 3:2 to 4:3, so be careful when you use this feature. Personally, I prefer transferring my images to a smartphone or tablet and printing them from there using the Instax app.
AF+MF
Autofocus and manual focus work hand in hand in this new feature, which is also available for the X-Pro1, X-E1 and X-E2. That’s why it deserved its own little column.
Tethered PC shooting
Using the USB port, the X-T1 can now be controlled from a personal computer running Windows. Since this feature requires additional software, I will cover it in a separate column once I get my hands on a (near-)final version of the control software.
Now what?
Simple! Once it’s available, click here to download the new firmware for your camera(s).
Got issues? This older column might be helpful.
For your convenience, here’s a TOC with links to my previous X-PERT CORNER articles:
- New Firmware Features (2): Using Camera Remote
- New Firmware Features (1): Using AF+MF
- First Look: Fujinon XF 50-140mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR
- Using the Fujifilm X100T
- First Look: Fujifilm X30
- First Look: XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
- X-E2: Behind Firmware 2.00
- First Look: Fujifilm TCL-X100 Teleconverter for X100(S) Cameras
- First Look: Fujinon XF10-24mmF4 R OIS
- First Look: Fujifilm X-T1
- First Look: Fujinon XF56mmF1.2 R
- Exposing Right
- Using Auto-ISO
- Using Face Detection
- First Look: Fujifilm XQ1
- PDAF & LMO Lens Firmware Updates Coming in November
- First Look: Fujifilm X-E2
- How Fuji could save the X-M1
- X-A1 vs. X-M1: Photo Ninja Edition
- X-A1 vs. X-M1: the Shootout
- Using the Fujifilm X-A1 [& X-M1]
- First Look: Fujinon XF23mmF1.4 R
- RAW Converter Shootout Results
- Ultimate RAW Converter Shootout
- First Look: X-M1 with New Kit Zoom and Pancake Lens
- Zeiss Touit vs. Fujinon XF
- Remote Shutter Control for X Series Cameras
- Apple Camera RAW, X-Trans and EXR
- First Look: XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS
- Studio X
- Using the X100S
- Using the X20
- X100S vs. X100
- X20 vs. X10
- RAW, JPEG, Silkypix and “Fuji Colors”
- Adapting Third-Party Lenses (updated with Speed Booster)
- RAW for JPEG Shooters…
- Tips for Updating your Firmware
- How to Clean the X-Trans Sensor
- Using the XF14mmF2.8 R
- Decoding XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS
- Comparing RAW converters: JPEG vs. Lightroom, Capture One, Silkypix & RPP
- XF14mmF2.8 R appears to be almost distortion free
- How to Expand Dynamic Range
- How to Use Extended ISO
- EXR, anyone?
- Capture One – When the Going Gets Tough…
- Using Shooting Profiles and the Quick Menu
Rico Pfirstinger studied communications and has been working as journalist, publicist, and photographer since the mid-80s. He has written a number of books on topics as diverse as Adobe PageMaker and sled dogs, and produced a beautiful book of photographs titled Huskies in Action (German version). He has spent time working as the head of a department with the German Burda-Publishing Company and served as chief editor for a winter sports website. After eight years as a freelance film critic and entertainment writer in Los Angeles, Rico now lives in Germany and devotes his time to digital photography and compact camera systems. His new ebook The Fujifilm X-E2: Beyond the Manual is available at Rocky Nook.
60 Responses
Great article Rico,
I would have expected to have assigned Preview EXP to a quick menu button, or if not to the movie button (I’m also on the 99.5% of users who don’t shoot video)
I like how the face detection falls back to the active focus frame when it cannot find a face. That has been something that bothered me for a while now. Good job Fuji! Keep it up!
i agree !
“If anyone would actually shoot video with this camera”
We must be getting to a point where Fuji is reasonably usable as video. I mean, a few years ago OMDs were considered nice and adequate for video. Hopefully Fuji is approaching that level, even if quite behind Panasonic.
Having said that, a “Power IOS” style video lens would be nice.
Rather no!
Please fuji, don’t spend anymore time, money or any other resources on trying to make your wonderfull cameras work like a half deacent camcorder. We, your customers, are photographers that spent our money on cameras. Everytime a new movie-function is added we cant help to think about what we missed out on, what photography-feature would we have had if you spent the money on developing for us rather than trying to make the x cameras become something that are not in their nature.
A camera ecosystem surviving these days will depend partly on video. Every camera system is doing this.
Look at The Camera Stores top cameras for 2014 and you will see video is big on stills cameras. Fuji did not get much of a mention.
They put a video button on the X-T1 for a reason.
Agree, I want good video, I can shoot great stills of my children for the walls, but my wife wants a video of their first cycle ride, signing (and reviewing my own golf swing!). If I shot a band I can shoot some nice stills, but its also good to get a sound bite. I’ve started to shoot a lot more film this year and neither the of film caermas have video!.
but … you are not alone … i am here with you …
Some can need those funct… not ?
Convergence ?
Wedding photographers ?
…
“PAL regions”? In the age of digital video, how is PAL vs NTSC still a thing?
Hi normis, I guess it’s purely refresh rate-wise.
Hi Rico,
thanks for this overview.
In particular I like the following section:
“I have no clue what such an elaborate lock feature could possibly be useful for (especially since it isn’t protected by a passcode, so everyone can override or change it anytime), but it’s obvious that Fuji engineers have spent considerable time implementing it instead of directing their resources towards other features and improvements that we actually need.”
First I thought it’s simple lock, like I press for 5 seconds a fn-button and all buttons are dead and the other way around. Maybe that’s sometimes useful for very special occasions. But to predefine many different buttons which are then turned off — that starts to stress my fantasy too much.
However, for neither of these to function I ever had the need in my life.
Three things are my favorites of this update:
– 1/32000s
– Spot-metering linked to AF-Point
– and yes, I admit, classic chrome 😉
Regards,
Daniel
As a “People Show” and Studio photographer, i can tell that a fully customisable Lock function is a great great tool !
I have a tendency to press the Fn1 button due to the way I carry and hold the X-T1. So having the ability to lock/disable just that particular button alone is absolutely great, wonderful and perfect.
Fuji could simply have added a “none” option for each button. Like in the Q menu.
Great article, Rico. I see that X-T1 is a spaceship, now, while my X-Pro1 with AF+MF will still be like an old VW Golf.
Is there any blown out highlights warning (Zebra, for instance) in the X-T1 EVF?
Never been so excited for a camera update before…
It seems there is a bug where Instant AF doesn’t work on AF-C regardless the shutter type… they made it impossible now to back button focus 🙁
Why would it? In AF-C the camera is always focusing, I don’t get why you would want to hit instant af when the camera is in AF-C.
Damn, this update makes me even more sad that my nose is just too long and Western to be able to comfortably use an X-T1. Just have to keep waiting for a new X-Pro2 or X-E3…
Maybe the extended eyecup would help?
http://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-EC-XT-Extended-Eye-Cup/dp/B00K8ROO6G?tag=game0e9-20
Worth a try?
Thanks for the reply. A nice suggestion which I hadn’t considered but I think it will only add around 1cm – which sadly isn’t enough for my 1 1/2 inch conk! I am exercising patience for the “right” tool – though I do love the look of the latest X-T1
Adding the Shutter type to the Q menu is useless because the software doesn’t allow you to save that as one of the 7 custom settings. Once you change the shutter type, the shutter is active in all 7 custom sets!! Really retarded !!!
you also can’t have a Q menu custom setting that turns off the sound in that particular Q custom setting only! Again, it changes that menu item in ALL your custom settings when selected. It’s useless, what add to Q menu if not useful for custom sets??
let’s say you like shooting with the electronic flash and in silent mode. Now you want to make a custom Q set that turns on the built in flash, turns off the silent mode (because flash won’t fire in silent mode), and changes the shutter to manual. You can set this in the new Q menu, BUT it changes the Shutter, Silent Mode in all your saved Q custom sets!!! In other words , you cannot make a Q menu set to quickly activate the flash if you like shooting in Es and Silent…. Seems to defeat the purpose of the Q menu. It becomes the S (slow menu)
Bad coding from their software engineers ! We need a FW update for the FW update not only for this bug, but also for the bugs Rico have found !
On the X100t built in flash or the Xt1 on camera flash of course btw
“And yes, you can use the camera’s film simulation modes for video recording.”
Is there any documentation on what settings will affect video?
I happen to be one of those 0.5% who use the video mode (from time to time) …
Thank you Rico, for all the good work !
Rico, great summary of the new V3 update.
Question:
Have you thought about producing a book on the X-T1 “not in printed form, but an e-book” that can be updated from time to time. I see this as faster way to get new information to potential e-book buyers.
X-T1 eBook is due in February. Updates are possible if necessary. But minor updates are better dealt with with free X-Pert Corner columns covering the changes, such as the Remote Control article für X-E2 users.
Thanks for this. One thing I’m trying to wrap my head around is the warning about the rolling shutter effect with Electronic Shutter in use. I understand it being the case at slower shutter speeds, but let’s say we compare a 1/4000s between ES and MS. Why would one cause more skewing than the other.
And another thing with respect to AF frame selector function button. Why do you say it is not possible to assign a hot button for the AF frame cursor when it’s already the case. Unless Fuji removed this option with this firmware. As it is right now, I hit down on the cursor and am able to move the AF frame around.
ES readout time is something like 1/10s or 1/15s.
As for the second part, I never said that.
How do you change the shutter speed with the electronic shutter? I set the mechanical dial to 4000 and try to lower the time with the command dial but it does nothing. Any ideas?
I use the front dial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wktJUeWStE
I put together a quick video showing how to use the electronic shutter on the X-T1 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wktJUeWStE
Couple of things to add:
Selective locking is useful to lock out the movie button if you want.
Undocumented improvement in Program mode – Program shift now works in Auto ISO, makes that mode much more useful.
I wasn’t able to customize the Q button functions. I’ve read this wasn’t available for the X-T1.
Hi Rico!
Thanks for detailed survey in relation to FW3.00 for the X-T1.
Was pretty exited to read about this new AF+MF combination until I was finding out what is actually happening under the hood.
If you use the Focus Check function (MAIN MENU > SCREEN SETUP > FOCUS CHECK > ON) you have to release the half pressed shutter button to undo the zooming and return to your actual composition before pressing the shutter again for making the picture. But from that moment on the set distance is removed from memory ad the camera begins to automatically focus on the subject again. The AF-L button is not an option because under MF conditions it is set to another function. Any solution for this issue (besides disabling FOCUS CHECK)?
Second: we are interested in MF which takes place under the smallest DOF condition (full aperture and NOT the “set” aperture) to get the most accurate manual focus result. Any idea why Fuji did not realize this already in this firmware update? What -simple- solution would you suggest?
Thanks in advance for your reaction.
The simple solution to both problems is shooting in MF mode (using AF-L to initially focus).
Your answer means that this new AF-MF combination option is actually useless/worthless.
It works for me.
I have on issues. It worked fine on the 18-135, just 1/2 depress the shutter button and the lens focuses and the manual focus ring on the lens is activated
Yes, that is the principle: if this new AF-MF setting is activated and the shutter button is half pressed, from that moment on you can use the manual focus ring on the lens. This works fine and is not the issue I described. The problem begins AFTER this procedure, because you must fully release the shutter button to undue the zooming and come back to the actual composition. But as soon you press the shutter button again (to make the photo) all distance settings are removed from memory and the camera begins to auto-focus again.
You can always disable the zooming (focus check). Of course, I’d prefer that Fuji made the normal magnifier (command dial) work during AF+MF. A clear oversight as far as I’m concerned.
Focus Check can be disabled for sure, but besides the fact it is a pretty deep setting into the menu it is also annoying that it has to be re-enabled again as soon as you start using the camera in manual mode.
Command dial certainly is a solution, but maybe more easy and simple can be a firmware update: if AF+MF mode ánd shutter half pressed ánd manual focus-ring has been moved then the first next shutter pressure will not remove any locked setting(s). (!)
This Focus Check setting is a rather important one: lot of time manual focusing is applied because of more or less special and/or more difficult conditions then average, so this Focus Check possibility is very useful. For the same reason it is important that that manual focusing in AF+MF mode takes place under smallest DOF conditions (or at least create a setting to activate this). Also this issue can be solved via a firmware update.
MF wide-open is technically impossible when the shutter is half-pressed. We would need AF+MF even when the shutter is not pressed, but that’s basically already available in MF mode with the AF-L button (Instant-AF).
Suddenly realize that the button half pressed always means that the diaphragm physically is set to a certain value and that technically it will not be possible to show a WYSIWYG view which is based on another f-value.
Theoretically you can think about a “solution” whereby the diaphragm will temporarily be set to open position if: 1. AF+MF activated, 2. button half pressed and 3. focus-ring moved and as soon the shutter button is pressed again (under this configuration only) the diaphragm will be restored to its initial position and the photo will be made. Seems complicated and expensive solution.
Fully agree with you that most simple and logical solution would be to simply get rid of this shutter-half-pressed condition. In my opinion the fact that this option is already available in MF mode is not a “cons” but a “pros” argument, because under AF+MF mode activated you do not need to perform any additional actions to come to (a temporal) MF mode, you just touch the focus ring and: voila! Prefect and brilliant! And if you are not interested in any manual focusing: do not touch the focus-ring! And as soon the shutter button is half or fully presed again the maginification is undone. Issue solved!
In your solution there is always these additional actions which have to be done: putting on the magnification dial and putting it off when you do not need it anymore.
Sweet – we now have a functional “AF On” button. That’s one of the things I miss most about my D700! Happier with every update – and I was already pretty happy to begin with!!
I may be missing something regarding the ES. Can I set the shutter speed manually? I saw below you responded to a question (how to use ES) with the statement “front dial”. Can you elaborate? Does the much higher shutter speed take over automatically in bright light?
after making the setting in the menu you set the shutter dial to 4000 and then you can adjust the speed upwards manually using the front dial (the one on the front below the shutter button that you’d operate with your right index finger).
Thanks! It took me an embarrassing amount of time to dig up that info!
The ES is great! Now we just need a good 1:1 macro lens from FUJIFILM.
There already is one from Zeiss, so I doubt that.
MCEX-16
I’ve installed the firmware 3.0 update on my X-T1… I’m having a problem with the Q menu, it’s locked and I’ve tried to unlock it with no luck. Is there any documentation PDF, link etc that actually details the functions and menu options contained in this latest release. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
It’s X100s will receive also a firmware upgrade soon, with some of the new features like the newer x100t?
When in January are they going to release the new tethering software, January 1 or January 30? Does anyone have a beta?
So i’ve selected ES with shutter dial at 1/4000. I am using the front dial to change shutter settings. I notice in ES mode I cannot select a shutter speed lower than 1/2500. Is this normal?