You can finally download the new firmware for the GH3 and three Panasonic lenses at http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/pressrelease/gh3_lens_firmware/
Let us know your findings if you have the time to test the new improvements! Thanks!
You can finally download the new firmware for the GH3 and three Panasonic lenses at http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/pressrelease/gh3_lens_firmware/
Let us know your findings if you have the time to test the new improvements! Thanks!
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38 Responses
what?! no ibis?!
:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
so..basicly…still no focus peeking.. 🙁
:-(((
No focus peaking ???!!!!! :((((((((
As I have stated previously… Sony doesn’t allow focus peaking for 3rd party versions of its chips, hence, you will never see peaking on M43. It’s in the contract to maintain advantage for NEX.
Since Panasonic/Olympus lack the resources for a contemporary sensor from anyone else, there will never be peaking on m43, ever. Been trying to tell you guys for years.
Then, how come Pentax K-01 and Ricoh GXR Mount A12 M-mount, both with Sony APS-C CMOS sensors, have focus peaking? Is there documentation available to prove that Sony has rights to focus peaking, or that it imposes the non-use of focus peaking on certain vendors and manufacturers who also use their sensors? It would be interesting to see if this peculiar arrangement of not allowing the m4/3 format the use of focus peaking has some credible foundation, or whether it is another case of an interest group in the photoforumblogosphere saying something enough times and therefore validating it as fact.
Of course you are right. Those cameras aren’t a threat to Sony, so they allow them. I ask you… what is the alternative? That panasonic and olympus engineers have failed to deliver a feature users have been begging for that has existed for years on NEX, or that they don’t have the engineering talent to do it, or GH3 doesn’t have as much computing horsepower as 2 years old NEX 3? It seems to me, all other conclusions, however preposterous, point to the legal department at sony nixing m43 peaking, now and forever.
What is your credible excuse for them not doing so?
In other words, you are speculating, and have been for years, and then ask oothers to disprove it?
I’m afraid thats not how it works.
You miss the fact the X100s has peaking (albeit you cant change its colour, apparently)
Taran’s assertion was that Sony did not allow focus peaking to be used by other companies who also use their sensors. Some have speculated that Fuji’s X-Trans sensor is a highly modified version of a Sony CMOS sensor. It sounds plausible but has not been verified in any way as far as I know. So I don’t view it as fact based solely on its plausibility. Fuji X100S has focus peaking and it’s a very welcome feature for that camera, and hopefully will be implemented in its ILCs in future models. The outlining for the in-focus areas is a bright white, and early reviewers have said it can be difficult to see in daylight. So it would be good if the colour could be changed in the menu system, to a blue or red for example.
You ade completely speculating taran. First of all peaking is not sensor dependant, itz not like one sensor can do it and another can’t. Second, contrary to what some people believe sony doesnt own focus peaking or the rights fo it. Peaking has been around for video since forever. Believe me, its not there by choice even if it seems stupid. The proof is in the af100, which has focus peaking and works wonderfully
Focus peaking is a basic firmware feature. I don’t see how one company (Sony) has some kind of directive and influential control over it. Perhaps it is just as simple as Olympus and Panasonic have chosen not to offer it in m4/3 for philosophical reasons, as absurd as that sounds; just as some companies choose not to have scene modes or HD video on their cameras.
You mention that m4/3 is a threat to the Sony NEX system. On face value, that seems to be a fair assessment: they are all competing fiercely in the same market along with several other players. m4/3 and NEX are clearly the two strongest ILC modern mirrorless systems at present, with Fuji’s X system putting in a strong showing recently and only improving.
However, we must also look at it this way. Sony has a significant investment in Olympus since the partnership was made official in 2012. It is in Sony’s interest that m4/3 is successful and remains in the market, particularly that Olympus does well, so the investment was seen as a correct one by both companies. In a way, Sony sees m4/3 as a hedge against the possible unprofitability of its NEX system. Sony clearly has trouble producing a lens catalogue worthy of its sensors and technologies in their camera bodies. Its partnership with Olympus is its own admission of this. Without a viable native lens system to drive sales and profits, there is no long term viability of the camera system; we all know this.
Sony’s indirect investment in m4/3 through Olympus can be seen as a backup plan for them, where the success of m4/3 will attribute earnings back to Sony via Olympus’s use of its resources and technologies (and vice versa). A far-off in the future scenario could be this: if things were to get precarious for Sony in its camera businesses, particulary NEX, it could well be forced to join m4/3, whether as an official resources provider, or as one of the main players, offering its own branded cameras and lenses. It would not be difficult for them to do so, although they would incur a huge loss of face in the process. But this is a scenario that they would want to avoid, as it involves a dilution of profits and brand identity. It is always preferable for to run things independently and in your own way. Interesting times ahead for sure in mirrorless.
+1. Certainly Sony is hedging their bets, they want to maintain their advantage of being the only real ILC system with a decent manual focus capability. We are saying the same thing. Sony doesn’t have control over the feature, but could leverage its semiconductor capability against panasonic ever producing a peaking camera. Olympus and panasonic had a choice, develop a fabrication facility to compete with Sony, or get out of the business.
Since fab’s cost hundreds of millions, and since Sony has an unassailable advantage in their technologies for the next 5 years, the alternative for Panolympus was to get out of the business entirely, or do exactly what Sony tells them.
We shall see, regarding peaking. If the GH3 doesn’t sell well enough, Pana could respond by tweaking w/ more fw updates. It may also help if they continue to hear requests/complaints to add the feature.
Pana never said they were not going to add peaking to the GH3, only that it presented challenges wrt “resources”.
AF-100 has focus peaking it’s 4/3’s, I have used it! theory killed!
uh Why Then does the AF-100 have focus peaking?
Focus peaking is a functionality that can be added with cheap additional processing hardware. Actually, I guess that’s the way its implemented on NEX as well. If you read the live HDMI signal on an external monitor, you’ll notice that the peaking is not visible even when it is active and visible on live view. This indicates that the peaking filter is applied only AFTER all major processing (creating the video signal) has finished. The peaking filter component will very likely be close to the monitor on NEX or onboard the monitor.
The panasonic manager has very likely not being lying when he said that the GH3 lacks the processing power for peaking. It will be able to, but probably at an enormous expense both in monitor refresh rate and battery life due to the lack of a dedicated, efficient filter component.
Many portable third party monitors, even cheap ones will come with their own onbaord peaking filters so that might be a solution for those of you who desperately need the peaking.
At least they are fixing issues enhancing things. Much better than Oly firmware updates
Nothing for me .
Why not lens update for the summilux while most of the pana lenses already in V1.1 or V1.2 ?
What do you need from that lens that it doesnt do already?
From the looks of it, he(?) wants at least 0.1 added to the version number 🙂
Its kinda funny how people want everything to be ‘new’ and updated even if there isn’t anything to update… Suppose those same people also buy the latest model of everything even if its just superficially different from the previous version… MUST HAVE NEWEST LATEST AND GREATEST!!!
People are silly.
Still cannot see the focus peaking. Bye, Lumix G, welcome EOS-M!
*sarcasm*
Thats great news, because hack is now possible.. cant wait for any hack news,so much potential…
If only it were possible to decipher Panasonics instructions on how to find, download and install new firmware.
Downloading the update was easy. The part where I got stuck is after the bin file is on the SD card and in the camera the instructions state to press the Play button. There is no play button.
Now the instructions do state they are for the G cameras, but there are no others:
http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/step_bg.html
I did go to the setup menu and looked at my version number. But there is nothing there for updating.
Okay. I found what the manual calls the playback button. A search on the word play didn’t get a hit. It is updating now.
@admin – seen this yet? http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/03/27/SLR-Magic-releases-Monster-Lens-II-spotting-scope-for-Micro-Four-Thirds
yes, they send me an email. Will post it now!
I have installed it on my GH3. Now this may be my imagination, or even wishful thinking, but I think the update has improved the EVF. There seems to be less smearing as you move the viewfinder away from the perfect viewing position. I have never found it a serious issue, but I know some people have.
Panasonic have never acknowledged this as an issue, so perhaps they have “sneaked” an EVF upgrade into the new firmware.
My viewing angle still sucks.
A software update won’t fix a piece of glass. The primary lens they used for the EVF is the problem, not the actual screen itself (well, the screen is a bit low-res, but it has nothing to do with the smearing off-center).
instability improved?!? It’s either stability improved or instability reduced.
Let us know when your Japanese is flawless.
I wish they would fix the disappearing menu feature. It’s annoying when I’m trying to monitor audio levels etc and all the details goes away in 10 seconds.
Firmware update is really easy to install. Format SD card, extract .bin file from the download and put that on the SD card. Full battery, put the SD card into the camera, Play button, done.
After installation, I notice the menus to be a tad faster. The screen issue seems to have disappeared. Before I was getting a green blotchy mess on all the underexposed areas on the GH3’s back screen. Firmware update seems to have improved that.
Thanks for keeping me updated.
Updated camera fine, but attempted to update Panni 100-300 but the downloaded mac file has the correct file name but is actually an update for Color Burst RIP? Any thoughts?
They haven’t unfortunately included a play on screen menu option for when you choose to disable the eye sensor and use the evf only. I’ve disabled the eye sensor on my GH3 for battery drain reasons, (ie the camera turning the evf on when I put the camera round my neck or over my shoulder), and the fact that I don’t want the rear screen Unfortunately, because the camera is now set to frame by default through the evf, it will only playback through the evf unless you manually switch from evf to rear screen when reviewing shots, this applies to menu selections as well. This also means that when the camera is again put back into taking mode the rear screen is framing the photo rather than the evf which demands yet another button press to shift back to the evf. A really annoying handling glitch which almost made me return the camera for refund as it’s really unintuitive and should be a no brainer option for monitor choice and review implementation. Please fix this Panasonic, you include this option on my GX1 with the external evf attached, so you know what i’m talking about.