Friday, April 20, 2012

x100 New firmware update review

I've recently updated to the latest firmware for my x100.

Here is the link: FinePix X100 / X100Black Firmware Update Ver.1.21

The instructions to update is fairly easy to follow and I updated without any problems. Previously, the photos were easily overexposed in the day or simply too dark, but the update fixes the problem and Ver 1.20 firmware (which makes significant changes) is fantastic.

This is what it fixed.
1. Some functions, which can be set to "Fn" button and shown as "Fn BUTTON" in SET-UP menu, can be also set to RAW button. After pressing the command dial to right in the SET-UP menu of "Fn BUTTON", "Fn" and "RAW" are displayed and each of selectable them, Also, by holding down RAW button for more than 3 seconds, same type of selection menu for RAW button is displayed, just as short-cut procedure.
2.By selecting in "ISO" menu in the shooting menu, either ISO sensitivity value or "ISO AUTO CONTROL" can be selected.
3.When AF MODE is set to "AREA" in Single AF (AF-S) mode, active focus point is zoomed in (magnified to approx 5x) by pressing center of the command control.
4.When "ND FILTER" is set to "Fn" button or "RAW" button, setting between ON ("ND" is displayed) or OFF ("ND" is NOT displayed) can be changeable by pressing "Fn" button or "RAW" button, which is set for "ND FILTER".
5.When the image is shot with vertical angle of the camera and played back the shot in the LCD, the image is displayed with whole area of LCD even after pressing "playback zoom in" button.
6.When the human face is shot, the detected face is displayed during the playing back, and pressing the command dial to down, detected face is magnified during displaying.
7.AE control system and AF performance including AF speed has been improved for movie recording mode.

 The camera is more responsive and takes good photos in the day as well, and the night shots are still as impressive.
The x100 literally sucks light from all sources making the photos much richer than any other digital cameras I've used.
 The APS-C censor is as big as the DSLRs and the image quality is definitely comparable or better than probably all DSLRs with kit lens.
Here are some photos I took after the update.
The camera does not over-exposed or underexposed anymore.
I think Manual focus needs some work, and perhaps an update to allow ISO 25,600 next?

Looking forwards to more updates by Fuji.

-- Robin Low

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