Firmware Friday: Fujifilm, Leica, Nikon, Phase One and Sony ship updates aplenty
posted Friday, July 28, 2017 at 10:39 PM EDT
Our regular Firmware Friday roundup returns this week with a lengthy list of updates from five companies -- Fujifilm, Leica, Nikon, Phase One and Sony. With a lot to cover, we'll skip the usual introduction in the interests of brevity, and just get right down to what's new!
Fujifilm EF-X500
Hitting the list in alphabetical order by manufacturer, we'll start off this week with Fujifilm. Last March, the company determined that some of its EF-X500 flash strobes could overheat their batteries and/or fail to turn back on from standby mode. The problem is caused by a communication error with the attached camera during standby, and was resolved courtesy of a firmware update which could be installed from an X-T1, X-T2 or X-Pro2 camera body, presuming that the camera itself was on current firmware.
And now, the Fuji GFX 50S has been added to the list of cameras capable of installing the update, perhaps saving you from having to return the strobe to Fujifilm for installation if you didn't own one of the other camera bodies. It's possible, though, that your EF-X500 strobe isn't affected in the first place. To find out, you'll want to enter your strobe's serial number into the form on this page and see if the update is necessary in your specific case. If the update is needed, you'll find links on the same page to upgrade from your X-T1, X-T2, X-Pro2 or GFX 50S camera body.
Leica TL2
Leica recently halted sales of its TL2 mirrorless camera after discovering that if used with its Visoflex accessory viewfinder, the camera could potentially be bricked, rendering it unusable. At the time, the company promised a new firmware update resolving the issue, available once it had had sufficient time to test the fix. That would seem to be the case now, because Leica TL2 firmware version 1.1 shipped yesterday, offering a solution for an unspecified "bug fix issue". We understand that the bug in question is the Visoflex viewfinder issue, and so Leica TL2 owners will want to update promptly using the instructions and update file available on Leica's site.
Nikon D600, D610, D750 and KeyMission 80
Next up, we come to Nikon, which this week offers updates for three of its DSLR cameras, as well as one KeyMission model. All three of the DSLR updates add support for two new features for AF-P lenses:
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If the standby timer expires after the camera has focused, the focus position will not change when the timer is reactivated.
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In manual focus mode, the focus indicator in the viewfinder (or in live view, the focus point selected in the monitor) will flash to show that infinity or the minimum focus distance has been reached by rotating the focus ring.
The Nikon D600 and D610 updates also add support for DX-format AF-P lenses, and fix the following two bugs:
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Optimal exposure would sometimes not be achieved in photos taken in live view using a lens with electromagnetically controlled aperture (type E lenses).
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When used to take pictures after an option was selected for Custom Setting d10 (Exposure delay mode) in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU, Camera Control Pro 2 would sometimes display the error “The camera was not able to take a picture.” despite having actually taken the picture.
The Nikon D750, meanwhile, has bug fixes for two issues unique to this model:
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When pictures were viewed after shooting with Overflow selected for Role played by card in Slot 2 in the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU, the camera would sometimes display the second-last picture taken.
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Microphone sensitivity would sometimes not be correctly adjusted when movies were recorded with Auto sensitivity > Microphone sensitivity.
The Nikon KeyMission 80 firmware update, meanwhile, improves pairing and connection reliability with Android smartphones running the SnapBridge app. You can download all of these updates at the links below:
Phase One XF1 and IQ3 / IQ-series camera backs
Moing on to Phase One, the company has released Service Release 4 for its Feature Update #3, which was first issued in October of last year. The new firmware is available to registered users here, and while official release notes aren't yet available from Phase One themselves, authorized Phase One dealer Capture Integration has shared them already. Changes are as follows:
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Corrects an issue which could lead to an internal error code #221 being displayed. (primarily seen in connection with Live View use).
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Support for the IQ3 100MP Achromatic
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Corrects an issue with Electronic Shutter that could lead to edge color bloom with long exposures at high ISO’s
After installing the updates, the Phase One XF camera body will be on firmware version 3.08.2, the IQ3 60mp and 80mp backs on firmware version 3.04.3, the IQ3-100, IQ1-100, IQ3-50, IQ250 and IQ150 on firmware version 5.08.2, and the IQ140, IQ160, IQ180, IQ260, IQ280 and IQ260-Achromatic on firmware version 8.04.3.
Sony PXW-FS5, PXW-FS5K and E PZ 18–105 mm F4 G OSS
And finally for this week, we come to Sony. The company has shipped -- and then swiftly withdrawn -- its version 4.00 firmware update for the PXW-FS5 and PXW-FS5K XDCAM camcorders. The reason for withdrawing the update, according to News Shooter, is that users could experience brightness or color shifts when using PP10 (LOG) and Center Scan mode. There are also user reports of XLR audio sync issues, although Sony itself hasn't confirmed these. The update is promised to return in early August with the following changes:
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Support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) by shooting in Hybrid Log-Gamma** (HLG) standard
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Support for continuous 120fps High Frame Rate (HFR) recording in 1080p with CBKZ-FS5HFR (sold separately)
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Option to change the minimum ISO sensitivity number to ISO 2000 from ISO 3200 when recording S-Log2/S-Log3
*4K: XAVC-Long 4:2:0 8-bit, HD: XAVC 4:2:2 10-bit.
Additionally, Sony has released firmware version 04 for the E PZ 18-105mm F4 F OSS lens (SELP18105G). You'll need an E-mount camera body other than the NEX-5, NEX-3, NEX-C3, NEX-VG10, and PXW-FS7 to install the update, and are advised to contact Sony Support for assistance if you don't have access to any other bodies from which to install it yourself. The update is said to improve both focus tracking accuracy and stability, so you'll definitely want to update your lens by selecting your operating system and downloading the relevant file here, then carefully following the installation instructions.
And that's all for this week. Be sure to check back next week for more firmware news!
(Camera parts image courtesy of Kelly Hofer / Flickr; used under a Creative Commons CC-BY-2.0 license. Image has been modified from the original.)