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Firmware Friday: Panasonic G9, GH5, GH5S, EVA1 & Sony action cams improved; Fuji reschedules updates

au-eva1 fdr-x3000 firmware firmware friday firmware update fuji fujifilm g9 gfx 50s gh5 gh5s hdr-as300 hdr-as50 panasonic sony update updates x-h1 x-pro2 x-t2

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posted Friday, June 1, 2018 at 11:41 PM EDT


 
 

Our Firmware Friday roundup for this week brings with it good news for Fuji fans who've been patiently waiting on updates for several models since the version 4.0 release for the Fuji X-T2 had to be withdrawn some weeks back. It also offers up news of several major firmware releases from Panasonic, and of new features for several Sony action cameras, as well.

Let's get right down to it!

 

Fuji GFX 50S, X-H1, X-Pro2 and X-T2

If you've not read our previous 05/18 roundup you may want to take a glance over it first. At the time, we told users of a by-then withdrawn update for the Fuji X-T2, as well as an interim release rolling back the changes the newer update had made. In announcing the delay, Fuji promised a future release which would bring back the new features. Now we have a date for its return, as well as for the arrival of several other updates which also had to be delayed.

First to arrive will be version 3.10 for the Fuji GFX 50S medium-format camera, adding compatibility with the GF250mmF4 R LM OIS WR lens. This will be followed by version 3.20 in mid-June, adding select / create folder functionality. Also arriving in mid-June will be version 4.10 for the X-T2 (bringing back new features previously introduced in v4.0), and version 1.10 for the X-H1 (details not yet disclosed). An update to Fujifilm Camera Remote will appear around the same time, and finally version 5.00 for the Fuji X-Pro2 (again, features not yet disclosed) will arrive at the end of June.

Panasonic G9, GH5, GH5S and AU-EVA1

Moving along to Panasonic, firmware version 1.1 for the DC-GH9, firmware version 2.3 for the DC-GH5 and firmware version 1.1 for the DC-GH5S are all big updates. All three cameras get improved autofocus and sound quality from the internal mic, and many other improvements are also shared between the three. Some changes, such as a fix for a peripheral distortion bug with video stabilization, apply only to certain models, though. (In this case, the GH5 and G9, but not the GH5S.)

Get firmware version 1.1 for the DC-GH9 here, firmware version 2.3 for the DC-GH5 here and firmware version 1.1 for the DC-GH5S here. And read on below to see what's new, courtesy of the official release notes:

Panasonic DC-GH5 firmware version 2.3

  1. Improvement of AF performance

    • AF tracking performance in video recording has been improved.

    • AF speed at 180d (180°) has been improved when displaying the shutter speed in degrees in [SS/Gain Operation]>[ANGLE/ISO].

  2. Improvement of Body I.S.(Image Stabilizer) performance

    • There were cases where peripheral distortion occurred in video recording while walking when used with Panasonic wide zoom lenses (H-F007014, H-E08018). This bug has been fixed.
      * When [E-Stabilization (Video)] is set to [ON].

  3. ​Improvement of sound recording performance

    • Sound quality has been improved by optimizing the noise reduction performance of internal noise cancelling microphone.

  4. New functions

    • [L.Monochrome D] has been added to Photo Style.

    • [Grain Effect] can be added and adjusted in Photo Style.

    • [Live View Boost] has been added, which makes it easy to check the composition on the monitor in low-light environment.

    • [Night Mode] has been added, which reduces glaring on the screens when recording in low-light environment.

    • Maximum 20x enlarged view is available in [MF Assist].

    • [Focus Ring Lock] has been added to [Custom] menu, which disables focus ring operation to lock the focus.

    • [WB/ISO/Expo. Button] has been added, which enables adjustment of WB/ISO/Exposure only while the exposure compensation button is pressed. This can be set [Custom]>[Operation].

    • [Dial] has been added to [Custom]>[Operation Lock Setting].

    • [Power/Wireless Indicator] has been added in [Setup] menu, which enables turning off the status indicator and wireless connection lamp.

  5. Other improvements

    • [Like 709],[V-LogL*] and [V-LogL View Assist*] in Photo Style can be used in photo shooting.

    • [LUT Monitor Display*] and [LUT HDMI Display*] can be used in playback mode.
      * Upgrade Software Key DMW-SFU1(sold separately) is required.

    • [Focus Ring Lock], [E-Stabilization(Video)], [Mic Rec Level Disp.], [Live View Boost],[Night Mode] and [L.Monochrome D] can be assigned to the Fn button that works in recording mode.

    • [LUT Monitor Display*],[LUT HDMI Display*] and [Night Mode] can be assigned to the Fn button that works in playback mode.
      * Upgrade Software Key DMW-SFU1(sold separately) is required.

    • Vector Scope can be displayed on the screen while adjusting white balance.

    • It is possible to choose images from group display such as burst shots in [RAW Processing] mode.

    • Restarting time from sleep mode has been shortened while using Image App and Bluetooth connection. You can choose to shorten the time of remote operation and image transfer or remote shutter control in [Setup]>[Bluetooth]>[Returning from Sleep Mode].

    • Remaining battery status is indicated by 1/4-gauge, indicating approximately 25% per gauge.

    • There were cases where folder name was garbled when connecting wirelessly with Windows10-based PC. This bug has been fixed.

Panasonic DC-GH5S firmware version 1.1

  1. Improvement of AF performance

    • AF performance of photo shooting under low-light, low-contrast environment has been improved.

    • AF speed at 180d (180°) has been improved when displaying the shutter speed in degrees in [SS/Gain Operation]>[ANGLE/ISO].

  2. Improvement of sound recording performance

    • Sound quality has been improved by optimizing the noise reduction performance of internal noise cancelling microphone.

  3. New functions

    • [L.Monochrome D] has been added to Photo Style.

    • [Grain Effect] can be added and adjusted in Photo Style.

    • [Focus Ring Lock] has been added to [Custom] menu, which disables focus ring operation to lock the focus.

    • [WB/ISO/Expo. Button] has been added, which enables adjustment of WB/ISO/Exposure only while the exposure compensation button is pressed. This can be set [Custom]>[Operation].

    • [Dial] has been added to [Custom]>[Operation Lock Setting].

  4. Other improvements

    • [Focus Ring Lock], [E-Stabilization(Video)], [Sound Rec Level Disp.] and [L.Monochrome D] can be assigned to the Fn button that works in recording mode.

    • Vector Scope can be displayed on the screen while adjusting white balance.

    • It is possible to choose images from group display such as burst shots in [RAW Processing] mode.

    • There were cases where the Image Stabilizer icon was not displayed when switching the settings of Image Stabilizer using the Fn button on the H-ES200 interchangeable lens. This bug has been fixed.

    • There were cases where folder name was garbled when connecting wirelessly with Windows10-based PC. This bug has been fixed.

Panasonic DC-G9 firmware version 1.1

  1. Improvement of AF performance

    • AF tracking performance in video recording has been improved.

  2. Improvement of Body I.S.(Image Stabilizer) performance

    • There were cases where peripheral distortion occurred in video recording while walking when used with Panasonic wide zoom lenses (H-F007014, H-E08018). This bug has been fixed.
      * When [E-Stabilization (Video)] is set to [ON].

  3. Improvement of High Resolution Mode

    • Performance of motion correction has been improved.

    • Minimum F11 aperture can be used.

    • There were cases where the High Resolution Mode is force-quit when switching to playback mode. This bug has been fixed.

  4. Improvement of sound recording performance

    • Sound quality has been improved by optimizing the noise reduction performance of internal noise cancelling microphone.

  5. New functions

    • [L.Monochrome D] has been added to Photo Style.

    • [Grain Effect] can be added and adjusted in Photo Style.

    • [Live View Boost] has been added, which makes it easy to check the composition on the monitor in low-light environment.

    • Maximum 20x enlarged view is available in [MF Assist].

    • [Focus Ring Lock] has been added to [Custom] menu, which disables focus ring operation to lock the focus.

    • [WB/ISO/Expo. Button] has been added, which enables adjustment of WB/ISO/Exposure only while the exposure compensation button is pressed. This can be set [Custom]>[Operation].

    • [Dial] has been added to [Custom]>[Operation Lock Setting].

  6. Other improvements

    • [Focus Ring Lock], [E-Stabilization(Video)], [Mic Rec Level Disp.], [Live View Boost],and [L.Monochrome D] can be assigned to the Fn button that works in recording mode.

    • It is possible to choose images from group display such as burst shots in [RAW Processing] mode.

    • Restarting time from sleep mode has been shortened while using Image App and Bluetooth connection.

  7. You can choose to shorten the time of remote operation and image transfer or remote shutter control in [Setup]>[Bluetooth]>[Returning from Sleep Mode].

    • There were cases where folder name was garbled when connecting wirelessly with Windows10-based PC. This bug has been fixed.

And lastly for this week from Panasonic, we have firmware version 2.50-00-0.00 for the AU-EVA1 video camera, which you can download by clicking this link. Here, there are both new features and bug fixes as follow below:

  • New Features

    1. Improvement to the noise in low light conditions
      "SMOOTH", which has more NR effect, is added to the Noise Reduction (NR) menu.
      Also, the menu name is changed from "NR" to "NOISE REDUCTION".

      [Related Menu] CAMERA SETTINGS
      -> NOISE REDUCTION
      -> ISO800/ISO2500:
      SMOOTH, NORMAL2, NORMAL1, OFF
      (Factory default setting is OFF.)

    2. Additional compatible lenses
      Canon CN-E lens: ONE PUSH AF operation verified
      Other verified lenses

      Canon
      EF 24-105mm F4L IS Ⅱ USM
      EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 IS USM

      TAMRON
      SP 35mm F/1.8 Di VC USD
      SP 90mm F/2.8 Di MACRO 1:1 VC USD

  • Improvements

    1. Default setting of FOCUS EXPAND MODE is changed from "HOLD" to "10SEC". (To prevent users from falsely believing that their cameras are malfunctioning while they are simply in the EXPAND mode)

    2. Improvement in COLOR SETTING menu display It is improved so that not only SCENE FILE numbers but also SCENE FILE names are displayed.

    3. A particular lens may not have its IRIS working at high-speed fps settings. This problem is fixed.

      Conditions
      Lens: Canon EF17-40mm F4L USM
      75 fps or higher (frame rate) at 50 Hz (system frequency)
      90 fps or higher (frame rate) at 60 Hz (system frequency)

Sony FDR-X3000, HDR-AS50, HDR-AS300 and RM-LVR3 remote

Finally for this week, we have firmware version 1.01 for the Sony HDR-AS50, HDR-AS300 and FDR-X3000 action cameras, as well as firmware version 2.01 for their bundled RM-LVR3 live-view remote unit. For all three action cameras, the sole stated change is the addition of remote power on support when used with PlayMemories Mobile software on Android 8 (Oreo) devices. Sony does, however, promise improved stability without noting what precisely has been changed. This last note is also the only one made in the official release notes for the RM-LVR3 live-view remote's firmware version 2.01, which can't be downloaded directly from Sony USA at this time. (Hence, we're linking to Sony Asia for that specific update instead.) Grab your updates at the links below:

And that's all for this week. Be sure to check back next time 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.)

Previous Story Sensor size and depth of field: A closer look at what affects depth of field
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Next Story Using a color checker to ensure consistent and true-to-life color balances