Every time I report about a new firmware update, I get asked (such as here): what’s hiding behind the mysterious phrase “fix of minor bugs“?
That’s a legit question, also considering that, in rare occasions, updating the firmware can actually introduce new bugs (this happens with every brand, Sony, Nikon, Canon and Co. They all struggle with that).
So why update the firmware for a minor thing if your gear works just fine?
Well, unless your gear has a specific issue that the firmware update addresses, it’s generally a good idea to wait a bit before updating. Just to see if some issues come up with the new firmware.
I don’t do that, honestly. I update immediately. But I also don’t photograph weddings or do professional work with my gear (oh well, except for this wedding, but that one I shot for free).
And yet…
even if the firmware addresses a “minor bug”, I strongly recommend to update anyway sooner or later..
Why?
Well, because sometimes the bugs are not really “minor”.
For example: in 2020 Fujifilm released a firmware also for X-T4 and it gave us a “minor bug fix”. At that time I was in holiday in Southern Italy and I took some time to try to find out what it really fixed. Well, it turned out the minor bug fix was actually a major one, as it drastically reduced the exposure stepping in video.
This was a major complaint and a major bug fix, but Fujifilm did hide it behind the phrase “fix of minor bugs“.
Other times, the “minor bug” might be better called an “embarrassing bug fix”. In fact so embarrassing, that Fujifilm (but that’s valid also for other brands) doesn’t want you to know what it is, hence they don’t elaborate on that.
For example, I think it was the X-Pro1 that got a “minor bug” fixed, but what it really fixed was that the focus point worked “mirrored”, so if you moved the AF box to the bottom right of the frame, the camera would actually focus on the top left of the frame.
This is why ultimately I always recommend to update your gear, even if Fujifilm calls it just a smaller bug fix.
If you want, wait a couple of weeks and then see if there are reports here on FujiRumors or in Fuji Forums about problems with the firmware. And if there aren’t, update! What Fujifilm calls “minor” might not really be that minor in the end.
And in any case remember: if for some reason a firmware would break certain features of your camera, Fujifilm will release a free follow-up firmware fix and don’t charge you $700+ like Sony :D.
