Using Firmware 4

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Using Firmware 4

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Rico’s Books at Rocky Nook – Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets

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Today, Fujifilm announced another major firmware revision for the X-T1: Version 4 introduces a new autofocus system with zones and object tracking based on pattern recognition. It’s also faster and more accurate, and it’s easier to use. Over the past weeks, I was able to gather practical experience with several work-in-progress versions of what’s coming in late June. I am happy to share these experiences in this article.

U.S. workshop is happening!

Before we begin, I’d like to respond to more than two dozen inquiries I have received regarding the proposed Fuji X Secrets workshops in Santa Barbara, CA. Here’s the deal: It’s happening! There will be a 2-day workshop on the weekend of July 18 and 19 at the offices of Rocky Nook (my publisher), and those of you who have already contacted me via email will get a heads-up to register before everyone else. For the best possible learning effect, only 8 places will be available, so if you haven’t already contacted me to express your interest, now is your last chance to do so. You can find out more about my workshops and my contact information here.

Minor and major improvements

Firmware 4 offers several improvements with regards to usability, such as exposure compensation in manual mode with Auto-ISO, expanding the T setting on the shutter dial to cover the full range of available shutter speeds (30s – 1/32000s), getting rid of the macro button (you may want to reassign the button to select the new AF modes), displaying finer gridlines that obscure less of the actual scene, or replacing the term Silent Mode with something we can actually understand.

However, the most significant innovation in firmware 4 is the new autofocus system: It includes improved single-point focussing, introduces new zone focussing and finally offers “real” subject tracking over the entire sensor area. Click here for an overview of what’s new in firmware 4.

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First Look: XF16mmF1.4 R WR

First Impressions Review: XF16mmF1.4 R WR

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Rico’s Books at Rocky Nook – Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets

Specs – Rico’s XF16mmF1.4 R WR Sample Images – Deutsche Version

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^ X-T1 with XF16mmF1.4 R WR

As you might already know, my new book featuring 111 tipps for X-T1 users is now available as an eBook and as a conventionally printed edition. If you are still undecided, click here to download 47 free sample pages. If you like my book and can afford the time, please leave a review at Amazon.

^ X-T1, XF16mmF1.4 R WR, f/1.4, Capture One Pro

Fuji’s latest lens addition has “high-end” written all over it. The XF16mmF1.4 R WR is a fast, weather- and dust-sealed wide-angle prime lens with Nano-GI coating (to eliminate flare and ghosting), a 0.21x magnification close-up capability with a minimum focus distance of only 15 cm (thanks to two floating focus groups) and nine aperture blades for a smooth bokeh with circular blur discs.

^ X-T1, XF16mmF1.4 R WR, f/2.0, SOOC JPEG (Pro Neg. Std)

The lens also features two aspherical elements and two ED (extra low-dispersion) elements that minimize spherical and chromatic aberrations to surprisingly low levels and deliver corner-sharp images even at the widest aperture setting of f/1.4:

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Film Simulations in RAW File Converter EX Version 2

Film Simulations in RAW File Converter EX Version 2

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Rico’s Books at Rocky Nook – Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets

Fuji Film Simulation Sample Images

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My new book featuring 111 tipps for X-T1 users is now available as an eBook. Please use this link to get a PDF version and an ePub (Apple iBooks) file and the Kindle version for just $11.99, all DRM-free. If you are still undecided, click here to download 47 free sample pages. If you like the book and can afford the time, please leave a review at Amazon.

On Thursday (26FEB), Fuji will release a new version of its free Silkypix-based RAW File Converter EX converter for Windows and Mac OS. It isn’t much different from the previous version, with one notable exception: RFC EX 2 supports Fujifilm’s original film simulations Provia, Velvia, Astia, Classic Chrome, Pro Neg. Hi, Pro Neg. Std, Monochrome, Monochrome+Yellow filter, Monochrome+Red filter, Monochrome+Green filter and Sepia. Only those simulations will be available in RFC EX 2 that are also available in the respective camera. So if your camera doesn’t support Classic Chrome, neither will RAW File Converter EX 2 when you are processing a RAW file from this camera.

Once the release version of RFC EX 2 is available, you can find your free download here. Initially, the software will offer Fuji film simulation support for X-T1, X100T, X-A2, X30 and XQ2 cameras. Film simulation support for older X models will be available later this year through a free update.

As of now, it’s unclear if the current commercial version of Silkypix 6 will also be updated to support Fuji’s film simulations. I certainly hope so, since Silkypix 6 is more advanced than RAW File Converter EX 2, which is still based on an older release of Silkypix (probably version 4).

Compared to the previous version of RFC EX, sharpening and noise reduction algorithms have been enhanced. However, there is still no Retina display support for Mac OS users.

During the past three weeks, I was able to preview a beta release of RFC EX 2. Since the feature set of version 2 remains mostly unchanged, I concentrated on the new film simulation aspect and compared several straight-out-of-camera JPEG samples with their respective film simulations in RFC EX 2. I also compared shots that were recorded with varying dynamic range settings (DR100%, DR200% and DR400%), and I looked at differences regarding highlight clipping and rendering.

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