Nothing to see here | X100 firmware update and D800 samples
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 8:57 AM 
I know, it’s a grouchy post title. But dems the breaks folks. Here goes.
Firmware update 1.12/1.13
No. Love.
Last night the Fuji Guys tweeted “Good night everyone. It’s a new day tomorrow. Hold DISP and turn ON”. Which of course sounded fairly exciting. Dreams of a new X100 menu system started dancing in my head. Auto ISO in the actual ISO menu (and available via FN button). Maybe the addition of the upcoming X-Pro1 film simulations. Something?
Nope. Here are the details of the update:
The firmware update Ver.1.12 / 1.13 incorporates the following issues: 1.Compatibility on Mac OS 10.7 When the camera is connected to Mac PC on Mac OS 10.7, the camera is effectively recognized. Additionally, compatibility on RAW FILE CONVERTER EX with Mac OS 10.7 has been confirmed. 2.When VIEW MODE is set to EYE SENSOR activated mode, the camera may be frozen after changing OVF/EVF at dedicated shooting condition. This unpleasant phenomenon is improved. 3.After shooting images at A mode, if mode dial sent to other mode and returned into A mode during data recording, shutter of the camera may not work properly. This unpleasant phenomenon is improved. Version 1.13 is effective for language selection menu for JP models, from 2 (JP / EN) to 35 languages. Just in case of worldwide model, there is no difference between ver.1.12 and ver.1.13.
The X10 however got this doozy:
1.New function for “RAW” button can be applied by customer’s preference By holding down RAW button for approx. 2 second or more, RAW button can be applied into new function similar to “Fn” button setting
Are.You.Kidding.Me? Any reason this wasn’t made available to the X100 as well? Any reason at all?
Move along.
Big a%$ files
In another tweet related story, Zack Arias - he now of the Phase clan - mentioned he wasn’t impressed with Nikon’s D800 sample images. I guess I wouldn’t be either if I’d just spent more money on a camera than a new car (!). But he’s a pretty straight up guy and as you know I’ve been verrrry curious about the company’s claims to medium format quality so off I went to the land of downloads. Opened the images in Aperture (JPEG obviously).
Well… they’re… really big. Gigantic.
Are they mind-boggling in their sharpness and detail? Not really. I wish they were, I really do but they’re… not. Also most of the images were shot at ISO 100, so there’s no way to gauge ISO performance. They were all shot at either f8 or f10 when I would love to see either very large or very small apertures to see how the sensor reacts. You can get the images from Nikon here.
In one - extremely dark - portrait, the focus seems to be on the lady’s frizzy hair instead of her eyes. And the only somewhat low-light picture was shot at ISO 100 with a 0.5s shutter speed (bibliothèque de l’Hotel de Ville). How about, oh! I don’t know: using a higher ISO instead and allowing us to see how that performs? There is 1 ISO 640 picture but I’m guessing it was more of a shutter speed choice and I’m guessing it wasn’t that dark. It looks fine. I’d sure hope ISO 640 would look fine.
The D800e samples do show a bit more detail. Medium Format detail and dynamic range? Not sure about that one.
Ahhh well…. Sorry for the bummed out rant guys. I’ll be more cheerful next time around. Hopefully ;)
P.S If you haven’t read Zack’s weekend post on his Phase switch, check it out. Really interesting. And he’s started taking his new camera to the streets too.
D800, D800e, X10, X100, firmware update, fujifilm, nikon, samples in Nikon, fujifilm X100, gear, photography | Tweet
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Reader Comments (6)
Updated my X100 and not only did I see no real wowzers, I got dire Sticky Aperture Blade syndrome :( But its probably as have been shooting wide open of late and not noticed.
Am gutted though, feel like my baby is really ill :( Fuji will sort it but as have 2 degree projects on the go (both using the X100 exclusively) I hope its fast.
I still love the X100 big update or not. Its unique and in the end its files are what I love :)
As for the MFikon ;) It's early days. I still feel summit smells (and not of roses) but as a long time NPS member will wait and see (still not inclined to want one though ;)).
Hey Nick,
It's a bit of a downer to see the X10 getting a multi-function RAW button when X100 users have been asking for that since day one. I have a hard time believing it could be a hardware issue...
That said, yes I agree: I still love this camera to death, quirks and all.
Shame about yours though - fingers crossed I won't be next (Arias has his in the shop as well).
I'm increasingly interested in the X-Pro1 over the D800, even if it implies a lot of setup changes. Mostly losing CLS. Or learning to work in a different way, ergonomically speaking. As far as lighting goes, I've never been a big iTTL guy and work manually 98% of the time. I'd miss having an SB800 as commander when using speedlights but with big strobes I use a Skyport so no loss of function there. I'll need to use the camera and lenses before I do anything serious.
I can make due with my D300 a while longer.
Patrick
I hated (well bit strong perhaps) strobes so TTL dos'nt worry me. I Love the skyport, and operating the Quadras and Ranger Speeds are a breeze.
The pure fun factor and simplity the X100 has brought back into my life is the thing. I truly enjoy using the camera whereas the dSLR (D3 and D700) have come to signify just work. The X100 takes such a wonderful image and can/do take it everywhere, thus am not encumbered with the mass and weight of the Nikons.
As Chase Jarvis said "the best camera is the one on you" and the X100 is always with me, ergo it must be the best ;)
The new Olympus has good specs but the sensor size concerns me. The Sony nex 7 looks like a computer from Star Trek and the Pentax, well Lego comes to mind :)
So unless I win lotto and get Leica the X100 and maybe X Pro 1 it is :)
Had the Olympus used an APS-C sensor... But micro 4/3 doesn't cut it for a possible work replacement. At all. As impressive as the OM-D is.
The X100 is what keeps me looking towards the X-Pro1. I can't help going back to the very simple fact that I prefer the images I get out of that camera over the D300, by far. And seeing the D800 samples didn't change that. I'm not sure what it is exactly but the X100 just feels right to me. I'm rarely disappointed, if ever.
I downloaded the high-res images from those two Australian photographers two weeks ago and just played with them in Aperture, processing them with my usual tricks. In seconds I was ecstatic with the results. Didn't even get close to that with the Nikon samples.
I'm just not feeling it.
My one – huge – concern is focusing. I like being able to focus manually if needed. I like seeing focus adjust to precisely the right spot as I turn the ring on a lens. I like shallow depth of field and tight framing and I hate waiting on AF as it tries to understand where I want it to go. In a pinch I always resort to my eye. It's the one thing I cannot do with the X100 and it does bother me. But: I'm never in a situation where it really matters since it's never work related. The X-Pro would be another story.
I may just be imagining this but from the D800 sample images it just looks as if there are too many pixel for such a small area... Yes there are lots of pixels give the room to breathe as in perhaps an IQ140 sensor as you say. I checked it out but cannot afford to get drawn into that world. I hope Canon won't match the 36 MP in the upcoming 5D III or what ever they call it. 24 MP may work for me.
@Morten Hate to say it but yes, it does feel more crammed than anything.
@Nick I feel the same way. Fujifilm have long been behind serious quality in high-end gear (Hasselblad) but their recent transformation at this level is astounding. I've never had to deal with their support (knock on wood) but I wrote the following post a few months back: http://www.laroquephoto.com/blog/2011/7/8/relationship-a-letter-from-fujifilm-canada.html
I get the same fuzzy feeling about everything they're doing these days and admit to being increasingly smitten with their direction. I know from these and other conversations with photographers that I'm not alone.