X100 owners, did you download the latest firmware V 1.20?

79 Comments

1. 35 1.8AFS, 50 1.8AFD, 85 1.8AFD

2. i want to download

3. I have to apologize to Fuji. My problems were almost all caused by learning-curve-malfunction, more commonly known as brain freeze/frustration.

   That’s right; 90 percent of my new-camera problems were just in learning the settings and what to try to avoid. It’s easy to hit something on the command wheel and change a setting, so when I saw weird behavior, I was too quick to blame the camera and not the real culprit: ME! But, this camera does have a learning curve, and after trying different settings, it just gets better and better.

   The macro manual focus ring is usually off when initially hitting focus, and can most of the time be set by small adjustments. One problem, however, is that even with subtle adjustment the macro just cannot get a precise reading at times. And that’s just sometimes. I’m sure an update could further refine the macro focus problems. They do seem to be on top of things at Fuji though.

   So, there you go! It’s a great camera with great potential; just have to find what’s right for you and then go!

4. So, a quick question to all fw1.20 and 1.21 upgraders: Is the upgraded x100 for me?

   I’m…
   – shooting a Nikon D200 until the shutter recently died, now using a D40
   – shooting primarily my two kids <5 yrs and document family events
   – having a range of primes (35 1.8AFS, 50 1.8AFD, 85 1.8AFD) that I love, no affection for zooms
   – attracted by the portability (tend to shoot a lot with my phone lately…)
   – attracted by the discrete shutter
   – looking for a camera that works for my wife in straight-away aperture priority, as she dislikes menus
   – primarily using the focus-and-recompose technique
   – in need of reasonably fast AF to lock on those ever moving kids, the Nikon D40+35 1.8AFS works, though.

   It's the last requirement that makes me consider a Nikon D7000 to go with my prime lenses. It's just way bigger…but could the x100 work for documenting kids day-to-day – has the AF become fast enough?

   Best
   Kasper

5. GOD BLESS!!!! X100 is now as itws suppoded to be (responsive, accurate, fast) GR8 job. I was just about to sell it and now I love. For me AF in foto and movie mode is most important upgrade it catches and focus on what I want. Some other things are also very It ivisible.

   It is a MUST to download this upgrade!!!!!!!!

6. Since she/he propably has forgotten to do here the same, for clarity, i think it could be important to quote what “Anais” said recently in the other topic(http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2012/04/04/fuji-x100-firmware-update-1-21-now-live/) in contrast with the opinion of the last msg above. As it seems the alarm has returned. That sounds very good now.

   Anais says:
   April 5, 2012 at 3:38 pm

   Steve: time for me to eat some crow. Thanks to the perseverance of a wiser soul I’ve downloaded a second copy of the 1.21 from Fujifilm’s global site. Well, I can say in all honesty that the camera works a lot better this time around. In fact, it pretty much now does what it said on the box.

   Most peculiar as the first and second copies of the firmware were identical in size. Could have been a transmission corruption issue.

   Anyhow, the only fly in the ointment now is that when setting the Fn button to select ISO you no longer have the privilege of managing Auto ISO as one of the options. That was a really useful feature of 1.20 and they’ve taken it away.

   Also, the DOF scale remains as conservative as it was since the 1.20 upgrade.

7. Hi Steve,

   I would suggest to anyone that hasn’t updated to ver. 1.21 from 1.20 DON’T!

   Ver. 1.20 was sublime. I’ve made the mistake of upgrading and now have the following problems:

   A) I’ve lost the focusing frame in AF-S and it also no longer shows the parallax compensation frame.

   B) The AF now hunts all over the place rather than locks onto where it should have done in previous incarnations.

   C) I use M-focus a lot (zone focusing in the street) and I feel that the focus ring was actually better in v1.20.

   D) Seems to be overexposing a lot more aggressively as well.

   And it seems that Fujifilm have decided to remove any previous firmware downloads off their site.

   I felt that the X100 was near perfect with 1.20….now not so sure.

   Best regards,
   Anais

8. hi folks, there is a new update out 1.21
   this update improves the autofocus problem in manual mode

9. The only thing left to fix is the slow startup/wake up time. That is the most frustrating thing about this camera.

   • X-Pro 1 does this as well.

10. Bit confused here : do I understand that there is a firm wear update from 1:10 for my Fiji X100 , is so it does not appear to support Mac ?

    Thank You,

    • I can’t find neither the software for mac os x 10.7.3 . can’t believe it. I guess I have to use the PC of a friend of mine…

11. Hi guys!,

    i’m abit of in panic mode!…I just got the new firmware update, and im really happy with it 😀

    Though I don’t know if anyone has seen…It could just be me being a noob, I’m an amateur photographer.

    in the custom setting layout I’ve tried to set the frame guidelines in the thirds layout but it doesn’t come through on the OVF?? is anyone else having this issue??….PLEASE HELP!!! I’m a NOOB

12. Still don’t understand why AF is very painful in the great OVF and only becomes somewhat useable in the EVF. I bought this camera because of the optical viewfinder but that limits AF – does anyone understand the technical reason for it being better with EVF?

    • I don’t find AF painful at all with OVF, works quite well imo.

      • AF is very useable in EVF, and very useable in OVF if your not focusing on a subject within 1-3 feet.

        Before firmware 1.2, AF sometimes hunted to lock focus in very low light, now I find it quick to focus and lock, great improvement. OVF has a little accuracy issue when trying to focus within a very close distance from subject, within 1-3 feet, and this is because of parallax error.

        “I’m saying the AF is technically always the same and accurate, and the actual AF focusing point at the same spot, namely in the center of lens/sensor whether OVF or EVF are being used. The issue with the OVF is that the finder shows frame lines and AF box slightly higher and to the left because of parallax error. It’s a user challenge and not a system fault as Steve’s text suggests. The same problem exists with all OVFs of AF cameras. So if X1, mft. Ricoh GXR, SIgma DP are used with OVFs the same challenge has to be dealt with with the difference and disadvantage that their OVFs do not show an AF box/hairline”

        “the X100′s OVF is not a “through the lens” view of the image like in all non-rangefinder cameras. Looking at the X100 from the behind, the OVF is slightly higher and to the left of the lens. So the closer you get towards the target subject, the captured image will not be what was centered in the OVF. Rather, the captured image will actually move further and further to the lower right hand side of the OVF.
        With the EVF, the image seen on it is a through the lens image. So everything stays centered.”

        OVF is superior I believe because you don’t get any shutter lag when taking a photograph, that you would get in an EVF. So if your taking a shot of something moving through the frame, the EVF has some lag to it and you might take the photo when the EVF shows the subject in the frame, then review the image later and find the subject actually moved past your frame. Also, the OVF looks a lot better, more like looking through a SLR viewfinder.

    • For close distance I have exactly the same issue Moritz. No rational reason why. Unable to focus at about 3 feet with OVF, switch to EVF (or LCD) without moving the camera and focus is fast and perfect. Switch back to OVF (again not moving the camera) and unable to focus! It cannot be due to parallax because the camera has not moved and I am set to AF mode Area to focus on the center of the frame. The only thing I can think of is that the software is tuned to worked differently for close distance OVF vs EVF. It seems that with v1.2 and EVF I can now focus much closer than with previous versions without switching to macro.
      Brian, try it in the 2-3 foot range and see if you notice a difference in OVF and EVF/LCD.

13. The most noticeable improvement I’ve had is the enhanced usability of the MF ring. It’s not a “real” MF ring yet, but it’s way faster.
    Other differences seems minor to me.

14. Just updated from the link above….. Finally AF works very fine. Enjoyed to use Raw as a 2fn button. Il like to use it to direct movie on the fly(better then drive button) or Nd filter when i need …….or for all i want.
    I very appreciated this firmware upgrade, with tangible improvement. Fuji do a great job for his customers. Despite the recent release of X1-pro they didn’t forget X100 owner’s.
    In particular with the fixed problem of AF performances X100 became a very complete camera and, in my opinion, one of the best high quality compact camera out there.
    With this new firmware on board x100 finds new credibility, new positives feedbacks for performances next to the usual feedbacks for IQ, and I think it will remain a best seller.
    I wanna say thanks to Fuji for this welcome surprise!

    • Luca you just said it all thanks! A great camera just got even better, full credit Fuji!

15. Just tried to download the update from Fuji, and received a malware notification:

    This request is blocked by the SonicWALL Gateway Anti-Virus Service. Name: Mabutu.a (Worm)

    After trying on other networks, the file came out to be 7.12 MB instead of the documented 32.2 MB

    Anyone having the same issues?

    • Update: When installing the FPUPDATE.DAT (7.12 MB), received the following error: New Firmware is broken. Turn off the camera

      Tried 3 times with 3 different cards. Sounds like Fuji pulled out Version 1.20? Maybe they’re working on Version 1.21?

16. Hi Steve,

    Great website. I thoroughly enjoy your reviews. So real-world! Please keep up the good work. The new firmware update made my X100 much faster. I think I am the only one who assigned the video feature to the the Raw button. This is my only camera and even though it is not known for great video, I still love having it easily accessible.

17. I find AF littlebit faster now but what is more important to me is that AF is not hunting so much anymore in a low light situation. So, 1.20 is very much welcomed update.

18. I did the update. My findings in a nutshell:

    1. AF in good light is faster, not by much though, but comfortably fast for many uses.
    2. AF in low light is improved by country miles. AF locks surprisingly quick and accurately. From the many compact large sensor cameras I owned or still own, this is the best low light AF performance I have seen so far.
    3. Another great improvement is close up focusing. Switching to macro is only necessary below 12-13 inches now.
    4. And lastly, the ability to assign the ND on/off function to one of the programmable buttons is a huge improvement for outdoor shooting.

    All in all, the X100 is a significant better tool with FW 1.20.

19. there is a rumour that fuji is working on 1.2.1 urgently, because of problems in MF and macro, macro AF has gone soft since the update…
    http://www.fujix-forum.com/index.php?/topic/4025-x100-firmware-121/

20. Huge improvement to AF!

    Seriously, it’s quick now, even in low light. Anybody that still says AF is a problem with the x100 doesn’t know how to use the camera.

    RAW button set up is great, and single click for ND is sweet. Really impressed with this firmware update. X100 is complete in my eyes. Ok, maybe not in the MF, but AFL really helps, and it’s not a rangefinder.

    • Did you test the focus accuracy wide open for portraits?

      • yes, wide open, with AF illuminator on 90% of the time. last night with only the light of my monitor and a couple cfls at the other side of the living room, AF was fast. I actually snapped a dozen shots of my dog’s face up close in very low light with illuminator on, lol, very pleased with speed.

        the only situation I haven’t tested is wide open in high light, like full sun or studio lighting, which I see you had difficulty with. maybe turn off the AF illuminator if you already have studio lighting illuminating the model’s face? although I’m sure you probably tried and still had problems.

        low light, wide open, illuminator on, portrait, fast AF ime.

        I shoot with EVF 100%, never OVF. I remember reading Steve saying close up framing with OVF is difficult for x100 to correctly focus in many cases. Maybe try with only EVF, although again I’m sure you’ve already thought of that as well.

        • That’s right, low light AF performance is indeed much better. Thanks for the tip but as you guessed I was using EVF for accurracy and with AF Illuminator turned off (though it wouldn’t be used anyway by the camera) outside in EV 12-15 light. But sadly I see others are having the same issues as me so it seems there really is a problem.

          • hopefully next firmware can correct this issue, lol

21. Thanks Steve for bringing this up! Forget about the AF though I feel it’s faster now, the RAW button is back to life now, one click on it I can put the ND filter ON or OFF without taking my index off the shutter or my eye off the viewfinder, that is worth the upgrade by itself!!!

22. downloaded 1.20 when i got it without using it with the 1.13 version.
    i dont have any of the issues people on the internet are describing….(probably becoz its black 🙂 )
    brilliant camera.

23. I just received my black X100. It is stunning, substantial in the hand and looks to be very well made. I know, I know, but as I’m getting older, and the black option may be pricey, what am I waiting and saving for if not for the appreciation of the design and capabilities of this gem. If it pleases me, I really don’t care what others may think. it’s like the old saying: If you only knew what people think of you is precisely that they do not think of you, you’d get a lot more fun out of life.

    I am a little intimidated by all the comments as I intend to learn to use and, indeed, use this gem. Too bad there aren’t private lessons in LA!

    Seriously, coming from older Canon film to this may be daunting, and I’ve struggled with this purchase for a long time, but I think it will be worth it. It looks like a piece of gear that I could use a very long time. I pray there aren’t the problems others have experienced.

    • Hmm, well you shouldn’t be intimidated. its not a bad camera by any means. Just depends on your shooting style and expectations. It will take a bit of time to get used to it.

      The black one does look awesome though! I just can’t justify have two pricey cameras and having to decide which one to pick everything i go out. The less I think about cameras, the more i think about actual shots. I should prolly stop going to this site 🙂

24. ERROR: FIRMWARE NOT BE FOUND
    When I downloaded the update (3x) and copied it off to a newly formatted card, the camera can not recognize presence of the firmware..

    • is the name of the file “FPUPDATE.DAT”? Cause multiple downloads can add a number to the filename.

25. And hopefully implement an AFL direct focusing option.

    Steve, let ’em have some serious photographer/tester as you are, next time they beta test…
    This one above is huge. I am sure you would have signaled it as a fundamental issue. Half or more of the photogs I know decouple focusing: press AFL to acquire focus, hit shutter to shoot.

    MF aid means… MF aid. We want decoupled focus button in AF!!! 🙂

26. v.1.2 was a HUGE improvement for me. Autofocus is much faster (but still not perfect). Low light focus also seems better as long as I keep the AF assist light on. The extra function button and ND fix make for an easier shooting experience. I was dissatisfied before 1.2, but now I’m happy.

    Kudos to Fuji for keeping these updates coming and for listening to customers. However, it would have been nice if these flaws had been addressed prior to the release of the camera.

27. Hello.
    AF feels faster, but more important is that it can lock focus where it didn’t before. Massive improvement.
    FW 1.20 came also with a couple of bugs:
    – off-center focusing in MF+AFL (and consequent freeze if you put the box to the bottom-right);
    – toggle focus lock via AFL button will unlock changing view from VF to LCD and or reverse. This last, added to the missing decoupling possibility of AF from the shutter button (AFL button to focus as in any camera) is IMHO almost a show stopper. In fact, users looking for this use MF+AFL, which is a trick where you loose the info of the AF mode screen (focus parallax) and also the aiming area changeable dimension.
    Hope Fuji will fix both, and hopefully implement an AFL direct focusing option.

28. Speed, yes.
    Accuracy…hmm, still questionable. Doesn’t seem like it can be fixed to my satisfaction at least.
    Also noticed the manual focusing is much faster.
    One-press ND, very nice.
    Unfortunately, for me, it’s too little too late. I already got used to the 5100 speed and reliability. I’m one camera-guy so the X100 gotta go.

29. Thanks Steve, I’ve been using my X100 exclusively lately, and now there’s even a firmware update! I think I’m gonna carry the X100 only for travelling now. (maybe until the Leica X2 comes out lol)

30. X100 does now focus very fast. This firmware was like steroids for the X100. i am very happy.

31. Hey Steve (and readers) I installed the firmware the day it was released and WOW! It really is a biggie! AF is faster, MF is faster (although I still like using AEL button) I am using the RAW button as an ND filter on/off switch. Here is my short AF test (apologies for the focusing noise, I had the iPhone pressed up to the camera!)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9BK1VSfn94&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    Ed

    • first to view it. nice backyard

32. It’s a bit faster to me… wich is great… I also use the camera in MF and to focus I press the AFL button. It works great this way because It is not necesary to switch between Normal and Macro mode… it just focus no matter the distance of the subject. I also shoot always in RAW, so that button was useless to me… Now its been assigned to control the ISO and the Fn Button is going to control the ND filter… Nice improvements… very happy… I hope that Fuji can add more film simulations to the X100!

    • yeah I’m another ‘manual’ focus guy who uses the AF-L button to focus… but that’s exactly what I do on my D3 and D700. It was a great day when some other baseline photog showed me that on my Nikons. LOVE that I can do it with the X100. I’m leery of the update since some people are reporting sticky blades. I would love some increased AF speed and to use the RAW button for ND filter. Wow. Going to wait a few days see how things shake out. I like this camera, a lot. In some ways more than my M9.

33. Downloadet the firmware. Very excited. Then after one day the ‘Sticky Aperture Blade Issue’ appeared.

    Called Fuji North America regarding warranty (I am from Denmark, Europe). They were quite rude and NOT helpful at all.

    I am now left with quite mixed feelings. ;-(

    • Hi Ronald

      I think you should call Fujifilm Denmark instead (The number is 45 66 22 44) and tell them about your problem.

      I did so in july last year when I got the sticky aparture blade (SAB) problem – and they were very forthcoming and helpfull. At that time, there were only few reports on the internet about the problem. I had the camera for less than a week, when it ocurred – and Fuji Denmark agreed with me than it ought to be replaced by a new camera.

      I dont know if Fuji still replaces “SAB”-cameras with new ones – or if they just fix the problem by a repair, now that the problem has become “a known issue” – but there is no way that you shold accept a camera that cannot be f-stopped down. It is like having a car that can only drive in the first gear = useless! Photography is all about doubling or halfing the light – and if you can’t do just that with your camera, it is not a photografical tool but more like a shoe-box with a hole that lets an uncontrolled amount of light in. Useless.

      (This is what I explained to Fuji, when I got the SAB-issue. And I found they were listening)

      Besides – the SAB-issue ocurred after the very first time I activated the ND-filter. And it would not go away, no matter what I tried.

      But anyway – now I got another one. And it is really a very good camera. With the newest firmware even more so. It gets better and better 🙂

    • I am in Denmark as well. Had the SAB a few months ago, contacted Fuji Denmark, and had the camera (serial 13M) repaired under warranty. No problems since (more than 1000 exposures)
      I have noticed the loss of precision in AFL button “manual” focus after update to 1.2, too, but feel compensated by the definite improvements to AF-S, and what I believe is a noticable improvement in focusing ring usability.

34. The speed is up. The Raw to ND filter is great. I am keeping it.

35. Having a one press to toggle the ND on/off is a really brilliant feature. Not that it was that bad before, but having to press a button to enter the menu, then move a dial to turn it on/off was sort of a pain for me and I’d often just stop down because it was easier.

    Now its so easy to turn it on/off with just the RAW button (how I assigned it as I’m used to Fn for ISO) on the fly while shooting.

    Makes me rather wish all my cameras had built in ND filters

36. I was so happy for the improvements of the new firmware. The RAW button functioning as an ND filter toggle is really practical, the Auto ISO shortcut in the ISO menu is also welcome. And though the AF speed is now really good, it’s reliability is still problematic. It tends to hunt and miss a lot in low light and if I shoot portraits in bright light (but not backlit) wide open, it chooses to focus behind the subject at the wall or other objects, even though the central focus point is selected and I focused on the face and recomposed after. It’s like an algorithm which wants to avoid focusing at the face. Joke aside, I love the X100 but I hate how many pictures are out of focus because of the unreliable AF.

    • Yes, experiencing similar issues with close portraits indoors (low light). It’s probably the most annoying situation for me as it’s a pretty common scenario. I don’t understand why the focus lamp shining in the subject’s face doesn’t help more. It’s annoying enough that it should!

      • With the focus lamp active in close distances it was as if the light was too intense for the X100 and it couldn’t focus on the models shining white face.

37. Its a mile faster, makes the X100 a far better camera.

    I did laugh last week when a salesman in Selfridges, Oxford Street, London told me that the firmware was only ever going to be available for the limited edition black version of the X100.

    Quality sales staff!

    • those people there are clueless, have had once a conversation with one of them – complete waste of time

    • They’re just trying to screw you. I had one guy try to tell me that I need a $100 memory card in order for the Olympus XZ1 to function.

      • LOL!!!! it’s like those trying to sell you Monster HDMI cables 🙂

38. I have installed it and it is a definite improvement. I generally only shoot RAW anyway, so that button was useless before and now I don’t have to decide between ISO and some other function. I also noticed that in either this update, or the last one, manual focus is improved. It’s still far from good, but it’s a lot better.

39. Yes, the latest firmware has been a blast and I’ve been shoot’n with my X100 more than ever. I almost gave up on it, but every time I take a picture – that I get right – it reminds me why it’s such a lovable camera. The toggle for ND filter and the ability to assign the RAW button are great.

    However, the Auto ISO option is still unavailable in the ISO menu. They did add it to the ISO menu in the Menu system, but when you set ISO control to the Fn or RAW button, you still cannot choose an ISO setting OR Auto ISO. I have to believe now that this is never going to happen. Fuji knows we’ve wanted this since the camera was released and they added options here and there, but not the one that counts. So it ain’t gonna happen and that’s that.

    Manual focus (or focus by wire) speed may have increased, but it’s still unusable for me. That doesn’t really matter, I’ve been ruined when it comes to manual focus because I’ve used my Sony a77’s focus peaking, and wow, for my eyes, that’s how it should be. In the last month I’ve thought about getting the Olympus E-M5 or the XPro-1 or one of the Lumix G somethings, but then in my pros and cons list they don’t have the focus peaking and that’s a deal killer for me. So I hold out hope for a retro styled mirrorless lens interchangeable camera with focus peaking (otherwise I’d already gotten the NEX-7).

40. I also have installed the 1.20. A bit faster… I like the point 1, 2 and 7! 🙂

41. It’s indeed faster, more accurate in low light and it doesn’t search as much. It’s a great improvment.

42. Yep, it is quite an improvement – I noticed it straight away and didn’t even know AF was one of the things they updated, so it wasn’t a psychological thing! Still struggles a bit at close range, but makes the camera much more useable than before. Being able to assign the RAW button to other things (such as the ND filter) is a nice feature too.

    Auto-ISO being part of the normal ISO settings is nice, shame it still isn’t on the short-cut via the Fn button though, which is where it would be much more useful.

    Sadly a couple of days after upgrading, my second X100 suffered from the usual sticky aperture blades syndrome. Fuji claim to have fixed this recently, but do I dare buy a 3rd X100 only for it to fail within the first few hundred shots?

    • That’s interesting. The day after I upgraded to 1.20 my second x100 also had a sticky aperture blades failure. I attributed it to an amazing coincidence, but after reading your post of the same thing happening to you, there must be some causal link.

43. @ Andrew: on my computer the link is working….

    I have installed the 1.20. Finally I can use the RAW Button like FN Button. Now I have ISO on FN and ND FIlter on RAW. I am using MF mode and Push AF with the AFL button and in this point I have the feeling that the AF works now faster. Also I have the feeling that the focus weel is faster or better to use, but this are only feelings. the other points are not important for me.
    My great wish is that the focus ring will be really useable in MF mode, but I think this not will be come.

    • It’s been said MF+AFL may actually be less accurate now. Reports that a new bug is causing the actual MF point being in the bottom right of the focus rectangle, or even slightly outside. And in the same way, slightly outside of the zoom focus in that mode too. AF-S is widely reported to have improved though.

      • Yep, pressing the AFL/AEL button in MF mode is now wildly inaccurate at shorter distances. Try pressing in the top rocker button to zoom/magnify the view, use the back LCD, point at objects and press the AFL/AEL button to focus. You can quickly determine when the focus is right or wrong. It’s wrong much of the time with short to medium distances. Something has gone wrong with this update. AF-S speed and low light accuracy has improved though.

        Also, not only is there still no easy way to toggle auto-iso on and off, it now takes MORE keystrokes to toggle it (8 not 7 clicks) to toggle auto Iso through the menus due to the extra level of menu introduced with the assignable raw button.

        Still a great camera though.

        • yep, agree with MF and AFL/AEL pre-focusing, something isn’t quite right.

    • its fixed =) can’t wait to try updating my firmware when I get off work tonight!

44. Let’s see…

45. It does appear to be a good bit faster. I’m very happy with it.

46. It does improve the autofocus and the ability to assign the nd filter is huge for the raw button. Manual focus ring has improved as well. It actually is usable.

47. It freezes when in MF mode where the focus box is placed to the extreme top right and extreme bottom left.

48. I didn´t do any comparisons between those two versions, but i have used the x100 a lot since i obtained it and subjectively there´s really a boost to the af speed.

49. Steve, the firmware link doesn’t work.

    • I agree. I have a Mac and the update can’t be downloaded. I had the same problem with 1.10 and had to find someone with Windows. It seem Fuji should figure this out.

      • On a Mac the downloaded .DAT file appears in Downloads. Just drag this file into the formatted memory card and continue as in the instructions.

        • Thanks for the help. However I get an error message that say that the Grahic Converter can’t open it.

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