Last week’s 27-item firmware update for the X-T1 (and slightly fewer points for the rest of the X-Series range) was quite a blockbuster. Most commentators took the opportunity to compliment Fuji on their policy of continual improvement, in particular their willingness to add new features to older cameras. The original X-Pro 1, for instance, is still soldiering on after five years but has benefited from many firmware tweaks that have delighted owners. So Fuji are the good guys, eh?
Perhaps not. There’s always a contrarian view and in this case it comes from David Hughes at Sound Image Plus.
….it’s worth pointing out that NOTHING in this update is new technology that has suddenly appeared since the X-T1 was initially released. ALL of it could have been included when the camera first appeared. And we have the right to ask Fuji, why wasn’t it in the camera in the first place? And how come we have had to wait so long for these options?
He reviews the firmware update but concludes:
….I’m afraid this outpouring of gratitude for adding functionality to the camera when it should have been there in the first place just confirms to me that it may well be the time to conclude my relationship with Fuji. This update was seriously hyped, but aside from the electronic shutter, I’ve seen little to get enthusiastic about.
Read the full story here. What do you think? Is he right or wrong?
He is pretty wrong. And sad thing is- some pointed that out politely and he can’t stand the disagreement so he decided to ban those comments/users. It’s too bad if he can accept a dialog on a post that he creates that allows comments.
Here are the issues I have with it- as I tried to mention to him- for example- the electronic shutter feature. It’s quite possible Fuji thought this could be made possible but they still faced significant research challenges. They were not just going to hold releasing an X-T1 for a year just on a "maybe" decision. They could have researched it, found a way to do it and finally put it out.
At the time the X-T1 was ready to go, it’s quite possible that the Fuji team wasn’t sure whether this could have been accomplished. Of course, only Fuji knows- but what I am describing is a pretty common scenario that can happen in software.
Look then at what the X-T1 came out with when it hit the market. Was it incomplete? Didn’t it win several awards and kudos from reviewers for its great view finder with dual picture modes and the like? And about the controls? Etc.
Why then, was it now considered "half baked" because "Fuji released a firmware upgrade later." ? I could understand Dave’s view if Fuji released a product that didn’t work. But the X-T1 did work and quite well when it hit the market. Software as it has grown more complex with more complex products and patches are everywhere. If the product does as it was advertised, I don’t understand all the complaining on Fuji "holding back to release later" which is based on a lot and I mean a LOT of assumptions.
Look at what Olympus makes you do- you have to upgrade usually to the next body to get something the older bodies could do. What about Nikon 1 V1 with its still very much asked for firmware upgrade to allow disabling image preview right after taking a shot- surely a very small change- and it’s still not done.
It’s just absurd. Sure, Fuji can use this as part of their marketing, but all these firmware upgrades and development take time and does not come free. Look at the support they did for the X100 way past its support time- all that costs cash and they could just have ignored it.
Thanks for your input. There is a lot of sense in what you say.
Mike
I too disagree. There’s no pleasing some people! I am very firmly in the camp which applauds Fuji for its ongoing support to its customers and its products both new and old(er).
Is not life all about continuous improvement and learning?
Does he mean the man who invented the wheel should have kept quite about it for a few hundred years until pneumatic tyres came along? Frankly I am grateful to Fuji for bringing any fresh knowledge to our communal table as soon as they do, Don Morley