Fujifilm announces new firmware update for the X-T1

Fujifilm’s engineers have been hard at work on firmware updates for the X-T1, and their latest update builds on the improvements made in the December release.

The first (and perhaps the most significant) of the firmware updates is the new AF system that complements the current 49-single-point autofocus system with new Zone and Wide/Tracking modes that pull in another 77 autofocus points across the AF area to improve the camera’s ability to track and hold focus on moving subjects.

• Zone mode offers you the choice of a 3x3, 5x3, or 5x5 zone that you can shift across the 77-point AF area. Used with AF-C mode, the camera will continue to track the subject at the center of that zone, with the 3x3 and 5x5 zones in particular using phase-detect pixels to offer extra fast focusing when the subject is in the center of the zone.
• Wide mode on the other hand, displays the area in focus, and tracks the subject in that area across the entire 77-point AF area, thus making it possible to maintain focus on a subject that moves erratically.
• Single-point AF accuracy has also been improved as the camera now divides the focus area into even smaller sub-sections for calculation, allowing the camera even greater accuracy in determining the subject distance. The built-in phase detection pixels now have a detection range of just 0.5EV, an improvement from 2.5EV before, and allowing for faster focusing in low-light and low-contrast situations.
• Auto Macro mode automatically switches the camera to macro mode when you’re at macro distances, and optimized algorithms now allow for smoother and more natural AF action when recording video. The X-T1 also gains Fujifilm’s Eye Detection AF, which automatically detects and focuses on human eyes, crucial for portrait photographers.

Other improvements:

• Shutter dial improvement: With the dial set to T and the shutter type to Mechanical + Electronic, the command dial will now set the full range of exposure settings (30-1/32000secs).
• Exposure compensation in Manual: The Exposure Compensation dial now works in manual mode too, allowing for even faster adjustments.
• Finer lines on the framing grid: Will make it easier to view the subject when enabled in the Screen set-up menu.
• Silent mode renamed: It will now be called “Sound & Flash Off” to prevent confusion.

As with the previous update, it certainly seems like this firmware update will meaningfully improve the performance of the X-T1. So if you’re a current X-T1 owner, stay tuned and we’ll let you know as soon as we hear word of the exact release date!

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