The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II is a powerful camera, and it just gets better with the new firmware update version 3.0. This new firmware adds a lot of functions previously available on the newest OM-D E-M1X, including the possibility to now shoot using the OM-Log400 profile. Let’s take a closer look at it! Olympus OM-D E M1 Mark II Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Firmware Version 3.0 – What’s New It’s always a beautiful thing to see that companies continue to care and update their older product and not only focus on pushing out new models (Especially if the update is for free)… Three years is a lot in camera age, and back in 2016, we reviewed the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. This new firmware version 3.0 brings a lot of functionalities that are found in the more recent OM-D E-M1X that we reviewed here. Here is a list of the improvements/additions that this firmware brings to the OM-D E-M1 Mark II: OM-Log400 movie-exclusive picture mode is now available. A new AF algorithm that utilizes the OM-D E-M1X AF algorithm and works in stills and movie mode. The camera now uses the On-chip Phase Detection AF sensor to improve AF performances in video mode. New AF modes such as C-AF Center Priority, S-AF, and group 25-point has been added to AF Target. Also, C-AF+MF1 is now available, which allows users to instantly switch to MF by turning the focus ring while in C-AF for fine-tuning the focus. If you are using an F/1.2 lens in very dark conditions, the AF low light limit is now -6.0 EV. Less noise when shooting at high ISO settings, improvement is around 1/3 of a step. Detail Priority is now available when shooting in low ISO conditions if you need higher resolution images. ISO 100 is now the lowest setting possible. If you connect your camera directly to a computer by USB, USB RAW Data Edit is now available for faster RAW processing in Olympus Workspace. There are new Anti-flicker shooting capabilities. Frame Rate Priority added to Live View Boost/On2 display. Quick image selection is now possible, and Instant Film is available to Art Filter. Olympus OM-D E-M1X and Olympus Workspace A new version of the Olympus Workspace Image Editing Software (version 1.1) is also part of the update. It includes new features such as Focus Stacking for compositing images shot in Focus Bracketing. There is also a new lighten composite mode, and the addition of the USB RAW Data Edit for high-speed RAW processing. Finally, the OM-D E-M1X gets an update to firmware version 1.1 to support the new Olympus Workspace version, and the RAW Data Edit functions. Both firmware for the OM-D E-M1 Mark II and E-M1X are available right now on Olympus’ website. You can download the new version of Olympus Workspace here. What do you think of these new features added to the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II? Do you own an Olympus camera? Let us know in the comments!

Panasonic just released the new EVA1 firmware 3.0. As with all previous versions, the download is available for free. The update brings HEVC H.265 codec in 4K 50p/60p, support for a third party USB-LAN adapter for multicam control, quicker switching of shooting modes and few more improvements. EVA1 gets Firmware 3.0. Source: Panasonic Panasonic certainly takes a good care of their customers. In reaction to user feedback, they frequently release firmware updates for their cameras fixing issues and bringing new features. Their super35 cinema camera EVA1 already got two firmware updates since its introduction in 2017 (firmware 2.0 and firmware 2.5). Now it is time for another firmware update – the version 3.0. What Is new? Panasonic EVA1 Firmware 3.0 The free upgrade is available today through the official Panasonic firmware update page. Key feature of the new update is HEVC H.265 codec that can record in 4K 50p/60p video with 4:2:0 10bit video sampling. Available bitrates are 200Mbps in 4K 50p/59.94p and 150Mbps in 4K 24p/25p/29.97p. Compared to the existing H.264 codec, this allows up to twice the amount of compressed data, while maintaining the same high quality resolution. A week ago, after Panasonic introduced their new flagship handheld camcorder AG-CX350 with the H.265 4K 50p/60p mode, many EVA1 users were hoping their camera will get it too. So yes, here it is. Thank you, Panasonic. Another feature is the support for a third party’s USB-LAN adapter with internet protocol control. This enables EVA1 live multicam control with the advanced integration of CyanView Cy-RCP remote control panel. Furthermore, new functions can be assigned to user button for quick switching of shooting modes & framerates which simplifies system menu change. This is a very welcomed feature since EVA1 users were complaining how complicated and time consuming it is switching from – say – 4K 25fps ProRes to 1080p 240fps slow motion ProRes RAW with the Atomos Shogun Inferno. In this (kind of extreme) example it took about one minute (!) to change the shooting modes. I hope this new feature will work correctly to significantly cut down that time. The following video demonstrates the pain of switching the shooting modes. Other functionality added as part of the upgrade include still image capture in playback mode, enabling the EVA1 to capture still JPEG images and store them on to the SD card. Additionally, the camera now allows two auto white balance presets, a focus indicator in the LCD head-up display, and SDR monitoring when shooting in HDR (HLG). Lastly, Panasonic has announced a reduction in pricing of the EVA1 by €500, with a new RRP (recommended retail price) of €6,790 (excl. VAT). The EVA1 already is much cheaper in stores, so maybe we can expect another price drop? It is not the first price drop this camera received and I can only speculate what it means – is the camera not selling quite as well as Panasonic expected? I own an EVA1 myself and one of the reasons I decided to invest in the camera was the good customer relationship which Panasonic is providing. These frequent free firmware updates are one part of it. What do you think of the EVA1 and its new firmware update? Are you an EVA1 user? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

FUJIFILM issued new firmware updates for its X-T3 and X-H1 camera today. These are free updates, but please be aware that the much anticipated “recording over 4GB movie file as one file” update on the X-T3 has been suspended. FUJIFILM will announce the schedule of releasing an additional firmware update with that feature during January 2019. (FUJIFILM X-H1 does get the “recording over 4GB movie file as one file” feature). FUJIFILM X-T3 – Recording over 4GB movie file as one file coming in 2019 At InterBEE 2018, we talked with FUJIFILM about the new features that are coming with the new V2.0 firmware and in case you missed it, here they are: FUJIFILM X-T3 Firmware Update Simultaneous video output with different profiles is now supported: You can now display Film Simulation on an external monitor while recording in F-LOG internally. Note that you can’t do it in 4K 60p due to a hardware limitation. 4K HDR recording: the new firmware adds support for 4K HDR video recording in the Hybrid LOG Gamma (HLG) Display color temperature (Kelvin) on EVF/LCD Supports slower shutter speeds with DCI4K/4K 29.97P/25P/24P/23.98P Using H.264 compression, you will now to be able to select ALL-Intra at a maximum bitrate of 400Mbps. Display power supply icon (Power supply icon is displayed on EVF/LCD while using AC adapter (AC-9VS), or Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD *8 and Anker PowerCore Speed 20000 PD) According to FUJIFILM, “the new function “Recording over 4GB movie file as one file” which was planned to add to the firmware Ver.2.00, we will announce the schedule to release the firmware with the function in January 2019“. Ver. 2.00 firmware is a free update, and you can download it here. FUJIFILM X-H1 Firmware Update Also, a new firmware update is available for the FUJIFILM X-H1. The main improvements are: In-body image stabilization and optical image stabilization now work together to improve overall stability. (You might need to update your lens firmware for best performance. Recording over 4GB movie file as one file (Movie files are no longer split when the file reaches 4GB file size. The file is recorded as one file providing an SD memory card greater than 32GB is used) Ver. 2.00 firmware is a free update, and you can download it here.  FUJIFILM GFX 50S For photo enthusiasts, the FUJIFILM GFX 50S has an update too. The new firmware adds a new 35mm format mode, that is available when GF- and H-mount adapters are used. This mode creates a 30.5MP image by cropping the large 43,8 x 32,9mm sensor into a more traditional 36mm x 24mm. Ver. 3.30 firmware is also a free update, and you can download it here. If you are an X-T3 owner. Will you still update your camera although the anticipated recording over 4GB movie file as one file has been removed? Let us know in the comment section below.

Early in November, RED Digital Cinema’s RELEASE version of the highly anticipated firmware, v7.1, was made available for download. This included a plethora of fixes from v7.0.4, as well as many requested features, previously unavailable on RED’s DSMC2 line of cameras. Without prior warning, the firmware was pulled from RED’s website shortly after release, due to user reports of it crashing people’s cameras, amongst a whole host of other errors; turning their beloved tools into useless — albeit very sexy looking — camera-shaped boxes. RED Digital Cinema DSMC2 v7.1 Firmware Issues Upon Release Initially, experiencing these issues from firmware authorised for release left many RED users confused, annoyed and wondering what to do. From a personal standpoint, I wouldn’t want to take my RED Weapon 6K CF camera on a shoot with finicky firmware, unless I needed a $20,000+ paperweight to keep that script from flying off during those high octane, Michael-Bay-esque, action scenes that all us of RED Users are inclined to shoot! Thankfully, RED have quickly and compassionately listened to user feedback, and were prompt in addressing these issues. On November 6th, they made available RELEASE CANDIDATE 7.1.0.1rc1, followed up quickly by 7.1.0.1rc2 on November 15th. Then, on November 28th, they made available DSMC2 RELEASE BUILD v7.1.0.1. However, due to the on-going developmental nature of firmware production — and what we have learned recently — even release firmware can bring about issues; some trivial, and some that can really hamper your style. RED Digital Cinema DSMC2 v7.1 Firmware DSMC2 Release Build v7.1.0.1. Firmware Release Notes Please click below for the full list of fixes and updates included in the DSMC2 Release Build v7.1.0.1 Firmware: http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?172403-DSMC2-Release-Build-v7-1-0-1 A Word to the Wise Above all, as tempting as it is to update your camera to the latest firmware, you should always do so at your own risk, and even if it’s marked down as a “release”, make sure to update your camera well before taking it on a paid shoot, and test drive that thing like you have OCD — then do it again and again — as you never know; it could still blow up in front of your clients, and that’s never going to be a good look. You can download Release Build v7.1.0.1 for your DSMC2 camera below. RED Digital Cinema DSMC2 Firmware Download Page https://www.red.com/downloads/ As for me, I’m going to wait a while to see what happens with everyone else’s cameras before I update mine. Have you already updated your camera with the latest firmware? Please share with us your thoughts 

Back in September, we reviewed FUJIFILM’s flagship mirrorless camera, the X-T3. The development team at FUJIFILM listened carefully to customer’s feedback, and they are back with V2.00 firmware. Let’s take a look at what it brings. FUJIFILM X-T3 – Photo credit: Arturs Slosbergs No more 4Gb Clip Limit One of the significant change and improvement in V2.00 firmware is probably the removal of the 4Gb clip limit. Previously, when the recording exceeded the 4Gb limit, the movie clip was split into two (or more) files. With the update, as long as your memory card is 32Gb or higher, the clip will be recorded as one solid file. Unfortunately, if your memory card is smaller than 32Gb, the 4Gb file split limit will still apply. Movie recording will continue without interruption when the file size reaches 4GB; however subsequent footage will be recorded to a separate file. However, please note that the 29 minutes recording limit does not change. Simultaneous Video Output With Different Profiles With the new firmware, you’ll be able to simultaneously display Film Simulation on the camera while outputting F-Log via the HDMI port to your external recorder. It’s a nice addition, as some shooters prefer to shoot and view through the integrated camera monitor, while the AC or the client can look at the footages on the recorder. The only downside is that you can’t do it in 4K 60p due to a hardware limitation. Also, you can still record F-log internally and externally at the same time, as well as record F-log internally and sending a Film Simulation over HDMI externally. 4K HDR Recording Last but not least, the new firmware will add support for 4K HDR video recording in the Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG). Note that it’ll only be compatible with H.265 (HEVC) internal recording. Of course, you’ll be able to output HLG via the HDMI port to your favorite recorder and record in whatever format you prefer and supports it. The V2.00 firmware is a free update and will be available in December 2018. FilmConvert Profile Is Ready The team at FilmConvert continue to add camera profiles to their amazing color correction and film simulation software. They just released a FUJIFILM X-T3 profile, that you can download for free at FilmConvert. What do you think of this firmware update? Do you use it for shooting video? Share with us your thoughts in the comment section below.

At Inter BEE trade show in Tokyo, Blackmagic Design just introduced a major update to their powerful post production software DaVinci Resolve, version 15.2. The update features a lot of enhancements around editing workflow. In addition, they released the final Firmware Camera 6.0 for the URSA Mini Pro, which is their first camera to support Blackmagic RAW. Let’s take a closer look at both. DaVinci Resolve 15.2 – a Better NLE Experience Blackmagic Design’s efforts to transform DaVinci Resolve from a powerful color grading tool into a full-blown editing application are showing with every update they have added in the past years, and this one is no exception. Almost every enhancement and addition is centered around video editing with the 15.2 release. Faster Editing In order to get a faster “feel” around editing, the editing timeline draws at a higher frame rate, which makes it more responsive and fluid than before. New animations to clips sliding in and out of the timeline make it easier how a change to an edit affects other clips in the timeline. Duplication Detection A new visual duplication detection now makes it easy to see whether the same clip was already used on the timeline, which should be a very useful feature when working with b-roll footage, for example. Clips in the bin are also marked if they are used in the currently active timeline. It’s now also possible to “clean up” the timeline by flattening it, which will delete the invisible clips below (so this should probably be done with caution, however it’s useful for a master edit timeline). They have also simplified the way how timecode is entered across the entire software package. Editing Between Timelines Resolve 15.2 makes it easier to edit between different timelines. You can now load timelines or compound clips into the source viewer and edit them into the current timeline in their decomposed state. By hitting “X”, a clip from the source timeline can be cut directly into the active editing timeline. Inspector, On-Screen Controls and Metadata Display All the information displayed in the Inspector. the on-screen controls and the metadata viewer now relate to the information from the highest visible clip in the timeline at the current playhead position. Keyboard Customization Enhanced It’s now simpler and more intuitive than before to customize your keyboard in DaVinci Resolve 15.2. The new interface is visual and makes it much easier to see what keys are used to quickly re-assign them. They are including keyboard sets to emulate the keyboard settings from other NLEs such as Premiere Pro CC or Final Cut Pro X. Keyboard sets can also be shared between systems and now you can set shortcuts to more functions inside the application than before. New ResolveFX Plugins There’s a couple of new ResolveFX plugins included with DaVinci Resolve 15.2: “Blanking Fill” plugin fills black letterbox or pillar box areas in your image with out-of-focused video. This is popular for reformatted video, for example 4:3 or vertical video on a 16:9 timeline, and you don’t need to do it manually anymore. The “Beauty” plugin smoothes textures and blemishes on surfaces like skin and others, according to Blackmagic in a gentle and realistic way. There are also new plugins for colorists for ACES transformations and to limit gamut. It’s now also possible to bypass mixer node inputs by turning off connected nodes, and gallery stills can be exported with custom label names. Audio Enhancements Many enhancements went into the audio portion of Resolve 15.2 as well, with refinements for the Fairlight page as well as new FairlightFX plugins made for fixing common audio problems and speeding up final audio mastering. There’s a new “Stereo Fix” plugin that has presets for the most common channel mapping procedures, making it simple to fix clips with one or two clicks. For example, that means you can quickly fix if dual-channel mono dialogue was edited in stereo tracks. There’s also a new Multi-band compressor that analyses the spectrum in realtime, with four independently adjustable frequency bands, which will enable you to adjust the overall volume without creating artifacts while mastering audio. It’s now also possible to adjust the gain on multiple tracks at the same time with the added VCA groups that can lock strips together. These are the main features out of the 110 features Blackmagic Design added since introducing DaVinci Resolve 15 at NAB this past April. Watch our video with Blackmagic Design CEO Grant Petty from that show below, in case you missed it: Here’s our post from the final release of DaVinci Resolve 15 this past August, when it came out of beta. It deals with everything that’s new about DaVinci Resolve 15. To see a full new feature list of only Resolve 15.2, the latest update, click here. You can download the updates for Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve 15.2 and DaVinci Resolve Studio 15.2 (the paid version) on this website for free. Camera 6.0 Final Firmware Update for URSA Mini Pro Blackmagic Design is continuously improving what is now their flagship camera, the URSA Mini Pro. Since its update to support Blackmagic RAW (see our news post here), it’s gotten a lot more attention again. It still is the only Blackmagic camera to support their RAW format, however others will follow eventually. Now with version 6.0, their new Camera firmware came out of beta, adding a few additional features. Here’s the full list: Improvements for URSA Mini Pro Improved ISO range on URSA Mini Pro. Improved in camera playback. Improved status display info for off-speed. Improved responsiveness of color corrector. Improved timecode support. Improved metadata support. Improved shutter metadata. Add HDR metadata support in SDI stream. Add 2:1 monitoring frame guides. Add ability to lock timecode from SDI Input. Add frame guide options in SDI Camera Control Protocol. Fixed LCD clean feed record indicator bug. Fixed stills bug. Updated URSA Mini and SDK manual. New features for URSA Viewfinder Add Generation 4 Color Science. Add 4.6K Film to Extended Video LUT. Add support for 2:1 frame guides. Improved anamorphic frame guides. Improved false color. Fixed Extended Video 6.0 Beta LUT bug. General performance improvements. New features for URSA Studio Viewfinder Add Generation 4 Color Science. Add 4.6K Film to Extended Video LUT. Add support for 2:1 frame guides. Improved anamorphic frame guides. General performance improvements. No new features in 6.0 for other camera models. You can download firmware update 6.0 for the Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro for free here on this website. Are you a DaVinci Resolve or URSA Mini Pro user? What do you think of the updates? Let us know in the comments below. 

Panasonic have not only announced their new full frame mirrorless cameras – the LUMIX S line – they also announced interesting news for the micro four thirds community: Firstly, there will be a new Panasonic firmware update for the GH5 and GH5S, which will improve the continuous autofocus function (AFC). Secondly, the company has announced the development of a new fast wide zoom lens – the Panasonic Leica 10-25mm f/1.7. Panasonic Firmware Update for the GH5 (v.2.4) and GH5S (v.1.2) Both announced firmware updates are about to be released in late October 2018. We will post the link to the update as it becomes available. The most significant part of the update, which applies to both the GH5 and GH5S, is the improvement of autofocus (AF) performance. With the previous firmware, there were cases where the focus point was shifted to the background while tracking the subject in AFC mode. The new firmware minimizes this problem. Tracking performance in continuous AF has been improved by optimizing the tracking algorithm. Now, the subject will be tracked even when actively moving, for example in sports scenes, where the focus previously shifted to the background. The second important improvement for both, the GH5 and GH5S fixes a bug in video recording operation. The one push AE (exposure setting) failed to operate when the shutter speed/gain was set to angle/ISO while shooting in Creative Video M mode. This bug has been fixed and one push AE works now. Improvements for the GH5S only: Operating stability during variable frame rate (VFR) recording via HDMI output has been improved. Improvements of video recording performance – the image quality when using V-log for VFR recording in creative video mode has been improved. Also, the image quality when set to i.Dynamic (intelligent dynamic range control) has been improved. Improvement of operation under specific lighting conditions (fluorescent lights, etc.) – there were cases where the camera did not catch up with the change in brightness smoothly under specific lighting conditions such as fluorescent lights. This problem is now minimized with the new firmware. Panasonic Leica 10-25mm f/1.7 MFT Lens In the shade of the announcement of the LUMIX S series full frame mirrorless cameras, these news might seem a little forgotten. Panasonic, however, did not forget their large micro four thirds customer base. They announced the development of a new lens in cooperation with Leica – the fastest zoom lens in the Panasonic portfolio – the Panasonic Leica 10-25mm f/1.7 (full frame equivalent of 20-50mm). This lens should feature superb image quality, which we know from existing Panasonic Leica lenses (like the Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 or the 25mm f/1.4 MFT lens). In the words of Panasonic: It should replace five fast prime lenses. That is how much they believe in the image quality of the lens. Now, the news from Panasonic were just a development announcement. As you can see in our video interview, Panasonic only displayed a 3D-printed mockup lens here at Photokina. We have been informed that we should not expect the lens to come in the early 2019. Panasonic might have more info about the lens during next Photokina, which will be in May 2019. What do you think of the new firmware updates or the new fast zoom lens from Panasonic? Did you experience any of the bugs, which the new firmware fixes? Are you planning to invest in the lens? Let us know in the comments below.

The Blackmagic RAW codec has just been announced, with immediate public beta update for the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K and Davinci Resolve. The update should soon be available for other Blackmagic cameras, too. Complete RAW video capture is now coming to Blackmagic Design cameras and Davinci Resolve, with a non-linear 12-bit colour space, designed to capture the maximum amount of colour data and dynamic range available, all within an efficient, part-camera driven de-mosaic process. Blackmagic RAW uses the Blackmagic Design Generation 4 Colour Science, which ensures that skin tones and colour are reproduced accurately for superior imaging results. The resulting file is considerably smaller than traditional RAW files. Flexible Blackmagic RAW compression Two types of file compression are available in the camera recording options; Constant Quality or Constant Bitrate. Constant Quality can be achieved with RAW Q0, which encodes at a variable bitrate, ensuring high detail shots are recorded at the highest bitrate. Whereas RAW Q5 uses efficient encoding, which results in a smaller file size. Four levels of compression are available when recording in Constant Bitrate. All compression settings retain the 12-bit colour space. In terms of data rates, when recording in Constant Bitrate, 3:1 compression the average data rate is around 127MB/s, but in 12:1 the average data rate is around 32MB/s. Unlike the cinemaDNG RAW codec available in Blackmagic Design cameras, Blackmagic RAW captures the footage as one file, rather than a sequence of still images, further adding to the flexibility of handling, data transfer and processing of the files. The choice of RAW codec compression gives shooters the flexibility to choose whether a production requires image quality over file size – a non-restrictive and flexible approach – especially when production demands change. Blackmagic RAW promises efficient encoding and high performance, even with smaller file sizes. As part of the de-mosaic process takes place in camera, it means that Davinci Resolve uses less processing power to decode the files, and is even faster with GPU and CPU acceleration. The codec has been developed to understand the camera through sensor metadata, which means that image data and sensor characteristics are recorded into the file. This results in all of the traditional RAW controls over ISO, white balance, contrast, saturation and exposure, as well as camera data and colour science, enabling the editor to get the best out of the footage, even if it is captured in a compressed RAW codec. Additionally, the adjustment of the RAW settings in the files are carried across from app to app through the Sidecar file, which contains any adjustments to the settings such as exposure, white balance, contrast for example. This ensures that the  settings and images look the same across applications and operating systems, while the RAW file remains unchanged. The Blackmagic RAW SKD is also freely available for developers that wish to integrate the new RAW codec into software, for example editing platforms. Blackmagic Design is also interested in talking to other camera manufacturers that would like to implement Blackmagic RAW into their cameras. Completely free RAW update The Blackmagic RAW public beta update is free and available now for the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K camera and Davinci Resolve via the Blackmagic Camera 6.0 Beta update and Davinci Resolve 15.1 update respectively. There are four Blackmagic RAW files available to download on the Blackmagic Design website here. This new advancement in RAW recording for Blackmagic Design cameras really opens up a high-end avenue for anyone using Blackmagic cameras, and those editing or grading using the Davinci Resolve workflow, giving unprecedented control over the image in post production. At present, this update is only available for the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K, however Blackmagic have said that this update will be available for other cameras, such as the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, soon. Will you be downloading the Blackmagic RAW update for your URSA Mini Pro 4.6K? Does the Blackmagic RAW update allow you to achieve even greater production quality? Let us know in the comments.