Samsung’s massive NX1 firmware now finally available for download!

At last the big Samsung NX1 firmware can be downloaded at Samsung. Because of the many improvements you get also the NX1 manual got an update (pdf here).

Firmware Improvements:

Movie Mode:

New Gamma options, normal gamma, C gamma and DR Gamma. With C and DR gamma users can also customise colour, saturation, sharpness, contrast and hue. 
Added Video AF speed control for more cinematic refocusing (3 settings)
Video AF responsiveness control in 5 steps (dictates camera’s readiness to change AF subject)
ISO adjustable during movie capture 
Audio levels adjustable during movie capture 
23.98p and 24p frame rates for 3840×2160 and 1920×1080 video 
Output time code (Free Run) over HDMI (for use with external recorders)
Wider range of display options, including gridline, center, aspect ratio and action-safe area markers 
General improvement in the image quality of FHD video
‘Pro’ movie quality setting added for 1080 capture 
AF / Manual Focus and SAF / CAF toggling in movie mode
Autofocus lock option in movie mode

Photo: 

Now possible to turn off the NR in Bulb mode
When setting Auto ISO, the automatically chosen ISO value is displayed in real time
Can now select from four AF area sizes when using CAF + Multi AF
Able to use Exposure Compensation in M mode

Customization:

Wi-Fi and [REC] buttons functions can be swapped 
AF On and AEL buttons functions can be swapped 
Depth of Field Preview and Delete buttons are customizable and additional functions are available on custom buttons
Added ISO or Exposure Compensation to command dial (customizable per PASM mode)
Command dials direction of operation can be reversed 
Exposure/Focus Separation on/off option 

Other enhancements:

Smartphone App can operate as simplified remote release using Bluetooth (The Samsung Camera Manager App must be updated through the Google Play Store)
Checks for and installs firmware updates over Wi-Fi 
Tethered shooting now supported via ‘Samsung Remote Studio’ with Windows (Software downloadable from i-Launcher)
Selecting and grabbing frames from video
Menu re-arranged for improved usability

Very into the wild of rumors: Fuji double mount camera coming?

The Contax Hybrid Mount Camera with a combination of two bayonets (courtesy of fotocommunity)

Fujirumors posted a set of very wild rumors on upcoming Fuji stuff. It’s coming via Chinese sources so keep it with a grain of salt. Particularly that strange dual mount rumor:

1) X-Pro2 will not be launched on first quarter of 2015, but there are 2 SPEC… [FUJIRUMORS: It’s probably correct that the X-PRO2 won’t come in the first quarter. I’m not sure what “but there are 2 SPEC” means. Probably 2 versions (“species”).]

2) XF20 F2.8 (equal = 30MM / pancake) or XF18 F2.8(equal = 27MM / pancake), will be launching soon.

3) XF35 F1.4(II) , better IQ & bokeh & focus speed a bit faster than XF23, price over HK$ 4000 [FUJIRUMORS: there were rumors in 2014 about it. Apparently Fuji tested an APD version of it, but then dismissed it – source Fuji Manager]

4) OCT-DEC will be a big cannon show up (4XX) (*Forum ppl believe is 140 -400mm)

5) DUAL MOUNT PRODUCT may launch in mid of the year [FUJIRUMORS: My comment about this down below]

6) New phase auto focus system (can compete with DSLR), will come out in X-Mount. [FUJIRUMORS: why not? Sony’s bestseller, the A6000, shows the way]

7) High Speed Pro Flash light, synchronize rate improve to pro standard [FUJIRUMORS: New flash coming in spring]

8) Body will back light prevention setting system (2015 mid / year-end)

9) New fix lens camera will launching before March (” X ” 1 – 2 model) [FUJIRUMORS: He could mean the XQ2, since it was shared on the dchome forum before the official announcement of the XQ2]

10) X-M1 successor already develop, just do not know will launch or not

11) Fuji Japan still analyses a program that user by pay some amount of $$ and can upgrade the part (item (5)- (8) ). They hope user can use the model for longer time without refresh model too fast.

12) XF16 1.4 – Hot summer launching

13) google translated: “X-E3 has a row you wait for” [FUJIRUMORS: sounds like Fuji is debating (has a row) regarding the X-E2 successor, which eventually is expected to come in 2016, since, according to joofei… (see Nr.14)

14) X-E3 => 2016

Samsung’s new Organic-on-Si CMOS Sensors doubles the light-input surface area of each pixel!

Image Sensor World reports about a new Samsung paper disclosing the tech for a new “Organic-on-silicon complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor colour image sensors“:

The company proposes superposing an organic photodiode (OPD) onto a CMOS circuit with Si photodiodes, which is said to double the light-input surface area of each pixel.

Samsung is not the only company working on such a tech. Something similar has been developed by Fuji and Panasonic too.. It is yet impossible to say when that kind of sensor will make into a real mass production camera. But Samsung at least shows us the very first image taken with such a 5 Megapixel organic sensor:

Maybe we don’t have to wait to long for it….

 

Canon wants to become number 1 in the mirrorless market by end 2017.

Mirrorless shares in Japan during the last 12 months. Source BCN, Graph Dicahub.

On top you can see the mirrorless share graph of the last 12 months in Japan. I am a bit surprised to see Sony loosing shares the last months. But it still remains the number one in Japan closely followed by Olympus.

The original BCN report also states that Canon wants to become the number one in the mirrorless market by end 2017. I guess Canon will have to launch a mirrorless Full Frame system to achieve that…