Firmware Update for the AF100

I did read, which I wish I could find, that Sony does plan on adding things to the FS100. Now, will they charge? Maybe. But the description I read from them was "Future enhancement" or something like that. Of course, time will tell. I doubt Panasonic is going to update the AF100 with new features, but, I've been surprised before.
 
mcgeedigital said:
What exactly are you all looking for in this "update"?
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There has been plenty of discussion about features people would like as simple improvements to the user interface. There is no point in updating our wish-list unless Panasonic has some interest in making an accomodation.
 
Over the years Panasonic has listened quite closely to user requests and has implemented many of them in upcoming models. But current models, as sold, are "done. " they don't add to them and grow them. They will fix bugs, but they don't change the existing models, any more than Detroit upgrades existing car models.

Hey, I'd love to see free upgrades coming out all the time too. But simple observation of history shows that that is simply not gonna happen.
 
Canon was very smart in how they future protected the 5d markII. They had the technology all along to add the 24p, but they chose to milk it as long as they could while waiting for the competition to catch up. So instead of dumping money into manufacturing a whole new cam, they just gave the consumer the code to unlock the potential they had already placed inside the cam. sort of like what vitally did with the gh1. and once they gave the 24p upgrade to the 5d the sale frenzy started all over again. This cam is pretty much still holding its value.

So I would like to see other companies follow in the same vane. Give me a camera that can grow over the years instead of a cam that becomes obsolete 1 year after purchase. I do believe though sony has taken a page from canons play book with this and suggest if Panny wants to continue to compete in this market they will at least do the same.
 
So I would like to see other companies follow in the same vane. Give me a camera that can grow over the years instead of a cam that becomes obsolete 1 year after purchase.
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Is that a pig I see flying outside my window?
 
my apologies shooter, no offense intended. I'm not loyal to any of these companies but fair weather. Each company rises to the occasion in their own time.
 
reem12 said:
my apologies shooter, no offense intended. I'm not loyal to any of these companies but fair weather. Each company rises to the occasion in their own time.
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Right, that's what iam saying, but you have those "snobs" who like to show-off with a new camera and are taking the company sides.
These companies are there to make a profit in the first place and in the second place to show their good faces and even then, they are thinking how to get more money out of your pocket. IMO Panasonic is one of the better ones, Sony is the worst.
It would be nice to let us decide what to do with the camera in terms of updates. Open it up - give us the source with expainations or give us what we want in updates of the firmware and let the show begin. To tell you the truth, I don't give a Shxx anymore. Iam using the camera and that's it. If an update or hack arrives on the internet I will be very happy though.......
 
I honestly think giving a current camera a small value-added update in firmware revision (adding a tiny bit of functionality or utility) - the way Sony is currently doing with the F3, what Canon has done with the DSLRs etc. - would actually go a LONG way in building future brand loyalty.

Then, when a new camera came out that was imperfect (and they always are), people would say "Yeah, but remember when they..." - and then they'd be less afraid to buy the thing.
 
Paul F said:
There has been plenty of discussion about features people would like as simple improvements to the user interface. There is no point in updating our wish-list unless Panasonic has some interest in making an accomodation.
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Well I dont think thats true. I think it lets the company know - what we "would have liked", and they do listen.

Id be utterly surprised if we saw any updates, but agree with SteveR above - it certainly does.
 
reem12 said:
So instead of dumping money into manufacturing a whole new cam, they [Canon] just gave the consumer the code to unlock the potential they had already placed inside the cam.
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It is very much like buying a car with a V8 engine that has several cylinders shut off. You paid for the contraption, and the manufacturer sold you a castrated product, which they later on will be happy to "fully unlock" for more money. Canon does not need to develop any new features, produce new circuits; therefore, they have already amortized everything in the original price. While some enthusiasts might consider this practice exciting, others might consider this a ripoff. This may quickly become a balancing act not to mention the difficulty of revenue forecasting, product line confusion, channel push back, etc.

Comparison to the GH13 user hack is less relevant in that Panasonic never intended to charge users to unlock anything. Additional features enabled with the hack are like overclocking a CPU--you may get more performance at your own risk. This may also void warranty by the way.

Bottom line is that the hardware feature "unlocking" is a dubious strategy.
 
Noel Evans said:
I think it lets the company know - what we "would have liked", and they do listen.
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How do you know for sure? Which sources do they continuously pay attention to and which not? There are at least 4 major AF100 wish list threads on this forum. I imagine other forums have theirs. My point is that if anyone wants to submit a wish list with any certainty, it is best to use formal channels. For example, Panasonic Europe has this Official AF101 Feedback Form. Everything else is less certain.
 
If your an AF-100 owner (and perhaps in the other markets), you should have received an email from Panasonic last week asking for your input on how they are doing. I referred them to this forum and to Jan who has monitored this forum. Jan I'm sure, is well aware of our requests. I suggest if you want changes, you do the same and provide them your input.
 
dcloud said:
while some of you are complaining, my af100 just paid itself back a few weeks ago. :)
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+2 My first shoot with the AF100...I slapped on a Canon 50mm, fired it up, framed the first shot of the day...advertising agency creative director looked at it on the Marshall SDI monitor and said this verbatim: "That camera kicks ass". I LOVE this camera and can't wait until I can get my hands on the Voigtlander 25m 0.95 lens.
 
take2visualmedia said:
+2 My first shoot with the AF100...I slapped on a Canon 50mm, fired it up, framed the first shot of the day...advertising agency creative director looked at it on the Marshall SDI monitor and said this verbatim: "That camera kicks ass". I LOVE this camera and can't wait until I can get my hands on the Voigtlander 25m 0.95 lens.
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+3... got it on Jan 4th... paid for on Jan. 14th! No complaints here, LOVE my baby.
 
Something to think about that hasn't been mentioned, but I think is valid from a manufacturer perspective. If a company changes it's firmware, then EVERYTHING they've written (training, manuals, literature, third party books) all has to change if those changes are significant enough. That may not matter to you, but there could be a substantial cost involved for some. Think about if they've already printed a few thousand manuals and then need to not use them. Sure, they could then create an addendum to include (or download) but then, ultimately, it will add to confusion. Think about books like Barry's that are now missing a bunch of information is changes are made.

And I can say, I *REALLY* have never gotten the feeling that people have been happy with some of the things Red has done with future builds on the Red One OS. I watched as people complained when things changed like how zebras worked, how different coloring worked, how color spaces changed, how methodologies changed. It didn't matter if it was for the better or not, someones experience or workflow that they enjoyed using was changed and they had no recourse because in some instances, a bug was fixed that they needed, so they had to give up something they used because *someone* thought it was an enhancement and others didn't. It's not like you can pick and chose which parts of the firmware to update.

Don't get me wrong, like I said, there are things I would love in the AF100 firmware, but I understand their practice and respect it for what it is. They want a consistent experience with their cameras with a system that stays the same from when you buy it. You know EXACTLY what you are getting, no more, no less. There is no worry about different cameras working differently, or having to fight with people who don't like a feature that you do.

One persons enhancement is another persons annoyance :)
 
To Rick's post, I'd add something I've run across when using 5DIIs. Various cameras, various versions of firmware, leading to some confusion and inconsistent results during shoots. Easy enough to address once the issue was identified and there was sufficient downtime, but still a pain to deal with.


Mine's, uhh, umm... maybe 1/3rd paid for... but it's so much fun to shoot with that I've had to remind myself not to take it everywhere, all the time. Going to hang with friends? Hmm, maybe I should bring the camera. Going to a party downtown? Hey, why don't I...
 
"...but it's so much fun to shoot with that I've had to remind myself not to take it everywhere, all the time."

Ha ha ha, I thought I was the only one. :-)
 
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