FS5: Sony 18/105 firmware update

Infohou I'm hoping it only means that we can't update the lens via the FS7. I'm thinking of renting a a5000 to update the lens. Would love better manual control of the lens with the FS7.
 
I don't know but I think it is a miracle. Seriously, I totally quit using this lens because I just couldn't focus it on the go at all. It frustrated me to no end, I have been running around focusing with it now for quite a while and it seams completely different, you focus slow it does what it is supposed to, focus fast and it does as well, totally predicable, it is like getting a different lens with manual focus. To me it doesn't seem like it is fly by wire anymore. I am very happy with this camera now, and if I could use my Kastar batteries without having to reset the clock every time I charge the batteries I would be very very happy.
 
hepler said:
I don't know but I think it is a miracle. Seriously, I totally quit using this lens because I just couldn't focus it on the go at all. It frustrated me to no end, I have been running around focusing with it now for quite a while and it seams completely different, you focus slow it does what it is supposed to, focus fast and it does as well, totally predicable, it is like getting a different lens with manual focus. To me it doesn't seem like it is fly by wire anymore. I am very happy with this camera now, and if I could use my Kastar batteries without having to reset the clock every time I charge the batteries I would be very very happy.
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Yeah, I agree. The manual focus behaves like a manual focus now. None
of that 'depends on how fast you move the focus ring' crap. You can do
real focus pulls now. A HUGE improvement over the old 'focus by wire'
feel, the focus ring actually feels 'connected' to the lens.
 
Babu said:
Did you guys test the lens on the FS7? Or on the FS5? Thanks
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Neither for me. I tested the A6000 and the FS700. It's not perfect....it's
not a focus that is 'tied' to the lens like a good cinema lens. But OMG it
is leaps and bounds better than the crappy way you could turn and turn
the focus ring an entire turn to move like 2 inches if you turned too slow.
Now it moves at a constant speed when you turn the focus ring.......which
makes it possible to pull focus manually.
 
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alaskacameradude said:
Neither for me. I tested the A6000 and the FS700. It's not perfect....it's
not a focus that is 'tied' to the lens like a good cinema lens. But OMG it
is leaps and bounds better than the crappy way you could turn and turn
the focus ring an entire turn to move like 2 inches if you turned too slow.
Now it moves at a constant speed when you turn the focus ring.......which
makes it possible to pull focus manually.
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That is what I hate most about the lens. I still use it faithfully on my FS7. Hearing this improvement makes me incredibly happy but the way the FW description stated all e-mounts except the FS7 doesn't give me hope it works on the FS7. I'm hoping it just means the lens can't be updated via the FS7. Thanks alaskacameradude
 
I hope it works for you! It IS a lens update, not a camera update.
I performed the lens update on my A6000. I also updated my
FS700 to the new firmware which was supposed to 'optimize
performance for lenses to be released after March 2016' as seen
in this link
http://www.newsshooter.com/2016/03/29/sony-releases-new-firmware-for-the-fs700-and-fs700r/

But again, it wasn't a update for any particular camera body, it was for the
lens itself. As a matter of fact, I performed the lens firmware update on
my A6000 and it has worked not only on that camera, but also on my FS700.
On my A6000, in the menu, the camera firmware stayed the
same, but the lens firmware changed. So, it is possible, it 'may' work
on the FS7, I'd think it's worth a try if you can find another camera
body to use to perform the update with.....
 
Yea I ended up buying a a3000 for cheap to update it with. I Like the way you're thinking. That's how I feel. We'll see.
 
Updated mine via an A7ii, have played with it today on location on the FS7.

As previous comments - feels directly connected now. But then, I've always been a bit of a fan of this lens.

Ben.
 
Babu said:
Did you guys test the lens on the FS7? Or on the FS5? Thanks
Click to expand...

I am using the FS5. What I really don't understand is how they can fix this to such an improvement, yet they sold the lens in what I would call an unusable condition.
 
hepler said:
I am using the FS5. What I really don't understand is how they can fix this to such an improvement, yet they sold the lens in what I would call an unusable condition.
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Yeah. After playing with it some more, it still feels like if you really
move the focus ring fast, you can make the focus change fast.
But when you move it slow, it goes at a constant 'medium' rate.
Basically, it seems to me that it now has two speeds.....fast and
medium for changing focus. It usually uses the medium speed (which
just happens to be, what I think is close to perfect speed for changing focus)
unless you really turn that focus ring fast, and then it will speed up
the focus changes. Before it had like 10 speeds and if
you varied the speed of your turn by a microsecond, you'd go from
speed 1 into speed 10 or vice versa. So yeah, still not perfect but so
much better it's not even funny.
 
Have not tried it out yet but updated mine from v1 to v3. Also updated my 50mm and 28-70 from v1 to v2. So now three out of four of my e-mount lenses have been updated. Will be interesting to see if I notice any difference!
 
Been holding off on this lens but have been thinking of getting one to go with the A6300 as I need something with image stabilization. The distortion and focus is the killer for it sadly (used it on the FS5 today and manual focusing was a nightmare along with the focus peaking not being the best today). Will download the update and try it out tomorrow and if its a nice improvement I might buy the lens for personal use finally.
 
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