Leica X-Vario and X Series Firmware Update?

[Don Morley]

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Hi Don, I absolutely agree with you, in the 60's & 70's I was a freelance for Fleet Street. I used a Miranda Sensorex (I knew no better) and then various Minox ending up with the GT..

We used to take the pictures, then drive to Fleet Street to hand in our 35mm rolls... If they used the pictures we got somewhere around ₤20.. if not we got a roll of film..

I was a London Taxi driver so I was always out N about, lots of stories about that era........ )

Stay Safe & Be Successful. Regards, L.

 

Hi L,

 

What a small world I was a staff photographer for United Newspapers and then photographer/picture editor on The Guardian in those days, plus a brief spell working for The Sun after that before co founding the the All-Sport Agency (Now Getty Images) so we very probably met or even knew each other? Best wishes, Don

[tom0511]

After a lifetime as a Pro photographer working Internationally I think I am sufficiently qualified to be able to say I do know how to use a camera and how to distinguish which is the most capable between the two compact systems I have. I.E. The Leica X-Vario and the Fuji X-E2 and much as I love the X-Vario (And my M9's), My very carefully arrived at view is the Fuji beats the Leica in almost every way.

 

Sadly that also includes outright definition where my numerous back to back tests have shown the Fuji's (much wider aperture) zoom outperforms the lens on my X-Vario, and please note I am saying MY X-Vario just in case the lens of my camera is not one of the better examples BUT that all said the difference is not major and so I am in fact quite happy still with the Leica on that score and therefore to get to my main point -

 

THE LEICA X-VARIO COULD CLOSE THE GAP AND MAYBE EVEN BETTER THE FUJI IF ONLY LEICA COULD OR WOULD COME UP WITH A MUCH NEEDED FIRMWARE UPDATE. Sorry but that was is and remains my only point and unlike some who have replied so far I am not deluding myself!

 

Don,

I wonder (I really do) why you would not just sell the M9 and X-Vario and would use just the Fuji if it works so well for you? I am serious here. I would never keep my Leica equipment just because of brand loyality.

[Ecaton]

A good read.

 

 

Don Morley: Photo professional and Leica fan — MACFILOS

[Manoleica]

 

Hi L,

 

What a small world I was a staff photographer for United Newspapers and then photographer/picture editor on The Guardian in those days, plus a brief spell working for The Sun after that before co founding the the All-Sport Agency (Now Getty Images) so we very probably met or even knew each other? Best wishes, Don

 

Don't forget the DM @ Holborn.. I spend hours around the Temple taking pics, One friday night I threw an Evening Standard reporter out of my cab, he didn't like the traffic between Fleet Street and the West London Air Terminal..(he said he could walk quicker) I often wonder if he ever made his flight!

I used to hang around AllyPally - Spent a whole day with the Goons, another with Alan Freeman and to top it all a few days with Alun Jones, his son Jack & Susan George, we stayed at Dorothy Squires house near Maidenhead.. a few happy hours on the Thames using her Italian speedboat. Regards, L.

[Douglasco]

Thanks for your advice Don, I think I will get an XV, I just miss my Digilux 2, I should never have sold it.

[colonel]

I must be in the minority of people that don't the the Fuji x-trans here. The colours are gorgeous but detail is limited, pictures are flat looking and complex detail like foliage is smeared. I much prefer even the M4/3s sensors. The XV takes wonderful pictures if you can live within the ISO range and the slightly non-fast operation.

[Don Morley]

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Don,

I wonder (I really do) why you would not just sell the M9 and X-Vario and would use just the Fuji if it works so well for you? I am serious here. I would never keep my Leica equipment just because of brand loyality.

 

I love the image quality from my M9's and so their future is not in question, and I honestly like my X-Vario so why sell it whilst ever there is any hope Leica might indeed eventually offer us a firmware update which I sincerely hope might then make the X-Vario a genuine Fuji X-E2 beater? Meanwhile however I shall keep both.

[tom0511]

I love the image quality from my M9's and so their future is not in question, and I honestly like my X-Vario so why sell it whilst ever there is any hope Leica might indeed eventually offer us a firmware update which I sincerely hope might then make the X-Vario a genuine Fuji X-E2 beater? Meanwhile however I shall keep both.

 

it sounded like the Fuji works better for you in every way.

I wouldnt have too high hopes regarding a firmware upgrade. so far I have never ever experienced a firmware which made slow camera fast.

I say this as a owner of the X-Vario (and some other cameras).

[CalArts 99]

A good read.

 

 

Don Morley: Photo professional and Leica fan — MACFILOS

 

That was a good read, thanks. Here's another: Don Morley, the Godfather of Photography:

 

http://www.fastbikesmag.com/files/2011/01/FBK239.fone_.pdf

 

I've always been interested in the stories of those individuals who were active in the halcyon days of photojournalism.

[Don Morley]

it sounded like the Fuji works better for you in every way.

I wouldnt have too high hopes regarding a firmware upgrade. so far I have never ever experienced a firmware which made slow camera fast.

I say this as a owner of the X-Vario (and some other cameras).

 

 

For what its worth it does happen and Fuji have actually done it quite recently when they up dated the firmware on the X-E2 to make it as fast and responsive as the newer X-T1 which is superfast, uses the same lenses as the earlier X series, and as you may be aware has just been voted by the photographic trade body as THE camera of the year. So where there is a will there is a way. It can be done! So please please have a go Leica! Don

[dkCambridgeshire]

barjohn's post last January hints at a different firmware number used in his XV after its return from service http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-x1-forum/318745-x-vario-af-issues-follow-up.html … first paragraph states:

 

'I received back the repaired XV with the strange firmware number.'

 

… maybe a beta number?

 

Maybe barjohn can advise the actual number?

 

dunk

[Peter_S]

I like my X2 a lot, but I would certainly appreciate some basic things like usable shutter time limits for auto ISO and some decent long-time exposure option (I will not even ask for an interval timer). The lack of both in an otherwise well-designed camera (close to perfect in many aspects) limits the camera quite a bit for me and forces me to often carry another camera.

[tom0511]

For what its worth it does happen and Fuji have actually done it quite recently when they up dated the firmware on the X-E2 to make it as fast and responsive as the newer X-T1 which is superfast, uses the same lenses as the earlier X series, and as you may be aware has just been voted by the photographic trade body as THE camera of the year. So where there is a will there is a way. It can be done! So please please have a go Leica! Don

 

I cross the fingers but I am less optimistic.

[wda]

If other X Vario owners share the views expressed on lack of firmware update, it might help if you added to my post on this parallel thread which deals with the T. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-t/345877-beta-testers-wanted-new-leica-t.html The more voices, the better

[Randy Benter]

I like my X2 a lot, but I would certainly appreciate some basic things like usable shutter time limits for auto ISO and some decent long-time exposure option (I will not even ask for an interval timer). The lack of both in an otherwise well-designed camera (close to perfect in many aspects) limits the camera quite a bit for me and forces me to often carry another camera.

 

I agree. The addition of a usable minimum shutter speed should be considered a fix and not an enhancement. I can't believe this hasn't already been addressed.

[Don Morley]

:)Its a while now since I started this thread, and also since Leica eventually responded with the X-Vario's much needed firmware update (which I managed to download onto my camera without any problems whatsoever on the day as it was released).

 

Since then I have deliberately not commented as I wished to use the camera as much as possible in all sorts of different circumstances before committing pen to paper, but having done that now I do feel we owe Leica a massive vote of thanks for what the new download did achieve.

 

Maybe we did not get everything we hoped for BUT it still did manage to literally transform the X-Vario into a vastly more user friendly tool without any downside, and so I must conclude this thread with a massive thank you to Leica, not least as I now truly love this great little camera.

 

As a result my Fuji X-E2 which previously beat my X-Vario in so many areas will now probably be on its way out as unlike before I can and will recommend my so handy little Leica most highly, indeed I just love it.

 

Strangely however I still love it's straight out of camera Jpeg's rather than its DNG images, for no matter how I much work on post processing the DNG's images for even though I always shoot bot I never seem to quite able to equal let alone better or match the X-Vario's wonderful jpeg colour's, which always seem to be more realistic!

 

Anyway thank you again Leica you restored my faith and I love it. Don:)