By Dan Chung
Den Lennie of the F-Stop academy has let me know that Sony have announced that their much anticipated firmware update to the FS100 will be available as a free upgrade on March 22. The details of the upgrade to NTSC models are below, I assume that PAL models will have a similar upgrade but offering the additional 24 and 30P NTSC framerates instead:
Upgrade Cost & Procedure
No cost: follow firmware download instructions from FS100 webpage, connect PC to camera via USB and run user installable upgrade. Optionally, the upgrade may be professionally installed by Sony Professional Service Depots (labor charges apply).
Additional NEX-FS100U & NEX-FS100UK features*
1. Added 50Hz recording system (PAL): 1920×1080 50p, 50i, 25p and 1280×720 50p.
2. Camera Profile (camera settings can be saved to and loaded from a memory card).
3. Additional 4x and 8x Expanded Focus magnification: (with user selectable focus area).
4. Selectable ISO or GAIN sensitivity display.
5. Selectable Focus indication in FEET or METERS (E-mount lens only).
6. Selectable Shutter indication as EXPOSURE TIME or SHUTTER ANGLE.
7. Added the following Aspect-Ratio markers: 2.35:1, 1.85:1 and 1.66:1.
8. Display ON/OFF button enables Zebra and/or Histogram overlay onto video output.
9. Compatible with the new A-Mount to E-Mount adaptor, model LA-EA2. One push Auto-IRIS and continuous 15-point, Phase-Detection Auto-Focus operation with most Alpha A-Mount lenses is available. Lens metadata is displayed onscreen and stored real-time to image file.
These new features certainly make the FS100 a much more interesting proposition for news and documentary shooters, the expanded focus in particular is very welcome. Given the FS100 street price it is going to provide videographers an interesting choice if they are prepared to spend around $1800-$2000 more than the price of the newly launched 5DmkIII and Nikon D800.
