JoeV
Thin Air, Bright Sun
Just a note to say that yesterday I downloaded and installed firmware V1.5 for my G1, and f/w V.1.1 for the 20mm-f/1.7 Lumix lens. Both of these updates seem to have fixed two nagging issues I've had with the system.
First, the flash performance on the G1: I've suffered for over a year with inconsistent, intermittent and erratic flash operation, making the camera's flash entirely useless, unless one were interested in a set of dodgy pictures with erratic shot-to-shot flash exposure. Not any longer. After the update, I fired off more than a dozen flash exposures around my house, and every one of them are spot on, not a single misfire or odd exposure. I then dialed down the flash output to -1ev, and again more than a dozen pictures came out, all with a great fill-flash-like mix of flash and ambient exposure. At last I feel like I have a camera with a reliable, point-and-shoot quality of flash. I wasn't really asking for much more.
Second, the 20mm-f/1.7 Lumix lens, although of good optical performance, would intermittently decide to autofocus in the wrong direction upon half-pressing the shutter button, after which it would reverse direction, finally finding focus lock. No longer does it appear to do this. Its AF operation seems to be working properly now, finding focus every time quickly, without searching for focus in the wrong direction. This update has made a good lens even better.
Has anyone else noticed performance improvements with these firmware updates? If so, post your experience.
~Joe
First, the flash performance on the G1: I've suffered for over a year with inconsistent, intermittent and erratic flash operation, making the camera's flash entirely useless, unless one were interested in a set of dodgy pictures with erratic shot-to-shot flash exposure. Not any longer. After the update, I fired off more than a dozen flash exposures around my house, and every one of them are spot on, not a single misfire or odd exposure. I then dialed down the flash output to -1ev, and again more than a dozen pictures came out, all with a great fill-flash-like mix of flash and ambient exposure. At last I feel like I have a camera with a reliable, point-and-shoot quality of flash. I wasn't really asking for much more.
Second, the 20mm-f/1.7 Lumix lens, although of good optical performance, would intermittently decide to autofocus in the wrong direction upon half-pressing the shutter button, after which it would reverse direction, finally finding focus lock. No longer does it appear to do this. Its AF operation seems to be working properly now, finding focus every time quickly, without searching for focus in the wrong direction. This update has made a good lens even better.
Has anyone else noticed performance improvements with these firmware updates? If so, post your experience.
~Joe