Firmware update on the NEW 7Artisans AF 35mm f1.8 lite lens
Since the introduction of autofocus also in third party lenses as Viltrox, TTArtisan and 7Artisans it is also necessary to update the firmware of those electronically connected lenses to the Fujifilm cameras. The software in the lenses is responsible for the motion control of the focusing process. Typically, silent stepper motors or linear motors are used in the lenses. The camera AF measuring system sets a focus position in the lens and the lens electronics needs to move the stepper motor to that position. To have a fast autofocus the motor speed must be high which again results into a kind of over shooting, and several quick movements are needed to get to the correct position. It is the quality of the motor motion control in the lens to minimize those correction movements and still achieve fast focusing. Those algorithms improve over time and are downloaded with firmware revisions to the lenses.
On the Fujinon lenses, this download is made via the camera body. You copy the lates firmware for lens or body on the SD card and restart the camera pressing a button. Then you can choose to install the new firmware. Simple.
Due to the fact, that Fujifilm is asking licensing fees to open their software interfaces, as e.g. Zeiss, Tamron and Voigtländer are paying, other companies reengineer their own interface and are providing a USB-C connector within the lens for the firmware update.
On the NEW 7Artisans AF 35mm f1.8 lens, this USB-C connector is mounted in to the metal lens mount, well protected from rain and dust. You connect by an USB-C lens with you PC or MAC (Yes! The 7Artisans lens is supporting MAC connection as well, different to the TTArtisan lenses that supports PC connectivity only) and the lens opens as any USB stick or external drive. On this drive you find a readme text file that shows you details about the lens and the installed firmware version. Copy the downloaded firmware file to this drive. Disconnect the USB-C cable and connect it again and the update is done. Check the text file and you can verify the latest firmware version.
In my case the 7Artisans AF 35mm f1.8 lens has been delivered with Firmware version V1.4 and I made an update to version V1.5. The performance of the autofocus has been responsive with V1.4 but got even improved with the update.
7Artisans has made this very easy.
