Any word on firmware up date?

[Jeff Troiano]

I read on Philip Bloom's blog, that Sony was releasing a firmware update (sometime this winter), that would allow the European model fs100 to also film in 30p & 60p. He speculated there might also be a similar update for the American version to pick up 25p & 50p. I was wondering if anyone who already owns one, has been informed about such an update? If all things go well, I will be ordering mine on Thursday. Since I'm adding the fmu now, I'm a couple hundred short, so have to wait until payday.

[Doug Jensen]

Yes, you will be able to update an NTSC FS100 to also shoot the PAL frame rates. I don't know when iit will be available (could even be out already) but it will be a paid upgrade for a few hundred dollars.

[Jeff Troiano]

I wish they would add more frame rate control, in S&Q mode. I'd love 2 step increments, from 1 to 60p. Sometimes filming in 26 or 28p gives footage a nice dreamy quality,mwhen played back at 24 fps. But at the very least I'd like the 50p, so I could do just about 50% slow mo, when played back at 24fps.

[Evre Ergun]

Wasn't it supposed to be free?

[Scott Caplan]

The Z7U world camera firmware upgrade was a pay upgrade, I wouldn't be surprised if the NEX is the same pay format. Sony loves their money.

Scott Caplan
GKCCOC

[Evre Ergun]

Isn't it that you had to send in the Z7U to have parts changed because it's tape based? You might be able to do this on your own by updating the firmware. I hope anyways.

[Scott Caplan]

Yes Evre, I had to send my camera to Sony for the world camera upgrade, we had a shoot with it in Europe and needed PAL, and 25p/50i HD compatibility. It was $300 total. Perhaps the NEX will not require this.

Scott Caplan
GKCCOC

[Alister Chapman]

I've been told by several Sony people that the firmware would be free.

There might be a fee to have it installed, don't know whether it will be user upgradable.

[Doug Jensen]

I have been told by several Sony USA people that it will cost. Maybe things are different over in Eurpope? The whole point of charging for it is a marketing decision to protect dealers outside of the USA or people would just fly to B&H and carry it home. If the update is free for everyone, then why not just add it to the camera in the first place? Hopefully I am wrong and Alister is correct.

[Evre Ergun]

This was on the FS100 page of the Sony UK website:

Sony has implemented a firmware update scheme for future functions, the next firmware version scheduled for release in early 2012 will include a 60Hz upgrade allowing the use of a wider range of recording frame rates including 1920x1080/60p and 24p.

Nothing on US site at the moment.

[John Mitchell]

I reckon it should be free - the concept of not making it a world camera from the start is dumb IMO. It protects no one - why would US dealers need protecting? they are generally the cheapest anyway.

Plus the AF100 which is as close as you get to a direct competitor was 50/60Hz switchable from the beginning.

[Jean-Philippe Archibald]

Yes, I don't think it's to protect markets. I'm from Canada (60hz) and when I tried to buy the FS100 from the states, B&H refused to sell it to me, because of a restriction from SONY. So they don,t need hardware limitations to protect the markets.

[Doug Jensen]

Originally Posted by John Mitchell

I- why would US dealers need protecting? .

They don't need protecting. Go back and read my earlier post a little closer. It is the PAL dealers that need protecting. By your own admission, the US prices are usually better. It is not uncommon for foreign buyers to trek to the USA and buy their gear -- thus Sony feels the PAL resellers need some protection. I'm not saying it is right or wrong, just the way it is. It would not surprise me at all if they decided to upgrade PAL cameras for NTSC for free, but not the other way around. When you bought your camera you knew you were buying an NTSC or PAL only, so I don't understand the griping. So what if Panasonic made the AF100 a worlwide camera? They left off enough other features they had to give buyers something extra!

[John Mitchell]

Doug - apologies mate I didn't mean to offend. Indeed I misread your post.

I would point out that is a biased view though. You live in the US and therefore have the advantage of being able to buy such products cheaply.

If you lived in Australia you might feel ripped off - haven't you heard we Aussies believe in free trade. I'll send K Rudd over for a quick lesson :)

I think my point is still valid - all modern cameras, given that there is no technological barrier (and there shouldn't be) should be world cameras and charging a fee for an update is ridiculous.

I can get a PAL cam as cheaply as a US cam these days anyway, just not with an Oz warranty.

[Frank Glencairn]

Originally Posted by Evre Ergun

Nothing on US site at the moment.

The upgrade is for European cameras.
The US version is doing 24 an 60 already.

Don´t know if there will be a 25/50 upgrade for the US models.

As Doug said, the protected the PAL dealers for a while.

Frank