News New firmware coming for LUMIX lenses

[Pete_W]

I am just catching up with the news of the new releases and have been watching the official LUMIX launch video.

Right at the end of the presentation by Yuta Sugawara, he mentions that existing lenses will receive a firmware update that will enable users to customise the focus ring the same as the new 24-60mm f2.8. They will start with the 20-60mm, 24-105mm and 50mm f1.4 but then move onto others lenses.

I just watched a PhotoJoseph review of the 20-60mm lens and he explained how he used this new capability to assign either crop zoom or hybrid zoom to the focus ring. This looks very cool!



The following link is set to start where this is discussed.

 

[Vale46]

I wonder why the 70-300 is not receiving such an update...

 

[Pete_W]

I wonder why the 70-300 is not receiving such an update...

Yes, the presenter said that other lenses will follow, so I hope the 70-300mm gets the firmware update at some point.

 

[GeorgeHudetz]

Yeah, this is interesting. I think I *might* use the focus ring to control exposure while in Aperture Priority mode. But I assume that if I switch to MF, then of course the focus ring becomes, well, a focus ring. And, given that I'm a creature of habit and dislike it when controls change their behaviors (I'm trying to move to strictly Panasonic zoom lenses because I want a consistent zoom twist direction, for example) so I don't know if I'd actually use this feature.

And, since I do use Sigma lenses (primes, for example) I really don't want yet another switcharoo to happen when I move between lenses.

But, I'm sure some people will love it.

 

[GeorgeHudetz]

Although with the S-Pro lenses, this could work quite well - it's an exposure ring (for example) until you pull the ring back, and then it's a focus ring. That could be slick.