FUJIFILM X-T3 Gimbal Control – Coming Soon Via Firmware Update

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by Andrew CollingsNovember 28^th, 2019

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FUJIFILM has been working in the background with Gudsen, DJI, and Zhiyun. Now, they have announced an upcoming firmware update that boosts the X-T3 gimbal controls through USB. If you own a Ronin S or a Crane 2, you’re going to want to read this.

Image Credit: FUJIFILM

Catching up to the Competition

In our review of the X-T3, we named it “the BEST camera FUJIFILM have ever presented when it comes to video performance.” Then, we awarded it the title of Best Mirrorless Camera of 2018. And in a guest post, filmmaker Florian Gintenreiter reviewed the X-T3 and Ronin S in combination, asking specifically for start-stop and focus control through the Ronin S. It should come as no surprise, then, that we are very excited to see the FUJIFILM X-T3 updated with exactly that. FUJIFILM has come from relative obscurity to be a serious competitor in the video space alongside Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Panasonic. This update removes one more barrier between them. This will officially make the X-T3 gimbal-compatible.

FUJIFILM X-T3 – DJI Ronin S combo (Image Credit: Florian Gintenreiter)

What’s in the Update

This update allows a significant number of features on the X-T3 to be controlled via USB. Before, you could trigger the shutter to take a photo. Now, with the update, the palette of options is a lot bigger. You can now stop and start video recording, as well as manually control focus on electronic lenses. The DJI Ronin-S and the Zhiyun Crane 2 both feature knobs that can act as digital follow-focus controls by interfacing with, and precisely controlling, the AF systems of various cameras via USB. FUJIFILM also promises control of exposure settings, such as shutter speed, ISO, aperture, etc. There will be a few higher-end drone users who this will affect, but by and large, this update is most meaningful to gimbal owners.

Image Credit: Fujifilm

Bonus Update: 

FUJIFILM has also announced an update coming in early 2020 that will improve eye- and face-detection AF, especially in complex situations. This is just icing on the cake, as their autofocus system is already superb.

via fujifilm.com

Do these new features make you consider buying the X-T3? What do you usually use with your gimbal? Let us know in the comments!