Fujifilm users may know that their cameras are facing connectivity issues with the Camera Remote app on their smartphones. To fix this, the company has announced a new firmware update for several GFX and X series devices. This came after Fujifilm finally acknowledged the issues and even shared a statement from last month. Here’s a look at what the new firmware can do.
According to Fujifilm Rumors, the company shared a statement in October addressing the issue faced by consumers. They stated that “camera freezes” were reported when a few cameras were connected to “iPhone (iOS18) / iPad (iPadOS18)” via the Camera Remote. Now, they have launched an update to resolve the issue for a few selected models. However, it will not fix all the challenges. In their statement, they said:
Although we have been trying to fix this issue with these camera models, unfortunately we could not provide the revised firmware for these models due to the hardware limitations of the cameras, as they had been on the market for a long time.
As they have noted, this issue affects not only newer iPhones but also the latest Androids, such as the Google Pixel 9 series. So far, the updated firmware is available for the Fujifilm GFX 50S, X-Pro2, X-T2, X-T20, X-E3, and X100F. However, as the company said, a lot of people won’t be able to profit from the improvement due to the limitations mentioned above. However, it remains unclear what does it mean.
Furthermore, Fujifilm will not be able to launch the same firmware update for older cameras. Per their press release, these cameras include Fujifilm X-T1, X-T10, X-E2S, X-E2, X-M1, X-A1, X-A2, X100T, X70, X30, XQ2, and XQ1.
But worry not; Fujifilm has a few ‘workarounds’ for people who want to transfer their images to their phones or tablets, which they think can benefit users. Here are they as follows:
- USB connection: Users must utilize the USB connection to connect the phone to the camera. A micro B to Type C USB cable can be used.
- Use the card reader with the phone: Users can also connect the card reader directly to a smartphone, which will allow them to import images. However, this will be possible with a USB connection between the card reader and the phone.
However, as seen above, one is heavily dependent on a USB transfer. One way they can transfer their images is to upload the images to their GDrive via their laptops and then access them through the phone.
The new changes only highlight the industry’s challenges. Manufacturers appear unable to help customers, especially at the pace at which smartphones are being developed and improved. Furthermore, firmware updates have lately been more of an issue in most cameras, with some even leading to a costly repair bill. While Fujifilm apologizes for any inconvenience, it still begs the question: why are older models left behind? Is there truly no way to salvage them?
In some ways, these workouts will frustrate people and even push them to switch to newer models or abandon Fujifilm altogether. At the same time, users have also been asking Fujifilm to move the older camera models to new Fujifilm app, which will make their work flow much better.
If you want to download the new firmware or understand image transfer better, head to Fujifilm’s website.