Sun Jul 21, 2024 1:38 pm
I updated two Pocket 4Ks from firmware 7.9 to 8.6 using the 8.7_b1 installer. I did some test filming with no problem, and then filmed with both cameras on an actual production, and noticed some irritating problems which really slowed things down on set.
• After recording a clip, often the director will want to watch playback. When I tap the physical play button to enter playback mode, back in firmware 7.9 the clips were presented in order. C001, then C002, then C003, etc. Of course there was a limitation where if a clip was recorded at a different frame rate it wouldn't appear at all until first switching the camera into that frame rate and then entering playback mode, but still the clips were presented in order. In firmware 8.6 the clips appear to be randomized. I'll see C008, then C002, then C005, then C001, then C012... So finding the clip the director wants to watch can take a minute or two.
ׇ• Also when in playback mode, I tap the physical play button a second time (or tap the touchscreen play button) to actually play a clip back. After playback, I will tap the physical record button on the top of the camera, which in firmware 7.9 would switch the camera from playback mode back into record mode so we could get ready for the next take. When I press the physical record button on the top of the camera in firmware 8.6, instead of switching from playback mode to record mode, it shows me a black screen which doesn't go away until I power cycle the camera.
• I have the camera configured to stop recording in the event of a dropped frame. In firmware 7.9 if this happened, I would see a white exclamation mark inside the red recording icon on the screen, and I could tap the record button to begin recording a new take. In firmware 8.6 when this happens, the white exclamation mark appears inside the red recording icon on the screen, but the camera is completely unresponsive and I cannot begin a new recording. Even if I flip the physical power switch to the Off position, the camera remains on, but unresponsive and unusable. I must unplug the Weipu to D-Tap cable from the V-Mount battery in order to actually get the camera to shut down. Then I can plug the Weipu to D-Tap cable back into the V-Mount battery, and then flip the physical power switch back to the On position to start the camera again, and then I can record again.
These three issues make firmware 8.6 from the 8.7_b1 installer not practical for use on set. We lost so much time because I was constantly searching for the right clip, or unplugging the camera. Both of the Pocket 4K cameras exhibited these same problems. I've rolled back to 8.5.1 and will test with that firmware to see if there are any issues. I suppose I can always roll back to 7.9 which gave me zero issues for nearly two years. I just wanted to describe the problems I encountered, in case anyone else encounters them and tries to search for them as I had. I hope the stable release of 8.7 will resolve these issues.
Have a good day, everyone.