It may not be a “bug” exactly, but a bad practice. I did the firmware update and, as part of performing that update, we have to factory reset the camera. This deletes all the custom sensor resolution settings, white balance settings, and any other settings I had saved, wiping everything back to factory. If this is going to be a necessary thing every time, then we need a way to save our settings so we can simply import them again after these upgrades and factory resets.
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100% agree a profile save menu is required not only for firmware updating but daily use within a rental environment. The camera would get defaulted each time it returned from a job and any DP that uses it would want to save his own profile settings for quick reload.
I came here to highlight the exact same issue that Austin outlined when shooting with my Sony lenses, and to suggest exactly the same control implementation in new firmware allowing you to select ISO or SHUTTER / ISO using FN1 and FN2 buttons and then be able to alter them DURING A TAKE using the scroll wheel, not just the FN buttons. We need to be able to adjust electronic irises whilst recording, especially on lenses that do not have a physical iris ring. I would also like to echo the problem of not being able to disengage prerecord mode without recording a clip.
If there is enough processing power left, it would also be handy to have the option of zebras or false colour (arri type, spectrum type, custom) on the live screen as well as a center marker, if possible. Also, the camera demonstrates on its lens page that it is conscious of the focus throw position. Please could we have the option of a focus distance readout on the live screen in future firmware? These are all nice-to-have’s, and not essential by any means.
Please could Pixboom comment as to if there are plans by them to produce a strong and secure camera handle that makes use of the included pogo pins on the Spark body to hopefully give us some more assignable dial controls that could be assigned to Iris, Shutter etc. in addition to a record trigger - even better, how about a smoothly designed wheel that gives precise electronic manual control of focus with electronic mount “focus by wire” lenses, a bit like we get with DJI gimbals when paired with some Sony cameras?
Obviously this handle will render the current Smallrig cage useless as it covers the pogo pins, so we would also need a suitable cage replacement / modded part that allows for use of this new handle. Perhaps Pixboom’s handle could be designed along the lines of the RED Komodo Outrigger handle, but with some clever assignable dial additions. One essential aspect of the design is that if the handle attaches where the current NATO rail resides, as with RED’s handles, the new handle needs to include that NATO functionality so that we can attach top handles / monitors in exactly the same way we currently do with the Smallrig cage without the side handle, IE it must not affect our ability to add other accessories on the top of the camera. Pixboom could even produce a NATO top handle specifically for the Spark that obstructs the top screen as little as possible, as most current NATO top handles will obscure part of the screen. If they do so, it would be great to include a circular spirit level in the handle as well as another NATO rail integrated into that top handle, for adding a NATO monitor mount and other accessories securely.
One last suggestion for future firmware is to include a clip marker option whereby on completion of a good take, you can select to mark it as a starred clip so that when you come to offload the media in Pixboom Cine software, the good clips are already highlighted and easier to identify. But this is a much less important addition, and just an additional idea!
I’d also still like to see Pixboom produce a cover to help protect the Spark’s SDI, HDMI, EXT ports etc. at the rear of the camera, even if charged as an extra. Many thanks.
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Thank you for sharing this!
Our technical team will check and confirm what’s happening here. From the description and the extreme crop setting, it looks like it may be a small software bug rather than a lens issue.
We’ll look into it and keep it on our list for review.
Yes, absolutely — we completely agree! We’ve already added this to our feature request list.
Thank you for your detailed suggestions. I have already replied to you in your other post, so please check it there.
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A slight bug that has shown up when updating is confusing to most as well.
When updating the firmware the Spark will show the Update Button above the Soft defined button, We are then instructed to hold the update button for 5 secs and when pressing the soft defined hardware button, nothing happens, To complete the firmware update you MUST press and hold on the screen UPDATE to get the countdown to start and complete the update.
Either we need to update the instructions or the hardware button needs to be enabled for this function.
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Thanks Young!