Sometimes I really hope to be wrong, with the rumors I share…. but also this time our sources were right :( .

Fujfilm really postponed the release of the X-Pro2 due to “delay in production” and “orders more than expected” (official press text).

According to FR-sources, there is also some firmware fix to be made (post here)… I just hope no hardaware fixes.

That’s a bad news… but at least the “high pre-order” news is definitley a good thing (confirming the mirrorless Best Seller Ranking at Amazon).

Fujifilm X-Pro2: USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / CANADA: AmazonCA / EUROPE: AmazonDE / AmazonUK / WexUK / PCHstore / AmazonITA / AmazonFR / AmazonESP /   AUSTRALIA: CameraPro

Fujifilm X-Pro2
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / CANADA: AmazonCA / EUROPE: AmazonDE / AmazonUK / WexUK / PCHstore / AmazonITA / AmazonFR / AmazonESP /   AUSTRALIA: CameraPro

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No Backlit sensor, not more than 24MP, and not even IBIS… no, it’s not the Fujifilm X-Pro2, but the long awaited successor of Sony’s best selling mirrorless camera (Sony A6000)… the Sony A6300!

Opinion Piece: I never hold an X-Pro2 or A6300 in my hands… and my local store is not the fastest to get new stuff

Evolution (no Revolution)

Don’t get me wrong: the Sony A6300 is a very nice camera (on paper… the look is… well, if you like it, it’s ok). No revolution over the A6000, but a nice evolution (just like the X-Pro2 is an evolution of the X-Pro1).

AutoFocus

The most noticable difference compared to the Sony A6000 is for sure the wide Phase Detection area that covers the entire sensor. This promises a great AF-performance (at least in good light conditions). And I’m sure it will perform great. Sony just makes great sensors… that’s why Fuji buys them from Sony ;) .

But here is the thing: I hear of a vastly improved Contrast (& Phase Detection) AF also on the X-Pro2. Sources confirm that the X-Pro2 can “see in the dark” and the first reviews seem to confirm what my sources say. Let’s see if the Sony A6300 can match (or even beat) this amazing Low Light Performance.

Also, with all these AF-points, the X-Pro2 joystick for quick AF-point selection is a very welcome addition… and this is missing on the A6300. Fast AF-point selection could be a rather cumbersome thing on the A6300. But as said… I never had the A6300 (or X-Pro2) in my hands, so I’ll wait go for my local dealer to have them at the store to compare them.

Image Quality

Regarding the Image Quality, I doubt the Sony A6300 will beat (or even equal) the X-TransIII X-Pro2 (focus-numerique tests say that the X-Pro2 X-TransIII is as good as Full Frame Sony A7II at ISO 6400). But we obviously have to wait for more A6300 reviews, before we can make any conclusions. Maybe it will even beat the X-Pro2… who knows. We need reviews, samples and comparisons. It’s too early now. For sure both cameras will deliver more or less great images, depending on the lens you attach on it.

Video

Videographers will for sure be happy about 4K, but probably even more about the S-Log in the A6300. And while eoshd says here, that the video quality of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 is “seriously impressive & enormously satisfying“, it has neither S-Log nor 4K. So if Video is your thing, the Sony A6300 wins hands down.

Lenses

Oh… and never forget, when we talk about Fujifilm, we always should keep in mind the great glass we X-shooters have. I don’t know if Sony’s APS-C lenses are on a par with Fuji’s lineup… for sure Sony’s glass is not superior, nor it has a wider range of available lenses. At the end of the story, everyone should just look at the lenses available for both systems, and decide which one fits better to his needs. So no winner here… even though I think that Fujinon glass is hard to beat.

Price

Now that’s the best argument to go for the Sony A6300 over the X-Pro2.

So what?

In my eyes and for my needs, the only advantage I see for the A6300 is AF… in theory. But if the X-Pro2 AF is really as good as all the reviewer (and my sources) say, then I can’t see myself ditching the great Fujinon Glass, the vintage design, the timeless “analog-alike” controls and Fuji’s Kaizen spirit for the Sony.

But I’m a fanboy.. so feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments down below. ;)

stay tuned,
Fuji X Forum, Facebook, RSS-feed and Twitter

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It was a long wait, but it’s finally here: the Kaizen X-E2 FW4.00! Tons of new features, like the Electronic shutter, the new AF-system and so much more. Download your new camera (for free) here. – Undocumented feature in the changelog: support to Instax Share

The camera is now basically identical to the X-T10. So if you want to learn more about all the new features & get some tips how to make the best use of them, you can grab Rico’s Fujifilm X-T10 book (40% discount with code FUJIRUMORS16).

Fuji also release the new Firmware for X-T1 (ver. 4.30) here and the X-T10 Firmware 1.20 here.

happy download :-) ,
Fuji X Forum, Facebook, RSS-feed and Twitter

shared by FR-reader Dirk on Facebook

X-E2 FIRMWARE DETAILS

You might remember how back in November we shared the news that Panasonic will talk about an Ultra Low Noise 120dB+ (!!) Dynamic Range organic sensor on February 1st.

Well, we now have more details about it. Panasonic and Fujifilm are developing a 123dB dynamic range organic sensor (press release here) with global shutter (press release here).

Dicahub speculates that this might be the reason why Fujfilm is building a new plant for advanced semiconductor materials in Taiwan (press release here)

From the Organic Sensor press text:

Panasonic Corporation today announced that it has developed a new wide-dynamic-range[1] technology which can improve simultaneous-capture wide dynamic range[2] 100 times wider than the conventional results, using a CMOS image sensor with an organic photoconductive film (OPF)*2 ^{[we are using an organic photoconductive film (OPF) that FUJIFILM Corporation has developed.]} .

From the Global Shutter press text:

Panasonic Corporation today announced that it has developed a new highly functional global shutter^[1]technology for CMOS image sensor using organic photoconductive film (OPF)^{*1 [we are using an organic photoconductive film (OPF) that FUJIFILM Corporation has developed.]} . This technology enables to capture high speed moving object up to 10 times brighter^*2 scene in global shutter mode. In OPF CMOS image sensor, charge-storage function and photoelectric-conversion function can be set independently. By utilizing the unique feature of OPF CMOS image sensor, this technology solves the degradation of saturation signal^[2] in conventional image sensor with global shutter function. Motion direction can be detected from acquired object’s signal level in one picture by fine control of shutter sensitivity by changing applied voltage to OPF which is hardly realized by conventional CMOS image sensors.

The newly developed highly functional global shutter technology contributes to high speed image sensing of moving objects without image distortion which appears in conventional shutter operation under very bright scene. We expect this technology to be used widely in motion capture applications and also extend to other applications that have been thought to be difficult to realize unless high saturation global shutter or variable sensitivity multiple exposure.

The new technology has the following advantages.

This development is based on the following new technologies.

Panasonic holds 60 Japanese patents and 41 overseas patents (including pending) related to this technology.

Panasonic will present part of the research at the international conference ISSCC (International Solid-State Circuit Conference) 2016 which is to be held in San Francisco, USA on January 31 to February 4.