From the Fujifilm site:

Fujifilm Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of Film Simulation capable RAW conversion software “RAW FILE CONVERTER EX 2.0 powered by SILKYPIX (Ver.4.1.0.0)”. The software will be available to download for free from 26th February 2015.

Compatible models: X-T1, X-A2, X100T, X30, XQ2
Future compatible models: X-PRO1, X-E2, X-E1, X-M1- X-A1, X100/S, X20, X10, XQ1, XF1

NEW X-DEALS

X-SERIES CAMERAS

X-T1 + 18-135 WR (save $200 – price $1699): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /

X-T1 + 18-55 (save $100 – price $1599): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
X-T1 Black Body (save $100 – price $1199): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
X-T1 Graphite Body (save $100 – price $1399): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /

X-E2 Body (save $100 –  price $699): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
X-E2 + 18-55 (save $100 – price $999): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /

X30 (save $100 – price $499): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
XQ1 (save $100 – price $299): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama

XF LENSES

XF 18-135mm (save $200 –  price $699): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
XF 18mm (save $200 – price $399):  BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
XF 60mm (save $200 – price $449): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /

XF 23mm (save $150 –  price $749): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
XF 56mm (save $150 – price $849): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
XF 14mm (save $150 – price $749): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
XF 10-24mm (save $150 – price $849): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
XF 27mm (save $150 – price $299): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /

XF 35mm (save $100 – price $499): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
XF 18-55mm (save $100 – price $599): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /
XF 55-200mm (save $100 – price $599): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama /

Fujifilm just announced a tethered capture Plug-In for Adobe for those X-shooters, who purchased the HS_V5 software.

“The plug-in will be available to download from 26th February 2015 for customers that have purchased the “HS-V5 for Windows® Ver.1.0” software. To obtain “Tethered Capture Plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®”, a “HS-V5 for Windows® Ver.1.0” installed Windows PC is required.”

Fuji X-guru Rico Pfirstinger tells us more about it and also how to use the HS-V5 on Windows & Mac:

“HS-V5 only runs on Windows, so Mac OS users will have to install a (virtual) Windows machine on their computer. Personally, I was using Parallels Desktop and Windows 8.1 to check out a pre-release version of HS-V5 on my MacBook Pro.”

Read more at Rico’s XPC special: “X-T1: Tethering with Adobe Lightroom and Fujifilm HS-V5“!

FR-reader Sascha shared 2 days ago the following comment on FR: “Go get the nissin i40 flash,turn it to manual, hold test button for three seconds, watch the lamp next to the m for manual go on and off. You just turned on high speed sync. Even though fuji claims to not support hss it works just fine up to 1/4000!!! I tested it!! You just have to find out what shutter speed you need first. Then turn on flash put the right dial on the speed you need, aim and shoot… Done!”

Also wimarys talks about the “Nissin Trick”, and shows you how to enable sync speeds up to 1/4000 on your x-series camera using the Nissin i40.

1. Turn the i40 to manual mode
2. Press and hold test button for three seconds
3. Watch the lamp next to the m for manual go on and off. You just turned on high speed sync!
4. Turn on flash put the right dial on the speed you need
5. HSS works up to 1/4000

Or, as photomadd says: “To activate the HSS you need do is turn the flash to manual, press and hold the test button for 3 seconds, which if you don’t know (as I didn’t!) is the power LED. After 3 seconds the LED next to the manual control will flash. Unfortunately you are now not in TTL mode so it will only sync with the manual flash controls, but that is good enough.”

Thanks Vadim and Travis for the links

Mirrorless vs dSLR

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The latest CIPA reports are online. You can download all the statistics at the CIPA site here, or go directly to the excellent summary and graphs made by Dicahub.

The reports confirm (once more) that shipments for all types of cameras are decreasing.

So let’s focus on the little good news for mirrorless shooters: Non-Reflex (*) is increasing when compared to the same month of previous year, while dSLRs decreased. Mirrorless is now at about 25% (until mid 2013 it was mostly under 20%) – see DicaHub graph above.

That’s a positive trend for mirrorless, but still not as positive as some companies expected. In fact, DicaHub reminds us how Panasonic forecasted mirrorless would reach 28% in 2014. Also Samsung’s prediction that mirrorless will sell better than dSLR in 3 years is a bold claim.

(*) Non-Reflex” includes cameras such as so-called mirrorless cameras, compact system cameras, rangefinder cameras with interchangeable lens and interchangeable unit system cameras, and similer cameras.

Mirrorless vs dSLR vs compact camera

Lensvid Video Summary

So what do you want first, the bad news or the good news? Let’s start with the bad news.

But before we start, just a quick note about the graph. For the first time, BCNRanking decided to base their statistics not only on the Top 20 Products, but they consider the “Brand Shares”. Therefore, in the graph above made by DicaHub, you can see it divided in two parts, the Top 20 Products (until 2013) and the Brand Shares (in 2014)

The Bad

According to the latest BCNRanking, the Fujifilm mirrorless market share is of just 5% (in Japan). Ricoh, Nikon, Canon, Sony, Panasonic and Olympus sell more mirrorless cameras than Fujfilm.

The Good

But let’s put the figures into the proper context. While it’s true that Fujifilm is still the smallest (but coolest ;) ) CSC system in this ranking, there are signs of hope in 2014. Let’s take a look at the 2 different rankings…  and keep always in mind that these numbers are for the Japanese CSC camera market only (which is the biggest mirrorless market, though)!

Also, keep in mind that more market shares doesn’t necessary mean more profits.

THE 2010 to 2014 YEAR RANKING
(see graph above)

Fujifilm didn’t appear at all in the BCNRanking until 2013 included. But now, in 2014, the X-series gained 5% market share. Looking at the evolution starting from 2010, we can see how only Sony, Canon and Fuji are increasing, while Olympus, Panasonic and Nikon are decreasing.

THE 2014 MONTHLY RANKING
(see graph at the bottom)

If we take a closer look month to month ranking in 2014, we will see different results. In this ranking Olympus, Panasonic, Canon and Fujifilm are increasing, while Sony and Nikon decreasing.

Interesting also to note that Canon said that their goal is to get the biggest mirrorless shares until 2017… so they will soon attack aggressively the CSC market. A Full Frame CSC-Canon is rumored to come… and more. Just check out the CanonWatch rumor section to read more about it.

So these are the statistics… now it’s up to you to make your considerations in the comments.

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the 2014 Month to Month ranking