The new firmware for the Zeiss 12mm and 32mm is available here. It adds compatibility with Phase Detection AF.

On the FR-facebook wall Mike shared his first impression of the new firmware: “I have both lenses. For 2.8/12，AF speed is already moderately fast before update. It is a bit faster after update, but not remarkably faster. For 1.8/32，AF speed is a bit slow before update. It is now noticeably faster!”

At BHphoto, AmazonUS and Adorama the Zeiss lenses are still available at the discounted price of $720 for the 32/1.8 and $999 for the 12/2.8

The permanent price drop could indicate that the Touit lenses for Fuji X-mount are not selling well. I’ve heard that Zeiss will focus to produce lenses for FF CSC and DSLRs in the next time… so we shouldn’t be holding our breaths on any new Touit lenses in the near future (except for the 50mm 1:1 macro coming this spring).

and thanks for telling me via FR-facebook of the new firmware, Stefan and Mike.

Zeiss Touit 12mm [shopcountry 13645] Zeiss Touit 32mm [shopcountry 13646]

have a great day,
facebook, google+ and twitter

[UDPATE: FR-reader Matt placed his XF 56mm pre-order on the first day. He told me that BHphoto is now ready to ship the lens.]

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XF 56mm f/1.2: USA AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / eBay / – EUROPE: wexUK / wexDE / PCHstore / DigitalRev / eBay /

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[UDPATE 2: Out of stock again at wexDE and wexUK] Finally, the XF 56mm left Japan and is now in stock in Europe, at wexDE and wexUK. For a short time it was in stock also in Holland, at fotohanskeuzekamp… but as to expect it run quickly out of stock again.

It’s available also DigitalRev, but, at the moment, it would cost you some extra bucks to grab it now. Check it out here.

P.S.: The X-T1 is out of stock at BHphoto, Adorama and AmazonUS… but the US store Pictureline has still both combinations in stock now (body / kit). The body is availabe also at top rated ebayUS reseller [shoplink 22415 ebay]kenmorecamera[/shoplink] and the kit at [shoplink 22417 ebay]cameraspot[/shoplink].

X-T1 body only ($1,299): USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / eBay / DigitalRev / EU: wexDE / wexUK / PCHstore / eBay / DigitalRev /
X-T1 with 18-55 ($1,699): USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / eBay / DigitalRev / EU: wexDE / wexUK / PCHstore / eBay / DigitalRev /

XF lens deals + how to order from Europe
(great deals also if you pre-order from Europe. Read more here.)

BHphoto: New Benefits for International Customers: PayPal now open to all countries!

Here is how it goes according to the German FR-reader Oleg, who bought the 27mm for €223: “The price is 199$, the delivery is 44$. Once you choose Germany as country of delivery, on check-out on B&H to deal with duties, you you pick one of two. 1. You can check “pay duties now” and that would be 100$ and you need not go to customs office (Zollamt), since you have basically paid all in full (btw, ebay sellers offer such option as well). So, it will make 343$, or 250 Euro. You pay 343 to B&H. And hopefully nothing else. 2. You can check “pay on delivery” and all you pay is 243$, or 178 Euro to B&H. Since I am not sure about the first option (more precisely, that I will not have to pay even more custom duties) and custom office is close to Cologne, I chose the second option “pay on delivery.”

XF 14mm: $200 off (price $700) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 18mm: $200 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 23mm: $150 off (price $750) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 27mm: $250 off (price $200) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 35mm: $150 off (price $450) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 60mm: $250 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 55-200: $200 off (price $500) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline

More X-camera deals

X-E2: save $100 on the kit ($1,299) and also on the body ($899) at AmazonUS, BHphoto (4% reward), Adorama (4% reward) and Pictureline.
X-E1: get the kit for $799 at AmazonUS, BHphoto (4% reward) at and Adorama (6% reward). The body comes for just $599 at AmazonUS, BHphoto (4% reward) and Adorama (4%reward).
X-M1: Save $200 (price $599) on the kit and $200 on the body (price $499) at AmazonUS, BHphoto and Adorama.
X-A1: get it for $449 with kit lens (save $150) at AmazonUS, BHphoto and Adorama.
X-PRO1: get the body for $999!! (save $200) at AmazonUS,  Adorama (+4%reward) and BHphoto (+4%reward).

Fujifilm launched the new micro-site fuji-server.com/signature here. You can now change the “skin” of your X. The service is available in the UK for the following cameras: X10, X20, X100, X-PRO1 and X-E1

Check out all the combination and colors here.

via ephotozine

XF 56mm f/1.2
USA AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / [shoplink 21554 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] / – EUROPE: wexUK / wexDE / PCHstore / DigitalRev / [shoplink 21554 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] /

– FR-reader Roger just told me that popflash (see their eBay store here) expects a few XF 56mm units on Wednesday.

The lens is already available at fotohanskeuzekamp (Holland) here.

fotohanskeuzekamp

 X-T1

X-T1 body only ($1,299): USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / eBay / DigitalRev / EU: wexDE / wexUK / PCHstore / eBay / DigitalRev /
X-T1 with 18-55 ($1,699): USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / eBay / DigitalRev / EU: wexDE / wexUK / PCHstore / eBay / DigitalRev /

– One more review… and once more highly recommended. Cameralabs concludes their review here by saying that:

“The Fujifilm X-T1 is an outstanding camera, boasting superb image quality, a fantastic viewfinder and continuous autofocus which actually works, letting you successfully capture subjects in motion. […] It’s one of the best cameras around at this price point whether mirrorless or DSLR and one I can highly recommend. […] The X-T1 certainly delivers one of the most satisfying and enjoyable experiences at its price point, or indeed at price points twice as much. I’m confident it’ll delight both high-end enthusiasts and pros, the latter possibly buying it as a backup to a top-end DSLR and who’ll almost certainly end up using it more and more as time goes on. The Fujifilm X-T1 is very deserving of our Highly Recommended award. “

– Tom Grill completed a full hands-on review of the X-T1, giving it a pro workout in a couple of lifestyle shoots alongside a Nikon D4. Check it out here at aboutphotography: “The first thing everyone mentions about the X-T1 is its ground-breaking viewfinder, and I have to say it definitely lives up to the hype. […] The most difficult situation for continuous focus tracking is when a subject is moving towards the camera. […] The X-T1 performed this task equal to a pro-level DSLR camera, even at its highest 8fps speed. […] Auto-focus has been improved to best-of-breed and on par with many pro level DSLR’s. […] Bottom line is I can stop my search for a compact alternative to a pro-level DSLR camera system. Fuji gift wrapped it for me with the X-T1.”

– Josh McLeod: “Hi Patrick. I recently converted from shooting with a DLSR  to Mirrorless… namely Fuji X-E1 and X-T1 (and Olympus E-M1). If there is anything of interest on my website/blog about the Fuji for your readers I am more than happy contribute to the Fuji community. www.joshmcleodphotography.com“

– Bird Watching with the X-T1 at flixelpix here: “It was a great experience watching remotely, we did try and capture some flight images as the birds arrived at the feeder but it was a challenge. The Fujifilm Camera Remote app is brilliant but the idea of shooting action photography via live view all through wifi is a very big ask!”

– Carl: “Bill Fortney, professional photographer and teacher, has been sharing all week about the T1 that he has taken to St Croix.  Not only are there lots of pictures, there is teaching about the T1 and he shares his “settings” and why he uses those settings.” Read setting up your X-T1 menus here at billfortney.

– The FUJI X-T1 – Is it the best camera for manual focus ever? at soundimageplus here: “Returning to the manual focusing it’s not that surprising that this should be a superb camera for that. As has been well documented the screen is one of the best, if not the best, EVF’s out there. Since manual focusing is dependent on how well we can see the point of focus then this obviously gives the camera a real advantage. Add in the souped up super-contrasty peaking facility and it’s not hard to see why this is such a great camera for MF. It’s quick, it’s accurate and with practice it should take not much longer to focus than using AF.”

XF lens deals
(great deals also if you pre-order from Europe. Read more here.)

BHphoto: New Benefits for International Customers: PayPal now open to all countries!

XF 14mm: $200 off (price $700) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 18mm: $200 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 23mm: $150 off (price $750) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 27mm: $250 off (price $200) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 35mm: $150 off (price $450) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 60mm: $250 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 55-200: $200 off (price $500) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline

Some like it, others don’t: the ISO dial locking mechanism. If are one of those who don’t like it, then you can pre-order the “ISO-UNLOCKER” at isounlocker.com. But a minimum first production run of 250 orders is required “in order to keep costs like tooling, metallic stock, setup, machining and processing reasonable.” Once the 250 pre-orders are in, they will start to produce it, and they could be ready to ship it in May 2014.

“ISO Unlocker for the Fujifilm X-T1 is an accessory that improves the ergonomics of your camera. It’s a fully machined aircraft grade aluminum cover for your X-T1’s ISO dial. It keeps the dial lock button held down so that you can more quickly change your ISO setting on the fly. […] Designs for the ISO Unlocker are finished and prototypes are on the way but we need your help to make ISO Unlocker a reality.”

XF lens deals
(great deals also if you pre-order from Europe. Read more here.)

BHphoto: New Benefits for International Customers: PayPal now open to all countries!

XF 14mm: $200 off (price $700) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 18mm: $200 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 23mm: $150 off (price $750) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 27mm: $250 off (price $200) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 35mm: $150 off (price $450) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 60mm: $250 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 55-200: $200 off (price $500) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline

X-T1

X-T1 body only ($1,299): USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / [shoplink 21553 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] / DigitalRev / EU: wexDE / wexUK / PCHstore / [shoplink 21553 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] / DigitalRev /
X-T1 with 18-55 ($1,699): USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / [shoplink 21553 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] / DigitalRev / EU: wexDE / wexUK / PCHstore / [shoplink 21553 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] / DigitalRev /
X-T1 Vertical Battery Grip ($ 249,99): USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / EU: wexDE / wexUK /
X-T1 Hand Grip ($129.95): USA: AmazonUS / Bhphoto / Adorama / EU: wexUk / wexDE