According to a source, who was right in the past (thanks!), the Fujifilm X-PRO2 will come in January.

– – – End of the rumor – – –

There is the CES from the 6^th to 9^th of January. So maybe Fujifilm will show the X-PRO2 there. Or maybe there will be a separate announcement, like it was for the X-T1, which skipped the CES and was announced just a few weeks later at the end of January.

Anyway, we now have at least a first important hint, that the X-PRO2 will see the light exactly 4 years after the X-PRO1.

But this rumor makes me think… where is the Sony A7000 with its new APS-C sensor? SAR says it will come within a month. So. if the agreements between Sony and Fuji did not change, then Fuji has to wait about half a year before implementing the Sony A7000 sensor (with Fuji’s X-Trans CFA array) in the X-PRO2. In this case, the X-PRO2 could be announced in January, but not be available before mid March or mid April.

Or wait…. maybe… maybe the X-PRO2 will feature another sensor?

Take the usual grain of salt, but yes… it seems that we could pretty soon be relieved of a long wait and years of X-PRO2 rumor hunting could be over in Janaury… lucky me!

I admit I’m pretty exhausted… but with the power of the coffee I’ll keep it up with the rumor work until the end… burn out or not ;) .

Every help I can get from you out there is highly appreciated. You can send me emails at fujirumor@gmail.com (also using a fake email) or 100% anonymously via rumor box (but please use a nick-name, so that I can eventually recognize you if you share rumors in future)

Now where did I put my coffee? I have to fire off some emails!

have a GREAT day,
Fuji X Forum, Facebook, Google+, RSS-feed and Twitter

Rumored Specs List (TS= trusted source / NeS =New Source / AS = Anonymous Source / SRP = source who was right in the past / OS = other sites)

– APS-C sensor (TS + AS + AS)
– 24MP sensor (AS) – More than 16MP (AS)
– 1/8000 of a second mechanical shutter speed (TS)
– Sync Speed faster than 1/180^th (SRP)
– about the same size of current X-PRO1 (NeS)
– dual SD card slot (NeS)
– coming late 2015 (TS + AS)
– delayed to 2016 (TS)
– coming in January 2016 (SRP)
– weather sealed (TS)
– Two X-PRO2 version, one 24MP APS-C and one 25-27 MP ASP-X, compatible with XF/XC lenses (OS)
– coming September / October (OS + OS)
– tilt screen (AS)
– WiFi (AS)
– Non organic ASP-C X-Trans sensor (OS)
– Price about 20% to 30% more expensive than the X-T1 (AS)
– 4K video (TS + NeS)
– Faster Processor EXR III (TS)
– smaller than X-PRO1 (OS)

According to a new source, Fuji is considering to replace the “old” XF 60mmF2.4 with a newer version. The source did not share any specs and said that this will not happen before Fuji has completed the current roadmap.

End of the rumor.

The upcoming XF 35mmF2 WR (which should come in November, according to this roadmap), could indicate that Fuji considers the lens roadmap more or less complete now and therefore started to develop newer version (or variations) of older lenses…. and if this rumor is correct, the XF60mm could be a hot candidate to be updated as next.

Yes, for now this is a low rated rumor. And you know I’d like to keep a high hit rate (currently of 90%). I share it, because this is also a Great Opportunity to let Fujifilm know, which lenses FR-readers consider a priority to be updated as next (and I tell you, Fujifilm reads this blog and is interested to your thoughts.)

So which lens should Fuji update as next? Should they give us a compact XF 23mmF2? Or maybe a weather sealed version of the XF 10-24? Or is it really high time to put a faster AF into the XF 60mmF2.4?

I’ll then sum up all your ideas in a POLL, and we will let Fuji know, what FR-readers consider a priority.

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CAMERAS

X-T1 + 18-55 (save $100): AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
X-T1 Black Body (save $100): AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
X-T1 Graphite Body (save $100): AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline

LENSES

XF 16mmF1.4 WR (save $150): AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 56mmF1.2 APD (save $300): AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 56mmF1.2 (save $100): AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 14mmF2.8 (save $200): AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 23mmF1.4 (save $150): AmazonUS  / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 50-140mmF2.8 WR (save $150):  AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 10-24mmF4 (save $150):  AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 35mmF1.4 (save $200):  AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 16-55mmF2.8 WR (save $150):  AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 27mmF2.8 (save $200): AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 18mm (save $150): AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 60mm (save $200):  AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 18-135mm (save $150):  AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 55-200mm (save $150):  AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline
XF 18-55mm (save $100):  AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline

Back in February, dslrmagazine published an interesting interview with Fuji Managers.

In this interview the manager didn’t say it expressidly, but DSLRmagazine tired to read ““between the lines” of his statements,” and made his guess: the X-PRO2 will have the elegance and great operability of the Leica CL and it will be smaller than the actual X-PRO1.

I’ve launched a Poll, asking if you would like the X-PRO2 to keep the same size of the X-PRO1, or if it should be smaller.

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And now the rumor: a new source told me, that the X-PRO2 will not really be smaller than the X-PRO1. Maybe just slightly smaller, but in fact the size will remain pretty much the same. So, no real downsizing for the X-PRO2 compared to the X-PRO1.

Would this be a good news for you? Tell us in the comments what you think about it.

have a GREAT day,
Fuji X Forum, Facebook, Google+, RSS-feed and Twitter

Rumored Specs List (TS= trusted source / NeS =New Source / AS = Anonymous Source / SRP = source who was right in the past / OS = other sites)

– APS-C sensor (TS + AS + AS)
– 24MP sensor (AS) – More than 16MP (AS)
– 1/8000 of a second mechanical shutter speed (TS)
– Sync Speed faster than 1/180^th (SRP)
– about the same size of current X-PRO1 (NeS)
– dual SD card slot (NeS)
– coming late 2015 (TS + AS)
– weather sealed (TS)
– Two X-PRO2 version, one 24MP APS-C and one 25-27 MP ASP-X, compatible with XF/XC lenses (OS)
– coming September / October (OS + OS)
– Comin in 2016 (TS)
– tilt screen (AS)
– WiFi (AS)
– Non organic ASP-C X-Trans sensor (OS)
– Price about 20% to 30% more expensive than the X-T1 (AS)
– 4K video (TS + NeS)
– Faster Processor EXR III (TS)
– smaller than X-PRO1 (OS)

There is a rumor relating to Fujifilm, from the Chinese forum dc.home (translation). It has been spread by joofei, whom you probably still remember from the Wild Rumor Series (wild rumors 1, wild rumors 2 and wild rumors 3).

Joofei says, that Fujifilm, Panasonic & Toshiba are going to announce something before mid-September 2015… and once more, wild guesses started, related to organic sensor or the rumored Medium Format camera.

Everything joofei shared so far, has still be verified. So take it with the mandatory grain of salt.

WHAT WE KNOW

TOSHIBA: Fujifilm is already cooperating with Toshiba… they make the Fuji X-Trans 2/3 sensors

PANASONIC: Fujifilm is cooperating with Panasonic on the Organic Sensor

WHAT COULD BE

Is it possible, that these 3 companies joined forces to break Sony’s sensor hegemony? I don’t know, and we will probably soon see if joofei is reliable or not.

But today I want to share with you an older rumor, which I never shared in the past (yeah, I know, my obsession for beeing as reliable as possible ;) ).

The rumor I’ve received said, that the next generation of X-Trans sensor will be made by Toshiba (until now, Fuji’s APS-C sensors are made by Sony). This partnership change should be the reason for the delay of the X-PRO2.

It’s anonymous, so take it with a grain of salt. I share it today, because it could be another element of discussion in addition to what joofei said at the Forum. Anyway, since I’ve shared the Toshiba rumor, I’ll include it now into my big rumor check.

So, time again for wild specualtions !

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

PREFACE

1) Current APS-C Fuji cameras feature a Sony sensor (with special Fuji X-Trans design).
2) Fuji can use the latest generation of Sony sensors only about half a year after Sony itself implemented it in one of their cameras.
3) Therefore, any Sony A7000 sensor rumor could potentially be interesting also for the X-PRO2
4) No rumor until now says, that Fuji is going to use the Sony A7000 sensor for their X-PRO2

The Rumor

Ok, then let’s talk about the rumor SonyAlphaRumors just shared. According to the rumor of SAR, the Sony A6000 successor will hit the market soon…. very soon, maybe on the first half of September.

And here are the sensor specs:

– Best in class low light performance (backlit sensor and RGBW pixel array)
– internal 4k video recording with full sensor readout in 60fps
– extremly fast autofocus system

There is a Sony press-release of 2012 that explains how the RGBW Coding works.

The built-in “RGBW Coding” function which adds W (White) pixels to the conventional range of RGB (Red-Green-Blue) pixels has realized higher sensitivity, enabling high-quality shooting with low noise even in dark indoor or night settings. While the addition of W (White) pixels improves sensitivity, it has the problem of degrading image quality. However, Sony’s own device technology and signal processing realizes superior sensitivity without hurting image quality.

Also a Fuji patent of 2012 shows a sensor with enlarged green and  white pixels (see here). So Fujifilm at least investigated the possibility to make it. If it will become true soon, we will see.

CONCLUSION

– If it’s true, that the X-PRO2 will feature the same sensor of the A7000 (just with special X-Trans array)
– If it’s true, that Fuji has to wait about half a year before being able to use that sensor
– If it’s true that the A7000 will be announced early September

then this means that the Fuji X-PRO2 could hit the market around February/March.

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