I discovered and started following Palle Schultz’ work (and youtube channel) 4 months ago, after I saw him wearing one of my fair trade T-shirts at the Fujifilm Nordic “Behind the frame” Series… btw, we raised $3,500 for Free Education for kids in Cambodia.. ;).
Back to Palle Schultz: as an official Fuji X Photographer, he had access to the behind the scenes of the Fuji booth (and to the GFX), and he decided to document his stay at Photokina 2016 in his original video “Handheld Photokina 2016 Impressions” (filmed with X-T2). It’s a good way to close the 1 week Photokina marathon… no more interviews, no more talks… just video, music and editing by Palle himself.
I’ll share two more videos from his youtube channel below, “The biggest fail of the Fujifilm X-Pro2” and “Should you shoot RAW or JPG, with Fujifilm cameras?”
Fuji Guys – Fujifilm Photokina 2016 Booth Tour at youtube
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Big print made out of an images taken with the Fujifilm GFX
GFX Hands-On Report at ivanjoshualoh
Mirrorlessrumors calculated the FF eqivalent focal length AND aperture for the new Fujinon GF lenses. Here they are:
23mm f/4.0 in Full Frame 18mm f/3.4
32-64mm f/4.0 in Full Frame 25-51mm f/3.4
45mm f/2.8 in Full Frame 36mm f/2.4
63mm f/2.8 in Full Frame 50mm f/2.4
110mm f/2.0 in Full Frame 78mm f/1.7
120mm f/4.0 in Full Frame 95mm f/3.4
Fuji says it clearly (again) no plans for full-frame system after GFX. Interview at camerajabber
There is a lot of buzz at the Fujifilm GFX facebook group in these days. Fellow X-shooters share thoughts and hands on experience with Fuji’s latest gem. One of these is Joel, who compared the Hasselblad X1D and the Fujifilm GFX… and then wrote in this post:
Hasselblad X1D
I spent more time with this camera, including 30 minutes alone with it in a studio. Pros: It is more beautiful (my personal opinion), smaller, weather sealed, and available now-ish (preorders should all be fulfilled by November). It feels really good in the hand. Well balanced. Cons: it has fewer lenses, it has no zoom lens (yet), a higher price (I assume), it feels less rugged, and it is warm to the touch when powered on. Those MF sensors create a lot of heat!
Fujifilm GFX:
I spent about 15 minutes with it and took a few photos of other people who were in the room. Pros: there are more announced lenses, including a zoom, it is weather sealed, it feels more rugged and it will presumably cost less. Cons: it is larger, not as attractive, and it is not available for several more months.
One reason for the Fuji being larger is the placement of the battery. It is not in the handgrip, like many cameras (including the Hassy X1D), but rather it is between the sensor and the rear screen. The battery is inserted from the left side (if you are holding it like you would shoot with it). This makes the body much thicker, but it separates the two heat sources (the sensor and the screen) from each other and keeps the camera cooler. I understand this choice from an engineering perspective, but I think it makes the camera larger and less attractive.
To me, there is no clear winner yet. They are both very tempting. I look forward to learning more over time. Ultimately, it’s up to each photographer to decide which tool is right for themselves.
This short video shows how the big shutter moving in front of the sensor
Amateurphotographer had a talk with Sony Manager Legend Kimio Maki, the creator of RX series and A7 series (so not really a Fuji Fanboy). It’s all about the A7 series and especially the Sony A99II (which I took some shots with at Photokina and shared the video with SAR here).
At the very end the Sony Manager says one sentence also regarding the Fujifilm X-T2, when amateurphotographer asked:
Q: Are fast-focusing mirrorless cameras like the Fujifilm X-T2 a threat to Sony Alpha 7-series customers? A: Yes. In terms of speed we have learned a lot from Fujifilm, Canon and other competitors. There’s still a lot more to learn of course and we don’t have the same kind of weapon right now. We have to create something new.
I wish the Fujifilm X-T2 would also ship as fast as it shoots ;)
As you might know, after my first day at Photokina I joined a Fuji X Photowalk… to relax a bit after a busy day. The organizer of the photowalk, wedding photographer Jörg Kampers, had the X-T2 with the XF 56mmF1.2.
Well, we were walking on the famous bridge towards the cathedral, when a runner came along. Jörg took his X-T2 with the 56mmF1.2 and shot a burst of images… wide open at F1.2. When we watched the images on the rear screen, I was just like “what the ****”… they where all in focus! Maybe Joerg was just lucky, or maybe he has particular sport photography skills, but I was really surprised by the performance of the X-T2. See by yourself and download the images on dropbox! – Thanks Jörg Kampers
Or maybe, those Fuji guys, who develop the Firmware, just got it right!
NOTE 1: Sounds incredible, but this is what the Sony Manager confirmed indeed. He confirmed there is a threat coming from the X-T2 due to the faster AF. Don’t blame me for that. NOTE 2: I don’t want to start the war: “Sony is better, no, Fuji is better”. But until now many accused us X-shooters to be “fanboys” when we said the X-T2 has awesome AF. Now a non-fanboy like a Sony Manager aknowledged that the Fuji X-T2 has really a fast AF. He even goes so far to say that, on the A7 series “we don’t have this weapon right now“. That said, Sony has awesome cameras, too. We all know that. NOTE 3: A camera is not only AF speed. You may love Sony, or Fuji, or Olympus, or whatever based on the various aspects that are important for you
A FR-reader send me these two Fujifilm GFX Vs. Hasselblad X1D Size Comparisons. Feel free to make some more of these ;)
Fujifilm GFX Vs. Hasselblad X1D
Commenting a video of Matt Granger, my buddy at mirrorlessrumors listed a few points, where he thinks the Hasselblad X1C 50c beats the Fujifilm GFX 50S
It’s available now while the GFX will be available in no less than six months
The X1D-50c is a bit more compact than the Fuji
The Hasselblad lenses do have leaf shutter
The Hasselblad goes up to 25,600 ISO (1 stop more than the Fuji)
That’s personal: Without having used the respective menus it looks like the Hasselblad menu is…nicer
…. and let me add…
Not limited to 125x Synch Speed thanks to leaf shutter.
It’s quite early for any real comparison, since just a bunch of people could actually hold the GFX for a few minutes only. But there are a few things we can clearly list as advantages for the Fujifilm GFX, or where it can keep up with the X1D. Some of the points have been shared in this X1D Vs GFX post on the Fujifilm GFX facebook group.
Of course we appreciate any addition or corrections.
The Fujifilm GFX will be cheaper (body+lens+viewfinder “way under” $10,000 – that’s Fuji’s word) – that’s quite a bit cheaper than the Hasselblad X1D
The Fujifilm GFX has a higher resolution viewfinder (2.36M-dot Vs. 3.69 M-dot) and maybe also a bigger one. For sure the one of the GFX is massive (0.85x magnification compared to 0.77x of X-T2), but I couldn’t find any data regarding the Hasselblad magnification at their official Specs page here.
The GFX viewfinder can be articulted thanks to an adapter.
The GFX has a 3 way tilting screen (Hasselblad fixed screen)
The GFX shoots Full-HD at 30fps (the Hasselblad at 25 fps)
The GFX has an electronic shutter (Hasselblad currently not. We don’t know if they will provide it with a future firmware. Hasselblad didn’t make any statements about this)
Controls: The GFX has Shutter, ISO and Aperture dials… and a little Top LCD panel
The new G mount has twelve electronic lens contacts, which will be very useful when it comes to adapting third-party lenses
There will be several adapters that will allow you to connect also leaf shutter lenses for flash work, including a Hasselblad HC adapter with leaf shutter, electronic aperture and AF-support.
Having a focal plane shutter, allows you to use also third party lenses that have no leaf shutter
The focal plane shutter allows Fuji to produce more affordable lenses with less complexity. And always keep in mind… Global Shutter is the future anyway… ;)
The max. shutter speed of the X1D is 1/2000 only (1/4000 for the Fuji GFX)
Hasselblad is still trying to survive as a company, whereas Fujifilm on the other hand is healthier… so more guarantee that the system will survive in the long-term.
The battery slides into the body from the left side rather than into the grip (like on the X1D)…which is the reason for the thickness…and more useful when the battery grip is attached or when it’s on a tripod
Fujifilm Film Simulations ;)
We can’t coment on speed now, since the GFX is still an early prototype, nor on other things that strongly depend on your personal taste (like the look or the menu layout). And we also don’t know about things like overheating etc. So to me what remains are 2 advantages for the X1D
size & weight (725g Vs. 800g – that’s at least what Kai said in his GFX first look)
leaf shutter lenses for flash work
However consider this:
Regarding the size & weight, the compactness has its price: no tilting screen, probably smaller EVF, no top LCD panel, no shutter/Iso dial, no focal plane shutter…
Regarding leaf shutter, as said above, Fujifilm will release a Hasselblad HC adapter with leaf shutter, electronic aperture and AF-support – Rico’s word. So advantage number 2 is just temporary and will be solved in future.
Overall, my very personal impression is that the Fujifilm GFX looks more like a flexible workhorse compared to the Hasselblad, whereas the X1D is definitely a modern and stylish alternative.
Both cameras are innovative products, both companies took a nice risk… and I wish both success in their Medium Format adventure.
As you know, trusted sources told us that the successor of the Fujifilm X100T, the X100F, will be launched in 2017 (orgininally planed for Photokina, but the sensor shortage due to the Kumamoto earthquake forced Fujifilm to change plans).
For those, who are still sceptical, here is another hint: DigitalRev marked the Fujifilm X100T as discontinued. The FR-reader, who passed me the link (thanks) said that a few days ago it wasn’t marked as discontinued.
After my stay at Photokina… I’m having some problems to focus on my day job again ;) … and sorry for the typo. It was 7:20 in the morning, and I’m still in burn out
