Fujifilm Designers Talk X-S20 Camera Body and User Interface (and AI Camera Future)

On a recent visit to Japan, Johnnie had the chance to visit FUJIFILM’s new design center and talk to Aida-san, who designed the Fujifilm X-S20, other cameras as well as the legendary cooling fan, and Nagai-san, who was in charge of designing the camera User Interface.

Above the video (and below some excerpts from it). Check out also the article on CineD here.

  • When the planning for a new product starts, we list all the new features and requirements for improvements on existing features are advised
  • User interface (UI) designers design the UI to make the UI it easy to use
  • the challenge was to keep size small despite using a much larger battery
  • the cooling fan solution was appreciated by the users
  • designing the grip is always difficult. In prototype stage they let several people with different sized hands hold the camera to get to the best shape possible
  • Aida-san is proud of having designed a small camera that achieves a comfortable balance between size and comfort
  • her dream camera to design would be a film camera
  • when asked if it would be possible, thanks to AI, to talk to the camera and dictate the settings to it, Nagai-san said it would be possible. The X series supports 35 languages, so it might be hard to support them all
  • subject detection incorporates the learning effects of AI
  • more AI features will be added in future
  • it’s important to continue to explore the possibilities of AI for photography
  • Nagai-san is particularly proud of designing the menu for the new Vlog mode
  • Fujifilm wants to design a UI that satisfies everyone from first-time camera users to professional photographers

Fuji’s Fifth Generation Gear

RUMOR: Fujifilm X-S20 Coming with Smarter Subject Tracking than X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S (Automatic Subject Detection)

Fujifilm X-S20 vs X-T5/X-H2/X-H2S

There will be a new king in the Fujifilm X world when it comes to subject tracking smartness, and it will be the Fujifilm X-S20 (which is coming on May 24).

Why?

Because the Fujifilm X-S20 will have an extended automatic subject/scene detection mode compared to the one already available on the Fujifilm X-S10.

Let me explain.

When you rotate the mode dial of the Fujifilm X-S10 to AUTO, the X-S10 will automatically recognize the scene (landscape, macro, night, sunset, sky, etc) and adjust camera settings accordingly. And I believe it even sets the film simulation automatically based on which one it thinks would work best for that scene.

I hear you: unless you are a beginner who just switched to a real camera from a smartphone, you can live happily also without this feature.

But the thing is that the Fujifilm X-S20 will bring this AUTO switch to the next level.

The Fujifilm X-S20 will be capable to track all the subjects that the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S can already track:

The difference?

On the X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S, every time you want to track a different subject, you have to go into the menu and select the subject you want to track (car, bird, animal, etc). And if you want to track a person, you have to disable subject tracking and enable face/eye tracking.

But that’s not how it works on the Fujifilm X-S20.

In fact, the Fujifilm X-S20 will be capable to track it all automatically. It will simply recognize what’s in your frame (a child, a dog, a bird, etc) and start tracking it without any need for you to go into the menu and make specific selections.

The automatic subject detection is actually something that fellow Fujifilm X shooters requested since the X-H2S was launched and I am happy to see that Fujifilm figured it out and will soon offer it on the Fujifilm X-S20.

Of course my hope now is that Fujifilm will release a firmware update that will bring this tracking smartness also to the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S.

I mean, it would evade any logic if the base model X-S20 would have this feature but higher end Fujifilm models not.

A firmware update urges. Thank you Fujifilm.

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Fujifilm Firmware Updates for X-H2s (Improved Subject Detection and Tracking), X-H2, FT-XH File Transmitter Grip and XC15-45


Fujifilm has released firmware updates for the following gear:

Down below all the details and download links.

Rumors and Discussions

Firwmare Details

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Notification of Application of Public Medical Insurance to the New Gene Detection Kit “SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR Detection kit” for Coronavirus that Greatly shortens PCR Test Time

We reported on April 3, how Fujifilm was developing a fast test for Coronovirus. Here are the latest updates form Fujifilm.

Notification of application of public medical insurance to the new gene detection kit “SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR Detection kit” for coronavirus that greatly shortens PCR test time (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical)

translated from Japanese

May 1, 2020 FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.

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Fujifilm X-A7 Beats Fujifilm X-T3 Face/Eye Autofocus, but Firmware Update for X-T3 / X-T30 is Coming

Earlier today Fujifilm announced the Fujifilm X-A7, actually a very nice and capable camera. You can see the full X-A7 launch coverage here.

Among the others, the Fujifilm X-A7 comes with an improved face and eye detection autofocus, that, according to information Maarten Heilbron has received from Fujifilm, is better than the one on the Fujifilm X-T3 and Fujifilm X-T30.

This is confirmed also by DPR, who said (also shared in our live blog):

Fujifilm has hinted that new AF algorithms will allow the X-A7 to perform as well or better than the X-T30/X-T3.

The good news:

As Maarten Heilbron disclosed in his Fujifilm X-A7 video shared in our live blogging, Fujifilm told him they will release a firmware update to bring the Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T30 eye/face AF on par with the Fujifilm X-A7.

Now, today Fujifilm also released a firmware update for the Fujifilm X-T3 (ver.3.01 here), but this just fixes a bug, and is NOT the firmware update Maarten is talking about.

FujiRumors already rumored, that Kaizen firmware updates are in the work and ready to be disclosed soon. They might bring AF improvements, as Maarten says, but also other new features, like the “live light trail“, also already available on the X-A7, and of course you can see this feature in action at our X-A7 live blog.

I know that’s a lot of information for our fellow American readers, who just woke up and suddenly have to digest all this info, so make sure to check back our previous articles.

  • fujirumors.com – Fujifilm X-A7 live blogging – New features, first looks and press release
  • fujirumors.com – Fujifilm X-T3 firmware 3.01 released

And of course, do not forget to:

Fujinon GF Lens Firmware 1.10 Released for Fujifilm GFX100 Phase Detection AF Support

Fujifilm has released a firmware update for all Fujinon GF lenses, to support phase detection autofocus on Fujifilm GFX100.

Compatibility with Phase detection AF function is added.
Currently, this upgrade is for GFX100 with the Phase detection AF function.

Download Firmware 1.10 for:

Also, Fujifilm has released Fujifilm X-T30 firmware 1.10.

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Fujifilm GFX 100: B&H Photo, AmazonUS, Adorama, Focuscamera

The GFX Community

GF Lens Deals

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Fujifilm GFX100 Phase Detection Pixel Banding and Pixel Shift Multishot Solution

the black line in the center part has been manually added by Bill from Photons to Photos
the black line in the center part has been manually added by Bill from Photons to Photos

Fujifilm GFX100

For years, mirrorless cameras lagged behing DSLRs in terms of autofocus speed.

In order to catch up, companies started to incorporate phase detection pixels on their sensors, and modern cameras have phase detection pixels spread all over the sensors, very much to the delight of photographers, who enjoy fast autofoucs, eye autofocus all over the frame and reliable subject tracking.

But no technology is perfect, and so also phase detection has its downside.

When pushed to the extreme (meaning extreme shadow recovery for example), sensors with phase detection pixels can show some banding.

This has been documented with Nikon, Sony and so forth, and of course Fujifilm is no exception. They all use the same Sony sensor at the end of the day :).

It looks like also the Fujifilm GFX100 is (unsurprisingly) showing the same banding issue, when its RAW files are pushed to the extreme.

In fact, the Fujifilm GFX100 sensor has

  • a total of 3.78 million phase detection pixels
  • 7,776 PDAF pixels every 18 lines

The more phase detection pixels a sensor has, the more you can use phase detection also in lower light.

Bill Claff from Photons to Photos has published a Fujifilm GFX100 sensor heatmap (via dpreview), showing a short black line every 18 rows (see image above).

Should we panic?

I guess not. Or we could just throw any modern mirrorless camera into the garbage that uses phase detection pixels (unless it’s X-Trans ;) ).

It’s, as always, a tradeoff.

Do you want faster autofocus? Or do you want RAW files that even when pushed to its limits and beyond don’t show banding?

The Solution

First off: Fujifilm is fine tuning the firmware for the Fujifilm GFX100, and of course they are aware of banding. They are working to optimize sensor readout and the final firmware will show, how much banding the camera will really have.

But in any case, there is partially a solution to that, even without optimized and final firmware.

As I told you already months ago, Fujifilm is working to bring pixel shift multishot into the Fujifilm GFX100.

The original goal was to have it ready for GFX100 launch, but it needs a bit more time of development.

But pixel shift mulitshot will come, and as we have seen from other phase detection mirrorless cameras offering this feature, pixel shift reduces or even eliminates banding completely.

So, as long as you are shooting static subjects on a tripod and use pixel shift multishot, you won’t have any issues with banding.

Fujifilm GFX 100: B&H Photo, AmazonUS, Adorama, Focuscamera

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Full set of "false color" images where the colors are just used to help show structure as opposed to randomness.
Full set of “false color” images where the colors are just used to help show structure as opposed to randomness.

Fujifilm GFX100 First Look: “Medium Format is Boss. All GF Lenses Need Firmware Update for Phase Detection AF Support”

Fujifilm GFX100

BHphoto went hands on with the Fujifilm GFX100. You can see their full video here.

  • no dials, feels like a camera of 2019
  • extreme cropping capability
  • autofocus feels like X-T3. Not that super fast, since it the AF motor has to move more glass inside GF lenses, but very very fast
  • all GF lenses need a firmware update to support phase detection AF
  • bigger glass is just a completely different look compared to full frame
  • vertical grip too sleek. Should be more rubberized and ergonomic
  • aimed at professionals and enthusiasts
  • for sports and wildlife there are higher frame rates options. But the GFX100 goes at 5fps
  • they tested the 5fps, and it hit every frame
  • video is a huge leap over what Fujifilm GFX50S and GFX50R can do
  • Medium Format is Boss! It’s ridiculous to compare it to full frame

Check out the full BHphoto GFX100 video here.

Fujifilm GFX 100: B&H Photo, AmazonUS, Adorama, Focuscamera

The GFX Community

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Fujifilm GFX Deals

Fujifilm GFX100 First Looks: 95% Eye Detection Success Rate, Great Skin Tones and $10,000 is Actually a Good Price

Fujifilm GFX100 Hands On Reviews

Matt Granger went hands on with the Fujifilm GFX100.

He starts by saying that he does not get any attention by Fujifilm, and was not invited to Japan for the launch. So he needed to wait for the Fujifilm GFX100 to be displayed at a photography fair, and all he could do is to talk to Fuji reps there and go only shortly hands on with the camera. So what he can share for now is only a quick first look.

Other major youtube channels also complaint about Fujifilm not flying them to exclusive events around the world (which is what Sony does all the time). If this is good or bad, I leave the judgement to you.

  • keithwee – Availing The Future | Fujifilm GFX100 review Part II

Back to Matt and his first impressions:

The Good

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Fujifilm X-T30 Eye Detection Quick Test and Coming to Fujifilm X-T3 in April

Eye AF Test

ZedProMedia annd Krzysztof Basel made a quick Fujifilm X-T30 eye detection autofocus tests.

Zed seems to be very happy with it, and says it is definitely better than the current eye-AF on the Fujifilm X-T3. He tested it with subjects at 15 feet (4.5 meters) distance and it was still tracking the eye.

We remind you that the Fujifilm X-T3 will get a firmware update with the upgraded eye/face autofocus tracking in April.