FUJINON Lens GF30mmF3.5 R WR Note: Fujifilm writes GF30mmF3.5 but show the image of the GF30mmF5.6 TS, so I guess this was a typo and what they mean is the tilt shift lens
DPReview met up with Yuji Igarashi, Professional Imaging Group Manager, and Makoto Oishi, Head of Product Planning in Stockholm for the launch of the Fujifilm GFX100 II.
Here is a recap and below the link to the full interview.
But since the buzz is big and many headlines compare it to Fujifilm’s retro approach (like our Italian friends at Promirrolress here that gave it the headline: “the Nikon Zf makes Fujifilm tremble“), I thought to launch a dedicated article mainly so that you guys can discuss about it in the comments.
My comment?
In short: I love what Nikon did with the Nikon Zf, even though there are reasons I still consider Fujifilm the better pick.
What Nikon did right
The problem is this:
Pretty much all mid and higher end mirrorless cameras you can buy today are excellent.
At the same time, there is not much innovation anymore in terms of sensors. The last big jump was achieved with the stacked sensor. Since then, we are still waiting for the next big thing (global shutter?), but that “big thing” seems to be still far away.
So the question is: what could motivate people to buy a new camera, if what they have is already so good and the new gear does not really bring groundbreaking new specs to the table?
Is a 20% faster sensor readout or a 10% higher autofocus accuracy really a reason to upgrade gear?
I don’t think so.
But what could work as a much bigger motivation to upgrade than a slightly faster sensor readout is to offer a completely different photographic experience over the mainstream thanks to dedicated dials, retro look and feel, vintage manual controls.
Because even if the camera might be identical in terms of specs to many other cameras, it will still be able to offer something completely different thanks to the retro approach.
Also, in times where camera companies have to find ways to draw younger generations into their systems, the retro style could be paradoxically something that achieves exactly that goal, as we can see from the terrific success of the Fujifilm X100V.
That’s why I believe the Nikon Zf will become a terrific success. It is the one thing that sets it apart from all other Nikon Z cameras (except for the Nikon Zfc of course).
Nikon Zf or Fujifilm?
The Nikon Zf uses the same 24MP sensor of the Nikon Z6II. And we know from Photons to Photos dynamic range measurements data, that it is marginally better in terms of dynamic range over the 40MP Fujifilm X-H2 with X-Trans sensor (Z6II has a PDR of 11.26 vs X-H2 a PDR of 10.75).
But that’s actually not the point.
Other aspects are more relevant. The Nikon Zf has:
no joystick
no dual UHS-II card slot
no awesome film simulations
lenses without aperture ring
less megapixel than X-T5
more than 30% heavier than my X-T5 (plus the bigger full frame lenses, without aperture ring)
Now these are just a few things that make the Nikon Zf not a temptation for me. But for many others these might not be an issue at all.
I am not bashing on the Nikon Zf. On the contrary, I applaud and welcome it, and it is the first camera from another brand that actually grabs my interest for more than just 5 minutes. ;).
I believe the Nikon Zf will become a terrific success. And I certainly wish it to Nikon. More vintage cameras on the market are always welcome and refreshing over the plethora of PSAM dial cameras out there.
Fujifilm USA manager Michael Bulbenko has shared a video called “Understanding Fujifilm GFX100II“.
Now, I will let you watch the video below, where he runs over the specs.
But there is one thing that Michael Bulbenko says that I’d like to hightlight because I haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere else:
better autofocus accuracy: “the GFX100II has a 21% improvement in the hit rate of locking on to focus compared to GFX100S“
That’s of course a welcome improvement if you shoot in autofocus continous.
More accuracy combined with higher frames per second (8fps on GFX100II vs 5fps on GFX100S) will lead to more keepers.
But I dare to say that, if you are like me and shoot with your GFX in single AF or max 3 fps, then the 21% improvement are welcome, but not crucial.
What’s more important , for my shooting style, is the new autofocus algorithm and how reliable it is in tracking eyes/faces/subjects before I even press the shutter button.
My X-T5 is a huge step forward in this regard compared to anything else I owned before in the X series.
If the GFX100II has the same “confidence”, then this would be a big deal for me.
We are Saying it Wrong
Also curious: throughout the entire video Michael calls the GFX100II “the second” and not “two“.
And just today, Fujifilm USA released one of their fun product launch videos where they underline again that it’s “the second” and not “two”.
I guess the memo did not arrive to Fujifilm Japan, because during the Fujifilm X Summit, the Japanese managers kept calling it Fujifilm GFX100 “two” ;).
With that said, you can enjoy both videos down below.
This LUT file and IDT file is to edit the movie data below when the data is edited by a movie editor on your PC or Mac.
<F-Log 3D-LUT file / F-Log IDT file>
* F-Log movie data recorded with GFX100 II, GFX100S, GFX100, X-E4, X-S10, X-S20, X-T30 II, X-T30, X-T2, X-T3, X-T4, X-T5, X-Pro3, X-H1, X-H2S, X-H2 and X100V
<F-Log2 3D-LUT file / F-Log2 IDT file >
* F-Log2 movie data recorded with GFX100 II, X-H2S, X-H2, X-T5 and X-S20.
CineD sat down with product planning manager Makoto Oishi-san and product planner Taiji Yoneda-san to talk about the GFX line and what makes the Fujifilm GFX100 II special.
You can and should watch the 24 minutes video above. But if you are in a hurry, I will provide also a quick summary below.
There is also a little section about firmware udpates, where Johnnie from CineD asks for one feature available on X-S20 to come via firmware update to GFX100II, and one available on GFX100II to come to X-H2, X-H2S, X-T5 and X-S20.
In short: if the request from users is strong, Fujifilm might make it happen. So guys, you know what you have to do in the comments now ;).
So yes, it was high time for a GFX party and looking back X shooter should just accept this happily.
However, there is one thing that Fujifilm could do, rather easily, to turn the next GFX-centric X summit into an epic day also for Fujifilm X shooters.
What is it?
Well, we know that the Fujifilm GFX100 II will come with new features not even available on flagship X series model until now.
In 2023 we have so far spotted three Fujifilm registrations, with 2 items still to come
FF220002 = Fujifilm X-S20
FF230001 = very likely Fujifilm GFX100II
FF230002 = yet unknown
We know for sure that one of the yet to be released items will be the Fujifilm GFX100II.
So what could be the second one?
I’ve read all sorts of speculations, from the Fujifilm GFX50R successor, the Fujifilm X-Pro4, Fujifilm X-E5, Fujifilm X-T6, Fujifilm X-T40, Fujifilm X80, Fujifilm X-H3, Fujifilm X-H3S, Fujifilm X100VI or X200 and more.
But those “rumors” appeared also ahead of the X Summit on May 24, and of course none of it materialized.
Here on FujiRumors we avoid to share fakes for traffic and SEO. That’s why all we rumored so far for 2023 were the X-S20 (code name FF220002) and the Fujifilm GFX100II (probably the FF230001).
So yes, there is still one piece of gear, the FF230002, that should come this year. But which camera will it be?
Again, I have absolutely no rumors about other cameras coming in 2023, so an idea came to me:
What if it’s not a camera?
What if it’s something else?
Because keep in mind that these registrations don’t say anything about “cameras”, but about gear that uses some sort of WiFi/Bluetooth frequencies.
So, with that in mind, and given the lack of rumors for another camera coming in 2023, I see three options:
Fujifilm will launch a new camera with the code name FF230002 in 2023, but FujiRumors simply does not know about it yet
Fujifilm will launch a new camera with the code name FF230002 in 2024
Fujifilm will launch an X-H alike file transmitter grip along with the GFX100II on September 12, and the grip has the code FF230002
Now, I don’t have rumors about any GFX100II file transmitter grip, but I have rumors about the GFX100II having an optional (and not integrated) battery grip, which could make option 3 likely.
Sure, also option 1 and 2 are still open. Especially if on September 12 the GFX100 II will come without any file transmitter grip.
But as we documented here it usually takes Fujifilm not more than 4 months (in two cases only it took them 6 months) to launch a camera after the registration has been spotted. And since the FF230002 registration appeared back in June here, the likelihood of a 2023 launch is very high.
And sure, there can always be a surprise camera. Maybe scheduled for launch later this year, maybe in November (X-T5 was launched in November too). I am just a rumor site and don’t claim to always know everything that will happen in the Fujifilm world. But maybe you remember the famous Fujifilm camera roadmap shared by Fuji Spain, in which they displayed two “disruptive” cameras coming for 2023. Well, if that roadmap was accurate, then the X-S20 and GFX100II would be those cameras and we can’t expect anything else coming this year.
But if that was the case, if nothing else would not come in 2023, then don’t worry, because as we already told you, the start into 2024 will be bombastic ;).
