Fujifilm Manager Interview (D.Etchells – PP): A Look into Fuji’s Deep Learning AF, Why X-T5 has No Battery Grip, Firmware Improvements and More

image courtesy "imaging-resource" - We use this image because the article at PetaPixel was done by Dave Etchells, who previously worked for imaging-resource - check it out here
image courtesy “imaging-resource” – We use this image because the article at PetaPixel was done by Dave Etchells, who previously worked for imaging-resource – check it out here

Manager Interview

David Etchells, formerly at Imaging Resource, and always highly respected for his deep technical knowledge, has now shared his talk with Fujifilm managers at the CP+ earlier this year.

As usual, David knows how to dig deep into technical details and make the right questions.

Here on FujiRumors we will provide just a short summary in bullet points for those of you who are in a hurry and want to give it a quick glance. But for the full talk you have to check out the very interesting article at petapixel.

Deep-learning based AF tracking system

  • it’s an enormous task to develop it. Tens of thousands of photos of an intended subject must be manually processed by humans
  • Fujifilm has to constantly add new elements to the training database to improve AF tracking
  • X-H2S firmware 3.0 improved mainly
    – AF tracking with fast moving subjects
    – increased the AF frequency during continuous shooting by making the algorithm more efficient and processing faster (double the AF processing speed of previous firmware)
  • they talk how certain AF improvements might come to X-T5 and X-H2 at some point – which then happened on May 24
  • Fujifilm might be the first manufacturer, who, with their latest firmware, now tightly couples AI subject recognition with conventional phase-detect-based AF tracking. David says that this is significant because AI subject recognition and conventional AF tracking are two fundamentally different processes. Getting the two to work together in close coordination is a big breakthrough.

Fujifilm X-T5 – 3 millimeters too much ;)

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

Last Week to Save Big on GFX100S and GF Lenses (plus up to $1,000 Savings on X Series)

The deals on the GFX100S and GF lens will expire on August 13. X series deals will run until September 10 in USA.

GFX DEALS

X Series Deals

Fujifilm EUROPE Deals

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Ulanzi Cooling Fan for Fujifilm Cameras Now with 50% Pre-Order Discount

Ulanzi, maker of one of the best travel tripods and who is selling lots of photography products at Amazon here, BHphoto here and Adorama here, has launched a new cooling fan that is compatible with Fujifilm cameras.

You can read all the details and see more product images at the dedicated Ulanzi page here.

At the time of this post you get it with a 50% pre-order discount.

We remind you that Fujifilm offers its own cooling fan, but that one is compatible only with the Fujifilm X-H2, X-H2S and X-S20, whereas the Ulanzi version fits also on other Fujifilm cameras with fully articulating screen. More details below and at the dedicated page.

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

Fujifilm GFX100 Replacement compatible with CFexpress Type B and SD-Cards

Note: the image above is a GFX100 and I just pasted in the card slot of the X-H line. It is NOT a leaked image of the GFX100 successor
Note: the image above is a GFX100 and I just pasted in the card slot of the X-H line. It is NOT a leaked image of the GFX100 successor

Little (but welcome) rumor update.

The Fujifilm GFX100 replacement will be compatible with CFexpress Type B as well as SD-Cards.

Fujifilm Recommended CFexpress Type B Cards

CFexpress Type B Cards – Official Fujifilm Recommended (for X-H2/S)

Out of all the cards mentioned above, these are the cards without any compromise in performance at all:

GFX100 Successor Rumors

Fujifilm X100V Successor Rumors

Fujifilm X100V Successor in Early 2024 :: X Summit on September 12 :: New Firmware :: Oppenheimer Fujifilm :: Disney X100V and More – Top 10 July

Here are the top 10 posts for July. And hold on tight, because August will be very hot ;).

  1. Fujifilm X100V successor coming in early 2024
  2. Oppenheimer Movie Photos Taken with Fujifilm X-H1 and These XF Lenses
  3. New Firmware Updates for Fujifilm X-T4, X-T3, X-T30 and X100V
  4. New Firmware Updates for Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, X-H2S, X-S20, GFX100S, GFX100, GFX50SII and GFX50R
  5. Fujifilm X100V Limited Disney Edition Launched
  6. Fujifilm X100V Successor Coming Early 2024: The Hottest Name Speculations (and Vote Your Favorite)
  7. Sony A6700 Announced and it Makes the Fujifilm X-S20 Look Even Better ;)
  8. Fujifilm Announces Plan to Deal with Parts Shortage Issue
  9. Fujifilm X Summit on September 12: What Camera are You Hoping for to Come? VOTE NOW
  10. Firmware Suggestions, Lens Wishes and More – FR-readers Wishlist Corner

As far as the videos goes, since I was on travel I’ve shared them from all over Italy

You can see the videos below, also ranked by views and you can check out my YouTube channel here.

The Future of Fujifilm in Patents: Full Frame Lenses Coming, X100 with 20mmF2 lens, Foldable Fuji Smartphone and More

The Future of Fujifilm in Patents

Why Fujifilm?

Why?

Why are you doing this?

There is no need for one, totally wasted R&D.

These lenses make no sense!

That’s how some of the comments sounded on my various platforms after I have published the latest patents of the XF56mmF1.7 and re-designed XF18mmF1.4.

And these comments came after I warned you in the article that in 11+ years of blogging I have never seen a patent actually become a real product.

And despite my repeated warnings, some people keep taking those patents as an indication of what’s really coming next from Fujifilm.

But if it was really like this… I mean, if patents would really show us the way that Fujifilm is taking, then where are:

So, even though I feel a bit like Don Quixote fighting the windmills, I will give it another try today.

But I’ll take a different approach this time.

Because, well aware that a good number of people don’t go beyond the headline, I decided to create a headline that shows how absurd it is to put any trust in these patents. And hopefully, this will motivate people to look deeper into this subject.

And how do we look deeper into it?

Well, in this article we look at the 67 patents FujiRumors has shared starting from our first one posted back in 2012 until the latest one here.

Give them a look, and then make up your own mind if you should take patents as solid indications of future products.

All the Patents (Have Fun :))

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

Fujifilm GFX100S and GF Lens Deals Extended and up to $1,000 Savings on X Series Gear

The massive $3,500 rebate on the GFX100 ended. And also the GFX100S and GF lens deals were to end along with it, but Fujifilm decided to let them run for two more weeks.

GFX DEALS

X Series Deals

Fujifilm EUROPE Deals

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Fujifilm X-T5: The Issue with Focus Peaking

I have received a message via the revived anonymous contact form by FujiRumors Boris, pointing me out towards an issue with the focus peaking on the Fujifilm X-T5.

Here is the issue:

When you use manual focus and a manual lens on other Fuji cameras and have some kind of focus help like peaking activated, it will show you the highlighted areas but once you half press the shutter, the focus help goes away and you see the pure image, which is very helpful for composition.

On the X-T5 that sadly doesn’t happen anymore and focus peaking stays on screen all the time and you can’t view your actual image. In some situations that doesn’t make a big difference, but when you for example take a photo in the forest or in busy environments, the entire screen is yellow, or red etc. and you basically have no idea what you are shooting.

And you also can‘t put focus peaking on a function button to quickly turn it off. In other words, manual focusing on the XT-5 became very unpractical for no reason.

I don’t know if that’s like this for all 5th generation Fujifilm cameras (X-H2, X-H2S, X-S20 and X-T5). Please let us know in the comments.

My take?

Well, having focus peaking ON all the time, even when the shutter button is half pressed, could actually make sense for example in macro when an insect for example is slightly moving and you want to make a quick adjustment before fully pressing the button. Or when you shoot handheld macro and you want to have the possibility to make quick micro-adjustment at any time, even with the shutter button half pressed.

However, I can also understand if you want to get the focus assistance out of the way once you half press the button to have a clean view over your composition (for example in landscape photography on a tripod).

The solution is simple: Fujifilm should give us the option to pick whatever solution we prefer.

And just for curiosity, a little survey where you can tell us which solution you prefer.

In regards to Focus Peaking...

View Results

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The Huge GFX Deals End Today (save up to $3,500) and the X Deals Continue

The situation is this:

All the GFX deals end today, except for the GFX50SII deals. The X series deals still keep going.

GFX DEALS

X Series Deals

Fujifilm EUROPE Deals

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The WORST Thing About Fujifilm (and Other Brands) according to Chris & Jordan (PP)

In their latest episode, Chris and Jordan run over the worst things of every camera brand.

And after some nice praise for the Fujifilm system overall, they express their main complaint, which are:

  • Menu System needs imrpovements: for example, face detection and subject detection are separate items, slowing you down unnecessarily
  • Fujifilm cameras are more prone to write errors and bad surprises when using certain memory cards. To their credit, though, Fujifilm lists the compatible memory cards. But with other brands, they don’t experience as many issues when using non recommended memory cards

For your convenience:

UHS-II Recommended Cards for 40MP Fujifilm X-T5/X-H2

The detailed list of recommended cards for X-T5 can be found here and for X-T4 here.