It’s one of the first factory tours we get after a long time, as during the pandemic no media was allowed into the Sendai factory about 2.5 hours north of Toyko.
There is not much new to learn, except for the fact that it takes 480 parts in order to assemble a single lens. But it is always nice to take a look inside the factory and see how much work and also care goes into the manufacturing of our gear.
At the time of this post, AmazonUS here and BHphoto here are offering the Fujinon GF50mm f/3.5 with a 30% rebate. At BHphoto here, you also get a free UV filter on top of it. This is not an official deal, so no idea how long it will remain available.
Anyone who downloads the free trial of DxO Pure RAW2 before February 12 (at this page) will receive a 30$ coupon towards the cost of purchasing DxO PureRAW2. The coupon is then valid for 30 days.
So, try for free and if you like it get it with $30 discount here.
Capture One eBooks
This is the lowest price ever offered by Alex on his Capture One eBooks. Here are all the details:
The new Spinn CP is now available on Kickstarter (Click here). It’s a different way to carry your camera and an update to their previous CP version. It now comes with two different base plates and a adjustable comfort strap made in five colours. From recycled raw materials.
Well, why not. The X summit in April is definitely a very hot candidate for the X-S20 announcement.
But just to be clear and precise: our sources only said that the Fujifilm X-S20 will be Fuji’s next X series camera, and they did not give us any further time indication, which is why right now in theory everything is still possible, even an announcement before or after the X summit in April (as well as during the X summit of course).
Also, our sourced said “X series camera”, hence we talk about Fuji’s APS-C lineup.
Last thing: the fact that the X-S20 will be the next X camera to come does not exclude that also other cameras could be announced on the same day.
I know, lots of questions and speculations. I will now work on all of this and once I have solid updates, I will let you know.
But as Fujifilm has openly said, the Fujinon XF56mm f/1.2 R is not capable of taking full advantage of all the 40MP edge to edge also at maximum aperture. Fujifilm writes:
The list specifies our selection of lenses that have high resolution performance from edge to edge at maximum aperture, allowing you to fully experience all that the 40MP sensor has to offer. Lenses not listed will also allow you to experience the improved resolution performance of the 40MP sensor.”
To be clear: all Fujinon lenses will experience a sharpness boost. But not all will be able to resolve all the 40MP even wide open across the entire frame.
Many rightfully asked DPR to re-test the studio lab scene using the new Fujinon XF56mm f/1.2 R WR, and so they did. Their conclusion:
Our interpretation is that there is a slight contrast benefit to the use of the new 56mm F1.2R WR vs. the non-WR lens; in the widget above we’ve tried to highlight the area of greatest difference. In our judgment the difference is not sufficient, at the aperture value the test scene is shot at, to justify breaking consistency with previous Fujifilm models tested in our setup.
This isn’t a comment on the new lens: we’d expect to see greater differences at wider apertures, and we’ve found the autofocus performance to be improved over the older version. But neither of these are pertinent to the selection of our standard Fujifilm test lens, so we’ll stick with the original 56mm F1.2R for now, to maintain perfect continuity in the studio comparison feature our site provides.
I find it a pity that they won’t change the lens. At f/5.6 the performance might be similar in the center, but as you can see from the screenshots I have shared above (or here and here), in RAW I see an sensible advantage for the new Fujinon XF56mm f/1.2 R WR. I think they could just simply use the new lens for testing going forward.
But we appreciate DPR going the extra mile and testing it on the new XF56mmF1.2 R WR. If you don’t shoot wide open a lot and don’t mind slightly softer corners, then the original Fujinon XF56mmF1.2 R is still a great option (especially now that it is super discounted).
BCN has published their rankings for 2022 sales in Japan.
Cameras:
Fujifilm is out of every ranking except for fixed lens cameras, where it snaps the third position.
Lenses:
Fujifilm had a sales share of 5,9% in terms of lens sales.
Remember:
Biggest market research data available on the internet so far says that Fujifilm’s overall camera market share in 2021 was of 5,9% (if we include sales of DSLR cameras). So far no data for mirrorless cameras only has been published.
Surprised?
Anyone surprised? Well, I am not. Fujifilm has always played the niche game and while they did grow significantly when one looks at the mirrorless market only (third largest manufacturer ahead of Nikon in 2020), the way Fujifilm approached the camera market with the design of their cameras kind of “forced” them into a niche.
The Future
The very recently launched Fujifilm X-T5 will have the main responsibility in 2023 to push sales for the X series and possibly grow the market share. Although I believe the Fujifilm X-H2s has such a big potential (as the latest firmware has shown) that if Fujifilm covers is further with firmware Kaizen love, it could become (if it isn’t already) a very serious option for all those looking for an ultra-performing stacked sensor camera with PSAM layout.
And sure there will be more cameras and lenses coming in 2023, which I hope will contribute to expand Fujifilm’s market share.
But while there is surely still some growth potential, Fujifilm will very likely never get to the crazy numbers of Sony and Canon (which btw are the two companies manufacturing their own sensors and Fujifilm called this their strategic advantage).
But personally I have never had any problem to be part of a niche. Because I have lots of fun in this niche. We might be only 5.9%, but we have 100% love for photography. A love, that Fujifilm can support better than any other brand thanks to the way they design their cameras.
Fujifilm not only announced a couple of new firmware updates, including rather substantial ones (read here), but they also announced the Fujifilm X Summit for April 2023.
Usually, when Fujifilm announces an X Summit, FujiRumors already rumored ahead what will come.
But this time I have not yet published anything, which makes it very interesting for me to see what your guesses are (and how good they will turn out to be).
The data is based on affiliate sales made via Amazon and BHphoto.
Sadly I don’t use the data of Adorama, as I have not found an easy way to display and rank the products. All I get is a list of numbers like “1236.5478.701164” and then I have to click on each number to see which product it is.
For the sake of my mental health, I can’t do that.
Finally the custom X hot shoe covers are widely available on Amazon, and it seems people love them (I own them too).
As for Nr.2 and Nr.5 on the list, these items definitely profited from the launch of the Fujifilm X-T5 and X-H2/s as for many of you, those cameras were also their first X series using the newer battery.
Interesting:
Most people went for the original battery as opposed to the third party options (just as I recommended in my article). I’ve even made the sum of the best selling third party NP-W235 battery options (Smallrig, Poweextra and Wasabi), but even in that case, the original battery has a distinct and safe advantage.
I make a prediction: the Fujifilm X-T5 will be matched in terms of sales only by the Fujifilm X-T6. The only camera that has a chance to even come close to it, would be an eventual Fujifilm X100V successor (the Fujifilm X200, or X100Vs, or X100VI or however they are going to call it).
In a normal year, the X-H2 and X-H2s would have been celebrated as top sellers with respectable sales number.
But 2022 was not a normal year: it was the year of the Fujifilm X-T5!
The X-T5 came here to do what it has to do: demolish the internal competiton and establish itself one more time as the top tier in the Fujifilm lineup. In fact, it was responsible for 65.5% of total camera sales via FujiRumors.
A pity for the Fujifilm X100V, which is basically out of the ranking just because it hasn’t been available most of the time. If supply would have been normal, I think it would have made it into the top 4 positions.
Well, it has been beaten by the Fujifilm GFX50SII, but only by 1 camera. So it’s basically a head-to-head. That’s astonishing, considering that the GFX50SII was in offer basically for the entire year with several more or less massive rebates, whereas the Fujifilm GFX100S saw it’s first time ever rebate only very recently.
So, despite Fujifilm being much more agressive with the GFX50SII, the GFX100S stands its ground and is actually about to pass the GFX50SII thanks to this sweet deal.
The explaination is simple: the XF16-80mmF4 (as well as the XF18-55mmF2.8-4) enjoyed a substantial sales push because it was offered in bundle with Fujifilm X-T5.
But this alone would not be enough.
Fujifilm also initally shipped out way more X-T5 kits than body only, so if we wanted to wait less for our new camera, we had to grab the X-T5 kit. And this makes Fujifilm more money.
Cynical?
Probably, but Fujifilm is just a business as many others, and other companies are no different. And yet, I wish Fujifilm would have done differently.
Anyway, the good thing is that if you bought it with a bundle, you got the lens for a discounted price. That’s already nice. And you always have the option to sell it “like new” so you should get back most if not all of the money you’ve invested in the lens. Or simply use it and enjoy the lens :).
We have a rocksolid performance for the XF56mm f/1.2 MKII. No need for deals or bundles to push that one.
Excellent sales (and very close to grab the second spot) is the Fujinon XF150-600mm f/5.6-8. Looks like a wise decision by Fujifilm to make it smaller, lighter and more affordable thanks to its f/8 on the long end.
Oh… and I made the mistake to enter a photography store with my wife… here is what happened.
So, the lovely new 30mm Macro enjoyed great sales, too. I handled one in store myself, and if my wasn’t for my wife being in the store with me, I probably would have left the shop with one for myself. But my wife just asked “don’t you already own a Macro lens“? And since I had no brilliant answer to give, I passed. Please guys, advice me on what to say next time ;).
On Nr.7, an all time favorite for many of us, the lovely Fujinon XF27mm f/2.8 R WR.
In the GF world, the new GF 20-35mmF4 is selling strong.
A crazy good deal is also pushing the GF35-70mm to great sales. For 500 bucks you get a compact allrounder zoom lens capable of resolving 100+ megapixel. It would be too good to pass also for me, if I’d not already own the GF32-64mmF4.
And yes, I know there is an unwritten rule that every list should end with the Nr.10, but the sales of the lenses on the 11th position were so close to the XF16-55mmF2.8, that I felt I need to include them.
For Fujifilm, I guess the biggest disappointment are the sales of the video-centric Fujinon XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ. I guess it’s a niche lens within a niche brand, so one can not expect all too stellar sales.
There was a time, when the third party ranking was dominated by manual focus lenses. But those times are gone.
Since Fujifilm took the (long delayed) decision to open their mount, other companies like Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, Viltrox, TTArtisan and Samyang started to offer X mount AF lenses. A decision rewarded by Fujifilm X shooters, who now prefer to grab third party autofocus lenses over the manual versions.
When I shared the list of the top 10 articles for 2022, I noticed that some of the articles gathered huge traffic, but are of limited discussion interest.
Take for example the firmware articles. Sure, they always generate traffic, because many people who own the cameras in “firmware need”, go to FujiRumors to check out the details of the firmware and access the download links through our website. But they are not hot topics per se, meaning topics that generate lots of comments and heated debates.
So I thought we should honour also those articles of 2022, that were the most discussed here on FujiRumors. The ones where you guys decided to invest more time than in other articles.
