Is Fujifilm Losing Its Soul? Let’s Talk PSAM Dials! An Error or a Necessity?

When I posted my article about the top 10 failed Fujifilm cameras (and errors Fujifilm should avoid in future), of course some of you had a legit and often also well argued opinion on which cameras I should have included.

And one particular comment encapsulated nicely a fear that is spreading among the Fujifilm community.

The biggest error ! Loosing who you are! Creating PSAM cameras!

And the disappointment for PSAM dials arose again just recently, when we informed you that the Fujifilm X-H2S will have a PSAM dial too.

So what, is Fujifilm spamming us with PSAM dials?

And looking at it more broadly, is Fujifilm losing its retro soul?

Well, I think there is way too much drama around this topic. Even the most hardcore retro lover (like me) should enjoy the fact that Fujifilm is releasing cameras with PSAM dials.

Here is why.

  • Fujifilm has sold its soul to the mainstream market. They are ditching their lovely vintage style and operation to spam the market with more PSAM dial cameras.
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Is Fujifilm Losing Its Soul? IBIS is EVIL and Destroys the Pure Photographic Experience (Say Some)

In the second episode of our mini-series about the fear of Fujifilm losing its soul, we will talk about IBIS.

Because, incredible but true, some people actually moan about Fujifilm cameras having IBIS. So let’s talk about it.

CLAIM: IBIS should be removed from Fujifilm cameras. Fujifilm should be about pure photography and testing our handheld shooting capabilities without any support of IBIS

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X-ProF, (Re)designing the Perfect Camera :: Fujifilm X-T5 Wishlist :: X80 with 40mm Lens :: Fujifilm GFX 50R II :: FR-Readers Wishlist Corner

FR-Readers Wishlist Corner

Here is another roundup of wishlist shared by the FR-community to me via email at fujirumor@gmail.com.

Previous Wishlist Episodes:

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Rumor Update: Fujifilm X-H2S with PSAM Dial

The leaked images did not show it, but many of you guys already suspected it: the Fujifilm X-H2S is going to bring the PSAM dial also to the X-H series.

And you guessed well, guys! The X-H2S will indeed have a PSAM dial.

You know what’s my take on it: nothing is more fun and more practical to use than having as many dedicated dials as possible.

However, I also own a Fujifilm camera with a PSAM dial, the Fujifilm GFX100S.

And you know what?

Also the GFX100S is stupidly easy and fast to operate… just not as fun.

The way I have set up my GFX100S is that I have it on M all the time and quickly control ISO with the rear command dial (often I just leave it at one of my three AUTO ISO settings) and shutter speed with the front command dial. For aperture I use of course the ring on the lens.

So, from a mere operational point of view, a PSAM dial is very far from being an ergonomic nightmare. On the contrary, many might find it even more convenient to use.

And I can’t blame Fujifilm for finally offering also in their high-end APS-C line a camera with PSAM dial. I am 100% sure that this will help Fujifilm to expand its customer base, as there is a huge chunk of photographers loving to work with PSAM dials.

Luckily Fujifilm has also other higher end APS-C camera lines, all with wonderful retro controls (X-Pro3, X-T3, X-T4, a future Fujifilm X-T5 or Fujifilm X-Pro4). So the X series is and will remain home for retro lovers like me and many of you.

But we all love Fujifilm and want it to succeed. So if a PSAM dial camera every now and then helps the system to grow and flourish, well, then I applaud such cameras.

Fujifilm X-H2 and X-H2S rumored specs list:

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Jason at TCSTV: “The IQ Difference between Fujifilm GFX and Sony A1/Canon R5 Tortured me, I couldn’t Unsee it, so I bought into GFX”

I don’t buy into the narrative that wants you to believe you can make professional work only with full frame gear.

And it’s not just a “feeling” of mine. It’s a hard core fact proven by the irrefutable reality that you can win the Pulitzer prize or the World Press Photo Award with images taken by Fujifilm APS-C cameras.

And I also don’t buy that “sensor size is everything” narrative.

Look, I’ve shot it all: from my loved Micro Four Thirds to APS-C and Medium Format, and yes, even quite some Sony Full Frame as I have easy access to that system thanks to the SonyAlphaRumors guy living not far away from my home.

So I can confidently say: every system has its Pros and Cons and every system, from M43 to MF, can be used for professional use, of course with some cameras being better suited for certain uses than others.

So if somebody tells you that you absolutely need a system with a 70% larger sensor than full frame (the GFX system) to really stand out with the quality of your images, then you better don’t trust that person.

And yet, as we said, every system has its Pros and Cons, and the advantage of the GFX system is undeniably that it offers the best image quality you can get for a more than reasonable price.

Then add to this that the Fujifilm GFX100S and GFX50SII have the size of the Canon R5, are even smaller than the Panasonic S1 cameras and cheaper than full frame cameras like the Sony A1, and you start to get a combination of advantages that might make the Fujifilm GFX perfect for your needs.

And it sounds like the combination of advantages the GFX system offers was perfect for Jason Eng, who, in a talk with Evelyn from TCSTV explains his move to the GFX system.

Here is a quick summary:

  • Jason’s assistant Aiden was looking to buy into a new system. He looked at Sony, Nikon and Canon and almost pulled the trigger on the Canon
  • Jason suggested him to try the GFX50SII which costs about the same what Aiden was about to spend for the Canon
  • Aiden put his hands on the GFX50S and it had “these magical files“
  • then they also shot the GFX100 side by side with Sony A1 and Canon R5
  • even by just comparing the images on the laptop sized screen, they noticed the detail in shadows and the way that the camera handled gradation from highlight to shadow was just… “I could not unsee it, it tortured me until I inevitably bought the system“
  • he bought the GFX100 with a classic pro body with integrated grip and fully usable autofocus
  • he often shoots vertical, so having the integrated grip is important
  • he was and still is a Sony shooter, enjoying a smaller and lighter body
  • then Fujifilm offered the GFX100S with its smaller and lighter body and it reached a larger target audience than what the GFX100 could do
  • both options, GFX100 and GFX100S, are great
  • he often shoots tethered and loves that the film simulation he uses goes right into Capture One
  • as a long time Sony user for 10 years, color was always hard. The standard was Canon
  • when Fuji released their APS-C mirrorless cameras he loved the colors, but he could not commit to a smaller sensor than FF
  • but now they have exceeded his expectations and gone larger than full frame
  • skin tones are great, reds are beautiful, rich and deep
  • he uses also legacy glass adapted to the GFX system
  • Fujifilm offering GFX cameras from $4,000 to $6,000 is a game changer for medium format
  • color and shadow tonality range, you can’t unsee it once you see it side by side

Get Yours (now that it’s finally in stock ;)):

Fujifilm Financial Results FY2021: Up 16.9% thanks to Instax and High End Gear

Fujifilm shared its financial results for the fiscal year 2021 (April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022).

As to expect Instax is King with great sales for the Instax Mini EVO and the Instax Link Wide smartphone printer.

When it comes to their X and GFX series, a special mention goes to the good sales for the Fujifilm GFX100S.

In addition to a steady sales recovery of color photographic paper and broadcast and cinema lenses from the impact of COVID-19, strong sales of newly launched instant photo systems and digital cameras led revenue to increase by 16.9% year-over-year to ¥333.4 billion, and operating income to increase 2.4 times year-over-year to ¥37.0 billion.

In the consumer imaging field, steady sales of instant photo systems, color photographic paper and dry minilabs and materials drove revenue higher. New products launched in 2021 include the instax mini 40, a new entry-model compatible with mini-format film, in April, the instax Link WIDE, a smartphone printer for wide-format, in October and a flagship model instax mini Evo in December. All new products were well received in the market and boosted sales.

In the professional imaging field, we launched the large-format mirrorless digital camera FUJIFILM GFX100S, which realized a high resolution of 102 million pixels, the FUJIFILM GFX50S II equipped with 50 million-pixel image sensor, released in September 2021 as a brother model, and the FUJIFILM X-T30 II mirrorless camera, which is the latest model from the X Series released in November 2021. All products gained high reputations and sales remained strong. Revenue was significantly higher year- over-year as sales of broadcast and cinema lenses, which had been hit by a decline in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, turned upward, and sales of lenses in the monitoring /measurement field, including long-range surveillance cameras and machine vision lenses, fared fell.

via Fujifilm

Fujifilm X-H2S Images in Slightly Higher Resolution

Yesterday we share the first hands on images of the Fujifilm X-H2S.

And while they gave us a lot of clues about the Fujifilm X-H2S already, some readers wished to get higher resolution samples of the images.

Now, due to the nature of the leak, it is impossible to get crystal clear images. However, I organized for you some slightly higher resolution images which you can see below.

Today I also have a bit more time to check out the images closer (yesterday I made the impossible possible in order to even be able to report about it).

So here is what I see:

  • joystick in X-T4/GFX100S style but place higher up
  • the D-Pad is there
  • fully articulating screen (as we told you)
  • no in-camera cooling system (as we told you)
  • the left side seems to give access to lots of different ports
  • looks like no drive dial under the big dial on the top left side of the camera
  • I can’t spot any dedicated dial on the top right side
  • probably PSAM layout like Fujifilm GFX100S
  • Fujifilm X-E4 style strap lugs

Down below the images.

And remember: huge party here on FujiRumors on May 31 at the Fujifilm X Summit.

Oh, and stay tuned… we are not yet done with the rumors ;).

UPDATE:

A FR-reader took the Fujifilm X-H2S leaked images shared here on FujiRumors and let the files pass through Topaz Gigipixel AI. The result are definitely sharper images, although overall they do not add any information to what we already previously observed. You can see the images down below.

Reminder: You can use our checkout code “FUJIRUMOR” to get an additional 15% discount on all TOPAZ products (Click here) :

FUJIFILM sets its Highest Record with 24 Products Winning the “iF Design Award”

Plenty of Fujifilm products have been awarded with the iF design award. In terms of photographic gear, the winners are:

Wasted money, Fuji!

Press Release

FUJIFILM Holdings sets its highest record with 24 products winning the internationally prestigious “iF Design Award”
– Recognized for beautiful appearance, advanced performance and excellent operability in products of various business fields
April 27, 2022

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Hey Fujifilm X-H2, Look at What Your Predecessor Can Do (and an Apology to All FR-Readers at My Birthday Today)

My Birthday Apology

I owe you an apology… and an explanation, that I hope you’ll understand.

Let me try to explain it my way.

On April 17, 2020, in full COVID lockdown, I celebrated my birthday alone with my wife.

The result of our celebration was my son, born 9 months later (just hours before Fuji’s biggest announcement ever). ;)

I made myself the best possible birthday present so to say ;).

So what has this to do with FujiRumors?

Well, many of you guys rightfully noticed (and some rightfully complain) that I don’t do image roundups anymore.

The reason for this is simple: time!

You know I am a teacher, and of course I also work on FujiRumors. So spare time was never something I had in abundance.

But while in the past I was still able to run FujiRumors at full power, my son now absorbs most of my spare time.

Now, the Italian state is quite generous, and allows me a total of 23 months off from teaching that I can take whenever I want until my son is 12 years old (and I already took a few of those months off), but it’s nonsense to take time off from school and then invest most of that time into working on FujiRumors. I mean, that’s time I take off for my son and family, not for more work.

Long story short: I could not run FujiRumors at the same pace I did before, so I had to look at ways to save time.

At the end it came down to two things I could cut off:

  • stop replying to the immense amount of emails I receive daily
  • stop with image roundups, which take a huge amount of time to make and generate very little views

I thought about it, and I decided that I want to keep up the 1:1 interaction via email as much as I possibly can. So what remained was the image roundups. And that’s why I haven’t done any in a long time.

My Birthday Present to you: An Image Roundup

But truth is, even if they make little views, I personally miss those roundups. Because at the end of the day, what it all comes down to are the images we make with our gear.

So I thought that today, at my birthday, I give the image roundup a revival.

And since all the talk these days is about the Fujifilm X-H2 high resolution and the Fujifilm X-H2S, I thought it could make sense to make a roundup of Fujifilm X-H1 images.

Because the flood of X-H2 rumors (with many more tome come) at times can give the impression that the X-H1 is kind of an unusable and dated piece of gear that urgently needs a refresh.

But that’s far from true.

The Fujifilm X-H1 was and still is a lovely camera that can create stunning results.

And that’s not just random talk.

In fact, it was a photographer using the Fujifilm X-H1 to win the overall World Press Photo Award just a few years ago.

And still today, those who own an X-H1 keep using and enjoying it with very pleasing results.

Hence, down below is an image roundup of 100% Fujifilm X-H1 images courtesy of images shared by photographers at our Fujifilm X-H group.

So will the image roundups get back now?

I can’t promise anything. If they come back, then certainly not at the same almost weekly pace of the past. But if there is ever a moment in my day where I find myself doing nothing and be bored, and outside it’s raining and I can’t go taking pictures, then I will make sure to grab my computer and start to work on image roundups.

Image Roundup

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Would it be Madness? Selling X-T4 and X-E3 to get the Fujifilm X-E4?

There is this weird idea that keeps hammering my head.

It says: sell the X-T4 and X-E3 and get the Fujifilm X-E4.

Why?

Because the X-E4 would be the perfect fusion between the form factor I love (X-E3) and the power I sometimes need (X-T4). Plus it would have a two way tilt screen which I vastly prefer over the selfie screen on my X-T4 (even though in some radical composition necessities it can be very helpful).

So this weekend I will just make shameless private use of FujiRumors and ask what you think about this idea.

But let me be clear: this post is not to say the X-E3 is not a capable camera. I mean, I shot a wedding with it and it worked just fine. But the X-T4 is simply the more powerful tool and in some occasion this extra power can be useful.

So why am I still hesitating?

The reason is simple: I’d no longer have an X series camera with IBIS (only my GFX100S).

Now, I know some guys claim IBIS is for losers and it completely destroys the photographic purists experience. But trust me, when you hike for hours up a mountain (as I love to do), and maybe at some very narrow path you want to stop to grab a quick picture with a tired and shaking hand or you have your son on the your back moving around while you try to take a picture, then having the IBIS solution as an option is more then welcome. And if I don’t need it, I turn it off… easy ;).

So what should I do?

And yes, I know the 5th generation of Fujifilm cameras is coming. I will probably get one of those cameras, too. So maybe it would be better to wait and see what Fujifilm has to offer in 2022/early 2023, and based on that see which cameras sell, keep and buy.

I don’t know, I am confused. Maybe just sell everything and go for X-E4. Or wait a bit longer, see what the future brings, and then take decisions.

And since lately I am so absorbed by Fujifilm X-E4 reviews, trying to make up my mind, I will share a couple of reviews down below.

Reviews… or 5 Reasons why the Minimalist X-E4 is Perfect for Stree Photography

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