Oops I did it Again: I Bought my Dream Lens and Here is Why

image taken with Fujifilm X-T4 and XF80mmF2.8
image taken with Fujifilm X-T4 and XF80mmF2.8

I Failed

I tried, but I failed.

And I failed in less than 48 hours.

I am afraid too many of you guys know what I talk about: try to resist to G.A.S!

It all started February 1st, when Fujifilm launched new deals here in Italy (and all over Europe). And to my surprise, the deals included one of my top 3 Fujifilm items on my 2022 wishlist.

Less than 48 hours after the launch of deals, I found myself at my local photography store, my credit card flying over the sales counter and in my bag a box containing the Fujinon GF50mmF3.5.

And don’t worry, my wife approved this purchase… now all I need is her to approve also my other two Fuji-dreams gear 2022, meaning this camera and this lens ;).

I am Happy I Failed :)

Here is why I bought it, and I am so excited about this lens.

As you know, last year I bought into the Fujifilm GFX system by treating myself with a Fujifilm GFX100S and Fujinon GF32-64mmF4.

My main application for this wonderful combo is landscape photography.

So how is that working out?

Well, my go-to bag for hiking is my Camslinger Outdoor. I love the practicality of it to a point, that I won’t buy gear (for landscape photography) that does not fit in there. And despite having a sensor about 70% larger than full frame, the GFX100S with GF32-64mmF4 still fits!

So, for me, this combo is compact enough, and I can easily make my usual 4 to 6 hours hike with the GFX100S and GF32-64 on my hips.

Why do I say this?

Because I want to make clear that I don’t perceive the GFX100S with GF32-64 as too big for the purpose of landscape photography, especially considering what it is: a 100 megapixel medium format system that I can carry around all day on my hips. It’s frankly amazing.

But while it is a surprisingly compact combo for the purpose of landscape photography, the GFX100S combined with the GF32-64mmF4 is not small enough for my taste to bring it with me for more casual shooting, may it be for my street photography or to document my family life.

By getting the Fujinon GF50mmF3.5, though, the whole combo gets substantially smaller and lighter, making it much more portable and easier to pick also for casual photography.

And to be clear: my well-equipped APS-C system is and remains king when it comes to flexibility, performance and value for money. I still take my X system with me on hikes, on my travels, on my day trips with family and I also blindly trust it in crucial moments like when I had to photography my first wedding.

But owning the GF50mmF3.5 simply gives me more options and opportunities to pick up my GFX100S more often if I want to.

I am very happy with my purchase and I can’t wait to use use it comprehensively starting with this weekend.

We (my family and me) are probably going to the town of Sirmione this Saturday. I have never been there and can’t wait to test my new lens in such a wonderful little lake town.

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2021 Rumor Check: What’s Right, What’s Wrong and What’s Still to Come in 2022 (with Reliability Ranking)

In 2022 we will have for sure a very wild ride here on FujiRumors.

But before we jump on the 2022 rumor-rollercoaster, let’s look back at how things went in 2021.

And I tell you this: I will be BRUTAL to myself, because out of the 5 wrong rumors, I personally consider only 1 really wrong. Why? Well, read my notes at the bottom of the article and I think you’ll agree with me.

Note: if you wonder where the “Sigma X mount lenses coming in 2021” rumor is, well, that was a rumor we shared back in 2020, hence it is not in this list. The rumor however has been sort of confirmed a few months later by Sigma itself, who literally wrote on their social media “we may see some X mount Sigma lenses in 2021“. And after tons of teasers, even the Sigma CEO himself confirmed X mount glass is coming. Sure, I consider this a wrong rumor shared in 2020, but it is clear to me that once again it’s the parts shortage that forced Sigma to adjust their schedule.

With that out of the way, here is the 2021 rumor check:

  • 83 rumors shared in 2021
  • 13 rumors still to be verified (all rumors with high reliability)
  • 65 correct rumors out of 70 verifiable rumors
  • 5 wrong rumors out of 70 verifiable rumors
  • 92,8% correct rumors

Rumor Overview with Rating (about Gear coming in 2022)

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FujiRumors 2021: My Top/Flop Blogger Moments, My Most Used Gear and My Top/Flop Photographic Experience

We’ve already looked back at the Fuji year, and everybody picked its own highlight. You’ve voted here.

Today I’d like to look back a second on myself. What were my highlights working on FujiRumors? And which ones the struggles? How was my photographic journey in 2021?

Well, here they are:

Top & Flop Blogger Moment

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TODAY ONLY: Save 27% on SanDisk 128GB UHS-II Cards and up to $170 on More Storage Products

Bhphoto has some sweet Holiday Savings running today only, especially on storage media, but not only.

Quite interesting for us Fujifilm shooters could be the $55 rebate on the 128GB SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-II cards. These are my go-to cards when I use my Fujifilm X-T4 and especially my Fujifilm GFX100S.

But there are more deals, a selection of which you can find below – the full list here.

More Deals at:

Fujinon XF23mm f/1.4 MKII and XF33mmF1.4 / XF18mmF1.4 Reviews

In their best and worst episode for 2021, DPRTV praised the fact that Fujifilm was refreshing some of their older lenses.

Now we have to understand what a MKII lens is.

Surely the XF27mmF2.8 R WR and the XF10-24mmF4 R OIS WR are MKII lenses, but those lenses inherit the same optical design of their predecessors.

The only MKII lens left is the XF23mm f/1.4 R LM WR, and that one indeed features an all new internal lens design.

As for the other lenses that come to mind, the XF33mm f/1.4 and the XF18mm f/1.4, Fujifilm does not consider those lenses as “MKII lenses”, so much so that Fujifilm did not discontinued the glorious XF35mmF1.4 R and especially the XF18mm f/1.4 is a different lens compared to the XF18mm f/2.

With that said, today we are going to cover the XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR, XF33mm f/1.4 R LM WR and XF18mm f/1.4 R LM WR in a dedicated roundup.

Consider that the XF23mm f/1.4 will ship only in February 2022. This time the delay is not caused by too high demand, but, as Fujifilm explained here, it’s the lack of parts that creates problems.

So there is not much to find about that lens (we covered it last month here with the latest reviews). There is, however, a quick look at it (and lots of samples) by Patrick La Roque, more in depth reviews by Ivan Joshua Loh and Keith Wee, as well as a video of Gajan Balan and Lee Zavitz (you’ll find it all down below).

The X Lens Roundup

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Dear FR-Readers, We Have to Talk!

Ok, let’s talk about it.

I’ll make the start by saying a few things. Then you let me know what you think.

FujiRumors goes with the flow, and a flow can look like this:

  1. A new camera is announced: I report a lot of reviews about that camera
  2. A new camera is coming: I share lots of rumors about that camera
  3. The deal season is here: I share more deals than I usually do

And every time I go with the flow, some FR-readers that are not interested in that particular flow, complain about me focusing on it. For example:

  1. When I talk a lot about a new GFX camera, many people not interested in the GFX system complain about my detailed coverage.
  2. When I share lots of rumors ahead of a camera launch, you can bet that some will keep commenting that it’s all just clickbait.
  3. When the deal season is here, people complain I post too many deals

Now, I have addressed Nr.1 already in the past here. So let address Nr2. and Nr.3:

Clickbait?

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Fujinon GF30mmF4.5 and GF35mm F4 Patents Spotted

New Fujifilm patents for the following Fujinon G mount lenses have been spotted:

  • Fujinon GF30mmF4.5
  • Fujinon GF35mmF4

These are probably just preliminary patents to what at the end became the stellar Fujinon GF 30mm f/3.5 R WR.

You know what I think about patents. Don’t take them too seriously, as 99,99% of those will never see the light of the day.

via hi-lows-note via j-platpat.inpit.go.jp

The GFX Community

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Patent Sketches and Data

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Fujinon GF35-70mmF4.5-5.6 will Weight “Less Than Half” than GF32-64mmF4

GF35-70 mock-up (not the real lens)
GF35-70 mock-up (not the real lens)
DON’T MISS IT: September 2 at 9AM New York Time – Fujifilm X Summit and Live Blog on FujiRumors

Lots, if not everything, has already leaked here on FujiRumors about the upcoming Fujinon GF35-70mm f/4.5-5.6.

We know about the collapsible lens design, we know about its size (see above), we know it will not have OIS and no aperture ring, we know its price.

Another tidbit, though, we can add today, is that the Fujinon GF35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 will weight less than half than the one Fujinon G mount lens I own and I am totally in love with as it is a prime lens that can zoom: the Fujinon GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR (which weights 875g).

I see what Fujifilm is trying to do here.

I mean, how the heck can any zoom lens compete with the stellar GF32-64?

Certainly the GF32-64 is unbeatable in terms of image quality. I mean, have you seen the image I’ve shared of the village I live in and I did a massive crop and you could still clearly recognize the curtains on my sleeping room? And the lovely pop it has even when shot af f/5.6?

If you can’t beat it in terms of image quality, then beat it in almost everything else: make it much smaller, much lighter and much more affordable, and it will have a chance to carve out its niche among Fujifilm GFX shooters.

I personally will stick with the Fujinon GF32-64mmF4. Mainly because I already own it, and because I used it on a 6 hours hike recently. I packed with my GFX100S in my small Camslinger Outdoor bag (yep, it still fits in that small bag !!) and hiked no problem with it.

So for now I don’t see the need for the GF35-70mmF4.5-5.6, although having such a light and compact G mount zoom would certainly be a temptation for those looking to make their GFX system as portable as it gets, maybe in combination with the super small GF50mmF3.5 prime.

The GFX Community

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GF 35-70 Rumor Recap

Fujinon GF35-70mmF4.5-5.6 to Cost $999 (Lens Only) and $500 (Kit Price)

According to information we have received, the upcoming Fujinon GF35-70mmF4.5-5.6 will cost $999. However, you can get it for $500 if purchased in kit with a GFX body.

This makes it the most affordable G mount lens along with probably the next lens I’ll buy for my GFX100S, the Fujinon GF50mmF3.5.

And you have no idea how tempted I am by the GF50mmF3.5. Just don’t tell my wife about it ;).

To Be Announced on September 2

Fujifilm GFX50SII Rumor Recap

Fujinon GF35-70mmF4.5-5.6