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Fujifilm Photography in Times of COVID-19 Quarantine, the FujiRumors Lockdown Diary and the Revival of the XF 55-200

I read somewhere, that about 4 billion people are forced to stay at home now to slow down and hopefully stop the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus.

In my country, the stunning Dolomites in Italy, we are locked in since over 1 month now. Of course I strictly follow the rules and never leave my apartment, except to buy food 1 or 2 times a week, and to quickly bring out my old dog in the fields just under my home.

Teaching Online

I continue to teach. Just online! With live streaming lessons, videos I upload on youtube [does this qualify me as a vlogger now??? ;) ], material I send to students via email and more. I try to do my best.

But the more I do it, the more I miss it to enter a classroom, write on a blackboard, smell the chalk, but most importantly, interact with my students.

But hey, these days there are people, who live far bigger challenges than me. So no complaint here. Just a wish that everything goes back to normal soon.

Lockdown Photography

The first weeks all went into figuring out how to do this online teaching. Trying different platforms for online live lessons, adapt my material to make it online teaching fit, figure out how to reach the various students best (some have only a smartphone, no computer, no printer, etc), and more practical issues to sort out.

But now that I have some sort of workflow, I can start thinking at my lockdown photography.

In my small rented apartment, I am running out of subjects rather quickly.

What I did now, is I started to take out my Fujinon XF55-200 lens, a lens I hardly use anymore since I own the Fujinon XF18-135mm (which never stops to surprise me, as you can see here).

The goal?

Get a decent shot of the little birds flying around my balcony, and the XF55-200 is the best lens in my arsenal for that. So it gets its revival now!

So far I have failed, though, not for the limits of the gear, but because of my lack of skills. But I have time to practice, improve, and I will upload an image on my instagram if I get a decent shot.

Inspiration

Another thing I like to do, is to check out all our facebook groups, and see how other fellow Fujifilm X and GFX shooters deal with these lockdown days and what they shoot.

I have picked out some images and shared them below. May them motivate you (and me) to stand up, and do the best out of this situation, also photographically speaking.

COVID-19 Image Roundup

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Fujifilm Wins the Internationally Prestigious Red Dot Design Award with 23 Products

News is news, so I share it. But I wrote a very informative piece about these awards in the past. So, if you want to read how the business around (some of these) awards goes, check out this article.

Fujifilm wins the internationally prestigious Red Dot Design Award with 23 products

– In recognition of good design quality and functionality in products of various business fields
– High precision lens film for inkjet printing is awarded the “Innovative Product Award,” given to products with outstanding innovation potential

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Five Reasons Fujifilm Won’t Make a Full Frame Fujifilm X100

DPReview published a list of 5 reason, why Fujifilm won’t make a full frame X100 camera.

  1. A larger sensor would add size and weight, mitigating a major X100 selling point
  2. Such a product would cost a lot to develop and manufacture
  3. The result would be a very expensive camera – reducing its potential audience
  4. A move to full-frame would annoy and worry existing loyal Fujifilm APS-C customers. Also, if Fujifilm announces any full frame camera, could look like a massive vote of no confidence in APS-C
  5. The risk of cannibalization within existing lineups is too great

And what about a medium format X100 then? DPR writes:

So might Fujifilm build a medium-format X100? There’s an argument to be made that it makes sense in a way that full-frame just doesn’t. Medium format would offer an increase in potential image quality over full-frame (albeit relatively modest – about 2/3EV), a significant leap in image quality over APS-C, it’s a major part of Fujifilm’s brand identity, and the larger format is a key differentiator for Fujifilm compared to competitive manufacturers.

Well, I won’t enter the argument about the “relatively modest” advantage of the Fujifilm GFX over full frame. This is a thesis DPR started pushing back in 2017, and FujiRumors comprehensively answered it in the article “DPReview Recommends 3 Full Frame Cameras Combined over 1 Fujifilm GFX“. Also, in the meantime something called Fujifilm GFX100 hit the market, with the newest sensor technology.

For the rest, the whole 5 reason list makes sense. Check out the full in-depth article at dpreview.

And one could also add one more ;)

  • full frame offers a “relatively modest” advantage over APS-C, and also has a couple of disadvantages over APS-C, that you can read here

Popular photography industry insiders, claimed that APS-C is the actual sensor size sweet spot. Keep in mind, they said “sweet spot“, not “automatically the best tool for everybody“.

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Fujinon GF 80mmF1.7 and Fujinon GF 30mmF3.5 Size Comparisons

Fujinon G Mount Lenses – Size Comparison

The Fujifilm GFX community is salivating, looking at the latest G mount roadmap.

In fact, the new roadmap lists a stunning Fujinon GF 80mm f/1.7 lens, which in other sensor sizes is:

  • 63mm f/1.3 in full frame
  • 42mm f/0.9 in ASP-C, hence very close to Fuji’s new Fujinon XF50mm f/1.0

And to be clear: we apply the conversion to the f-stop, only to indicate the equivalent shallow depth of field, and not the light gathering capabilities of the lens itself, which remains the one mentioned on the lens (with the consequences we told you here).

We also find a lovely Fujinon GF 30mm f/3.5 lens, which Fujifilm says is meant for street and landscape photography, be very sharp and also focus fast.

At the recent Fujifilm X Summit, Fujifilm showed some mockups and also disclosed more details.

I thought we catch up on that, sum up all we know, and add a few size comparisons based on the technical sketches Fujfiilm delivered during the event.

Fujinon GF 80mm f/1.7

LEFT: GF110mm f/2 vs GF 80mm f/1.7 Size Comparison // RIGHT: GF 80mm f/1.7 mockup
LEFT: GF110mm f/2 vs GF 80mm f/1.7 Size Comparison // RIGHT: GF 80mm f/1.7 mockup

Let’s start with the Fujinon GF 80mm f/1.7.

Above you can see a size comparison provided by Fujifilm. The Fujinon GF 80mm f/1.7 is 20% smaller and will weight under 800g, as opposed to the GF110mm f/2, which weights 1010g.

The picture above also shows the GF80mm f/1.7 mounted on the Fujifilm GFX100.

Fujifilm gave us some indications on what the differences between both lenses are.

The Fujinon GF 80mm f/1.7 will have a very creamy and softer bokeh compared to the one on the Fujinon GF 110mm f/2. Different bokeh quality for different tastes.

Also, due to its more compact nature, the Fujinon GF80mm f/1.7 is good for outside and active shooting, whereas the GF110mm f/2 instead is better suited for studio.

I decided to compare the Fujinon GF80mm f/1.7 to its closes in terms of focal length, the Fujinon GF110mm f/2 and the GF63mm f/2.8.

GF110 - GF80 - GF63
GF110 – GF80 – GF63

Fujinon GF30mm f/3.5

Next in our list is the Fujinon GF 30mm f/3.5.

In this case, we are going to compare it with the Fujinon GF23mm f/4 vs Fujinon GF 45mm f/2.8.

Sadly camerasize does not have the GF45/2.8 in their database, so I added it manually to the Fujifilm GFX50R.

Down below you see that it is just a tiny bit shorter than the GF23mm f/4

GF23 / GF 30 / GF45
GF23 / GF 30 / GF45

Both lenses are fantastic additions to the Fujinon G mount lineup.

What we want know thought, are the other ones we saw in the internal secret roadmap… but not so secret anymore, thanks to this leak ;).

Fujifilm GFX 100: B&H Photo, AmazonUS, Adorama, Focuscamera, CalumetDE, ParkcamerasUK, JessopsUK, PCHstore

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Fujifilm X-T4 vs Sony A6600 IBIS, Managers Explains Fujifilm Improved X-T4 Tracking, Mini Documentary Shot on X-T4 and More

Fujifilm X-T4

The long waiting begins also for me.

I pre-ordered the Fujifilm X-T4, put myself in the waiting list, and have now to find a way to manage my impatience.

One of the ways to deal with the waiting, is to just read and watch everything X-T4 related. Luckily I manage 4 languages, so I have lots of content to enjoy :).

I will happily share with you some of the content I check out myself, and here is a next X-T4 roundup.

Down below you’ll see:

  • and interview with a Fujifilm manager, who talks about X-T4 and among the other says that the improved AF tracking was made possible “by using color and shape information to be able to track something moving
  • did Camera Conspiracies find the prefect camera? He compares IBIS with the Sony A6600 and the Panasonic G85.
  • Gerald Undone first look
  • Linus Tech Tips (10 mln subs) launched a new separate channel, where his main videographer Brandon reviews X-T4
  • The Art of Photography talks about X-T4 video capabilities
  • Forged in the North short Fujifilm X-T4 handheld video
  • Cinema5D mini documentary “Arisa” shot entirely on X-T4. Interesting to note: he experienced autofocus issues in very low light when shooting F-Log. He contacted Fujifilm, who recommended him not to use continuous AF and F-Log in very low light conditions.

Of course, everything is still pre-production, and especially IBIS can be improved via firmware a lot, as the past X-H1 firmware updates have shown and the future Fujifilm GFX100 firmware will show.

X-T4 Roundup

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Photographing my first Wedding: The Gear I Bought, The Fujifilm X-T4 Dilemma and is My Friendship at Risk?

Back in mid January, I wrote this article, where I told you that my best friend asked me to photograph his wedding.

Well, actually not his entire wedding.

There is an official photographer, but he will stay only until dinner. He will then leave, and my friend asked me if I can cover it from dinner onwards.

So I asked you…

… in order to be ready for the shoot, any tips and tricks, also from a gear point of view?

The article received a massive response with over 230 comments.

I did read them all, but was not able to reply to all of them, as then all the mega buzz started for the X100V announcement and the Fujifilm X-T4 rumors. Not to talk that January is always extremely busy also at school, and now in February I started a video project, which takes lots of time, too.

So I thought I post one big response article now, that touches three main points: the gear, how I should relate with the official photographer and something that came unexpected for me: the risk to destroy my friendship.

Let’s go in order:

The Gear and X-T4 Dilemma

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CP+ 2020 Show Canceled and Fujifilm Pulls Out from WPPI Show

The CP+ in Japan has just been canceled due to the coronavirus. You can read more here.

Also, a FR-reader informed me (thanks), that after many years, Fujifilm will not be at the WPPI wedding & portrait show in Las Vegas. I checked, and indeed they do not show up in the exhibitors list. There will, though, a Fujifilm rep at the B&C Camera booth.

I remind you that Fujifilm will skip Photokina, too.

Get ready to see Fujifilm less at big trade shows, and more on dedicated Fujifilm X Summit events.

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Fujifilm X-T4: D-Pad or No D-Pad? The Answer in This Article!

I still remember, when back in August 2017, I shared a rumor, that many of you thought is wrong, but it turned out correct: Fujifilm will remove the D-Pad from the Fujifilm X-E3.

Since then, many Fujifilm cameras saw the loss of the D-Pad:

Even the huge Fujifilm GFX100, that definitely has enough real estate to host a D-Pad, didn’t get one.

Well, I am happy to report, that the Fujifilm X-T4 will remain a welcome exception to this trend and keep the D-Pad, just as the X-T3 did.

The Fujifilm X-T4 will be announced February 25/26. You can find the precise X-T4 announcement time in your country here.

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Fujifilm X100V vs XF23mmF2 and XF23mmF1.4 :: X100V, A Missed Opportunity :: Why X100V is better than iPhone :: More First Looks

BHphoto video – Introducing the X100V

As you probably know by now (if not, do your homework and check back the X100V live blogging ;) ), the Fujifilm X100V has a new XF23mm f/2 lens, that definitely delivers a significant improvement over the previous lens, which was designed for the 12 megapixel original X100.

Finally Fujifilm updated it. And they did a pretty damn good job.

But how does it compare to the other Fujinon 23mm lenses in Fuji’s offering, the Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 and the Fujinon XF23mm f/2?

Well, today we try to investigate this any many more question in a dedicated Fujifilm X100V roundup:

  • ivanjoshualoh – 23mm vs 23mm vs 23mm Shootout
  • techradar – Why the Fujifilm X100V is a better street photography camera than my iPhone 11 Pro
  • digitalcameraworld – Hands on: Fujifilm X100V review
  • dpreview – Why the Fujifilm X100V feels like a missed opportunity

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Fujifilm X100V
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Focuscamera
EU: AmazonDE / CalumetDE / WexUK / ParkcamerasUK / JessopsUK / AmazonUK / PCHstore

X100V Video Reviews

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Sigma CEO: “Our Mission is to Support as Many Systems as Possible, But Fujifilm X Mount….”

Sigma & Fujifilm

One of the burning questions in the Fujifilm community, is if Sigma (and other third party lens manufacturers), will at some point in time offer Fujifilm X mount lenses.

Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki touched this topic a couple of times, and here is what he said among the others:

  • read hereFujifilm Customers Would be Our Ideal Customer, but Fujifilm Does Not Disclose Their Protocols

So it seems Sigma passed the ball to Fujifilm. It’s up to Fujifilm to offer cooperation. But Fuji’s official response is:

  • read hereFujifilm does not need to share X mount protocols with third-parties, since we offer already lots of glass

So, Fujifilm isn’t making things easier for Sigma, to offer X mount glass.

Now, in an interview published a couple of days ago, the Sigma CEO was asked the Fujifilm X mount lens question again. And his answer is as follows:

I am aware of this kind of demand from customers. One of our missions is to support as many systems as possible, so I’d like to support also Fujifilm X mount, but our engineering resources are limited, so we need to prioritize projects, depending on the demand from the customers. I’d like to make Fujifilm X mount lenses, but right now I have many other projects I need to prioritize.

It would be nice if Fujifilm would make life to Sigma easier, by sharing their protocols. But as the situation is now, I think we can put any dreams for Sigma X mount glass aside.

The only hope I see, is that Fujifilm hugely increases its market share (by at least 20% as we rumored here), and then Sigma might be motivated to go through the effort to reverse-engineer the lenses, just as Viltrox is doing with their X mount lenses.

Down below you can see the video, which starts at min. 5:10, so you don’t lose time to get to the point you want to hear :).