Fujifilm managers, engineers and designers explained their work, gave interesting insights and answered live questions of their customers.
Fujifilm even publicly asked us which lenses and firmware we would like next, letting us vote on various options (with overwhelming response by the FujiRumors community).
The X Summit shows, that the way Fujifilm interacts, listens and follows to customer needs, is more unique than rare, and it’s one more reason to fall in love with Fujifilm!
Fujifilm did an amazing job, customers answered in the best way possible, and for what it’s worth, I’ve also tried to honour the event by working restlessly and publishing 14 articles over the last weekend.
However, it seems that not everybody was able to keep track of it all, since I start to get emails from readers notifying me about news I have already published.
So I thought a quick recap could help:
click here – Fujifilm X-H1 with XF 33mm f/1.0 vs Panasonic S1 with Lumix S PRO 50mm f/1.4 Size Comparison
Fujifilm hold the first X summit at the GPP in Dubai, an event aimed to listen to customer feedback in the best Kaizen tradition and discuss about the Fujifilm future.
For example, Fujifilm asked people which X and GFX lenses they should make next and which firmware update should come next.
Sadly there was not much participation (hardly 50 comments), so let’s see what happens if I share the same polls here on FujiRumors, the only Fujifilm community that can collect several thousands of votes within a few hours ;).
You find Fujifilm’s future X and GF lens survey down below.
Big news: just as we rumored a few days ago, the Fujifilm X-T3 will get a major firmware update, centered on autofocus improvements. It will come in April. Fujifilm showed a video demo of the improvements, and it was fairly impressive. Better face and eye tracking.
Here is the entire 1 hour and 48 minutes video summed up in key points for you. You’re welcome :).
XF35mmF1.4 vs XF33mmF1.0: the XF 33/1 needs to be twice as big, since it needs to let in and correct twice the light
XF33mmF1 has more than twice lens elements than the XF35/1.4
to correct aberration on the XF33mm f/1.0 you need around 7-10 glass front elements
the XF35mmF1.4 has only 7 elements overall
the backside of the XF33mm f/1.0 has about 8 to 10 glass elements
overall the XF33mm f/1.0 has more than twice the lens elements
the 7 to 10 glass elements on the front of the 33/1 weight about 200 gram
challange is to move heavy lens elements precisely during autofocus
Toshi was not satisfied with the size of the lens, but he understands the challenges of developing it. However, he invites engineers to make it still as small and light as possible
XF16mm f/2.8 and XF 16-80mm f/4 working protoypes
XF16mmf/2.8 announcement soon
XF16-80mmf/4 will follow. Launch later this year. Lens feels really light
Future X and GF lenses
Fujifilm asks people which lenses Fujifilm should develop next – FujiRumors added the polls down below
Tilt shift lens is very likely to come next for G mount system
Zack Arias agrees with FujiRumors and he does not want a 35/1.4 MK II because he does not want the 35/1.4 magic to go lost
development costs of new lenses are very high
FUTURE GFX CONCEPTS and GFX CAMERAS – starts 59:39
GFX Concepts
Mirrorless should be free from all legacy
Fujifilm shows design mock-ups of GFX
they show a very small cubic and modular GFX, where you can attach a grip unit and viewfinder unit. So you can build the GFX according to your style (full video here and original full video here)
the modular GFX is just a mockup, but Fujifilm hopes it won’t take long to create such a small device
Medium format size can be reduced a lot, but there are challenges, for example a smaller shutter unit and better battery efficiency
with global shutter Fujifilm can make it smaller
The clear message here is: don’t worry, we are going to make the GFX system a whole lot smaller. So invest into GFX, and we will deliver you also a super-compact body one day.
GFX 100
Fujifilm shows a working prototype of GFX100 and they take a sample on stage, including pixel peeping
at 100MP the benefits of medium format shine, because it’s easier to design lenses that resolve 100MP for MF than for full frame or APS-C
hand-holdable medium format camera thanks to IBIS
GFX100 will cost around $10,000, but final decision has not yet been made
250+ total firmware updates made since the original X100 has been introduced
They show upcoming firmware of X-T3 with significant autofocus improvement. Better face detection, better tracking, better eye AF. Coming in April. Check it out in the video embedded above or on youtube at 1:28:35
Fujifilm also said they will give us the opportunity to switch between faces with the new firmware
survey about which firmware should come next
they official mention Kaizen as their philosophy
Q&A
Fujifilm is studying the rating system
Adobe X-Trans support: Adobe says that for them to get good results with X-Trans is difficult, it’s a lot of work. Fujifilm will support Adobe for better processing
People ask for complete Camera Remote App redesign
Fujifilm is working on improved camera remote app
There will be more X summits, and you can interact at slido here, and of course you will be the first to know, if you follow FujiRumors on Facebook, Instagram, RSS-feed and Twitter.
Modular GFX with Viewfinder and GripModular GFXModular GFX with GripGFX modularXF 33mm designValue of AngleValue of Angle ChartX-T3 April FirmwareFirmware Wishlist
I don’t get free or discounted gear from Fujifilm, I don’t get special customer service, I don’t get invitations and free flights/hotels to launch parties, I don’t get free t-shirts or hats… and that’s good so.
I wake up, I go to work, I come back home, I blog and I write whatever I want.
This independency allows me to write for example articles like the ones below, that Fujifilm surely did not appreciate:
So actually I don’t think there is one brand out there, that we attacked more than Fujifilm ;).
But my job is not to make Fujifilm happy, but to be loyal to those of you, who decide to read this blog. And hence, I will report everything. Fujifilm does not pay me a penny, and if this blog runs at all, it’s only because you decide to support it.
On the other hand, I can’t hide that I simply fell in love with Fujifilm many years ago, and it’s a love that gets stronger as the years pass by.
So, while I will keep up delivering you everything, every now and then, I also feel like sharing some good switch stories of people, who talk so passionate about Fujifilm.
It’s the same enthusiasm that caught me many years ago, hence, I will share a few of these stories today.
Check them out or not, it’s up to you.
Enjoy your weekend, love you all (even if don’t shoot Fuji ;) )
Patrick
Valhalla, New York, January 16, 2019 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation will showcase its latest products at Imaging USA 2019, Booth 929, from January 20 -22 at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta. Fujifilm continues to be a market leader for professional photographers, providing the total imaging solution.
Fujifilm will showcase a range of high-quality mirrorless cameras including the FUJIFILM X-T3 and rangefinder-style FUJIFILM GFX 50R medium format mirrorless digital camera, and the newest XF lenses. In addition, the FRONTIER-S DX100 printer, GetPix Kiosk and newly launched Fujicolor Crystal Archive Professional Paper Maxima will be featured at the booth as well as the INSTAX SQUARE SQ20 and INSTAX SQUARE SQ6.
Newest X Series and GFX gear for hands-on experience
More rumors are coming :), so make sure to get notified instantly by following FujiRumors on Facebook, Instagram, RSS-feed and Twitter and hitting that little bell icon on the bottom right of your browser.
Fujifilm X-T20 new MSRP + Fujifilm X-H1 Super Deal
It’s time to put some order in the myriad of rumors, and give you guys a timeline of the Fujifilm products that will come in 2019, as well as give a quick glance at 2020.
This is just an approximate timeline, that I will update as soon as I get new information.
January/April 2019
Fujifilm X-T30*
Fujinon XF16mm f/2.8 R WR*
Fujinon GF 100-200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR*
* based on our rumors
May/August 2019
Fujinon GFX100*
Fujinon XF16-80mm f/4 R LM OIS WR**
Fujinon GF 50mm f/3.5 LM WR***
* based on our rumors ** our sources say XF 16-80 will not come in early 2019
*** just an educated guess by FujiRumors, but it could make sense to announce it along with Fujifilm GFX100
September/December 2019
Fujifilm X-Pro3*
Fujifilm X100F Successor*
* based on reports at techardar. I place them in the second half of 2019, because I do not think their release is imminent (if techradar is right about 2019 release)
Top Possible Bonus Gear in 2019/2020
Fujinon GF 80mm f/1.4 R LM WR*
Fujifilm X80**
older XF lenses refresh***
*based on rumor ** wishful thinking based on XF10 disappointment :) *** no rumors. but please, FUJI, PLEASE!!!
Coming 2020
Fujifilm X-H2*
Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0 R LM WR**
Fujinon GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM OIS WR**
* our sources say it will not be released in 2019, hence must be sometimes in 2020, since I don’t think Fuji will wait until 2021
** based on official Fujifilm roadmap
Back in 2015, John investigated the question if Fujinon X glass can cover larger sensors areas than APS-C, by projected the light passing through Fujinon lenses on a piece of paper (full report here). His conclusion:
“I could be wrong in my assumptions, […] but this difference between the Samyang and Fujinon lenses is proof enough for me that the X-mount can handle a larger sensor.”
But John’s test was only theoretical.
What happens if you really mount a Fujinon lens on a full frame camera? Will there be heavy vignetting or not?
Albert tried to answer this questions by modifying the mount of his Fujinon XF 56mm F1.2, and basically making a Sony E-mount lens out of it.
And it did work out very well. Albert writes:
“Lucky for me, it turns out to work pretty well, the XF56mm F1.2 covered the full frame sensor nicely, and the performance is on par with the popular classic lens, such as Canon FD 58mm f1.2 and Nikkor 50mm f1.2“
I wonder, which other Fujinon lenses would cover full frame, too.
You can read the whole article all and see the pictures at foodgrapher here. The article is dated October 2018 but passed unnoticed to all, until a FR-reader (thanks) send me the link via anonymous rumor box and I can now share it on FR. Thanks for your support also in 2019 :).
Fujifilm will Never go Full Frame
And before you start suggesting Fujifilm should put a full frame sensor into the existing X mount…
In no way I want to suggest that Fujifilm will go full frame. I share this test only to show how big the circle of projection of certain Fujinon lenses is, and Fuji’s APS-C camera use only the central (and best) part of the light circle.
Thanks to our fantastic sources, 2018 was another incredibly busy and successful rumor year for FujiRumors, with 75 rumors shared (one rumor every 5 days) and a rumor hit rate of 92%.
I hope we could add a bit of fun and entertainement in the Fuji X and GFX world, and that you guys enjoyed the time spent discussing the rumors on this blog.
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