Fujifilm Manager: The End of Entry Level (X-E line?), X100V Successor, APS-C and GFX Full Frame Alternative, Market Share and More

image courtesy: Phototrend
image courtesy: Phototrend

The French website Phototrend had the opportunity to interview Franck Bernard, Director of the imaging division at Fujifilm France. You can read the full interview here and the summary below.

  • Fujifilm GFX100II and the new GF lenses were well received
  • Fujifilm’s strategy is to grip full frame between their APS-C and Medium Format bodies
  • When asked if X-H2S is popular among sports photographers, the manager said that the road is long. It’s not only a question of having the best product, but also of having the entire ecosystem
  • Overall market share in France? As far as hybrid cameras goes (full frame excluded), Fujifilm is market leader with 26% over the last 12 months
  • X-T5 is the best seller followed by X-T30II and X-S20/X-S10
  • the photo market is sustainable and will always remain so
  • smartphones accelerate the demand for cameras because at some point people will want to use a real camera for better quality
  • it’s too early to talk about an X100V successor
  • It has now been 3 years since the X100V was released and Fujifilm does not have a fixed renewal cycle forcing them to change bodies every three years
  • the demand for X100V is still high
  • “If we have decided to stop entry-level products such as X-T200 or X-E4, it is because it is not promising as a market“
  • but Fujifilm wants to keep more affordable models in the lineup (see X-T30)
  • third party lenses can have negative effect on Fujinon lens sales, but Fujifilm thinks they have the quality to compete with Sigma, Tamron and Co
  • Fujifilm is neutral in regards to third party lenses. They don’t oppose nor push them and they respect them

I’d like to make some considerations.

Fujifilm X-E Line

The French manager hinted that they dropped the X-E line, but that pretty much does not fit with the hints recently a Japanese Fujifilm manager gave us here. And also Fuji Guy Billy mentioned here the X-E line as a line that would continue (unlike X-T***, X-A* lines, which btw were just Fujifilm branded Xacti cameras since a long time anyway, as we reported here).

Fujifilm X100V successor

No, it’s not too early to talk about it.

Third party Lenses

The French Fujifilm manager said they are neutral towards third party lenses. Although I remember Fujifilm managers inviting Sigma managers and talking about Sigma lenses for example here. So this gives me the impression Fujifilm is quite positive overall towards third party lenses.

The French manager said they think they have the quality to compete with third party lenses. This depends. The newest third party lenses from Viltrox & Co are quite phenomenal for the price. Maybe here and there they might not match the quality of the top of the line most modern Fujinon XF lenses, but there are quality options also from third parties.

The real and most important factors, for me, to use as much as possible native Fujinon lenses are two:

  • lots of third party lenses do not have an aperture ring
  • color consistency among Fujinon glass. And since a Film Simulation are a big deal for me, I like Velvia & Co to look consistent across the various lenses I use. There are for example third party lenses, like my manual focus Samyang 12mmF2, that are very lovely, but the colors they give me are not the ones I consistently get with my Fujinon lenses.

These are for me the two main reasons why I mostly stick with Fujinon XF and GF glass, although I own third party lenses for both systems, too.

My Personal Gear

Fujifilm 2024: A Look Ahead Between Rumors and Speculations (X-Pro4, X100R, X-E5, X-T40, New XF Lenses, GFX Future)

2023 is Done

We just told you that there will be no more Fujifilm announcements in 2023.

And since in terms of new gear we are done for this year, lots of people started asking me what is coming in 2024.

Now, I am working on it, and we have shared already something.

For example we told you that the next XF lens to come is the replacement of this lens here.

More rumors will follow.

But as you know, on FujiRumors we will not make up a single rumor just to make traffic, nor share anonymous rumors we receive in which I don’t trust.

We prefer to share less rumors, generate less traffic, make less money, and value your time with less, but accurate rumors.

But until more rumors drop, I thought we could also make one single article where we talk about the current state of the rumors and also make speculation on what could or we would like to come in 2024.

2024 – A Look Into the Future

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

It’s Over my Friends: No More X or GFX Related Announcements This Year

Yes I know.

I am aware that in the first half of 2023 Fujifilm has registered a camera with the code name FF230002.

And I am aware that never before Fujifilm needed more than 4/6 months to release a camera after its registration has been spotted.

This is why 99,9% of people out there are so sure there will be another Fujifilm announcement this year.

Maybe in November, as that’s a great month to launch new gear (Fuji’s most important camera has been launched November last year for example).

But this ain’t gonna happen, according to our sources.

In fact, we have been told (thanks!!!), that as far as 2023 goes, this was it. There is no new gear coming in 2023.

I mean, yes, the two GF tilt shift lenses still have to hit the market. But of course our sources mean that there won’t be any further announcements this year.

This means that we will also NOT get the next Fujinon XF lens that we already rumored a couple of weeks ago, in 2023.

So all we got (and will get) in 2023 is:

  • Fujifilm X-S20
  • Fujifilm GFX100II
  • Fujinon XF8mmF3.5
  • Fujinon GF55mmF1.7
  • Fujinon GF30mmF5.6 Tilt Shift
  • Fujinon GF110mmF5.6 Tilt Shift

Some great stuff dropped in 2023 for both systems, but certainly there was more to rejoice for GFX users rather than X series users this year.

But before the X series users start moaning, just a quick reminder on what we got in 2022:

  • Fujifilm X-T5
  • Fujifilm X-H2
  • Fujifilm X-H2s
  • Fujinon XF 30mmF2.8 Macro
  • Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR
  • Fujinon XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8
  • Fujinon XF 18-120mm f/4

Sure, we always wish for more. But over the last 2 years I think we can agree that there has been quite some decent stuff for both systems.

And what about 2024?

Well, for that, my friends, you’ll have to follow FujiRumors.

Rumors, that will be shared exclusively for you here on FujiRumors.

Fujifilm Facebook Groups

Fujinon GF500mm f/5.6 on GFX100 II and Accurate Size compared to GF250mmF4

Fujifilm has released a new G mount roadmap that includes the following lenses:

  • Fujinon GF500mm f/5.6
  • GF powerzoom (for movie shooting)

During the Fujifilm X Summit (full summary here), Fujifilm did show us the silhouette of the Fujinon GF500mm f/5.6.

So I decided to take that silhouette and mount it on a brand new Fujifilm GFX100II.

Also, I compared its size to the currently longest prime Fujifilm offers, the Fujinon GF250mmF4. You can see the results down below.

This is as accurate as it gets. But keep in mind that, while historically Fujifilm shares pretty reliable silhouettes of upcoming gear, the shape we see now is based on the current state of development.

The Fujifilm Fujinon GF500mm f/5.6 will hit the market only sometimes in 2024, hence minor design changes might still occur until its final release.

Sony World Photography Award Winner Tests Fujifilm GFX100II “I was Dubious, but GFX100II is Bridging the Autofocus Gap with Full Frame”

Josselin Cornou, member of our gigantic Fujifilm GFX group and “heavy Sony user” (as he called himself), was able to test the Fujifilm GFX100II for two weeks.

He shared his impressions in this post, where he answers also questions members have.

He was very impressed by the Fujifilm GFX100 II, so much so that he says:

I finally come to the conclusion that the GFX can fully suits my photo + video needs

The GFX100 II behaved similarly to an A7r5, offering a very similar same type of specs – and similar shutter lag.

I ended up preordering the camera. While this is still 100MP, this is the first Medium Format camera which is bridging the gap with Full Frame in terms of Autofocus and video capabilities

When asked by members about autofocus accuracy, he says in the comments:

For portrait, it’s on par with the A7r5. I am sharing a video below to show you how it focuses on the 55mm f1.7 (which is not a Linear Motor lens, so slower AF than 20-35mm lenses). I was quite impressed – and results looked on part with Sony.

This is just an excerpt. You can read his full post below and check out the full comment section in the original post here.

Josselin Cornou First Impressions

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

Fujifilm GFX100 II IBIS Performance with GF Lenses (vs GFX100S)

Thanks to a new smart system that relies not only on the gyro sensor to stabilise the sensor, but also uses data from the image sensor itself to fine tune stabilisation (more about it in our X summit summary), the Fujifilm GFX100II is capable of achieving 8 stops IBIS.

But this peak 8 stops performance is achieved not with all lenses.

In the chart above shared by Ken L Photo (in text format below) you can see how many stops of IBIS you get on the GFX100II with each GF lens. Also, you get the IBIS performance comparison with the Fujifilm GFX100S.

Full Chart

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

WATCH Fujifilm X Summit NOW: Fujifilm GFX100 II, GF55mmF1.5, GF Tilt Shift and MORE – LIVE on FujiRumors

Fujifilm X Summit – LIVE COVERAGE
(refresh for updates)

Fujifilm X Summit – The Full Coverage Live!
SUMMARY + SCREENSHOTS

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

RUMOR: Fujifilm GFX100 II will NOT Have a File Transmitter Grip and Frame.io C2C Integration Possible with GFX100II Body Only

Today I’ve learned a lesson.

Which lesson? I will tell you at the bottom.

First you have to know that so far we have spotted three camera registrations in the first half of 2023.

  • FF220002 = Fujifilm X-S20
  • FF230001 = very likely Fujifilm GFX100II
  • FF230002 = yet unknown

And because it takes Fujifilm between 1-4 months usually to release gear after registration, this would mean all three should come within this year.

And here comes the problem.

Given the lack of rumors about the third camera supposed to come in 2023, I told you yesterday here that I believe the registration could be for the vertical file transmitter grip for the GFX100II, but making clear that’s not a rumor, just a speculation of mine.

But after I’ve shared the video trusted sources (thanks!!!) reached out to me and corrected my speculation telling me this:

  • there will not be a file transmitter grip for the GFX100 II
  • Frame-io Camera-to-Cloud (C2C) integration will be possible using the GFX100II body only

Now this is huge news. Consider that the FT-HX File Transmitter Grip for X-H2/S costs $1,000, a staggering $600 more over the regular X-H battery grip.

But what in the X-H world costs you $600 extra to get access to (frame.io C2C), you’ll get it built into the Fujifilm GFX100 II body for this price here.

And you know what that means.

It means that I have to get back at work to try to find out what the FF230002 is ;).

Lesson learned?

I have learned the lesson that I better don’t make any speculations, but just follow blindly the rumor-path my sources share with me.

So I will do just that.

By sharing more big rumors still before the launch of the GFX100II.

Fujifilm X Summit September 12 at 5 AM New York Time
GFX100II Rumors & More

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Fujifilm Facebook Groups

RUMOR: Fujifilm GFX100 II Coming with Base ISO 80

According to our trusted sources, the Fujifilm GFX100 II will have a base ISO of 80 (compared to the ISO100 of current GFX cameras).

That’s potentially a good news, but let’s see how this translates into real life image quality on September 12, when the GFX100 II will be announced at the X Summit.

Fujifilm X Summit September 12 at 5 AM New York Time
GFX100II Rumors & More

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Fujifilm Facebook Groups