New Firmware 1.50 for Fringer EF/FX Adapters Released

Fringer has released firmware 1.50 for the Fringer EF-FX Pro II and Fringer EF-FX II smart autofocus adapters.

The main improvements of Fringer EF-FX Pro II & Fringer EF-FX II Version 1.50 include:

  1. Bug fixed: Focal length was always 300mm when using EF300/2.8L II with 1.4X and 2X TCs. Now it’s 420mm for 1.4X and 600mm for 2X.
  2. AF performance of following lens has been improved further.
    EF24-105/4L IS II
  3. Introduced smooth video AF for the following lens.
    EF24-105/4L IS II
  4. Added following lenses to the tested and optimized lens list:
    EF28-135/3.5-5.6 IS USM
    EF50/1.0L
    TAMRON SP 24-70/2.8 VC A007
  5. Bug fixed: Some of TAMRON17-50/2.8 VC B005 were wrongly recognized as SIGMA 17-50/2.8 and cause AF malfunctions

You can download the update file and release notes of EF-FX (Pro) II here. Follow the instructions in the release notes or the user’s manual to upgrade the adapter.

Both Fringer EF-NZ and Fringer EF-FX Pro II can be ordered now at BHphoto here and at the Fringer webstore.

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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 Manager About Full Frame vs APS-C, Firmware Updates for X-T3, DSLR vs Mirrorless and Talking Fujifilm X-H2 is like… :)

Fujifilm Manager Interview

The latest Fujicast podcast episode of Kevin Mullins and Neale James just went online.

It’s a special episode from the Fujifilm House of Photography in London with Fujifilm manager Andreas Georghiades.

The podcast is one hour long and you can listen to it here. In this article, we will focus on the Q&A with the Fujifilm manager.

And guess what?

Of course it starts with the Fujifilm full frame evergreen ;).

So the first question is, what is this obsession with APS-C? Full frame would be Fuji’s opportunity to capture the market.

  • There is not really an obsession
  • When Fujifilm first looked at mirrorless, APS-C was the best balanced system in terms of size, weight and image quality
  • Obviously there are advantages to bigger sensors, which is why Fujifilm developed the GFX system
  • bigger sensors also have disadvantages in terms of speed and performance and other things [FujiRumors listed them in this article]
  • that’s why Fujifilm decided to fight on two fronts
  • there is a lot of noise around 35mm. The manager does not call it full frame, as in photography history what was considered full frame always changed. Today it’s just a great marketing terminology
  • if you want high resolution, you can get GFX
  • if you want something smaller and lighter than DSLR, there is the APS-C X series
  • if you go bigger sensor, you also go bigger and more expensive lenses, and you end up with bigger kits
  • Canon, Nikon and Panasonic full frame offering does not give you any benefit in terms of size and weight over DSLR
  • you have to ask yourself the question, why do you go mirrorless. If you want to save size and weight, APS-C is better

How to stay competitive in the market?

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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 here – Fujifilm 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 here – Fujifilm 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 :).

Fujifilm X Summit LIVE STREAM Starts NOW – WATCH LIVE on FujiRumors!

Fujifilm X100V
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Fujifilm X Summit Live Stream starts now. You can follow it here on FujiRumors.

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LIVE EVENT COVERAGE BELOW

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Fujifilm X Summit Today 3 PM New York Time: What we Expect, What Not and We Hope

On February 4, at 3PM New York time, there will be the Fujifilm X Summit in London.

Of course there will be a live stream here on FujiRumors at:

  • NEW YORK – 3 PM of February 4
  • BERLIN – 9 PM of February 4

So what can we expect, what not, and what are our hopes? Let’s go through it:

→ WHAT WE EXPECT

We will definitely see the Fujifilm X100V coming. The first Fujifilm X100V leaked image is already out, and so are the full X100V specs, which for your convenience we have compared side by side with Fujfiilm X100F.

→ WHAT WE DON’T EXPECT

According to our sources, the final announcement, with full specs and pre-orders, for the Fujifilm X-T4 will be on February 26.

I don’t know, though, if there will be some sort of “Fujifilm X-T4 development announcement“, as it happened with the Fujifilm X-Pro3 back at the second Fujfiilm X Summit. So they could show us a Fujifilm X-T4 prototype, but don’t disclose any of the specs. That’s always a possibility.

Also, we don’t expect any Fujifilm GFX camera, as there will be none coming in 2020.

→ WHAT WE HOPE

Exactly one year after the first Fujifilm X summit in Dubai, where Fujifilm officially asked us which X lenses we want next in this survey, I think it would be high time to give us also a new roadmap. But I don’t know if there will be one. Or if they will wait for the Fujifilm X-T4 announcement to disclose it to the world.

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Fujifilm launches “FUJIFILM X100V”

Fujifilm X100V – Press Release

Fujifilm X100V
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-New evolution of the X100 Series, the origin of premium compact digital cameras
-Sophisticated design that exudes functional beauty
-The newly-developed high-performance lens for premium image quality
-The world’s only viewfinder that switches between optical and electronic options in pursuit of the photography style of “shooting through the viewfinder”

Tokyo, February 5, 2020 ― FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) is pleased to announce the launch of the premium compact digital camera “FUJIFILM X100V” (hereinafter “X100V”) in late February 2020. The X100V features a newly-developed high-performance lens on its camera body, designed with functional beauty and sophistication. It is equipped with the latest image sensor and image processing engine to deliver premium-quality images with the company’s signature color-reproduction technology. In addition the evolved version of the Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder offers inter-switchable optical and electronic options, in pursuit of the photography style of “shooting through the viewfinder.”

Fujifilm pioneered a new market segment of premium compact digital cameras in 2011 with the launch of the FUJIFILM X100, the inaugural model of the X100 Series. The X100 Series has established a distinctive market position as premium compact digital cameras. It has won great acclaim from users around the world for its sophisticated exterior design, facilitating intuitive operability, and advanced image quality based on Fujifilm’s signature color reproduction technology that has been refined over 80 years.

The X100V is the fifth-generation model of the X100 Series. While maintaining the Series’ popular design in principle, the new model uses aluminum for the top and bottom plates of the camera body, applying advanced metal processing technology. It has achieved sharp looks to the edges while keeping the surfaces smooth. The use of a tilting rear LCD monitor and dials on the top plate enables intuitive operations and gives the camera body design sophistication exuding functional beauty. A high-performance lens with ultra resolution has been newly developed for this model. The back-illuminated 26.1MP “X-Trans™ CMOS 4”*1 sensor and the “X-Processor 4” high-speed image processing engine are combined with Fujifilm’s unique color reproduction technology to produce premium-quality stills and videos in “memory colors,” i.e. vivid colors exactly as you remember. The X100V equips the Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder, the world’s only*2 viewfinder that can be switched between optical viewfinder (OVF) and electronic viewfinder (EVF). The EVF uses a newly developed organic electroluminescent (EL) panel with capability of high-resolution, high luminance, high contrast to provide enhanced immersiveness in photography shooting experience.

The X100V is a digital camera that integrates excellent design and operability, perfected with attention to detail, with functions that achieve outstanding image quality. It will give photographic pleasure and a sense of joy to own such excellent camera to a wide range of users including professional photographers and photography enthusiasts.

  • *1　X-Trans™ is a trademark or registered trademark of FUJIFILM Corporation.
  • *2　As of February 5, 2020. According to Fujifilm.

1.    Main product features

(1) Sophisticated design exuding functional beauty

This is the first X100 Series camera that uses aluminum for its top and bottom plates. Aluminum, highly shapeable metal, has been milled into shape to achieve sharp looks to the edges and fine blasting treatment produces smooth texture on the surface. The body has been further colored with alumite treatment to achieve a premium appearance.
For the first time in the X100 Series, this model features a two-way tilting rear LCD monitor that enables various shooting styles from high and low angles. The monitor’s excellent touch-response performance guarantees intuitive operability. The ultra-thin LCD monitor can be stored flush in the back panel to achieve an integral body design with a sense of style.
The X100V offers an ISO dial, built into the shutter speed dial, allowing users to check and adjust various settings without having to turn the camera on. When adjusting ISO sensitivity, users can pull the outer rim of the Built-In ISO Dial up to lock for added convenience.
The camera features a grip shaped for a comfortable hold and various buttons optimally positioned for easy operation, promising a great shooting experience.

2) Premium image quality achieved with the newly-developed high-performance lens combined with the latest image sensor and image processing engine

  • Using optical technologies developed through the industry-leading “FUJINON lenses,” including lenses for cinema cameras, Fujifilm has newly developed a bright prime lens with the focal length of 23mm (equivalent to 35mm in the 35mm film format) and the maximum aperture of F2. The lens, specifically designed for the X100V using two aspherical lens elements, delivers edge-to-edge sharpness in high resolution and high contrast.
  • The X100V uses the back-illuminated 26.1MP “X-Trans™ CMOS 4” sensor and the “X-Processor 4” high-speed image processing engine. They are combined with Fujifilm’s unique color reproduction technology, refined for over 80 years, to produce “memory colors,” i.e. vivid colors exactly as you remember.

(3) Evolved “Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder” in pursuit of the photography style of “shooting through the viewfinder”
  • The X100V features the world’s only “Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder,” allowing users to instantaneously switch between the optical viewfinder (OVF), which captures the photo subject exactly as it is, and the electronic viewfinder (EVF), which reflects exposure and other shooting conditions adjustments.
  • The EVF uses a high-resolution 3.69-million-dot organic EL panel for the first time in the X100 Series. It boasts the maximum luminous intensity of 1500 candelas and high contrast to display even intricate details in highlights and shadows, providing enhanced immersiveness in photography.
  • In the OVF mode, the viewfinder offers the Electronic Rangefinder function to display a small EVF window at the same time. The feature has been developed to bring out the maximum viewfinder potential, allowing users to capture the subject as it is while enlarging the focusing area in the small EVF. This function provides added convenience when taking snapshots.
(4) Expanded array of shooting functions
  • The use of the latest algorithm enables the camera to realize fast and accurate phase-detection AF at the minimum luminance of -5EV, which is close to pitch darkness. The performance of Face and Eye AF has also been improved. The Focus Limiter function, which limits the range of focal lengths for using AF, assists a smooth shooting experience with AF.
  • The X100V offers a total of 17 Film Simulation modes to provide versatile tonal variations. It enables a high contrast finish with three-dimensional definitions with the “CLASSIC Neg” mode, which simulates color negative film traditionally chosen for snapshots of day-to-day scenes. The “ETERNA” mode, which simulates the colors and tonality of Fujifilm’s motion picture film, allows users to record video in subdued colors and rich shadow tones.
  • The X100V also has the “Grain Effect” function for reproducing distinctive graininess seen in photographs taken with film cameras. Users can adjust size and strength settings to control the degree of grain.
  • The camera is capable of recording smooth 4K video at 30fps. In the Full-HD modes, video can be recorded at even smoother 60fps for premium video quality.
(5) Various optional accessories for expanding photographic enjoyment
  • The use of the adapter ring “AR-X100” and the protection filter “PRF-49” makes this camera dust and moisture resistant for users to enjoy shooting in light rain or dusty outdoor conditions.
  • Two conversion lenses are available to alter the camera’s focal length without compromising its optical performance or f-stop value, further broadening photographic pleasure.
    ① Wide conversion lens “WCL-X100 II”
    Mounting this conversion lens widens the focal length by 0.8x to 19mm (equivalent to 28mm in the 35mm film format), perfect for landscape photography.
    ② Tele-conversion lens “TCL-X100 II”
    Mounting this conversion lens extends the focal length by 1.4x to 33mm (equivalent to 50mm in the 35mm film format), ideal for portraiture taking advantage of a natural perspective.
  • The genuine leather case “LC-X100V” gives a premium appearance. A memory card or a battery can be replaced while the case is attached to the camera.

Fujifilm X100V
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Venus Optics Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO Available

FujiRumors told you a few days ago here, that the new Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro lens for Fujifilm X mount will be announced in a few days.

Well, now it happened.

You can purchase the Lawoa 65mm f/2.8 2x Macro at the official Venus Optics store here.

Sample images and full specs can be found here.

At the moment you can find it for sale only at Venus Optics store. Pick this option for fastest shipping.

At a later stage we should see the lens available also at BHphoto, AmazonUS, Adorama.

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Press Release

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