When I published my top 10 “failed” cameras of Fujifilm article, we looked back at the entire X series history with cameras that probably some of you never heart of or have forgotten about.
Some FR-readers appreciated that sort of little Fuji X history review. So I thought that, if a little Fuji history is appreciated now and then, then maybe you want to check out the history of Fujinon series that Fujifilm has published in the past.
The series consists in 7 episodes that cover the following topics:
Another great way to learn about the Fujifilm history, is to read Patrik’s guest post, where he looks at the entire Fujifilm history and identifies 10 cameras that put the base for features we find in today’s modern X and GFX series cameras.
Now Cosina has published the main specs and a new product image (see above) of this lens at their website in Japanese, which I now report here on FujiRumors machine translated.
A large aperture quasi-wide-angle lens with the latest optics using one double-sided aspherical lens and two abnormal partial dispersion glass. Although it is a compact size, it has excellent resolution from the aperture opening, and large blur due to the large aperture of F1.2 can be obtained.
Just as the 35mm version, also this one has electronic contacts to transfer certain information such as EXIF data.
I love the look of this lens, and actually also of the Voigländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 X. And although I am tempted to get one, I so far have not treated myself with one, since I’d pay for features (the electronic contacts) that do not work on my Fujifilm X-E3.
With the latest Sigma X mount releases, it’s high time for us to update the list of third party lenses with autofocus support for Fujifilm X series cameras.
We will include also the newly announced Voigtländer NOKTON 23mm F1.2 (as well as the already available Voigländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 X), which are not autofocus lenses, but they have electronic contacts for EXIF data transfer and more.
Last year, Cosina launched the Voigtländer Nokton 35mmF1.2 X, with no autofocus, but with electronic contacts which allows for transfer of EXIF data and more (more details at the bottom of the article).
Now Cosina will also launch the Voigtländer Nokton 23mm f/1.2 APS-C lens for Nikon Z and Fujifilm X mount.
Also in this case, there will be electronic contacts but not autofocus.
It’s nice to see that Cosina understands us Fujifilm X shooters (or most of us) better than what Sigma does, and did put the effort to design the X mount version with an aperture ring. I wish the new Sigma X mount trinity would have an aperture ring too. But it’s no dealbreaker in my eyes. I shot my 27mmF2.8 without aperture ring for long and with great joy (but I replaced it now with the new XF27mmF2.8 with aperture ring).
For me, shooting Fujifilm is not only, but also about the experience. This is also the reason why I got the TTArtisan 23mm f/1.4. It’s the look and feel of it, attached to my X-E3 or X-T4, that simply makes me enjoy shooting with it every now and then.
And surely the new Voigtländer NOKTON lenses for Fujifilm X hit the same nerve, with a lovely vintage design and the bonus of electronic contacts that make it an appealing option for X shooters.
Personally, though, the Voigtländer options is not on my radar, because my Fujifilm X-E3 camera is not supported (yet). The full list of supported X series cameras can be found at the very bottom of this article.
For some reason the claim is spreading that FujiRumors said the X mount Sigma lenses would come on February 9, which now results in people accusing me of sharing fake/wrong rumors and being terribly disappointed (by FujiRumors and the lack of Sigma X mount lenses).
Of course I never said that they’d be announced on February 9 and luckily some of you guys out there set things right for me by saying on forums:
this is the other typical way that Fuji Rumors is “wrong” – people make incorrect assumptions and wrongfully attribute them to the site.
And before somebody attributes me further more wrong rumors I have never shared, I will tell you this: Sigma will announce their first X mount lenses in February.
I say it now, after the February 9 launch, to avoid to create false hopes in the community for an event that was reserved to this lens.
I am making my last checks, and will then share the real announcement date as soon as I can. It could be just a matter of minutes or days.
We 100% confirm that the lenses to be announced will be:
As we told you a few weeks ago, Sigma will announce X mount lenses “soon”. I never gave a date (and hence I never said they would be announced today, Feb.9), but I confirm everything I said so far, hence that they will come “soon” and that Sigma will start their X mount adventure with these three lenses:
Assuming that Sigma will not design completely new lenses, but use the current design and just adapt the mount to make it fit on X series cameras, I have made a couple of comparisons already.
Note that I’ve mounted the Sigma lenses on a Sony A6600 and the Fujinon lenses on an X-Pro3, since that way both lenses have their mount pretty much perfectly aligned. And of course, camerasize has the Sigma lenses with lens hood, but it’s really not a massive effort of imagination to “think away” those lens hoods.
For the full specs comparison, you can click the links below:
The main reason: the Zeiss Touit X lenses were more expensive than their Fujinon XF counterparts but did not offer a better image quality that would justify the price jump.
On the other hand, the Sigma X mount lenses will come in at a sensibly lower price tag than their Fujinon XF competitors and probably at the same time offer a very good image quality, too.
Well, today I’d like to go a bit more in depth and compare also some of the other specs thanks to the very useful B&H Photo comparison tool.
Given the gentle price and probably also the great performance, I believe the Sigma X mount lenses could potentially be an attractive option for many Fuji X shooters.
What I believe could be the biggest “deal breaker” is not that they are too close to existing Fujinon lenses, but that all the Sigma lenses mentioned above do not have an aperture ring, which is something many of us love and consider a key part of the Fuji X shooter experience.
At least for me it’s like this, so much so that I sold my original XF27mmF2.8 to get the new XF27mmF2.8 R WR just to have an aperture ring on the lens.
But other than that, I am happy Sigma joins the X mount with whatever lenses they want and I look forward to more in future.
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.
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.
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.
