With all the talk about the Fujifilm X100VI in these days, we can now report also something interesting for those of you, who are not into the X100 line (thanks to Mistral!).
In a session with journalists, Fujifilm shared 10 lenses that were “under study” and also talked about future X/GFX cameras, as reported by the French website lesnumeriques here, who also is to credit for the images.
10 Lenses “Under Study”
(Images at the Top of the Article)
Fujifilm did display 10 lenses currently “under study” by Fujifilm. But please guys, don’t take this as any sort of “roadmap”, for the reasons I’ll explain below.
Super-Telephoto Prime lens XF 400mm or longer
– 100-110mm diameter
– 240-280 length
– weight 1,300-1,400g
XF120mmF2 (in between XF90mmF2 and XF200mmF2) – Size 140-160mm
– 90-110mm diameter
– 900-1,000g
Super Wide-angle Fast Lens for Astro Photography
– Size 80-100mm
– 70-80mm diameter
– weight 400-600g
It’s not the first time that Fujiflm gave us a list of “lenses under study“. It happened also back in 2019, when they even wanted us to vote on those lenses (as they wanted the journalists to vote on the lenses we display today). And if we look at the list, except for some MKII lenses, not much on that list ever materialized in a real product.
So don’t take it as a solid indication on anything.
The Fujifilm X100VI will be Fujifilm’s first APS-C camera to feature the new REALA ACE film simulation.
Some of you might think that’s an obvious rumor. But others might think it can’t be true.
And the reason why some might think it can’t be true, is because when the Fujifilm GFX100 II was launched, Fujifilm engineers said this during the X summit about the new Reala Ace film simulation:
The new GFX100II sensor is the best fit Reala Ace. Without this sensor, we are not able to realize REALA film simulation in it
But according to our sources, what Fujifilm said is not true. Or maybe Fujifilm just used a very unlucky and confusing formulation.
Because Fujifilm is able to realize Reala Ace also without the Fujifilm GFX100II sensor and the first camera (besides GFX100II) to have it will be the Fujifilm X100VI.
For nostalgic negative, Fujifilm needs large sensor. It can’t be implemented simply to APS-C. Fujifilm needs more time to develop Nostalgic Negative for the APS-C system.
Anyway, there was another piece of gear on that list, that intrigued people: the Fujinon GF14-20mm.
So let me put it this way:
The best I can say about it for now, is that none of our sources is aware of such a lens.
I don’t call it a “wrong rumor” simply because there is a difference between our sources saying something is fake (GFX25) and our sources saying they are not aware of certain gear.
But the fact that already the GFX25 rumor is wrong (and more on that list will be proven wrong), could be an indication that pretty much anything “leaked” on that list has to be taken with a grain of salt and it’s probably just a compilation of guesses and speculations wrapped into a more tasty rumor package to give it more credibility. I am NOT saying E8M made it up, it is likely that somebody else made it up and passed it to E8M, who then shared it. That’s the way guys try to convince you to publish wrong info.
Anyway, I have to be accurate when I report what our sources say. And they tell me they have no information about such a lens.
For me, this means that I have zero hopes for an eventual GF14-20 to come in 2024 and I am also not overly optimistic to see one in 2025. And if it never comes, I would not be surprised either.
If you need to go wide, your best option for a long time will be the Fujinon GF20-35mm f/4.
One of the questions is how accurate the Fujifilm GFX100II eye autofocus is.
A kind source decided to answer this question, and passed me an internal Fujifilm slide about the Fujifilm GFX100II, which shows that, for portraits and coupled with the Fujinon GF55mm f/1.7, Fujifilm has calculated a 97% autofocus accuracy.
This is of course for portraits. We are not talking about the accuracy when tracking any athlete running at full speed or something like that.
But I guess the most realistic scenario for the combination GFX100II and GF55mmF1.7 is anyway portraits or not really fast moving subjects (people at a wedding etc).