Fellow Fujifilm X shooter Steven reached out to Fujifilm and asked them if they do plan to release a firmware fix for the autofocus issues that came up after the latest firmware updates.
Well, here is the reply he got (as I could verify from the screenshots he sent me, thanks!).
Thank you for your message and for taking the time to give us your feedback. We take all comments about our products very seriously. We are aware of several videos and posts on social media regarding AF performance.
Our R&D team in Japan is investigating a solution and we hope to have an update on this very soon.
Here on FujiRumors we did complain about the autofocus issues. And we also highlighted a quick solution: Fujifilm should just offer a “downgrade” to the initial firmware, which was really working well.
I don’t know what kind of solution Fujifilm is working on (a simple downgrade or major AF redesign). But what I know is that Fujifilm can’t mess it up this time.
However, right after we shared the comparison, a source reached out to FujiRumors suggesting some adjustments in order to make the lens as close as possible to the real deal.
I passed the sources’ feedback to Hiergeist, who then made the rendering based on that feedback (THANKS). You can see the result above.
the tripod collar ring and the button panel are inverted compared to the GF500mmF5.6. In fact, it will the first of the “white XF lenses” to have that layout (first the buttons, then the tripod ring)
the XF version is white whereas the GF lens is black
the tripod mount slightly protrudes into the button panel, but there is a ever so slight gap between the tripod mount and the button panel, so that it does not interfere with it
on the XF500mm aperture goes up to f/22 instead of f/32 on the GF500mm.
Again: this is a rendering, so it is not the 100% final lens. But the render is based on input from our sources, so I’d expect the real lens to be extremely close to our rendering.
Thanks again Hiergeist!!! And thanks to our sources!
FR-reader Hiergeist made a rendering of the Fujinon XF 500mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR and compared its size to the Fujinon XF200mmF2, XF150-600mm and also the GF500mmF5.6.
There is a difference in flange distance between G-mount and X-mount of 9 mm – so the lens has to be 9 mm longer at the mount (assuming the optics will be almost identical between GFX 500 and XF 500). Hiergeist aligned the picture along the lens mount.
To be clear:
this is not the real lens, just a rendering
the size of the XF500mmF5.6 is based on the speculation that because it has the same filter size of the GF500mmF5.6, Fujifilm might simply have made and XF version by changing the mount
If that was the case then that is what that lens would look like mounted on an X-H2.
Fujifilm US Manager Victor Ha had an interesting interview with CineD.
The interview is 1 hour and 20 minutes long. I strongly recommend you to watch it all. But if you are in a super hurry right now, here are the main takeaways:
X100VI Success
a lot of the X100VI success has to do with luck and timing
but also a lot of if has to do with the fact that the camera has gone through 5 generations
a lot of people want to make high quality images. Sometimes they are not really photographers, but artists in other areas, chefs, or a different profession or something that requires high quality imaging
in today’s world, no matter which you profession you are in, you do need a certain level of image quality that could exceed the phone
a large number of people who bought the X100VI are new to the Fujifilm brand
traditionally the X100 line always was also a camera that was grabbed by people who have other brands
customer base has expended a lot into first time buyers, first time users, first time camera owners
the X100VI is also a great product
all these things came together
Fujifilm has a great reputation in providing tools that are response to feedback of customers, and also balance it with what the market wants and what’s possible technologically
X100VI is special because it is a combination between esthetics, design, tactile feel
photographers (image makers) are moving towards the desire of having dedicated devices. You want to spend a certain amount of time engaging with a device where you can look through a viewfinder and there won’t be notifications popping up
the job of camera manufacturers is to create devices that offer the best image quality possible in different sensor sizes and from entry level to professional market
when asked about features like in-camera editing, Victor says the thought of it makes him sick. First, because the JPEG’s coming out of his camera are the best in the business. And there are some options in-camera like push and pull etc (admin note: via the internal RAW converter), so Fujifilm has at some degree on-device editing
Fujifilm wants to offer users different ways to get images off the camera, and that’s evolved in the last couple of years (Camera to Could, new XApp, etc)
but Fujifilm’s first mission is to provide the best image quality possible. For that you need a good lens, a sensor, processor, image science etc.
Fujifilm is very pleased in seeing how Camera to Cloud is being adopted and they see continuous growth and more users try the service
C2C is used by photographers and videographers
WiFi congestion interfere and create problems with Camera to Cloud
internal memory storage? Victor Ha says he would be reluctant to that. He was taught that it’s important to have physical backups. Also, in some cases taking a file from the card can be easier than getting it from the cloud. And taking the files through a cable when you do not have a reader is easier than pulling the card.
manufacturers must understand that they need to offer different ways to get files off from the camera, not just one
Victor is currently on a trip through Europe with his GFX100SII (+GF50mm and GF80mm) and shooting also street photography with it is very satisfying
he did not use GFX so much before, but during this trip he got in deep love for that camera
[when asked what if Hasselblad, now owned by DJI, comes out with an attractive MF camera] of course Fujifilm pays attention what other competitors are doing. Victor hopes that competitors come out with tools that challenge their tools.
he believes that Fujifilm’s tools will always win in the end because “we have great fans, we have great image science, great colors, great optics“
the industry needs to grow and make better tools. Fujifilm needs competition
Without a vibrant and strong industry, lots of things will go away and nobody wants that
There is more to the interview, so make sure to check it out in full.
Just a few quick comments:
As far as in camera editing goes, for me the internal RAW converter is one of the big reasons why I stick with Fujifilm (Sony for example does not offer it as far as I know). Because truth be spoken: for hard core editing nothing beats the RAW file and a proper editing software. But I am often around with busses and trains to do my day hikes, and one of the things I love is when, on my way back from a long day of shooting, I can sit in the train, go through the images and pass some time having fun editing the images with the internal RAW converter. By the time I am home, I might have already edited enough images to a point that I feel completely happy with it and I can upload them on my phone and share them… and of course without the need of edit them later on with an editing software.
In the interview they talk about having kind of Lightroom like controls directly in camera, like on the Zeiss ZX1, but personally I think that’s an overkill. I’ll just use my computer for more heavy editing. I prefer to have the simplicity and immediacy of the internal Fujifilm RAW converter to do quick adjustments.
As for the internal storage, I think that would be nice to have, if that would allow for even faster writing speeds over a CFexpress Card, but only if there would still be a memory card slot for a backup. I probably would be too scared to go on vacation with internal storage only, and maybe get my files corrupted 1 or 2 weeks into the holiday. So Victor Ha makes a great point when he talks about having a backup solution somehow.
Camera to Cloud on the other hand sounds like a great idea that faces some real life challenges when it comes to the transmission of those files. I don’t know if any of you uses it. If so, please let us know your experience with it.
I guess it is a bit normal that we are drawn to the latest and greatest, the newest and most shiny stuff.
But truth is: there is PLENTY of wonderful gear out there that has its age, but still delivers wonderfully.
And look guys, I know what I talk about, because I did just photograph a family day trip on the mountains with my X-E3 today ;).
So I thought about making a roundup of a different kind: include all the latest and greatest stuff (the 5th generation cameras and the newest lenses), but also the older gear we hardly ever talk about now (4th gen. cameras or older and older lenses).
I hope there will be something among it that you’ll appreciate as much as I did.
As you know, I am a happy owner of the Fujinon GF50mmF3.5.
Well, happy until a certain point.
Because as I wrote in a complaint post here, the firmware for the GF50mmF3.5 had been suspended and remained so for many months (now years).
I did moan about it here on FujiRumors, but nothing happened.
Nothing until today! :)
Because FINALLY Fujifilm has released a new firmware for the previously suspended GF50mmF3.5 as well as the GF35-70mm.
And not only that.
Also the GF500mmF5.6 as well as every single Fujifilm GFX camera got firmware updates.
In the X series world, we get firmware updates for the Fujifilm X-T4 and the Fujifilm X-T50.
ATTENTION: Please update first the GFX camera firmware (no lens attached) and only after that you should update the GF50mm or GF35-70mm firmware.
＜Important Notice>
In the unlikely event that firmware update process for any of the above interchangeable lenses is interrupted and the message below appears, please claim “Repair Service Center” in your country to upgrade the firmware. You can read the full firmware instruction here.
Note-1：The followings are messages when the firmware update is interrupted (Messages vary depending on the model).
Customers with GFX100 II/GFX100S II/GFX 50R/GFX 50S
“FIRMWARE UPDATE ERROR!! PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FUJIFILM OFFICE”
Customers with GFX100S/GFX100/GFX 50S II
“FIRMWARE UPGRADE ERROR!! CONTACT A SERVICE CENTER
The video is Italian and he runs over the latest gear with his usual captivating way.
But there is one sentence said by Andrea that I’d like to highlight today.
During the presentation Fujifilm said that right now they are the 3rd brand in terms of worldwide sales but they want to dethrone the current second best selling brand.
I am not sure how Fujifilm is currently the 3rd best selling brand.
So as Andrea in the video also suggest, Fujifilm might include their Instax division in this ranking, which I guess technically is still Fujifilm imaging division, but it would be like BMW saying they want to overtake VW car sales, but include their motorbike sales in the equation: you can do it, they are all motorised vehicles, but it’s not really fair.
Anyway, dear Fujifilm, I’d have an idea on how you would become Nr.1 overnight with only your mirrorless gear: how about you ship all gear people can’t currently find in stock?
And I speak not only about the Fujifilm X100VI, but at your own online store in Japan you have marked all your X/GFX cameras as out of stock. The shortages are chronic. There are periodical and prolonged order stops in certain parts of the world. Some of the shortages we had in Asia are now spreading also to the West (see X-T5 bodies at BHphoto).
Anyway, of course the above was a meeting with the Italian press and the marketing tends to fly high during these events. And I am certainly happy to see Fujifilm aiming to grow and take over market positions. But I wonder how this can happen if even gear launched 2+ years ago is mostly out of stock for years.
Oh well, I certainly wish Fujifilm all the best. But I’d be happy also with the 4th spot as long as we get our gear in a reasonable time.
Fujifilm Launches FUJINON Lens GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR
New super-telephoto lens to expand the shooting range of the GFX series
Lightweight design, powerful image stabilization, and high-speed, high-precision AF broaden the range of photographic expression
