Wake Up, Fujifilm: Ricoh GR IV Pre-Orders Soar, Monochrome on the Way – Where’s the X80 and X-Pro Monochrome?

Ricoh GR IV: The New and The Monochrome

Our sources told us already last year that the Ricoh GR IV would come in 2025. Well, technically we told you it would come earlier in 2025, and in fact the Ricoh GRIV was disclosed a couple months ago already. But it was only a development announcement. The full announcement just happened yesterday. So yes, I still regard this as a wrong rumor (development announcement is not a full announcement), but at the same time I trust the source.

Well, at this point we remind you that according to the same source, Ricoh is also planing to launch the Ricoh GR IV monochrome. It was originally planed for 2025, but I would not be surprised if there would be a delay due to the huge pre-orders the GRIV is getting right now.

Fujifilm – Wake Up

Yes, the Ricoh GR IV is now here and it enjoys absolutely stellar pre-orders.

At this time Fujifilm has not really a camera to compete with the Ricoh GR IV, because the Fujifilm X100VI might share the fixed lens concept with it, but for the rest I think it appeals to other people: those who appreciate a viewfinder, tactile controls, vintage aesthetic, whereas the Ricoh GR IV is all about being as portable as possible.

The true competitor would be the Fujifilm X80, but Fujifilm has so far never bothered to give the Fujifilm X70 a second chance (the Fujifilm XF10 is not the X70 successor). And in my view that’s an error. The Ricoh GRIV proves that pocketable and powerful fixed lens cameras are enjoying a revival, and Fujifilm is missing out on it.

So, dear Fujifilm, come out with the Fujifilm X80 as quickly as you can!

And while it’s true that the Ricoh GRIV pre-orders are great, I dare to predict that the Ricoh GRIV M (Monochrome) will match or even exceed those pre-orders.

Look, initially I was skeptical about a Monochrome Fujifilm. But after I have seen how even the Pentax K-3 III monochrome DLSR sold like hot cakes (so much so that they had to suspend pre-orders as we reported here), I concluded that the market for monochrome cameras is far from being saturated.

In short: I think Fujifilm should launch the Fujifilm X80 and a monochrome Fujifilm camera (possibly an X-Pro monochrome).

What do you think about it?

Kodak Struggles — Should Fujifilm License Its Legendary Film Names?

image by @fabiofrosio

Kodak is sending out mixed messages these days, first saying it isn’t sure it can survive further, then saying that they have a plan to make sure that they will continue to stay in the business.

Once the fiercest rival of Fujifilm, Kodak now serves as a stark reminder of how differently two giants handled the digital shift. Fujifilm reinvented itself and thrived. Kodak, sadly, struggles to survive.

I hope Kodak will find a way to survive, but if they were to close operations, then I think it would be wise from Fujifilm to license Kodak’s legendary film names and styles —Portra, Ektachrome, Tri-X— and add them to their arsenal of Film Simulations, before other brands do that.

SonyAlphaRumors for example is already pushing Sony to purchase them. Fujifilm should come first and not miss out on that opportunity.

What’s your take on this? Do you think it would be a good business move?

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List of Fujifilm Instax Gear Price Increase Effective August 30

We told you which Fujifilm X and GFX gear will get a price increase on August 30. You can check out the full list here.

But also Instax gear will get a price jump in USA due to tariffs. Here is the list with the new price:

INSTAX NEW PRICE STARTING AUGUST 30

Fujifilm X/GFX NEW PRICE STARTING AUGUST 30

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

Fujifilm Announced Further Price Increases Coming August 30

On August 1st Fujifilm did increase prices on plenty of X and GFX gear.

We already warned you that further prices increases are planed, but at the time of that article we knew only about instax gear price increases.

Well, Fujifilm has now issued a statement (read below) to several news outlets such as PetaPixel and DRPeview.

The global marketplace continues to present business challenges, driven by the volatile market conditions facing manufacturers, retailers, and consumers alike. With these changes and the instability of the marketplace, we have made the business decision to further adjust prices to accommodate for these global changes. As we navigate the current market situation, Fujifilm is doing all we can to work with our retailers and consumers to weather this storm together. We appreciate your continued support.

Last time the price increases ranged between 8 to 15%, with only one item seeing a hefty 43% price increase.

Last time the Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujifilm X half were not affected by price increases, and it seems that also this time the X-E5 and X half won’t get any price hike.

How much could the price increase be this time?

Well, given that the Fujifilm X-E5 costs $1,699 and the its DSLR styled clone, the Fujifilm X-T50, costs $1,599, it could well be that the X-T50 gets a further $100 price jump, hence a further 6% price increase. But that’s a speculation of mine.

I guess US residents now have less than two weeks left to purchase their gear at current price and avoid even worst surprises.

List of August 1st Price Increases
(more price increase to follow August 30)

X Series Camera Bodies

GFX Series Camera Bodies

X Series Lenses

GF Lenses

Accessories

.

Fujifilm X-T40/X-T30III: Finally Closing the Gap?

go to minute 5:53 of the video to hear the thoughts of Patrick about it

One of the critiques Fujifilm gets is that they have a confusing camera lineup with too many lines.

The Fujifilm X-T30III or X-T40 just fueled again this criticism, but I think this time they don’t deserve it.

First things first: Fujifilm has indeed likely canceled 6 X series lines already (or even 7, if we consider X70 and XF10 not part of the same line):

So we have a total of possibly six canceled lines.

And how many lines has Fujifilm introduced?

Well, 2 new lines have been introduced recently: Fujifilm X half and the Fujifilm X-T50,

Yes, also the Fujifilm X-T50 is a “new line”, because as we told you in this rumor, it does not belong to the X-T10, X-T20, X-T30 line since Fujifilm will launch a dedicated successor for that line (X-T40/X-T30III) in 2025.

And actually there will also be a third totally new line soon, and that camera is already listed at BHphoto here.

In short: Fujifilm has axed more lines than it has created new ones.

With all that said, I think launching the Fujifilm X-T40/X-T30III makes totally sense.

Why?

Well, because Fujifilm’s entry level line has basically been axed (except X-M line) and their other lower-end to mid-range models got an overall specs upgrade with a consequantial significant price increase (X-E5 and X-T50).

At this point in time, Fujifilm has no true entry level camera with viewfinder and that’s a problem if you ask me.

But how could a Fujifilm X-T30III/X-T40 look like?

Speculations (NOT RUMOR)

  • my realistic scenario: X-T30 II body with 5th generation processor and latest firmware
  • my hope scenario: X-T30 II body but with X-T100 alike unique screen mechanism – we reported here
  • my dream scenario: X-T50 body with 4th generation 26MP sensor

Since I think that price matters when it comes to the Fujifilm X-T40 or X-T30 III, I believe they’ll go for the first scenario I mentioned above.

But feel free to let us know in the comments what you think about all of this.

Some Fujifilm Gear Still for Sale at Old (and Lower) Price at Amazon USA – from Fujifilm X-T5, XF16-55mmF2.8II and More

The Fujifilm price increase came into effect today, but I just wanted to let you know that, in case you missed the deadline, some gear is still for sale at the old price at Amazon.

For example, the Fujinon XF16-55mmF2.8 II is for sale at lower price shippend and sold by Amazon. At other stores it costs $150 more now.

Same goes for the XF150-600mmF5.6-8 sold by Amazon at the lower old price as well as the XF33mmF1.4 sold by Amazon.

But there is probably even more gear still available at the old price, so make sure to check out the items you are eventually interested in.

Other gear is sold for old price at Amazon sold by third parties, as it’s the case with the XF70-300mm, sold at Amazon via official Fujifilm retailer True Modern Electronics.

You can also find the Fujifilm X-T5 at old price at Amazon via Dodd Camera, which is also an official Fujfiilm retailer.

You can check out the list of official Fujifilm retailers here.

I guess it’s just a matter of time until those stores will align with the new prices.

Full List of New Prices

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

It Happened: Fujifilm Price Increase Effective Today – New Prices Up 8-15% (One Item Up 43%)

We told you that Fujifilm will increase prices on August 1st, and so it happened.

Now that the new prices are official, I will list them all below and I will also add by how much (USD and %) the price increased (because some of you asked me that in the comments).

The price increases are between 8 to 15%, with only one item seeing a hefty 43% price increase. The 43% price increase is already visible at Adorama here, but other stores like BHphoto here and Amazon here still show the old price for now (I guess that will change soon).

I hope some of you have saved some bucks thanks to FujiRumors warning you ahead of the imminent price increase.

X Series Camera Bodies

GFX Series Camera Bodies

X Series Lenses

GF Lenses

Accessories

Last-Second Fujifilm Best Sellers – Before Prices Go Up in 2 Days (in USA)

A few days ago, we informed you that Fujifilm will raise prices on almost all X and GFX gear, and we also shared the full list of upcoming prices here.

I’ve now checked on what’s been selling best through FujiRumors affiliate links—and here’s the current top-selling gear, just two days before the price hike takes effect.

If there’s anything you’ve been thinking about getting, now’s the time to grab it at the current lower price.

NOTE: All the price increases listed below apply – obviously – only to the U.S. market. That’s why I’m sharing prices in U.S. dollars only—not in euros, yen, or any other currency. Will other regions see increases too? I don’t know. I have no info so far. My guess (not rumor) is that so far price increases are planed only for USA.

  1. Fujifilm X-T5
    BHphoto / Amazon / Adorama / Moment / BestBuy / Paul’s Photo
  2. XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR
    BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Focuscamera / Moment / Paul’s Photo
  3. NP-W235
    BHphoto / Amazon / Adorama / Moment
  4. XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR
    BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Focuscamera / Paul’s Photo
  5. X-S20 body
    BHphoto / Amazon / Adorama / Moment / BestBuy / Paul’s Photo
  6. XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR II
    BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / Moment / Nuzira / Paul’s Photo
  7. NP-W126S
    BHphoto / Amazon / Adorama / Moment

Of course the list is heavily influenced by the disastuous stock situation with Fujifilm gear – availability is tight, and many people are simply snapping up whatever they can still find in stock. For example, I bet that if the X100VI would be available anywhere, it would be on top of the list.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for at the usual retailers like BHphoto or Adorama, be sure to check Amazon as well. Several official Fujifilm dealers also sell through Amazon and may still have stock available.

X Cameras – New Price Starting August 1

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

Updated Price Increase List for Fujifilm Gear Starting August 1

We have now received an updated list of the Fujifilm price increases starting August 1st, which includes the new price for the 11 GF lenses missing in our previous report and also these accessories are added to the list.

NOTE: some stores say they won’t honor the old price for all gear ordered today but shipping after August 1st (we reported here). We don’t have statements of BHphoto & Co in this regard. In any case, it’s best to order now and get it shipped tomorrow, or at least hope your store will honor the current price. If you don’t find it in stock at BHphoto & Co, check out Amazon where many official Fujifilm retailers also sell their gear. You might have better luck there.

LIST OF PRICE INCREASES

X Cameras – New Price Starting August 1

GFX cameras – New Price Starting August 1

X Lenses – New Price Starting August 1

GF Lenses – New Price Starting August 1

Accessories – New Price Starting August 1

How to Avoid Dubious AI Fujifilm Camera Guides – and Some Great Fujifilm Books You Can Trust

Dubious Guides are Spreading

We’ve already exposed how completely fake, AI-generated Fujifilm rumors are spreading like wildfire on YouTube.

Fake rumors aren’t new (just now there are many more thanks to AI) —but what is new is the rise of entire ebooks written by AI, in our case Fujifilm camera guidebooks.

Some have unfortunately purchased AI-generated guides, and little it helps them if later on they leave 1 star reviews, as the damage is done and their money is gone already.

Now that these fake guides are starting to appear in the Fujifilm space too, I want to make sure you don’t fall into the trap. So let’s take a look at how to spot the fakes—and how to find real, trustworthy Fujifilm books that are actually worth your time.

To start, let’s examine one of the most recent examples: the AI-generated “guides” for the Fujifilm X-E5.

  • Fujifilm X-E5 Master Guide
    The book was published on June 18, just six days after the announcement of the X-E5. It spans hundreds of pages, produced in only a few days. The cover features a fake image of the X-E5, with the typical AI-generated flaws—like distorted lettering on the lens. So either the author has put all the effort into writing a genuine X-E5 guide by himself, but then went lazy with the cover and used an AI generated image, or the entire book is just AI generated
  • Fujifilm X-E5 User Guide
    The author claims to have used the X-E5 on assignment, yet the book’s cover features a fake, AI-generated Fujifilm camera image. Same as before: either he tells the truth and used the X-E5 and wrote the guide and only the image is AI generated, or the whole book is AI-generated

Sometimes though, it’s not as easy. For example, the cover image might show the real camera and it all looks legit at a first glance. Example:

The cover features a real X-T50, and even the reading sample—though likely AI-generated—might look convincing at first to somebody who is not very familiar with Fujifilm cameras yet.

But here’s the trick: always check the author’s background. In this case, you’ll see that Pearson C. Brooks has published dozens of “guides” in just a few days, covering all sorts of gear and topics. Unless he’s writing a book a day, it’s not unsafe to assume the content might be AI-generated. Also, by checking his other books, we can see he wrote a Leica M11 guide using a Fujifilm GFX100RF as cover image, which does not really speak for quality content curation.

There are countless examples like this out there, so please be cautious. When in doubt, do not buy.

Stick with trusted authors—those who have a proven track record, real hands-on experience with the gear, and a genuine connection to the photography community. Your time (and money) deserves better than AI fluff.

The Truly Good Stuff

In this regard, I can totally recommend Rico Pfirstinger’s Fujifilm books. But there is lots of other good stuff out there, such as:

Then there are 3 free ebooks published by Fujifilm (requires to join Fujifilm newsletter).

  • How to make better travel photos – see here
  • Picture Perfect Portraits –  see here
  • Six Speedlite Techniques to Create better Photos – see here

If you have any Fujifilm related ebook to recommend, feel free to drop it in the comments down below.