Fujinon Lens Rentals Skyrocketed Showing 96% Increase in 2017

Things seem to go quite well for Fujifilm.

Their imaging division is healthy and registers “substantial increase in income“, some managers dream of 50% market share, and Fujifilm’s declared goal is to become Nr.1 mirrorless premium camera manufacturer within 2019.

Considering that from 2011 to 2013 Fujifilm sold overall only 700,000 X-series cameras, I’d say the company has made quite some significant step forwards from 2014 to 2017. The camera that changed everything, was the Fujifilm X-T1, which is now discontinued, and I dedicated an emotial farewell in this article.

And now we have some more significant data, that show that more and more people are looking at the Fuji X system.

According to data send out by lensrentals from the their press contact and reported by fstoppers, the Fujifilm X-system has seen huge rental increase in 2017. Fstoppers writes:

“Fuji lenses skyrocketed, showing 96 percent more rentals. Sony lenses also increased 22 percent, while Canon and Nikon decreased 8 and 10 percent, respectively.”

Some more significant data:

Thanks to FR reader VatArt Photo for spotting the news and sharing with us :)

A lot of the Fujinon glass (and cameras) is right now in offer, as well as Fujifilm GFX gear. Check it out below.

Fujifilm Abandons ACROS Large Format Film & more

Over the last few years, we have seen Fujifilm discontinuing more and more of their good old film. And 2018 won’t be any different. Down below you can find the list of film they are going to discontinue in 2018.

In a very interesting Fujifilm documentary I have shared here, about how Fujifilm survived the digital age with an unexpected makeover, at min. 35:00 the Fujifilm boss is asked why they keep up producing photo film, even if it counts less than 1% of its profits. The Fuji boss answers:

“I had announced that we would protect the photograph culture. No matter how small it gets… we might downsize production, but we would keep the culture alive and protect it. The culture of photographs is one that mankind can’t do without… No matter what we will not get rid of photography.”

March 2018

Fujicolor Superia X-Tra 400, 24 exposure, 3 packs
Fujicolor Superia X-Tra 400, 36 exposure, 3 packs
Fujichrome Velvia 50, Professional, 36 exposure, 5 packs
Fujichrome Velvia 100, Professional, 36 exposure, 5 packs
Fujichrome Provia 100F, Professional, 36 exposure, 5 packs

May 2018

Fujicolor Natura 1600, 36 exposures, individual rolls
Fujicolor 1600 Single Use Cameras (39 and 27 exposures)
Neopan 100 Acros 4×5 (20 pieces)
Neopan 100 Acros 8×10 (20 pieces)

Fujifilm recommends other film instead

Future recommendations
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Rumor Chatter: Tamron Will Make Fujifilm X Mount lenses (via SAR)

Tamron Mirrorless Offerings on AmazonUS

Fuji X Mount Tamron

According to SonyAlphaRumors, Tamron will make Fuji X Mount lenses in future. SAR writes:

A SAR reader reported to me the unofficial talk he collected on the Digital Splash show. While this is just unofficial chatter it’s still interesting to know what managers are spilling out on those kind of events. […]

tamron have now ceased all future A mount lens development and instead are shifting focus to E mount and fuji mount, the price of A mount for some reason has shot up in recent times which paired with the shrinking A mount market share has led them the call it a day, all recent releases will be fullfilled up untill a certain point which wasn’t specified.

In the past, we had huge discussion here on FujiRumors about Sigma and Tamron Fuji X mount support. So here is a little recap:

Tamron

Back in November 2015, we shared the rumor that Tamron has “currently” no plans to release X-mount lenses. But the source also added that Tamron said they “may produce X-mount lenses in future“.

That was a cautios opening by Tamron, and if SAR is right (and they are usually a very accurate rumor site), maybe time will soon come, that Tamron will join the X side of life :) .

Let’s hope so… and you guys can start dreaming and let us know which Tamron lens you would like for your Fuji X camera.

Sigma

Back in October 2015, our sources told us that Sigma has no plans to make X-mount lenses, because the Fuji X market is too small and Sigma thinks Fujifilm made a big mistake by not adopting the M/43 mount. You can read the whole story here.

But I think that the real reason (and problem for Sigma) is that there is a lot of high quality Fujinon glass out there, that covers already many of our photographic needs, and Sigma is afraid they would end up like the Zeiss.

Fujinon Vs. Rest of the World

Yes, it’s hard to compete with Fujinon glass.

Zeiss tried to enter the Fuji X market with their Zeiss Touit Fuji X-mount Trinity, but completely failed. People simply prefered the cheaper and yet optically on par (or even superior) Fujinon X glass.

Sure, it’s tough to beat Fujinon glass, but we X-shooters are definitely open to other options, and willing to spend our money in third party glass, as long as the equation value for money is right.

Samyang, for example, found quite a big fellowship amongst X-shooters with lenses like the Samyang 8mm fisheye and their probably most successful X-mount lens, the Samyang 12mmF2, convinces with a very low price and good IQ.

Also the Mitakon 35/0.95 ver.II is falling in the hands of more and more Fujifilm X-Shooters. Jonas Rask wrote a review about it. FR-reader yukosteel compared the Mitakon 35/0.95 ver.I with the Fujinon XF35/1.4 here.

I’m sure that, with the right offering, the right price and the right quality, Sigma and Tamron could sell quite well in the X-shooter community.

Fuji X-shooters simply love good glass, no matter which brand it is from.

So, c’mon, Sigma and Tamron, be brave, release some of your best glass in X-mount… and take our money :) .

Complete Overview over the available and upcoming Fuji X-Mount lenses

Switching from Nikon, Canon (and iPhone) to Fujifilm :: PhaseONE vs Fuji X-T2 vs iPhone7 & More (miXed zone)

Cover Stories

Fujifilm X-T2 & More

Facebook Groups

Fujifilm Instax is King… and Now Goes Mickey Mouse!

UPDATE: It’s the Instax Mini Tsum Tsum (thanks again Mistral) :) – See Fujifilm China

Instax sells like hot cakes. Fujifilm simply can’t keep up with the demand, as they also said in this dedicated Fujifilm reportage about how the company survived the arrival of digital photography. At a certain point of the reportage, they will bring you inside the Instax factory, and a Fujifilm worker says that the factory can’t keep up with the Instax demand.

In fact, just take a look at the AmazonUS OVERALL camera and photo ranking… it’s years now, that Instax products are selling better than any other camera product (action cameras included).

So it just makes sense that Fujifilm launches all kind of Instax products, from the Hello Kitty Instax camera to the Star Wars Instax Film, Comic Instax Film, Hello Kitty film, Candy Pop, Rainbow and a lot more.

And now it’s time for more… and to be precise, for a Mickey Mouse Instax camera, leaked by nokisthita.

I remind you that, if you like the Square format, but don’t like the hybrid film/digital Instax Square SQ10 (epic fail that it has no WiFi!!!), you will get a film only Instax SQ version, as we leaked here.

 

The “Fujifilm X-T1 Rubber Grip Issue” is No Longer an Issue! My Last Experience with Fujifilm Repair Service

GUEST POST FEATURE HERE
Write Your Articles Directly On FujiRumors!

INITIAL NOTE by FUJIRUMORS

My Fujifilm X-T1 has the same issues, bending door and rubber coming off. I already fixed it once, and paid for nothing, since the problem persisted. Now that this story is out, I will contact my local Fujifilm support and ask if they can perform the fix again, with the improved material and for free, like they did for All.

In case you have the same issue, contact your local Fujifilm support and direct them to this article on FujiRumors, to make sure you will get a definitive, durable and possibly free fix for you X-T1.

Guest post by All @allebewop instagram.com/allebewop/

It was March 10th, 2017 when I participated a discussion here on Fujirumors about the “Replacing the X-T1 Rubber Grip” issue.

I had my bending door replaced the first time in September 9th 2015.

I spent 15€ for shipment but I had it replaced for free because my camera was still under warranty (I bought it in March 2014). At that moment X-T2 wasn’t on the market and when the camera came back I knew that the grip was just the same as it was out of the box. No surprises there.

As the grip was the same, the next summer I had the same problem as the summer before: with the heat, the USB door bended again. It was making me mad. I tried everything, from the duct tape to the reverse bending after heating up the rubber with a hairdryer. Nothing worked.

This time the problem affected all the grip and it was starting to unstuck in several points: the from the handling, from the MCS selector in the front and near the back/disp button.

I was really upset so I decided to send the camera back in after the summer.

It was February 8th 2017 when I sent my camera to the repair center.

This time the camera’s warranty was expired so I was expecting to pay from 50€ to 150€ for the service, as it was told me by the local seller I asked to.

But here comes the surprise.

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

APS-C vs Full Frame – Does it Make a Difference to You?

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Write Your Articles Directly On FujiRumors!

Guest post by theoverratedphotographer – website / instagram @theoverratedphotographer

Preface

On the back of Nikon’s comments that “No professionals use Fuji” and “Full frame is the trend”, I decided it was only appropriate to explore the difference between full frame and APSC, largely from an enthusiasts/amateurs perspective.

Despite what it may look like this is not intended as a click bait article but it will probably will be construed as one and result in the wrath of many full frame owners.

The problem is photographers get defensive when you tell them they don’t need something. Our egos tell us we are better than we are. That’s why we buy the best bicycles, golf clubs and everything else conceivable. We buy ultralight tour de france bicycles that will shave seconds off our ride to work for no apparent reason at all.

This article is not intended to be an APSC vs Full Frame argument from the perspective of trying to prove that APSC is better than Full Frame. The question isn’t whether, it’s better, it’s whether it’s “good enough” to make a difference to you. I can’t make that call, only you can.

We could argue Medium Format has better image quality than Full Frame which has better image quality than APSC. If that was the case, why isn’t every photographer using medium format? The truth is when looking at Medium Format vs Full Frame vs APSC, the argument of “what is better” comes down to a number of different requirements including purpose, size and budget. A DSLR isn’t much help if you are hiking 90km’s with a 40kg backpack and a medium format doesn’t help you much if you are shooting sports. In the absence of budget, one could argue that having all 3 would be the ideal outcome, but very few people live in an environment where budget is not a constraint.

Before the arguments start, what I would like to make clear is that:

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About Kaizen, the (Disappointing) Fujifilm X-T20 Firmware… and the Sexiest Fujifilm Camera Ever Made, the X-E3

Fujifilm X-E3

So, Jordan gave FujiRumors a shout-out on the latest TheCameraStoreTV live stream, saying he thinks the X-E3 is the sexiest camera Fujifilm has ever designed and that I can publish this statement on Fujirumors. Well Jordan, just done :)

TCSTV starts talking about the X-E3 at minute 26:50 of this video.

Fujifilm X-E3: BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS

Fujifilm Firmware Updates

TheCameraStoreTV dedicated their latest live stream mainly to the topic “firmware updates”, and they mention also the firmware updates for Fujifilm cameras. They praise Fujifilm’s Kaizen philosophy, but Jordan also adds a consideration/specualtion, which I would like to highlight today here on FujiRumors.

Jordan was talking about the X-Pro2 (min. 9:00), and about how, at launch, it had no 4K video, despite being capable of it*, simply because Fujifilm did not consider video shooters to be the target of the X-Pro2. They also mention the lack of tethering, which will also come to the X-Pro2 with firmware ver. 4.00 in December 2017.

The question now is: why didn’t Fujifilm give us tethering and 4K on the X-Pro2 right at its launch?

At min 09:57 Jordan speculates:

My chief concern is that I would hate see companies hold back features at launch, so that they can make a big splash when they announce a big firmware update later, and give that camera a second life of marketing

So is Fujifilm doing this on purpose? Jordan and Chris clearly say “we don’t know“. It’s just a speculation they make.

X-T20 Firmware… Why not on Par with X-E3?

And speaking of firmware updates…

As you know, in November, the X-T20 will get a nice little firmware update, which will allow you to use the touch screen also in EVF mode.

But I wonder, why won’t the X-T20 get also the improved AF-system, the RGB color histogram and the live view highlight alert already present in the Fujifilm X-E3?

  • Maybe Fujifilm just wants to “help” X-E3 sales at its launch by giving it, for now, a little “firmware advantage” over the X-T20. And who knows, maybe, sometimes in 2018, when X-E3 sales slow down, they can give to the X-T20 a second marketing life with a Kaizen firmware update that brings it on the par with the X-E3.
  • Maybe it’s not so easy for Fujifilm to pack the X-E3 firmware into the X-T20 and Fujifilm has to do some extra coding work… hence, they need more time.
  • Maybe it’s not possible… for whatever reason

Anyway, I would like every Fujifilm camera to be always packed with everything possible as soon as possible. No camera should be “castrated” via software for market (or marketing) reasons. So if possible, whenever it’s ready (if that’s even possible), please Fujifilm, bring the X-T20 on par with the X-E3.

*Reminders:

  • Fuji Guy Billy said here that “the X-Pro2 is over-engineered and a lot of potential is not harnessed yet”, and he teased new firmware updates
  • Fuji Guy Billy said here that “4K in X-Pro2 is possible. I’m fighting with Japan for that”

Nikon D500 Vs Fujifilm X-T2 Bird Photography :: X-T2 Goes Barrel Racing :: X-T2 Wildlife Photography Heaven :: Sony A9 Vs. Fuji X-T2

The Fuji X-T2 Goes Barrel Racing at michaeldbruton

Answering to readers emails

Today’s roundup is dedicated to Fujifilm’s all time best seller, the Fujifilm X-T2. And it seems that it is making many people happy, as you can see in the links below.

And to those, who ask me if they should wait for the X-T2 successor, maybe the rumored X-T2S or even the Fujifilm X-T3, I can only say that once a replacement will be out, the X-T2 won’t become a worse camera. Actually probably even better, thanks to Fuji’s Kaizen support. So why wait… get it, and enjoy it :)

Cover Stories

  • Bird photography with the Nikon D500 + Tamron 150-600G2 and comparing it to my X-T2 + 100-400/1.4x tc at robertdoeleman
  • An Ode to FujiFilm, Wildlife Photography Heaven, Fujifilm X-T2 Auto focus at peterdelaneyphotography
  • Challenging Lighting Situation. Sony A9, 70-200 f4 & Fujifilm X-T2, 50-140 f2.8 at Denae & Andrew Youtube

& More X-T2

Fujifilm X-T2: USA: BHphoto, AmazonUS, Adorama, Focuscamera, BestBuy CANADA: AmazonCA EUROPE: AmazonDE, Calumentphoto DE, AmazonUK, AmazonITA, AmazonFR, AmazonESP, PCHstore, WexUK AUSTRALIA: CameraPro

Community

Where is the Fujinon XF 18mm F2 MK II ? … and About Fujifilm Lens Roadmaps

Where is the Fujinon XF18mm F2 MK II

In these days, I’m getting the following question very often via email, and I thought it would be better to dedicate it an own article: why is there no Fujinon XF18mmF2 MK II on Fuji’s new X-mount lens roadmap?

The answer: it is on Fujifilm’s internal roadmap, but not yet on the public one.

Interal Roadmaps Vs. Public Roadmaps

In the past, Fujifilm publicly shared comprehensive long term lens roadmaps. But as you know, Fujifilm tends to change plans rather often, also based on feedback from the community. So it happened that lenses promised in the public roadmap were scrapped or changed (remember how Fuji cancelled the 120mm, which was on the roadmap?)… changes, some people did not like.

So, in order to avoid to annoy some people by roadmap changes, Fujifilm decided to share only those lenses in the public roadmap, that are 100% sure, final and next to be released.

But, of course, long term internal roadmaps still exist, like the G-mount roadmap we have leaked here on FujiRumors back in April 2017, where you can see many GF lenses, including the GF250, which is now officially part of the roadmap since September 2017.

The long rumored XF18mmF2 MK II reminds me a bit to the XF 8-16 rumor story.

We shared the first rumor of the 8-16/2.8 back in May 2016. But it took Fujifilm 17 months (!!!), to finally put it in the roadmap, in September 2017.

So keep in mind, that when you read a lens rumor (or any rumor) here on Fujirumors, it does not mean the lens is just around the corner and we will 100% see it in the next roadmap update. It might take some time to see it become real… if ever ;)

Fujinon XF 18mm F2, Where is the Love ?… While Waiting for the XF18mm MK II

have a GREAT day,
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