Fujifilm Managers Q&A: Canon is Wrong, Full Frame only 1/3 of Market, X-T3 sold 40% Better than X-T2, Fast Lenses for GFX and More

Fujifilm Managers Interview

Just yesterday we shared a CP+ interview with Fujifilm managers here. Today it’s already time for another one, this time with Toshihisa Iida (the manager who said Fujifilm will never go full frame) and Makoto Oishi.

It’s again an interesting one, that also becomes very technical when it comes to analyzing the autofocus system and lets imaging-resource conclude that Fujifilm’s PDAF technology is arguably the most advanced on the market.

Down below you can find the key points and some images of the interview. The complete one can be checked out at imaging-resource here.

Market Future & Canon Predictions

  • Fujifilm totally disagrees with Canon’s prediction, that ILC business is going to contract by half over the next two years
  • Market will depend on innovation that will come
  • Fujifilm believes there is room for further grow
  • Some markets will decline, but other markets have still potential to grow (Asian market)

Full Frame

  • Customers should have different options
  • Currently full frame has 1/3 of the market by value
  • 2/3 of market is predominantly APS-C, Micro Four Thirds, and some medium-format
  • other manufacturers focus on full frame, this might open opportunities for Fujifilm as long as they keep up innovating APS-C and MF
  • mainly X-T3 and GFX 50R helped Fujifilm to grow by 10% total volume growth
  • APS-C vs FF is not just about sensor size, but also the lens size, lens weight, overall cost, or the speed, the 4K movies
  • people judge the system more on the overall package

Fujifilm X-T3 vs X-H line

  • sold better than expected
  • Fujifilm X-T3 sold 40% better than X-T2 if you compare to same period since launch
  • X-T3 and X-H1 have cannibalized each other
  • with the new lower X-H1 price tag, X-T3 and X-H1 sit nicely next to each other
  • H-series and T-series will coexist for the future, but we need to clearly differentiate the lineup without confusing customers

Lenses

  • XF200mmF2 is not only for sports, but also for portraits for very creamy bokeh and concerts for example

GFX System

  • Fujifilm GFX 50R sales are above expectation and factory is very busy
  • Fujifilm GFX 100 design is almost final, very early firmware, and IBIS still does not work
  • GFX 100 megapixel autofocus: same sensor structure as the X-T3
  • GFX 100 has almost zero competition, because FF is only at 50MP and other medium format cameras are very expensive
  • Fujifilm thinks at multi-shot high-res shooting mode for GFX100, but has not decided yet
  • designing IBIS is a real challenge for big MF sensor
  • Fujifilm has no idea about how many stops IBIS they will achieve [FujiRumors leaked internal press sheets that show they aim at 5 stops]
  • Fujifilm is still improving image quality via firmware
  • GFX100 launch in first half 2019 for around $10,000
  • Fujifilm GFX 50S most popular lens is the GF 32-64mmF4
  • Fujifilm GFX 50R most popular lens is the GF 45mmF2.8
  • GFX 50S owners have more lenses than GFX 50R owners
  • GFX owners complaint about the lack of more fast lenses for the system and Fujifilm is taking into consideration their feedback
  • Fujifilm listens to customers and tries to make their wishes happen, but sometimes their wishes become reality is very difficult and challenging
  • As bright as possible, as small as possible, as affordable as possible…
  • same team works on GFX and X. One R&D budget and depending on needs they are flexible to shift their focus

Autofocus

  • X-T30 has improved algorithm which will come to X-T3
  • CMOS sensor is always reading by lines. So it isn’t very suitable for horizontal phase-difference […] technically we can make a cross-type system but normally, subjects are more… and horizontally-arranged PDAF pixels support them better
  • Fujifilm could do vertical AF correlation, but hasn’t felt the need to do it
  • 8% of pixels are phase detection pixels (high density), good for low-light and high-frequency subjects
  • signal and phase pixel are read separately
  • we used to have like 60 regions within each AF point, but now 240
  • depending on the light level, the X-T3 can “bin” PDAF pixels together (basically just adding their contents) to get a better signal/noise ratio, and so be able to determine focus even in very dim lighting. Depending on how you do this, you’ll trade-off some ability to see the finest details, but it can really help in very low-light conditions

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Fujifilm Fujinon GF 100-200mm f/5.6 Review: 5 Stars, Excellent in Every Single Way!

Fujinon GF 100-200mm f/5.6

Despite the fact that the Fujifilm Fujinon GF100-200mm f/5.6 is already shipping, it still does not get the coverage it deserves.

In fact, even at its launch, there was hardly any review about it.

And yet, this lens is actually pretty amazing, not only in terms of size, but especially in terms of image quality. In fact, thephoblographer writes in their review:

“We award the Fujifilm GF 100-200mm f5.6 R LM OIS WR 5 stars out of 5. This lens is excellent in every single way, and it will serve anyone who uses well. You will be constantly floored with the images you can create with this lens.”

The GF100-200 coverage is still meagre, and the richest source of feedback about this lens is our immense Fujifilm GFX facebook group. Go to the group, search for “100-200” and enjoy the results. I will share a few of them down below.

But, in addition to Jonas Rask and Damien Lovegrove reviews, which you can find in our live blogging, I have found a few more.

Also Fujifilm uploaded more “monster glass” GF100-200 videos. You’ll find then below, too.

Fujinon GF100-200mm f/5.6: BHphoto, AmazonUS, Adorama

Rumors, News and Community

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GF 100-200 Images and Videos

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Czech Store Lists Fujifilm Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0 for $3,100 and XF16-80mm f/4 for $1,100

Fujinon Roadmap Lenses

The Czech store Oehling has already added to their database the Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0 and the XF 16-80mm f/4.

It is not unusual that stores add upcoming lenses into their database. For example, the Dutch store Cameranu has both lenses listed since August 2018, hence just 1 month after Fujifilm added them to the official roadmap.

But where Cameranu just says “price not known yet”, the Czech store Oehling hazards a guess on the price:

  • Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0 = $3,100 (converted from czech crown)
  • Fujinon XF16-80mm f/4 = $1,100 (converted from czech crown)

But before you freak out and panic, I must tell you that, when stores don’t know the final price but want to place an item up already for people to see and get interest, they can add a random pricing to them.

We have covered such “price-holders” in the past here on FujiRumors, such as the Fujifilm X-M1 for $9,999. Although in today’s case it does look more like a “guessed” price than a completely random one, since both lenses have a very different price tag.

So let’s hope this Czech store will keep up making terribly wrong guesses, like they did with the brand new Fujinon XF16mm f/2.8, which in their not yet updated product page has a price tag of $887 (19,990 czech crown), when in truth it costs $399.

For us, this is a welcome opportunity to discuss if $3,000 would be an acceptable price tag for a radical fast autofocus lens like the Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0 and at which point you would call the price a deal breaker.

JOIN US for Breaking News and Rumors on…

Check the Oehling store here for the 33/1 and here for the 16-80 and here for the 16/2.8

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Steelsring Nikon F to Fujifilm GFX Smart Adapter Coming Soon and Firmware Updates for EF/GFX and C645/GFX Smart Adapters

Steelsring Smart Adapter

Steelsring has announced that their Nikon F to Fujifilm GFX autofocus smart adapter will be available for sale soon. There are already Beta testers out there, who are currently using firmware v1.0 (update on February 26).

Back in May 2018 here, Steelsring also announced the same adapter for Fujifilm X cameras, so let’s hope this one will follow quickly after the GFX version.

Steelsring also release firmware updates for other smart adapters, to improved the AF focus accuracy and stability:

via steelsring

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RUMOR, NEWS and COMMUNITY

Detoxing From Gear Talk with Stunning Fujifilm GFX and X Images

Jessica Wikström
shared here
Gotta love freckles! And gotta love that 110mm
GFX50s
GF110mm

Fujinon Images Roundup

I looked back in the last weeks on FujiRumors, and I read rumors, news, gear talk, comparisons, deals, live bloggings, announcements…

That’s all nice and good, but at the end of the day all the buzz should not distract from the main reason why we love to use our Fujifilm cameras: taking pictures.

So I did two things:

  1. I grabbed my X-E3 and finally dedicated some time again to capture the first signs of spring around my home
  2. Since my spring images came out perfect and no editing was needed (thank you Fuji colors!!), I decided to spend a bit of time collecting images taken with Fujifilm GFX at our wonderful Fujifilm GFX group.

For this time, I decided to focus mostly on the GF110mmF2 images, since a fellow GFX group member asked to stop sharing GF110 images, as they trigger his GAS and he is preparing his papers for the divorce ;).

Now, it surely helps if you photograph models with this inenarrable beauty to create impressive images, but it’s also true that the medium format GFX has a wonderful rendering that is visible across all the images, from portraits to landscapes to product photography and more.

And yet, I don’t want you to think you need a GFX to create stunning work, so I decided to sneak into this roundup 3 more images: one taken with the “old” X-T1, one with the X-T2 and a last one taken with X-T3 (all shared at our Fujifilm X-T facebook group).

Because medium format is nice and good, but what you can achieve with modern APS-C sensors (and fantastic Fujifilm XF glass), is something that can be shown and printed proudly (such as my personal all time favorite image taken with X-T1)!

And for those of you missing the gear talk and the rumors already, hold on… I might have something for you very soon ;)

Love you all and wish you fantastic weekend
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Richard Ng
shared here
Shot with Gfx50s and 32-64mm

_ _ _

Chris Daidone Photography
shared here
It was a bitterly cold, but thankfully starry night on Lake Minnewanka. Alberta, CA

_ _ _

Erik Nomm‎
Shared here
The mighty 110mm f2

_ _ _

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Fujifilm GFX XG Concept vs Panasonic S1R, Sony a7iii, Nikon Z7, Canon EOS R Size Comparisons

Fujifilm GFX XG vs Panasonic S1R
Fujifilm GFX XG vs Panasonic S1R

Fujifilm GFX XG

Fujifilm has recently shown a couple of early Fujifilm GFX concepts. You can see them all here.

Amongst the others, there was the Fujifilm XG, an X-T styled Fujifilm GFX.

I was curious to compare its size to the one of current mirrorless full frame cameras, so I took the image shared by dpreivew, threw it into camerasize, and manually made accurate size comparison with the Panasonic S1R, Sony a7iii, Nikon Z7, Canon EOS R as well as the Fujifilm GFX 50R.

Fujifilm obviously designed all the early concepts keeping in mind that they have to accomodate a rather big shutter mechanism. The arrival of the global shutter should allow Fujifilm to make the camera sensibly smaller.

  • Size Comparison – Fujifilm GFX100 vs Sony A7III, Nikon D5, Canon 1DX, Canon EOS R, Nikon Z7, Nikon D850, Fuji GFX 50R

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FUJIFILM X-T30 and XF 16mmF2.8 Launch LIVE BLOGGING and Fujifilm X-T3, X-T100, X-A5, Camera Remote 4.0 Updates

Fujifilm X-T30 and XF 16mm f/2.8 Live Blog

Pre-order Options

Fujifilm X-T30: BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / FocusCamera
Fujinon XF16mm f/2.8: BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / FocusCamera
Fujifilm Finepix XP140: BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS

Official Fujifilm Info

Fujifilm X-T30

Fujinon XF16mm f/2.8

Community

First Look Reviews

Fujifilm X-T30

Fujinon XF16mm f/2.8

  • keithwee – Review of the Fujifilm Fujion XF16mm f/2.8 – 5 reasons for the essential wide lens
  • jonasraskphotography – Compact Impact – Fujinon XF16mm f/2.8 review
  • ephotozine – XF16mmF2.8 samples
  • dpreview – samples gallery

Firmware / Software News

↓ All Video Reviews ↓

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Fujifilm Publicly Asks Which X and G Lenses to Make Next, Shows Video Demo of New Fujifilm X-T3 April Firmware, Modular Compact GFX Body and More – X Summit

Fujifilm X Summit

Fujifilm hold the first X summit at the GPP in Dubai, an event aimed to listen to customer feedback in the best Kaizen tradition and discuss about the Fujifilm future.

For example, Fujifilm asked people which X and GFX lenses they should make next and which firmware update should come next.

Sadly there was not much participation (hardly 50 comments), so let’s see what happens if I share the same polls here on FujiRumors, the only Fujifilm community that can collect several thousands of votes within a few hours ;).

You find Fujifilm’s future X and GF lens survey down below.

Big news: just as we rumored a few days ago, the Fujifilm X-T3 will get a major firmware update, centered on autofocus improvements. It will come in April. Fujifilm showed a video demo of the improvements, and it was fairly impressive. Better face and eye tracking.

Here is the entire 1 hour and 48 minutes video summed up in key points for you. You’re welcome :).

X and G Mount – starts 27:48

Why no Full Frame

  • All brands go to mirrorless, and to different mounts and sensor sizes
  • Medium Format makes it easier to design lenses for higher resolution. But also needs more power
  • Barney from DPReview says there is no perfect format. It depends on what the customers wants
  • Every format has Pros and Cons
  • Focus is APS-C size. Provides fast system and enough resolution
  • For higher resolution, go GFX
  • Fuji’s R&D challenge is to make APS-C quality better and GFX smaller

X mount

  • X-mount design: sensors are getting better and so sensitive, that they have to deliver light through the lens in a very precise way
  • More light, less digital correction
  • Value Angle: Long technical explanation. In short: the wider the value angle, the more precise and easier they can send light to the sensor
  • Fujifilm compares the value angle of X-mount to full frame, and they show that X-mount has much wider value angle (screenshot below)
  • Canon and Nikon full frame mirrorless have smaller value angle
  • The Value angle of Sony full frame is very narrow
  • Wider value angle gives more flexibility for lens design. Allows for more light and less digital correction

FUTURE CONCEPTS – starts 41:57

XF33mm f/1.0

  • XF35mmF1.4 vs XF33mmF1.0: the XF 33/1 needs to be twice as big, since it needs to let in and correct twice the light
  • XF33mmF1 has more than twice lens elements than the XF35/1.4
  • to correct aberration on the XF33mm f/1.0 you need around 7-10 glass front elements
  • the XF35mmF1.4 has only 7 elements overall
  • the backside of the XF33mm f/1.0 has about 8 to 10 glass elements
  • overall the XF33mm f/1.0 has more than twice the lens elements
  • the 7 to 10 glass elements on the front of the 33/1 weight about 200 gram
  • challange is to move heavy lens elements precisely during autofocus
  • Toshi was not satisfied with the size of the lens, but he understands the challenges of developing it. However, he invites engineers to make it still as small and light as possible

XF16mm f/2.8 and XF 16-80mm f/4 working protoypes

  • XF16mmf/2.8 announcement soon
  • XF16-80mmf/4 will follow. Launch later this year. Lens feels really light

Future X and GF lenses

  • Fujifilm asks people which lenses Fujifilm should develop next – FujiRumors added the polls down below
  • Tilt shift lens is very likely to come next for G mount system
  • Zack Arias agrees with FujiRumors and he does not want a 35/1.4 MK II because he does not want the 35/1.4 magic to go lost
  • development costs of new lenses are very high

FUTURE GFX CONCEPTS and GFX CAMERAS – starts 59:39

GFX Concepts

  • Mirrorless should be free from all legacy
  • Fujifilm shows design mock-ups of GFX
  • they show a very small cubic and modular GFX, where you can attach a grip unit and viewfinder unit. So you can build the GFX according to your style (full video here and original full video here)
  • the modular GFX is just a mockup, but Fujifilm hopes it won’t take long to create such a small device
  • Medium format size can be reduced a lot, but there are challenges, for example a smaller shutter unit and better battery efficiency
  • with global shutter Fujifilm can make it smaller

The clear message here is: don’t worry, we are going to make the GFX system a whole lot smaller. So invest into GFX, and we will deliver you also a super-compact body one day.

GFX 100

  • Fujifilm shows a working prototype of GFX100 and they take a sample on stage, including pixel peeping
  • at 100MP the benefits of medium format shine, because it’s easier to design lenses that resolve 100MP for MF than for full frame or APS-C
  • hand-holdable medium format camera thanks to IBIS
  • GFX100 will cost around $10,000, but final decision has not yet been made
  • Coming before June

COLORS and IMAGE QUALITY – starts 1:17:46

  • They explain their color science.
  • The steps are: signal, measure, calculate, tune, target color
  • there will be new film simulations and they asked people which should come next (FujiRumors has already expressed its opinion)

FIRMWARE – starts 1:27:25

  • 250+ total firmware updates made since the original X100 has been introduced
  • They show upcoming firmware of X-T3 with significant autofocus improvement. Better face detection, better tracking, better eye AF. Coming in April. Check it out in the video embedded above or on youtube at 1:28:35
  • Fujifilm also said they will give us the opportunity to switch between faces with the new firmware
  • survey about which firmware should come next
  • they official mention Kaizen as their philosophy

Q&A

  • Fujifilm is studying the rating system
  • Adobe X-Trans support: Adobe says that for them to get good results with X-Trans is difficult, it’s a lot of work. Fujifilm will support Adobe for better processing
  • People ask for complete Camera Remote App redesign
  • Fujifilm is working on improved camera remote app

There will be more X summits, and you can interact at slido here, and of course you will be the first to know, if you follow FujiRumors on Facebook, Instagram, RSS-feed and Twitter.

Which Fujinon XF Lens Should Fujifilm Make Next? - max. 2 selections

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Which Fujinon GF Lens Should Fujifilm Make Next? - max. 1 selections

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Fujifilm GFX Modular Camera Concept Unveiled

Fujifilm just unveiled a Fujifilm GFX modular system concept (in Ricoh GXR/S10 style) at their Fujifilm X Summit here.

We thought it is worth to dedicate to this mock up an own article, so that you can discuss it properly.

The message Fujifilm is sending is clear: we are going to make medium format small!

The arrival of the global shutter will help, since the shutter design is one of the challanges Fujifilm faces to minimize medium format. Then there is the battery life efficiency as well as the heat dissipation and more.

Also, a modular system allows for flexibility. For example you will be able to chose your grip size and attach it to the camera. Full video of the prototype in here our GFX facebook group.

And guys… that modular GFX100 I rumored on April 1st last year… the idea for that “joke”… well, now you know it ;).

Full and detailed report in this article (includes video demo of future X-T3 autofocus improvement firmware)

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Fujifilm GFX facebook group
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 MORE MODULAR GFX IMAGES

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