Angelbird Factory Tour – How Your Memory Card is Made (and Positive Consequences of Declining Trade Shows)

I never used Anglebird cards, but I know they have a very loyal and happy fellowship also among Fujfilm shooters.

Fujifilm even officially recommends some of their memory cards for their cameras.

CFexpress Type B – from the official list of recommended CFexpress cards

These Anglebird cards also have no compromise in performance, so they will give you the highest bursts and access to the full video capabilities of the X-H2 and X-H2s.

So what’s the story today?

Well, the first story is about a factory tour CineD did at the Anglebird headquarter in Austria. I guess some will be surprised to see how much goes into developing something that looks so obvious and simple to us. Especially when quality controls and standards are very high, as it seems to be in the case of Angelbird.

So, if you want to know how they compete against Asian giants, if you want to see the heavy stress tests they put their cards into, the huge works that goes into checking the compatibility with so many cameras on the market (and so many firmware for each camera to create their own compatibility list), then check out the CineD video.

The second story is a bit a wider one.

When CineD asked what is around the corner for Anglebird, they said they are always in development and there is a lot around the corner. They don’t want to say what right now and release only when they are fully satisfied with the product.

And at this point Anglebird says:

We are happy that the trade shows are not driving the market anymore, where there was “this trade show” and then “that trade show” and you have to release. We release the product once it’s ready. You can be sure a lot is coming and our development plan is for 3 and for 5 years.

I guess that’s valid also for Fujifilm and other camera brands. There is not Photokina anymore, where you had to release your stuff in order to grab the biggest headline. And other trade shows are becoming smaller, less influential and are tailored more to showcase products to the regional market.

The real trade show is on the internet itself. And that one is available non-stop 365 days a year, giving companies more freedom on when to launch new stuff.

Make sure to check out the whole story at CineD here

These are Your Top X and GFX Camera Wishes for 2023 – and They are Quite Clear on What You Want!

I’ve looked at the results of your future X camera wish and future GFX camera wish.

Here they are… and what they tell us.

X series

  1. X-Pro4 with 40MP
  2. X100V with 40MP
  3. X-Pro4 with 26MP stacked

GFX gear

  1. GFX100R with 102 MP BSI stacked sensor
  2. GFX100T with 102 MP BSI stacked sensor (the X-T styled GFX concept)
  3. GFX100S with 102 MP BSI stacked sensor

Conclusion for X series

There is a tendency to prefer more megapixel over more speed. And as a Fujifilm X-T5 owner myself, I can understand why: the X-T5 is plenty of fast enough for most of us thanks to the brand new processor. Plus, the 40MP sensor gives us the best dynamic range on any X series camera.

But most importantly, the list is dominated by rangefinder cameras.

So, after a year full of DSLR styled cameras (X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2s), people are hungry to see something happening on the rangefinder front… and I am totally with you guys!

Conclusion for GFX series

Stacked sensor makes the top of the list. Which means that contrary to the X series, for the GFX series people desire more speed rather than more resolution.

List of Fujifilm Related Gear launched in 2022

Dear FUJIFILM, We Decided: Make These 6 X-Mount Lenses Next!

It’s pure sadness.

I mean, if you look at the current X mount lens roadmap, it is just sadness, with only one X mount lens stoically standing all alone trying to keep up excited about the future.

So we decided to help Fujifilm in gathering some ideas, and you guys dropped hundreds of lens suggestions for the future here, which I then summed up in 40 options to vote on here.

Well, here are the results:

TOP 6 LENSES OVERALL:

  1. XF 23mm f/2 Pancake (fan made rendering here)
  2. XF 16-55mm f/2.8 MK II
  3. XF 18mm f/2 MK II
  4. XF 12mm f/1.4
  5. XF 16-35mm f/2
  6. XF 11-30mm f/2.8

There were really a lot of suggestions in the wide angle zoom range. So many, that I decided to give 2 options to vote on, the XF16-35mm f/2 and the XF 11-30mm f/2.8.

But if we were to merger even those two lenses into one single lens, we could get something like the XF 14-30mm f/2.0. In that case, we would have the following result.

  1. XF 14-30mm f/2.0
  2. XF 23mm f/2 Pancake (fan made rendering here)
  3. XF 16-55mm f/2.8 MK II
  4. XF 18mm f/2 MK II
  5. XF 12mm f/1.4
  6. XF 70mm f/2 (fan made rendering here)

TOP 6 PRIMES:

  1. XF 23mm f/2 Pancake
  2. XF 18mm f/2 MK II
  3. XF 12mm f/1.4
  4. XF 70mm f/2
  5. XF 10mm f/2
  6. XF 35mm f/1.2

TOP 6 ZOOMS:

  1. XF 16-55mm f/2.8 MK II
  2. XF 16-35mm f/2
  3. XF 11-30mm f/2.8
  4. XF 16-70mm f/2.8-4
  5. XF 16-135mm f/4
  6. XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 MK II

And if we were to merge the two lenses as we did above, we would get:

  1. XF 14-30mm f/2.0
  2. XF 16-55mm f/2.8 MK II
  3. XF 16-70mm f/2.8-4
  4. XF 16-135mm f/4
  5. XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 MK II
  6. XF 23-55mm f/2

CONCLUSIONS
Wide Angle Reality vs Telephoto Dreams

When you go around in forums, you’ll often see people complaining about Fujifilm not offering enough long lenses.

And to a certain degree I agree with you: long primes especially are needed!

But then there is the reality.

And the reality is that the vast majority of Fujifilm shooters simply do not see long lenses as a priority. What they really want is the total opposite: more wide angle zooms and primes.

We have to be clear about this: any of the lenses that made it to the top of the list in our survey would outsell by a large margin any long prime or zoom lens Fuji would launch.

That’s something Fujifilm knows (and has openly declared here).

And yet, there is at least one lens I feel Fujifilm must give us: the (already patented) Fujinon XF 400mm f/4, which made it in the top 15 of our list and fellow FR-readers already made mock-ups of and it is consistently your top wished telephoto lens.

So, even though it did not make the list, I strongly advice Fujifilm to give us a long prime lens.

Fujifilm X-T5

My Fujifilm X-T5? Give me Time to HATE it, but For Now it’s (Almost) all Just LOVE

I know when one only writes good things about something, people get suspicious.

So feel free to mistrust me guys, but so far I really have only great things to say about the Fujifilm X-T5.

But give me time, I will find something to moan about. I just need to actually have time to shoot with it.

Because even if I have the Fujifilm X-T5 since a few days already, in these weeks I was so overloaded with work, that I had zero time to go out and take picture.

And yet, holidays are coming and soon my X-T5 will be extensively tested. I might let you know in the next few days. Can’t wait for it.

So what are my impressions so far?

Well, I wanted to make a youtube video about it, but some readers told me they prefer written stuff. So I went hybrid this time, with text to read and just short video clips of 10 seconds in those cases I feel they are useful.

The First Look

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

Ronaldo, Messi and GFX :: Fujifilm X-T5 :: The Revenge of the X-T4 :: Fix This Fuji :: X-Pro3 Class Action & More – Top 10 November Articles

Here are the top 10 articles for November.

  1. Fujifilm X-T5 – FULL SPECS and PRICE LEAKED – Same EVF of X-T4 and More Details
  2. The Revenge of the Fujifilm X-T4: Declared Best Mirrorless Camera by Germany’s Most Prestigious Consumer Organisation (and X100V Best Compact)
  3. I am Sorry Fujifilm, but You MUST fix This NOW (a Firmware Request and a Workaround)
  4. Size Comparisons: Fujifilm X-T5 vs X-T4 vs X-T3 vs X-H2/s
  5. LEAKED: First Fujifilm X-T5 Images
  6. Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 for Fujifilm X mount Listed at Stores – Announcement Imminent?
  7. National Geographic Top 10 Travel Cameras 2023: Fujifilm X-T5 “Reigning Champion” and X100V (3rd), X-S10 (7th)
  8. After Summit Wishlist: Fujinon XF70mmF2 and XF23mmF2 MKII Mock-ups
  9. Fujifilm X-Pro3: Class-action Lawsuit Filed for Falsy Advertising ‘Reliable Durability’
  10. SIMPLY the BEST: Messi and Ronaldo Meet the Fujifilm GFX100S of Annie Leibovitz

You Voted:

Must Know

For Fun

The Latest Gear

Fujifilm X-T5 Stock Check

Fujinon XF30mmF2.8 Macro Stock Check

→ USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama
→ Worldwide: AmazonCA / Amazon of Your Country
→ UK: AmazonUK / WexUK / ParkCameraUK
→ EU: AmazonDE / AmazonIT / AmazonFR / AmazonES  / CalumetDE / FotoErhardt / Fotokoch / PCHstore

X-T5 Other Countries

Fujifilm: The Good and the Bad – DPRTV

DPRTV published a video about the Good and the Bad of Fujifilm.

The Good

  • many different styles and design of cameras that appeal to different type of photographers
  • whether you like more modern or vintage, Fujifilm has it
  • lots of price points using the same sensor
  • they keep innovating their APS-C sensor lineup, now they have high resolution 40MP and stacked 26MP
  • steadily improved video features
  • X-H2/S both video optimized models but for whatever your priority is: X-H2s for less rolling shutter and slightly better dynamic range or X-H2 for absolute detail. But many features are similar between the too
  • autofocus third party options

The Bad

  • Fujifilm is now focusing on higher end, but they can grow on affordable range
  • they hoped they make more affordable XC primes like the XC35mmF2, but that still their only XC prime
  • more affordable pocket sized cameras
  • tracking continuous autofocus. Fujifilm is getting stickier, but it still lagging a little bit behind and you get more false positive with Fujifilm than with other brands. Sometimes its the lenses that can’t keep up with the tracking
  • no tap to track in video mode
  • why no native leaf shutter lens option for the GFX system? Fujifilm made leaf shutter lenses in the past for Hasselblad in the past. You can adapt those H series Hasselblad lenses (Fujifilm H mount adapter G) but you don’t have autofocus. Fuji’s argument might be that sensor readout is getting faster and eventually there will be stacked sensor or global shutter, but that’s still a long way off for medium format

The Lastest and Greatest

Blame the Fujifilm X-T5…

Have you noticed that cameras like the Fujifilm X100V, X-E4, X-T30/II, X-Pro3, X-S10 are out of stock in many places?

And why is that?

A sudden brilliant influencer marketing campaign by Fujifilm?

Nope. ;)

You have to blame the Fujifilm X-T5 for that!

In 2022, Fujifilm has launched three crucial cameras for their future: Fujifilm X-T5, Fujifilm X-H2s and Fujifilm X-H2.

And why are they so crucial for Fujifilm?

  • X-H line can potentially bring more new customers into the Fujifilm X system
  • the X-T* line is Fuji’s bread and butter
  • higher end cameras have more profit margin than cameras that cost $1,400 or less
  • niche cameras like X-Pro3 don’t make nearly as much money as more mainstream cameras

So what Fujifilm did is simple: they knew that by March 2023, when the Japanese fiscal year ends, they absolutely must ship out as many X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2s cameras as possible. And given the parts shortage, they had to reserve most of the remaining parts for those three cameras.

And especially the Fujifilm X-T5, Fuji’s most important camera, is one that can not fail on the shipping front.

That’s why Fujifilm is extremely well prepared with the Fujifilm X-T5, and that’s why B&H Photo will be able to ship out all pre-ordered X-T5 cameras on day 1 (and they still have X-T5 left in the warehouse).

That’s valid also for other vendors, who will very likely also have a decent stock (but I did not talk to other vendors, so this is just my guess). Except for certain retails for the reasons I explained in the comments to this article.

In short: if you are looking for an X-Pro3, and X100V, X-T30II and X-E4 or any other camera you can’t find in stock, then blame the Fujifilm X-T5 for that.

X-T5 USA Pre-Orders

Fujinon XF30mmF2.8 Macro Pre-Orderrs

  1. USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama
  2. Worldwide: AmazonCA / Amazon of Your Country
  3. UK: AmazonUK / WexUK / ParkCameraUK
  4. EU: AmazonDE / AmazonIT / AmazonFR / AmazonES  / CalumetDE / FotoErhardt / Fotokoch / PCHstore

X-T5 Other Countries

X-H Cameras

FR-Readers Wishlist Corner: Firmware Suggestions, Video-Less X-Pro4, Fujinon XF16-160mmF3.5-5.6 and More

Wishlist Corner

I am terribly sorry…. terribly sorry that many of you had to wait so long to be featured.

But no matter how hard I work, especially in a crazy 2022, with 3 higher end cameras coming out and 4 XF lenses coming out, I simply could not find time to collect all your wishes and share them.

So I’ll do it today… I grabbed a large beer, took a deep breath, and worked to organise the wishes I have received over the last few months in this article.

So… down below it is: the FR-readers wishlist roundup

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