A Love Letter to Fujifilm in Times or Mirrorless Wars

The video above has been shared by Fujifilm UK on their youtube channel here for the World Photography Day 2018.

I really like it, because none of the photographers interviewed mentions for a single time the word “Fujifilm” or “megapixel“. They “just” tell us what photography means to them.

Just the fact that Fujifilm shares such videos on their channels, denotes a photographic culture, that, so they tell me, is lacking in some other brands.

Let’s Spread Love

Let’s Talk Awards

It’s time to say a few things about these awards, and to start a debate:

• Do they make sense?
• Can we trust any award?

Can we Trust any Award?

Let me explain….

When a few months ago Fujifilm did not win anything at the TIPA awards (except for the Instax SQ10), I tried to understand why this happened.

Did Fujifilm products simply suck, or is the story a bit more complicated?

So here is what I’ve heard:

If a company wins an award for a certain product, then this company must pay TIPA, EISA or other award companies thousands of dollars if they want to get the license to use the winning-logos for their products.

This could explain why TIPA, EISA & Co always have so many categories.

It’s a big business! Which isn’t bad per se…

But now I ask you guys…

… if a company decides to stop paying for award licenses, because they prefer to invest their money into real R&D for their cameras and lenses, how likely is it that this specific company will win something the following year?

More precisely…

… if an award company has the feeling (or even knows) that a certain company won’t pay for licenses anymore, then will they prefer to give more awards to products of other companies, which they know are more willing to pay for them?

I’m sure not… I mean, I am sure they will just reward the cameras and lenses that deserve it, even if they know (or think) they won’t be able to sell the licenses afterwards, because rewarding the gear that deserves it, is more important than making money by selling as many licenses as possible.

Or do you guys think differently than me? ;)

Do these Awards Make Sense?

How important are these awards, in the era of internet?

I mean, everybody is reviewing everything on websites and on youtube. People can easily read and compare hundreds of reviews, as well as select reviewers they trust and value their (free, unpaid and independent) opinion.

I wonder, does Fujifilm really need that nice logo to display at the photography fairs and magazines under their product that says “best camera in category xy“?

Also here… I would like to hear your opinion.

may you have a rewarding day ;)
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And The Winners Are…

As planned, Fringer released firmwarever. 2.30 Fringer EF/FX smart adapters.

Please visit Fringer’s website to download the update file and its release notes.

Important Note: Before upgrading to V2.30, make sure current firmware version is V2.x. If it’s V1.x, please upgrade to V2.10 first.

Improvements integrated in V2.30 include:

Fujinon Size Comparisons

Camerasize just added the Fujinon XF 8-16mm F2.8 to their database. You can now compare it to all other Fujinon (and non) lenses.

I decided to compare it with the Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4.

I remind you that you can’t remove the lens hood on the XF 8-16mm F2.8, this is why you see it with lens hood at camerasize. And as FR-reader Panther says in the comments, “You don’t gain any size advantage by removing the lens hood, since the front elemt sticks out far anyway. It also helps protect the front element, so you can put it on a table front side down and the front element doesn’t touch the table.”

FR-reader Yoav (thanks), has continued to make several size comparisons of the new upcoming XF 16-80mm F4 and XF 16mm F2.8. I will share them all down below.

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Fujinon XF 8-16mm F2.8: BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS
Fujinon XF 200mm F2: BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS

Fujinon Size Comparison

Earlier today we shared the first real life images of the XF 16-80mm F4 and the XF 16mm F2.8.

As you know, I am right now travelling, but I stopped my car on the highway to make a quick size comparison of the XF 16-80 and 16/2.8 with some other Fujinon lenses like the XF35mmF2, based on technical sketches that Fujifilm showed us here.

UPDATE: FR-reader Yoav made one, probably more accurate (thanks) based on filter size. Thanks!!! :)

The XF 16-80 is seriously tempting me as terrific travel lens. But having already the XF 18-135 (and I am very satisfied with it), I will probably save my money for the 33/1 that is coming in 2020.

Either way… I am afraid that the new lens roadmap Fujifilm announced yesterday will seriously hurt my bank account again.

Photography is a pretty expensive hobby… but a very satisfying one :)

Fujinon XF 8-16mm F2.8: BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS
Fujinon XF 200mm F2: BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS

from an Italian highway with love,

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X-Trans Vs. Bayer

First and foremost, let me say that I LOVE X-TRANS.

But the fact that I love X-Trans, does not prevent me from discussing the big Bayer Vs. X-Trans debate, that has recently been fueled again by DPReviewTV in the X-T100 review and Tony Northrup in his X-H1 review, in the most objective way as possible.

So today’s question is: is there any reason why Fujifilm should go Bayer also on higher end APS-C Fujifilm X-series cameras?

WARNING

Some people do probably not have the 5 minutes of time it needs to read this article. They will read the headline, and arguing in favor or against X-Trans/Bayer by default :) .

So for those people, who refuse to read the article and don’t go beyond the headline, I will at least make a bullet-point list, in the hope they will read that one at least.

This is a super short condensation and simplification of more complicated subjects, and as such it is naturally an inaccurate list. Each point will elaborated and clarified in all its shades below.

X-Trans Pros

• less color noise at high ISO
• less moiré (an advantage that will become negligible once APS-C sensor go beyond 30MP)
• sharper compared to cameras with same pixel number and optical low pass filter, unless the processing in camera is very aggressive, like on X-A5 and X-T100
• more pleasing “film-like” grain at high ISO

Bayer Pros

• 20%-30% less processing power required (possible benefits listed below)
• cheaper to produce than X-Trans

Brutally short conclusion:

• X-Trans is better for image quality
• Bayer is better for features and speed, unless Fujifilm can compensate for the extra 20-30% processing power required by the X-Trans sensor with a more powerful processor (present in Fujifilm X-T3), new sensor tech for faster sensor readout (maybe stacked sensor) and better heat management (present in X-H1)

If you want, you can now start your 5 minutes reading time :)

Today Fujifilm released firmware updates for Fujifilm X-A5, X-A3 and X-A20 cameras.

• X-A3 Firmware Update Ver.2.21 – download here
• X-A5 Firmware Update Ver.1.10 – download here
• X-A20 Firmware Update Ver.1.11 – download here

Full details of the updates below.

I remind you that Fujifilm will release Fujifilm X-Pro2 ver.5.00 and GFX 50S ver.3.10 in July 2018. Full report here.

Looking beyond the gear

GUEST POST FEATURE
Write Your Articles Directly On FujiRumors!

by Joel Wolfson

I admit to being a bit of a Fuji fanboy. I have to be in order to put up with all the quirks and inconveniences of the Fuji X system. I believe it is this unconventional approach by Fuji that results in their growth and dedicated following.

But there is more to meeting my needs as a professional photographer than just having cameras with the right features and an array of lenses. So here’s why I question Fujifilm’s X-System as meeting my professional needs:

Before I bought my first X-Pro2 or made any commitment to the Fuji system, I called the Fuji service center and asked if they had a professional service program like the excellent ones from Sony and Canon. They said they have had a big demand for it and expect to have it in the next few months. This was 2 ½ years ago and so far there isn’t one, except for the GFX system (even Fuji told me that only a small fraction of pros using Fuji cameras use the GFX system.)

At that time I thought to myself that the X-Pro2 appeared well made and the lenses had a good feel to them and I could probably live without the pro service for a few months. I ultimately bought another X-Pro2 so I could always have two different lenses ready and also to have a backup. In my 33 years of professional shooting I never had a lens fail from normal use so I didn’t worry about that part of it.

I’m disappointed in the failures