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miXed Zone: AF-performance with FW 3.10, about Kaizen, Fuji Interview, X-Trans + C1… and Max Angeloni’s “holy” Fuji work!

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If you are in Rome in these holy Easter days, don’t miss to check out Max Angeloni’s exhibition about the Way of the Cross in one of the arguably most important baroque churches worldwide, the Basilica di Sant’Andrea della Valle (the exhibition ends on the 8th of April.)

X-Photographer Max Angeloni used exclusively Fuji X gear for this important assignment: the Fujifilm X-T1 and three lenses (23mm, 35mm and 56mm… and two 180 Watt lights).

If you can’t go to Rome, take a look at his work at riflessifotografici (translation).

NEW FIRMWARE 3.10 for X-T1

AF performance with the new firmware at johncaz: “My quick and dirty testing shows that there is an overall small and bearable noticeable boost in AF performance with all three lenses so it’s not a placebo effect.” /

LENSES

X-mount lenses

A very nice ‘in the field’ 50-140 review in pictures at chrisharrisonphotography / Matt Brandon took the 50-140 mm out for a real workout in Komodo, Indonesia and came back with some crazy sharp images of dragons. See them at thedigitaltrekker  / Fuji 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR Fujinon Lens – Is This The Best Fuji X Lens Ever? at soundimageplus / Fujifilm XF56mm F1.2 APD Lens Aperture Range at brandonremler /

FujiFilmUK just launched a Series of short 1 minute video presentations of the Fujinon lenses. Check out the videos about the 23mm, 60mm, 56mm, XF 55-200, XF 35mm, XF 27mm, XF 18mm, XF 18-135, XF 18-55, XF 10-24 and XF 14mm. See all the FujiUK videos here.

other lenses / Adapter / Extension Tubes

Speedbooster Ultra OM-FX Unboxing at FujiOM’s youtube channel / Samyang 12mm F2 NCS CS with Fujifilm X-T1 at dslrmagazine (translation) /

RAW-CONVERSION

I’m really enjoying the combination of Fuji X-Trans + Capture One at thomasfitzgeraldphotography /

ACCESSORIES

Clip cap battery protection frame designed for Fujifilm NP-W126. See more at vimeo / Sasurai Camera Straps made in Japan… here are the leather straps. Check out their store for other options /

KAIZEN

Crying Wolf… and about Fuji’s Kaizen at olafphotoblog + The Kaizen Contention: Final Thought at olafphotoblog /

INTERVIEW

There is an interview with Fujifilm Japan’s Kunio Aoyama and Hiroto Nakata at mirrorlessons. Here some excerpts (FYI, here are the interviews with Mr. Iida Toshihisa & Makoto Oishi):

– NEW LENSES: “We are trying to understand where the lack of coverage is. For example, tilt-shift lenses or fisheye lenses or extreme telephoto lenses. […] Maybe when we announce the next generation of cameras, we can announce the next roadmap.”

– ORGANIC SENSOR: “We are continuing to develop the sensor. […] The organic sensor itself is designed not only for cameras but also for other applications. So originally the technology and development is not for digital cameras. […] We are trying to figure out if the sensor is best for cameras, video or other hardware products. We are still studying and developing the package.

Make sure to check out the whole interview at mirrorlessons… and just a little note about the Organic Sensor. A Fuji Guy said to bigheadtaco at youtube (minute 13:00) that there are some challenges in the production the organic sensor, but ones these issues are fixed “we are going to see an entire new page of sensor technology!”

The Problem with the organic sensor? As shared in this rumor, it could be due to too much battery drain and heat production..

OPEN LETTER TO FUJIFILM: About the “Kaizen Light”, the X100S and the “David Hobby Firmware” with Classic Chrome

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Dear Fujifilm

Today I write you in the name of (probably) many X-shooters following FujiRumors, and especially those who own an X100S and would like a new firmware update. But first let me say this:

THE KAIZEN HISTORY
(or why we love Fuji)

When it comes to firmware udpates, we X-shooters are probably complaining at a level all other camera brand owners frankly envy us (and I know it from the guys at 43rumors, SonyAlphaRumors and CanonWatch in our regular meetings, that they are jealous about how Fujifilm listens to its customers and delivers amazing firmware updates).

Over the years you did an amazing job in keeping our cameras up to date with the latest features. That’s something no other brand offered with such a consistency and dedication (huge X100 update after 3 years, X-PRO1/E1 focus peaking, X-E2 EVF frame rate like X-T1, X-T1 Electronic Shutter… and there would be A LOT MORE to put into this list.)

So, Fujifilm, I don’t say it for captatio benevolentiae, but I really Thank You for all the effort you’ve put into all those new firmware updates.

THE KAIZEN LIGHT
(or why updating older X-cameras with New Features is NOT Good)

It is also clear to me that, with the rapidly growing number of X-cameras, the costs to keep them all updated with the latest new features would be unsustainable, unless you cut your resources destined to the development of new camera technology and redirect them to update the XQ1, X-A1, X-M1, X100, XF1, X-E1, X-PRO1, X20 and all the other X-series cameras with new features.

But given how fiercely contested the CSC market is, it’s wise to put most of your R&D into new camera technology for the Fujifilm X-PRO2, rather than spend your time, money and manpower in figuring out how to bring the electronic shutter on the X-M1.

Therefore I personally understand if you start to look forward and (apart bug fixes) stop introducing new firmware features to older cameras and focus on FW-updates for newer and successful ones… let’s call it a Kaizen Light approach ;) .

THE DAVID HOBBY FIRMWARE
(or why you should update the X100S)

That being said, there is one thing I really do not get, and it’s about a firmware for the X100S… a pretty successful X-camera that would still deserve a bit of Kaizen love.

Here is the thing: a new X100S firmware already exists and it was used by David Hobby to test Classic Chrome on his X100S. Hobby himself said: “I have played with the new Classic Chrome film simulation on an X100S that had been altered to include it.”

So I think it should not be that difficult anymore to release a firmware update that allows all X100S shooters to add this new film simulation to their camera… just as you did with the X-E2 and with David Hobby’s X100S.

I know the X100T is fresh on the market and you don’t want to endanger its sales. But the X100T offers so many other improvements over the X100S (30 improvements listed in Rico’s X100T first look, starting from the ERF & WiFi), that a simple Classic Chrome update would for sure not make the X100T sales collapse, since there would be still 29 improvements left… or 28, if you’d add to the firmware also the electronic shutter or the intervalometer ;) .

So, dear Fujfilm, it would be really great if you could make the “David Hobby-Firmware” available for download.

THE KAIZEN FUTURE
(or how you could possibly still update also older cameras)

And what about this: maybe you could work on a huge X100S firmware update (with Classic Chrome, Intervalometer, Customizable Quick Menu, Electronic Shutter, more reliable Battery Level Indicator, PDAF support in Instant-AF, Spot Metering AF frame coupling etc.), and make us pay a few bucks for the work? Please think about it. I’ll add a poll about it down below.

So, thank you Fujifilm for (hopefully) reading this letter. If you have any statement or reply to make on it, please don’t hesitate to contact me at fujirumor [at] gmail [dot] com. I’d be happy to post your answer here on FujiRumors.

Regards

I would buy a...

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Which X-series Camera do you Own?

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VOTE THE POLL: Do you want a Monochrome X-series camera?

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At the end of February, dpreview published a very interesting interview with Fuji Manager T. Iida. One of the questions dpreview made to the Manager, was if Fuji plans to release a Monochrome X-series camera, since “the X-Trans sensor should be well-suited to native monochrome capture.”

The Fuji manager answered: “Technically of course it’s possible but it depends on the demand, and such a camera would probably match perfectly to some of our core customers. […] I think a monochrome model might represent a sales opportunity for Fujifilm. […] I am a big fan of monochrome photography.”

Now, a couple of days ago I received this anonymous message

It might be interesting to see how many folks would spring for a Monochrome only B&W only 24 MP  sensor version of the Fuji X-Pro2. You might be surprised!  Seems like a no-brainer.”

Yep, I think it’s interesting to see what you guys think about it. And apparently I’m not the only one. Also the Spanish site Fujistas investigated the same question. So I decided to launch two polls. Feel free to vote them and drop your considerations in the comments.

And now tell us if you think that Fuji should an alternative to Leica’s Monochrome camera.

Read about the advantages of a monochrome sensor at maxmax (thanks hmmm). “An equivalent monochrome camera will always take a much sharper image than a color camera because resolution is dependent on the color content in the picture.”

For Amateurs. Will You Buy the Fujifilm GFX?

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“100% market share growth, focus on high end & new pro camera in 2015”! (Fuji Middle East Manager Kawamura)

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Full article at khaleejtimes

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It seems that, after the big success of the Fujifilm X-T1, the company is starting to look very optimistic into the future. At least if we listen at Yuta Kawamura (Marketing Boss at Fujifilm Middle East).

In fact, this year he expects a 100% grow of market share in Middle East (from 8% in 2014 up to 15% in 2015).

Fuji ME-Marketing-Boss Yuta Kawamura also says that the biggest market for Fujifilm is Japan, followed by USA, China and Europe. Middle East and Africa close the ranking. The goal of Fujifilm Middle East is to sell 25,000 cameras in 2015!

He also says that, in the ME-region, Fujifilm is ranked 3rd after Sony and Samsung (in the Pro-camera segment).

So how will they achieve this 100% growth in just one year? Kawamura says:

“We will continue to concentrate on high-end models as they are more profitable compared to compact cameras. […] Fujifilm will soon launch another good quality professional camera in 2015

In other words: Fujifilm X-PRO2 ;)

Thanks to the anonymous reader for the link he spotted at fujifilmME facebook via khaleejtimes

X-T1 BOOK DOWNLOAD … it works now ;)

Just released: Rico’s new X-T1 book. There is a 40% discount on it. Just use the code “FUJI40” and you’ll pay the book just $12! (Kindle, ePub, PDF version included… all DRM-FREE!). You can buy it also at AmazonUS, but just for Kindle and with DRM.

Download your copy now here

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Fuji will release a firmware update for the Nissin i40 to enable HSS flash sync with TTL metering! (src – Nissin Rep)

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You might remember that, at the beginning of February, FR-reader Sascha told us in the comments to the “Wild Rumors post“, how to force HSS on your Nissin i40. The tirck spread also on wimarys‘ website.

The trick works, you can enable HSS… but without TTL metering.

Well, wimarys had a conversation with a Nissin rep, who told him that Nissin is “waiting for the HSS firmware update to be released by Fujifilm”. This update will allow you to use HSS with TTL metering!

thanks for the link, vadim.

And what about the long expected (and rumored) Fujifilm Flash?

I was a bit worried when, a few days ago, I shared the news that the mecablitz 26 AF-1 digital release has been pushed back to April. As FR-reader Just a Thought commented: “The delay might well be due to the insolvency that Metz went through.”

You might wonder why this should affect the release of the Fuji flash.

As you can read in this rumor, a source told us that the Fujifilm Flash will be made by Metz. And back in November 2014 a tursted source told us that it was expected to come in spring 2015. Well, I hope the insolvency of Metz won’t affect the release of this (really needed!) flash… or that the anonymous source was not right and the flash is not made by Metz.

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Fujifilm EF-42 

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CP+ German XF Hands-On video: “XF 100-400 probable aperture range from f/5 to f/5.6 to make it more compact”

PART 1

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Fujirumors’ window to CP+: DAY 4
non-stop CP+ news coverage on Fujirumors
Follow FR at facebook, google+, RSS-feed and twitter

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ValueTechTV shared 2 short video presentations of some unreleased lenses at (Part1 –  Part2).

For non-German speaking FR-readers, here are what I consider the most interesting things they say:

Part 1: The XF35mmF2 will come end of 2015. It’s smaller than the 35mmF1.4, which is very good if you look through the OVF, so the lens protrudes less into the viewfinder. [admin: the journalist probably just forgot to add: “ if you look through the OVF… of the X-PRO2” ;) ]

Part 2: ValueTechTV says that the XF 100-400 was delayed, because Fuji decided to change the aperture range at the wide end [mock-ups at photokina showed an aperture range from F4 to F5.6]. Always according to ValueTechTV, Fuji is still “experimenting”, but it will have more or less a range that goes from F5 to F5.6 in order to make it more compact.

PART 2

X-Mount Filter Lens video  mounted on a X-A2

DPR Hands-On Photos with all lens prototypes + XF 120mmF2.8: “You can expect a lot from this lens!”

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Fujirumors’ window to CP+: DAY 3
non-stop CP+ news coverage on Fujirumors
Follow FR at facebook, google+, RSS-feed and twitter

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Dpreview posted some hands on photos will all the unreleased lenses in the roadmap… and some information:

XF 35mmF2: faster AF than the 35mmF1.4 – weather sealing not confirmed – available last quarter of 2015
XF 120mmF2.8: will have OIS – WR still unconfirmed –  focus limiter – available 2016… and I can’t see any tripod mount in the pictures
XF 16mmF1.4: coming soon – AF speed similar to 23mmF1.4
XF 100-400: not the final design

I repost also an updated version of the new roadmap. In the previous versions there was a bit of confusion, because Fujifilm ordered the lenses from left to right according to their focal length, and not their estimated release time… making the time indication much more vague. Well, now in this roadmap, you can see the lenses ordered more clearly, this means with the horizontal position showing the release time.

So we can see that:

XF 16mmF1.4 & XF 90mmF2 should come in the first half of 2015
– XF 35mmF2 somewhere around next fall (right in time for the X-PRO2??)
– XF 100-400 early 2016
– XF 120mmF2.8 1:1 Macro around spring 2016

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FujifilmXworld published another teaser of the unreleased lenses. This time it’s about the big brother of the XF 60mmF2.4.

XF Lens has the half macro lens XF60mmF2.4 R and recently added macro extension tube in the lineup. And we will soon have the 1:1 Macro lens XF120mmF2.8 R Macro as the latest addition.
This lens will be like a big brother of XF60mm, and XF60mm has the highest resolution capability among any XF lenses, so you can expect a lot from this lens. Start counting days for the release in 2016.”

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Sweet Fuji ;) –  via fujixseries Japan

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NEW IMAGES of XF 90mmF2 & XF 16mmF1.4 WR + NEW ROADMAP with BETTER VIEW of when lenses are coming!

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NEW XF 90mmF2 & XF 16mmF1.4

FujiXworld published a new image of the XF90mmF2… no markings on the lens, but we know from Fuji Guy Greg himself that it is going to be weather sealed. And as Markus noticed “it appears Fuji has greatly reduced the diameter of this lens compared to what was shown at the Photokina.”.

They also show a new image of the XF 16mmF1.4, and this time we can clearly read the “WR”& Nano GI coating markings :)

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NEW ROADMAP

Just 2 days ago, Fujifilm published a new roadmap. But there was a bit of confusion, because Fujifilm ordered the lenses from left to right according to their focal length, and not their estimated release time… making the time indication much more vague.

Well, now in the roadmap at the bottom of this post, you can see the lenses ordered more clearly, this means with the horizontal position showing the release time.

So we can see that:

XF 16mmF1.4 & XF 90mmF2 should come in the first half of 2015
– XF 35mmF2 somewhere around next fall (right in time for the X-PRO2??)
– XF 100-400 early 2016
– XF 120mmF2.8 1:1 Macro around spring 2016

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[UDPATE] RUMOR: The mysterious new entry-level? A cheaper version of the Fujfilm X-T1 (source was right in the past)

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[MESSAGE TO THIS SOURCE: I could be great if you contact me also via email (if you want, use a fake email address), so that we can talk directly to each other.]

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[UDPATE: The source said it will come in 2015, whitout specifing any date. My guess was it will come in early 2015. Read here for the udpated article]

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ORIGINAL POST

Who follows FR regularly will already know that Fujifilm has (according to FR-rumors) two new X-cameras in the pipeline for the next few months: a fixed lens one and an entry level MILC. Now, the fixed lens one could be the XQ2, the successor of the smallest X-series camera on the market.

And what about the MILC?

Well, according to an anonymous source with “nick name”, who was right in the past, it will be a cheaper version of Fujifilm’s best selling X-series camera, the Fujifilm X-T1.

Please keep in mind that, although I try to be as accurate as possible (83% correct rumors in 2014), you should take rumors that do not come from trusted sources, with a grain of salt… including this one.

So what, would this be a smart move or not? I’m really curious to read what you think about it in the comments.

stay tuned on Fuji Rumors,
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Fuji’s first half 2015 (rumored) X-gear roadmap: 2 new X-series cameras, 1 more lens and a new flash!

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Do you remember 2013, when Fujifilm released the X100S, X20, X-M1, X-A1, X-E2, XQ1, XF 14mm, XF 55-200mm, XF 27mm, XF 23mm, XC 50-230mm and XC 16-50mm? Well, times seem to be over, when Fujifilm frantically released X-gear after X-gear in order to build up an entire system from zero.

Maybe in 2015 we won’t see such an avalanche of new products as in 2013… but it could nevertheless be very interesting year, especially because…

… because of the Fujiflm X-PRO2. All the eyes (especially mine ;-) ) are focused on it. However, I try to keep my radar finely tuned also on the rest of possible Fuji X-gear.

So I’ve summed up rumors shared here on Fujirumors, focusing, for now, on the first half of 2015.

I did NOT include the X-PRO2 in the first half of 2015 list because, at the moment, release dates are simply too contradictory. They go from early or first half 2015 to second quarter and even to fall 2015 (at least they all say 2015 :-) ). I’ll wait for trusted sources to find out the facts and will then post an update with the release date.

And of course, you can help my rumor sleuthing by sharing your knowledge. Just contact FR at fujirumor [at] gmail [dot] com (with fake email account, if you want), or 100% anonymously via rumor box (possibly with nick-name, so that I can eventually recognize you in future).

First half 2015 rumored X-gear

I think that CP+ this year (February 12 to 15) could be way more interesting than the CES. So what could come in these first 6 months? Here is the list:

2 new X-series cameras:

  • an entry-level camera: my personal guess, X-A1/X-M1 replacement/successor (trusted source – read rumor here)

  • a fixed lens camera (Anonymous Source – read rumor here). There were rumors in the past about an X70 (read rumor here), an entry level version of the X100 series with 23mm f/2.8 lens. It was definitely in Fuji’s plans in 2013, but such plans were dropped later on (information of trusted source). I have NOT heard of a comeback of the X70 until now, but it’s the only fixed lens camera I have heard about in the past. However, it could well be a completely new camera… if the anonymous source is right, of course.

2 new lenses:

New Flash:

stay tuned on Fuji Rumors
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REMINDER – – – LAST DAY

cameras

X-T1 body: BHphoto (save $100 + lots of freebies) / AmazonUS (save $100)
X-T1 + XF18-55: BHphoto (save $100 + lots of freebies) / AmazonUS (save $100)
X100S (save $450 – black version): BHphoto (free SD card and bag). The silver one comes for $973 at AmazonUS.
X-E1: BHphoto is offering the X-E1 + 18-55 for just $699.

XF-lenses

XF 18-135 WR : BHphoto (save $100) / AmazonUS (save $100)
XF 56mm f/1.2
: BHphoto (save $150) / AmazonUS (save $150)
XF 23mm f/1.4: BHphoto (save $200) / AmazonUS  (save $200)
XF 14mm f/2.8: BHphoto (save $169) / AmazonUS  (save $169)
XF 35mm f/1.4: BHphoto (save $100) / AmazonUS  (save $100)
XF 60mm f/2.4: BHphoto (save $100)
XF 10-24mm: BHphoto (save $200) / AmazonUS  (save $200)
XF 55-200mm: BHphoto (save $150) / AmazonUS  (save $150)
XF 18-55mm:
BHphoto (save $70)