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

DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW and JOIN:

Price of Fujifilm X-H1 Falling Worldwide, but No Fujifilm X-H2 Coming in 2019

Fujifilm X-H2 Coming?

Lately I get many emails asking me if the Fujifilm X-H2 is around the corner, since the price on the Fujifilm X-H1 is dropping drastically all over the world (latest countries to join is the United Kingdom today here).

My answer is no, there will NOT be a Fujifilm X-H2 in 2019.

The reason for the price drop on the Fujifilm X-H1 is not because the X-H2 is coming, but because… well, I have a smart community, and I’m sure you can figure it out by your own ;).

  • read here: VOTE: Fujifilm X-H2 with 3 way Tilt Screen, Swivel Screen or X-T100 Flippy Screen?
  • read here: If the Fujifilm X-T3 had IBIS, would You Prefer it over the Fujifilm X-H2?

The only camera to get a successor very soon, is the Fujifilm X-T20, since the Fujifilm X-T30 is coming on February 14.

Check out the new prices on Fujifilm gear in your country*:

Fujifilm X-H1 body – $1,299 (includes battery grip!) / £1,199 / €1,299

Fujifilm X-H1 w/grip – $1,299 / £1,299 / €1,399

Fujifilm X-T2 – $1,099 / £999 / €1,099

Fujifilm X-T20 – $699 / £629 / €699

Fujifilm X-T100 – $499 / £449 / €499

Fujifilm X-E3 – $699 / £629 / €699

* in € price might change according to country. There might also be variations in €, £ and $ according to different shops

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Fujifilm X-T1 Survives Crude Oil Swim, Sony A7III vs Fuji X-T2 and X-H1 and NOT Switching to SONY for WEDDINGS – miXed Zone

Mixed Zone

Time for a major miXed zone, this time focused on all kind of Fujifilm cameras, except for the brand new Fujifilm X-T3, Fujifilm GFX50S and Fuji GFX50R and Fuji X100F.

But before we move on, remember to feed your Fuji addiction on our social media:

FujiRumors: Facebook, Instagram, RSS-feed and Twitter
User Groups: Fujifilm X-T, GFX, X-H, X-Pro, X-E and X100 line
Dedicated Pages: Fujifilm X-T, Fujifilm X-H and Fujifilm GFX

Fujifilm X-T1 Oil Diving

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

SmallRig L-Bracket for Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T2 Pre-order Open with $20 Discount

SmallRig is taking pre-orders on their new L-Bracket for Fujifilm X-T3 and Fujifilm X-T2. You save $20. You can pre-order at SmallRig here.

Key Features

  1. Form-fitted L bracket for Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T2 Camera body.
  2. Arca-Type compatible dovetail plate with center marks on both axis.
  3. Comes with a wooden handgrip to makes it ergonomic to hold the camera.
  4. Extendable side plate allows for tethering or cable release.
  5. Features multiple 1/4”-20 threaded holes for accessory attachment.
  6. Built-in flat screw driver on the bottom

Awesome Fujifilm X-T3 vs X-T2 Comparison by Mirrorlessons. No Purple Flare and Wait for Fujifilm X-H2 “Sometime Next Year”?

Fujifilm X-T3 vs Fujifilm X-T2

Mathieu and Heather from Mirrorlessons have just published the complete Fujifilm X-T2 vs X-T3 comparison, and it’s arguably one of the very best you can right now find on the web.

Here are some key points:

BUILD QUALITY

  • X-T3 survived 90 minutes in the heavy rain photographing a soccer game
  • Refined sub-dials and command dials make them more comfortable to turn
  • More customization possibilities on X-T3 command dials

TOUCH SCREEN

  • X-T3 touch screen a bit slow and lacking responsiveness

POST PROCESSING

  • Capture One and Iridient render X-T3 files still better than Lightroom
  • Lightroom – unlike Capture One – adds lots of magenta shift by default to the X-T3 file to display the colours correctly (+65 which is very unusual). Perhaps it is a bug that will be fixed with the next update

IMAGE QUALITY and FILM SIMULATIONS

  • RAW Shadow recovery: both cameras perform well but the X-T3 file has less noise. The X-T2 exhibits some red colour cast
  • RAW Highlights recovery: X-T2 surprisingly retains a little more information
  • JPEG: The two cameras behave in a similar way including how they preserve highlights. The only small difference is that the X-T3 shows more noise in the dark areas but also more sharpness. This means there is less noise reduction applied than on the X-T2
  • Both cameras perform the same up to 12800 ISO, with perhaps slightly more noise in the X-T3 files but you really need to pixel-peep to see it
  • JPEG: more pronounced colour shift on the X-T2 the more you add noise reduction
  • SKIN TONES: With a manual kelvin temperature, both cameras shift towards a green tint but it is more contained on the X-T3.
  • White balance: the X-T3 produces a marginally cooler result for outdoor shots
  • Subtle changes in some film simulations

PURPLE FLARE and GRID ARTIFACTS

  • X-T3 doesn’t suffer at all from purple flare and grid artifacts

AUTOFOCUS

  • X-T3 autofocus breaths new life into older lenses
  • X-T3 much improved face and eye detection that rarely fail even in low-light environments
  • Car rally: the X-T3 only delivered 3 completely out of focus shots out of more than 200
  • Soccer: X-T3 has about the hit rate of the X-T2
  • Birds photography: keeper rate of 60/70%, or 85/90% if he includes slightly soft results. But when the bird flew closer, the AF was usually reactive enough to keep the subject in focus. Normally in this specific situation, the change in focus distance is too big and the action happens too fast for most mirrorless cameras to cope, but the X-T3 did better than most and proved to be capable of matching products such as the Sony A9 or Nikon D500

SPORTS MODE BUG

  • When using the camera in crop mode (Sports Finder or electronic shutter), some RAW files are not written correctly and end up with a vertical black band, making the photo unusable. The percentage is low (around 10 shots on more than 200). Maybe something Fuji can fix with a firmware update because it doesn’t happen when using the full sensor area

VIDEO

  • X-T3 less rolling shutter
  • X-T3 uses face and eye detection in 4K, the X-T2 only in 1080p
  • X-T3 superior video specs

FUJIFILM X-H2

  • The elephant in the room is called Fujifilm X-H2, which mirrorlessons thinks could be out “sometime next year” and they say it could be worth to wait a bit longer to get the superior ergonomics and IBIS of the Fuji X-H2.

Do make sure to head over at mirrorlesscomparison here and read the whole in-depth comparison. It’s definitely worth your time.

And if you are interested, we have launched a few polls regarding the Fuji XH2 as well as a timeline on when we can expect the Fujifilm X-H2, Fujifilm X-T4, Fujifilm X-T30, Fujifilm X-Pro3, Fujifilm X200 and Fujifilm X-E4.

  • POLL 1: Are you waiting for X-H2 to upgrade/switch or did you get the Fujifilm X-T3 already?
  • POLL 2: If the Fujifilm X-T3 had IBIS, would you prefer it over the Fujifilm X-H2?
  • TIMELINE: Fujifilm X Camera replacement timeline from 2011 to 2018 and what this could mean for X-H2, X-T4, X-T30, X-Pro3, X-E4, X200

Fujifilm X-T3 (save $130 w/grip): BHphoto, AmazonUS, Adorama, Focuscamera

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