Sigma CEO Expresses Interest in Fujifilm GFX Support: “If We Want to Master Optics, We Need to Support Medium Format”

image courtesy: sigma-sein.com
image courtesy: sigma-sein.com

In an interview to Petapixel, Sigma’s CEO, Kazuto Yamaki, has expressed personal interest in supporting medium format cameras with the company’s lenses.

While Sigma has focused on building its lens lineup for full-frame mirrorless cameras, Yamaki acknowledges the growing popularity of medium format cameras and the potential for third-party lens manufacturers to enter this market.

Although there are currently no official plans to support medium format, Yamaki stated that it is his personal hope, and he emphasized the need to carefully assess the market and demand.

Here are the relevant quotes from the article:

I [am] personally very much interested in supporting medium format. Again, it’s a small market, but I have some interest.

[…]

So right now we don’t have such plan, but if Sigma wants to be a master of optics, I think we need to support medium format. But that’s just personal hope. But I need to carefully look at the market and demand

Fortunately, the CEO’s personal opinion holds significant influence, perhaps more than any other within the company. These statements indeed inspire optimism.

Additionally, it is now evident that Fujifilm has not restricted the G-mount to third-party manufacturers. If this were the case, Sigma would have publicly expressed their concerns, just as they did previously when they complained about Fujifilm not permitting them to produce X mount lenses.

It’s only an issue of market share. And luckily the Fujifilm GFX (and also Hasselblad X system) market share is growing.

You can read the full article at PetaPixel here (image from sigma-sein.com)

This Guy Turned his Fujifilm X100V into a Limited Edition X100VI using Stickers

Here is a little weekend curiosity.

At the recent X Summit Fujifilm announced the limited edition Fujifilm X100VI. Fujifilm also has a dedicated page for it here.

The limited edition X100VI camera body is engraved with the corporate brand logo from Fujifilm’s founding in 1934, along with a unique serial number. And only a limited number of 1934 samples is made wordwide.

Well, now a guy over at the Chinese Weibo platform has crafted stickers to transform his X100V into a budget-friendly imitation of the limited edition X100VI.

I am not sure if he plans to sell those stickers, or if it is only for his personal use.

Regardless, I anticipate it won’t be long before a similar sticker finds its way to the market. So, if you happen to acquire a second-hand limited edition X100VI online, exercise caution to ensure it’s not a low-quality sticker imitation. Be certain to receive all the accompanying perks, including a special box containing a unique strap, soft release button, and history cards.

Speaking of buying the limited edition X100VI, as far as I know, it is still not available for sale anywhere and you’ll have to go through Fujifilm to get it. Contact your local Fujifilm support and ask them how it works in your country, because it’s likely that different countries will handle it differently.

via asobinet via Weibo

5 Signs Sparking Hope for Fujifilm X100VI Shipping Smoother than You’d Think

Italian Fujifilm distributors Foto Luce is ready to ship out X100VI
Italian Fujifilm distributors Foto Luce is ready to ship out X100VI

In the history of FujiRumors, this will probably go down as the one article that contained the most inaccurate prediction of the history of forecasting.

But with all the talk of crazy preorders for the Fujifilm X100VI, warnings of epic shipping delays, and worries that the only way to snag one in a reasonable time is to soon buy it highly overpriced on eBay from scalpers, I decided to inject a glimmer of optimism within these challenging and difficult circumstances.

And yes, I am well aware that this injection of positivity might sound more like a refusal to accept reality.

And yet, let’s hunt for a bit of hope in the unpredictable journey of X100VI deliveries.

So here are some signs that maybe it won’t be as catastrophic when it comes to X100VI shipping.

1) Where is Fuji’s apology?

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

Fujifilm X100VI Cut in Half (vs X100V) and IBIS Unit Size Compared

I thought it could be a nice curiosity to share a side by side inside look at the Fujifilm X100VI vs X100V, as you can see from the image shared in this article and spotted at the Japanese website dc.watch.

It’s interesting to see how Fujifilm was able to squeeze a completely newly designed IBIS unit into the small camera body of the Fujifilm X100VI.

And now you can also see why the tripod mount had to move a little bit forwards: it had to make space for the IBIS unit.

Speaking of IBIS unit, you can she size of it compared to older IBIS unit here, which was shared as a part of the summary for the X100VI development story by the Japanese website dclife.

The X100VI Madness Continues: Half a Million Preorders Reported – in China Only! – UPDATED

I don’t know if I should call the reports coming from China “good” or “concerning”.

Because the Chinese Weibo account Camerabeta reports that pre-orders for the Fujifilm X100VI in China have exceeded 480,000 [Updated: some point out that these are entires for the X100VI lottery, but the post of Camerabeta speaks of “orders”]!

And other reports speak of 580,000 preorders in China, as reported by the Japanese website asobinet here. This aligns somewhat with the observation made by joedidder in the comments here, indicating that there are accounts of 349,000 individuals attempting to pre-order the X100V from a single website in China during its launch. UPDATED: Asobinet reports that the number are not pre orders, but they are entries into a lottery to purchase the camera with no commitment other than creating an account to join the lottery. And also joedidder corrected his report and said it was for the lottery. Camerabeta instead says 480,000 are solid pre-orders (I don’t know where he gets this number from).

We remind you that the yearly production capacity for the X100VI is of 180,000 units (15,000 per month).

This leaves me conflicted about whether to categorize this as “positive” or “concerning” news.

I mean, for Fujifilm it’s certainly a luxury problem to have. But, if reports from China are accurate, it could imply an extended wait for customers before their X100VI cameras are shipped.

And also, chances would be very high at this point to revive the same absurd situation, where the only way to get our hands on a new or used X100VI would be to highly overpay for it.

I hope Fujifilm has made tons of X100VI ahead of launch, so that they can ship out pre-orders in a reasonable time.

via Camerabeta

Fujifilm at work to match the gigantic demand for Fujifilm X100VI