[UPDATE] Fujifilm patents new 35mm f/1.4 :: Is this the rumored 35mm f/1.4 MKII (coming early 2015 – Anonymous Source)
Fuji X100S deal: at BHphoto, AmazonUS, Adorama and Pictureline
Fuji X-E2 deal: at AmazonUS, BHphoto, Adorama and Pictureline
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THE RUMOR
As you know, in early June I told you about an updated 35mm f/1.4. It has become quiet around this rumor, so that I thought that Fuji has dropped original plans. But now an anonymous source told me that the 35mmMKII could be announced early 2015.
THE PATENT
[UDPATE: As JoHo said in the comments: The US patent is a (presumably just translated) version of a patent that has been filed in December 2011 in Japan (see priority date). So it is unlikely that it refers to a new design.]
ORIGINAL POST: And this could be another hint: here is a patent (click here) showing a new 35mm f/1.4 lens. So there were/are definitely plans to upgrade it. Early rumors said that the upgrade would basically be just about a faster AF speed (and not weather sealing).
But be careful: a rumor + a patent are still not a fact! So take it with the usual grain of salt for now. Especially since at photokina a manager said that the 35 ver.2 could eventually come after they have released all the other lenses…. but I remember managers denying an update to the X100 just a few months before the X100S was announced, so who knows…
Don’t worry, I’ll do my homeworks and hopefully be able to update you soon with something more reliable.