Sigma 100-400mmF5-6.3 Removed from Sigma’s X Mount Lens Offering Webpage

Back in September 2023 Sigma did announce the Sigma 100-400mm f/5.6.3 for Fujifilm X mount.

And until a few weeks ago, the lens was also always listed at the official Fujifilm X mount Sigma lens page here.

Well, as spotted by a fellow FR-reader (thanks), the Sigma 100-400mmF5-6.3 has now been removed from the Sigma X mount lens selection page.

There is still the dedicated product page up here, but as you can see from the screenshot above, the lens is out of stock for all mounts, except for L-mount, which is in low stock.

The question now is if Sigma is phasing out the Sigma 100-400mmF5-6.3 and if they plan to release a replacement in the near future.

I have no answer to any of these questions, but if there is anyone out there who has it, feel free to contact me.

Anyway, if you are interested in the Sigma 100-400mmF5-6.3, it is currently available with a $100 discount at BHphoto and if the removal from the Sigma website means anything, then this might well be the last units you’ll find new on the market.

It would be a pity if this lens would have been discontinued, since it is a great low budget alternative to the Fujinon XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6.

Sigma X Mount Lenses

List of Sigma APS-C Lens Patents

What’s Hiding Behind Fujifilm’s “Minor Bug” Fixes?

Every time I report about a new firmware update, I get asked (such as here): what’s hiding behind the mysterious phrase “fix of minor bugs“?

That’s a legit question, also considering that, in rare occasions, updating the firmware can actually introduce new bugs (this happens with every brand, Sony, Nikon, Canon and Co. They all struggle with that).

So why update the firmware for a minor thing if your gear works just fine?

Well, unless your gear has a specific issue that the firmware update addresses, it’s generally a good idea to wait a bit before updating. Just to see if some issues come up with the new firmware.

I don’t do that, honestly. I update immediately. But I also don’t photograph weddings or do professional work with my gear (oh well, except for this wedding, but that one I shot for free).

And yet…

even if the firmware addresses a “minor bug”, I strongly recommend to update anyway sooner or later..

Why?

Well, because sometimes the bugs are not really “minor”.

For example: in 2020 Fujifilm released a firmware also for X-T4 and it gave us a “minor bug fix”. At that time I was in holiday in Southern Italy and I took some time to try to find out what it really fixed. Well, it turned out the minor bug fix was actually a major one, as it drastically reduced the exposure stepping in video.

This was a major complaint and a major bug fix, but Fujifilm did hide it behind the phrase “fix of minor bugs“.

Other times, the “minor bug” might be better called an “embarrassing bug fix”. In fact so embarrassing, that Fujifilm (but that’s valid also for other brands) doesn’t want you to know what it is, hence they don’t elaborate on that.

For example, I think it was the X-Pro1 that got a “minor bug” fixed, but what it really fixed was that the focus point worked “mirrored”, so if you moved the AF box to the bottom right of the frame, the camera would actually focus on the top left of the frame.

This is why ultimately I always recommend to update your gear, even if Fujifilm calls it just a smaller bug fix.

If you want, wait a couple of weeks and then see if there are reports here on FujiRumors or in Fuji Forums about problems with the firmware. And if there aren’t, update! What Fujifilm calls “minor” might not really be that minor in the end.

And in any case remember: if for some reason a firmware would break certain features of your camera, Fujifilm will release a free follow-up firmware fix and don’t charge you $700+ like Sony :D.

Fujifilm CEO Says Retro Cameras are Difficult to Mass-Produce, Gives Production Insights and Talks Brand Power

Recently Fujifilm published their (excellent) financial results for the imaging solution.

Now they have also published the Q&A sheet, where the Fujifilm CEO answers to a range of questions, including the production issues with Fujifilm cameras.

In short: there are the usual struggles with semiconductors, but in addition to that, he also explains that mass-producing retro-styled cameras is difficult, because the process of creating a classy design “is close to handmade“. Also, they misjudged the demand for Fujifilm X100VI. They doubled the production capacity, but that’s not enough. They are working to match the huge demand (as we already reported, production increase should be achieved by the end of this summer).

I find the part of the challenges with retro camera production particularly interesting. And I guess also why most brand either do not offer vintage styled cameras at all, or, if they do, they release them in significantly lower numbers compared to their more mainstream PSAM models.

And of course: what takes more time to produce is also more expensive to produce. So, from that point of view, it makes little sense for companies to release retro-styled cameras.

But what I love of Fujifilm is that not only they do offer them, but they offer quite a few of them.

In fact, as we could already see, Fujifilm offers more X series camera lines with Retro dials than with PSAM dials. The only problem is that some of them (X-E and X-Pro) do not get refreshed as often as the PSAM models, which therefore gives the impression that Fujifilm is offering more PSAM styled cameras.

But the Fujifilm X-E line will get a refresh, the Fujifilm X-E5 is coming next year. And you bet, there will also be a Fujifilm X-Pro4 at some point.

With that said, I leave you with the relevant transcript of the Q&A below.

Fuji’s Vintage Cameras

Q&A

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ArtraLab NONIKKOR 50mm f/1.2 Coming Soon

The Hong Kong based company ArtraLab is now teasing the new ArtraLab Nonikkor 50mm f/1.2 over at their Instagram page here.

ArtraLab lenss can be found at Amazon here and at the ArtraLab page here.

Here is a recap of the ArtraLab lenses for X mount:

  • ArtraLab OCULILUMEN 7.5mm f/2
  • ArtraLab OCULILUMEN 10mm f/5.6
  • ArtraLab LATALUMEN 12mm f/2
  • ArtraLab NONIKKOR 24mm f/1.7
  • ArtraLab NONIKKOR 35mm f/1.4
  • ArtraLab NONIKKOR 50mm f/1.2 (coming soon)
  • ArtraLab ARTOLUMEN  60mm f2.8 2X

Tamron Patents Big Zoom Lenses

The following patents for Tamron big zoom lenses have been spotted by asobinet:

  • Tamron 400-1000mm f/10-11.5
  • Tamron 250-700mm f/6.5-13

Asobinet does not specify if these are designed for FF or APS-C (but likely for FF).

The approach is similar to the one of Canon with the Canon RF200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM: keep costs and size contained thanks to a slower aperture.

As far as long telephoto zooms goes, we Fujifilm shooters are currently covered by the Fujinon XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 R LM.

Last but not least: if you look at Tamron lenses specifically designed for APS-C, then these are the current patents:

Down below the full details.

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