Egami (click here) spotted  a patent about a 28mm f/1.4 (35mm equivalent).

Well, I do not understand Japanese, so the only way to read this patent for me is to decipher the cryptic version of the google translator. But I think the patent is for 1/3″ sensors (the sensor we find in the iPhone 5S, Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC one). So it won’t be a super-fast Fujinon XF wide angle lens.

Some speculate with a new lens for a 1/3″ sensor compact camera, but honestly I do not think/hope Fuji is still placing R&D into the point&shoot market. It would be a hopeless battle against smartphones. FinePix cameras are dead, and also some X-series cameras like the [shoplink 12885]XF1[/shoplink] and [shoplink 17996]XQ1[/shoplink] do not sell at all well.

It’s better to invest in making good lenses for smartphones rather than new P&S cameras… or make directly an X-Phone!

So here is the google translated version… but if any Japanese FR-reader out there can make a better one, then feel free to drop it in the comments.

“Fujifilm patent application for the conversion of 28mm 4.2 mm F1.4 in, it is, but approximately 1/3 type image pickup device It supports. Of the lens configuration of 7 pieces in 7 groups, everything is double-sided aspherical.

Patent application of large-aperture lens toward cell phones and smartphones is not it? One after another recently. that any manufacturers think What a together. Kondeji is large in the differentiation of the smartphone image pickup device are moving in, but we have already done the performance of the camera also works as a smartphone in the patent application, It is a cat-and-mouse game.”

Let’s start with little rumor summary about the X100S successor.

February: Back in February (click here) I’ve spread the first rumors (of a new source) about the X100S successor giving the following specs: 24MP X-Trans sensor, faster AF than X100S, tilt screen, new fixed lens, new EVF, better than X100S, but not as much as X-T1, wider detection area.

May: Then, in May, mirrorlessrumors confirmed that the camera will feature an APS-C X-TRANS sensor and also said that it will be announced at photokina (September).

July: Now, also the usually well informed xjurmo confirms the specs: 24MP ASP-C sensor, better EVF and faster AF.

The Name: If you remember, I told you here that a new source shared a rumor with FR that I couldn’t publish because it said: “Please confirm it with your other sources first as marketing department might change the plans“. I did my homework and had a talk with our top trusted Japanese source. And it confirms: Fuji has plans to call the X100S successor X100T. So I shared the rumor. Now xjurmo’s source said that the name could be X100T or X200. So maybe the final word has not yet been spoken? However, he confirms that both option are/were on Fuji’s table.

The rumored specs list so far is the following:

(TS= trusted source / NeS =New Source / ASwN = Anonymous source with nick-name / AS = Anonymous Source / SRP = source who was right in the past, but not yet trusted / ORS = other rumor sites)

• X100T (TS + NeS)
• 24MP (NeS + ORS)
• X-Trans Sensor (NeS + ORS)
• faster AF than X100S (NeS + ORS)
• tilt screen (NeS)
• new fixed lens (NeS)
• new and better EVF (NeS + ORS)
• wider phase detection area (NeS)
• announcement at photokina (ORS)

cheers,
facebook, google+, RSS-feed and twitter

Sonyalpharumors just reported the following rumor:

“The RX100 camera series is a unique and very successful camera line. But Sony shared the RX100M3 sensor to Panasonic (for the FZ-1000). And according to two m0re anonymous sources they are also likely going to share it to Fuji and Samsung as well!”

I remind you that Fuji’s APS-C sensors are already manufactured by Sony.

If you remember, back in January an anonymous source (with nick-name) told us that Fuji dropped plans to produce an X-PRO1S. All R&D was placed into the X-PRO2. But, so the source, sensor and design were not finalized at that time.

A few months later, rumors of an Fujifilm X-PRO2 featuring a FF sensor were quickly corrected by the trusted Japanese FR-source, who told us that it will feature an APS-C sensor.

And now the dice might have been cast. According to an anonymous source, Fujifilm decided to put a 24MP APS-C sensor into the X-PRO2.

But the source shared some more details: the X-PRO2 will have a tilting LCD screen and, as to expect, a built-in WiFi. The camera should be in stores in 2015 (the source said February, but, as we know, this is always a tricky part of rumors, as Fuji can change the date in any moment).

Another question is if it will be announced in 2014 or 2015. Mirrorlessrumors said here that it will be announced at the photokina (September). This anonymous source told me the same, but for now I’ll wait for more feedback before confirming any date (I hear different dates). It could be the photokina, the CES (January) or even another day with no imaging fair (as the X-T1, which was launched in January 28). I’ll work on it and hopefully be able to give you an update soon (and any help is warmly welcome).

However, the Fujifilm X-PRO2 should be available only in 2015.

You know it, take it with a grain of salt.

If you can help me to find out more, feel free to contact me completely anonymously via rumor box (and maybe give yourself a nick-name, so that I can eventually identify you in future if you decide to share some more rumors) or drop me an email at fujirumor [at] gmail.com.

And now let’s have a look at the rumored X-PRO2 specs list (including rumors posted by other rumor sites):

(TS= trusted source / NeS =New Source / ASwN = Anonymous source with nick-name / AS = Anonymous Source / SRP = source who was right in the past, but not yet trusted / ORS = other rumor sites)

• APS-C sensor (TS + ASwN + AS)
• 24MP sensor (AS)
• available in 2015 (ASwN + AS)
• tilt screen (AS)
• WiFi (AS)
• Non organic ASP-C X-Trans sensor (ORS)
• Announcement at the photokina 2014 (ORS)

stay tuned for more,
facebook, google+, RSS-feed and twitter

Hi all,

as you may remember, a forum member at dpreview said that the small and powerful Nissin i40 for Fujifilm X cameras will be available in October. Well, according to a FR-source, it will happen earlier.

The actual availability date will be various between countries, but the first lot of flashes will be in stock at authorized dealers around early September. 

The Nissin i40 is a new great super compact powerful and flexible flash with ergonomics of the Fujifilm EF-X20. It recently won the TIPA Award 2014 for the“Best Portable Lighting System”.

“The small (3.35 x 2.4 x 3.35 inches) and lightweight (203g, without battery and soft box) Nissin i40 is available in models dedicated (TTL) to Canon, Nikon, Sony, Four thirds and Fujifilm models, and can cover a lens angle of view from 24-105mm, with additional coverage to 16mm with the supplied diffuser. The Guide Number is 40 at the 105mm setting (meters/ISO 100) and 27 at 35mm. An innovative LED illuminator sits where smaller fill flash modules were in the past, and the light can be used for both still and video recording with 9 steps of output. The i40 offers rear, front curtain and high-speed sync, wireless slave and can be swivelled up to 180 degrees right and left and 90 degrees vertical.”

I wish you a great weekend,
facebook, google+, RSS-feed and twitter

P.S.: if you click the “READ MORE” button, you’ll see a list with all the rumors spread in 2014 arranged by reliability. You’ll also be able to check what turned out to be correct and what was wrong this year.