Fujifilm Manager: “APS-C Limit is Not 26 Megapixel. Fujifilm GFX100 will Amaze You. AI Within 3 Years. Shooting Style Over Specs”

April 8, 2019
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Pixel Village, who recently gave us some insights from the Fujifilm factory in Japan, now published their interview with Fujifilm manager Toshihisa Iida, Jun Watanabe and Keitaro So.

It’s a 33 minutes long video that I have summed up below for those of you, who are in a hurry right now.

Style vs Specs

Fujifilm started with X100 8 years ago, more for street photography
then the X system expanded into more vast style of photography (weddings, movie, etc)
traditionally camera companies create product pyramids based on number of megapixel, sensor size etc, to allow to step up from lower price point cameras to higher price point
Fujifilm is a bit different. They think the center of photography is not the camera or equipment, but the photographer
The photographer has lots of different needs, depending on what he shoots (street, wedding, commercial, etc). So Fujifilm always thinks: “what can this camera do for this kind of photographer“
This is why Fujifilm offers different camera styles, from rangefinder to DSLR style, bigger or smaller grip, more or less manual controls, etc.
The more we think about photographers, the more different styles of cameras we have to create
It’s not all about numbers and specs, but style of photography is more important
This is why it’s hard to tell which is high end or mid range model, because the style of cameras is so different

I agree, one camera design/ergonomics can not satisfy all photographic needs, which is why Fujifilm offers different camera styles (rangefinder, dslr-style, more or less manual controls etc). This is opposed to Sony A7 line, which offers one body style with different sensors/processor.

Wedding Photography – Finding the Balance

Wedding photography is a big market, and Fujifilm thinks at which technology makes their camera good for weddings
For example color science, skin tones, and for movies Eterna
Challenge is also to find a balance between fast enough glass and small enough system

APS-C vs FF

Thanks to APS-C as opposed to FF, the overall cost of the system is lower
Fujifilm has no plans to go full frame
APS-C has the potential to get more than 26 megapixel, and Fujifilm will look for “opportunities” to go higher in terms of megapixel
Megapixel is not everything. Fujifilm should look also at dynamic range, ISO sensitivity and overall image quality
Image quality is determinated not only by sensor size, but also by glass
Full Frame glass is becoming bigger, heavier and more expensive. APS-C lenses are smaller, bright enough and more affordable

GFX System

current 44×33 GFX sensor is more than enough to deliver the best image quality
No need to make a camera with even bigger sensor. Would have little benefits in terms of IQ, and big downsides in terms of size, weight and costs
Current GFX sensor is 70% larger than full frame
You will be amazed by the image quality of GFX 100 coupled with GF lenses

Film Photography

Fujifilm will continue to produce film, but there have to be made commercial decisions sometimes. Film photography has a little comeback now

Artificial Intelligence

In 3 years, AI (artificial intelligence or computational photography) will become important part of photography
AI will not manage or control, but help photographers to take better images in an easier way

I am relieved to read that AI will not control our photography, but be just help. While I can understand that it can sometimes speed up things and help efficiency, part of the fun of photography is also to “work” on your images and be in charge of the entire process.

Cinema Lenses vs Stills Lenses

biggest difference between stills and cinema lens is mechanics
Lenses for stills have 2 big parts: one does the zoom and the focus at the same time, which is why focus changes when you zoom (zoom shift)
Cinema lenses have 3 parts: one part is doing focus only, second part is doing zoom only, so no zoom shift
MK zoom lenses are more difficult to develop and more unique than prime lenses. And to enter new markets, Fujifilm has to offer something more unique, hence MK zooms
Current standard for video is Super-35 (APS-C), but market is shifting to FF or even bigger, hence Fuji’s plan is to shift to these larger formats (hence the Fujinon Premista)

Fujifilm X-T3

X-T3 the focus is of course on image quality, but also more on video performance

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