Sony Launches A6600 and some Sweet APS-C Lenses – Now Stop Sleeping Fujifilm and Give us MORE LENSES!

Sony finally did it and released very nice APS-C cameras, the Sony A6600 and the Sony A6100 – full introduction here.

Personally I am very happy about the new Sony cameras, because in the high-end APS-C world, Fujifilm is basically without competition, and Sony is a terrific competitor, that I guess we all very much welcome.

But more than the two new camera bodies, I am particularly happy to see they also announced some interested lenses:

The first one is definitely a Pro lens, and goes right after Fujifilm’s XF16-55mm f/2.8.

The second one is a lens, Fujifilm officially considers to make, and in our huge future lens poll, it makes it into the top 10 of your lens wishes.

With Sony now treating with some fine camera bodies and lenses their APS-C system again, I can only hope that Fujifilm will step on the gas again, too.

In fact, this year, we got only 2 lenses for the X system (and one in the current roadmap for 2020):

Now this 100% confirms what we told you back in 2017, that Fujifilm will release 2/3 lenses for each system (X and GFX) a year.

But now look at the APS-C cameras, Fujifilm released (or will soon release) in 2019:

Now that’s just my opinion, but releasing more cameras than lenses in one year is just wrong.

Fujifilm should focus again on giving us more lenses! And as our recent mega-lens-survey showed, Fuji X shooters definitely have lots of unfulfilled needs there.

So it’s nice to see Sony coming out with some fine APS-C lenses. This might push Fuji to speed up their lens development.

Fuji Guy Billy: APS-C Crop Factor Cheating? :: f/2 X Mount Zoom Lenses? :: Fast G Mount Lenses Potentially Coming :: And More

The third episode of the Fujilove podcast with Fuji Guy Billy just went online (episode 1, episode 2, episode 3). You can listed to it all at sticher and Fujilove.

It’s a 1 hour podcast, and you can find it all summed up below, in case you have no time to listen to it all right now.

PODCAST SUMMARY

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My Top 3 Fujinon XF lenses and My Lens Dilemmas: Which one To Sell, and Which one to Buy?

Top 3 Lenses

To be clear, this is NOT a ranking from best to worst, but only a ranking from most to least used lenses. In your style of shooting, you might have completely different priorities.

I currently own 8 X mount lenses, but overall I owned more of them, but as many of you, I had to sell some to buy others.

Here are my currently most used/loved lenses:

  1. XF 35mm f/1.4 as we explained, it has the magic. It will remain on top forever, unless the Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0 comes with a reasonable price tag and a magic touch. It’s not my most used one, but surely my most loved
  2. XF 18-135mm – never without it on my travels. My copy is excellent and I snapped my favorite image of 2018 with it. However, I hear that there is a rather big inconsistency, and some samples come out not that good from the Fuji factory. Sample variation is a common problem amongst all lens manufacturers, but I hear it is particularly big with the XF18-135
  3. XF 10-24mm f/4 –  I live in the middle of some of the most beautiful mountains in the world (and also some of the most photographed), and having wide angle options is just a must for me. The XF10-24 is with me all the time in my day or weekend trips. capturing marvellously my lakes and my impressive mountains. However when I pack for a travels (which happens once or twice a year), I always have the 18-135 in my bag, and in order to save space and weight, I sometimes prefer to take the Samyang 12 with me as wide option
  4. XF 27mm f/2.8 – if I leave my apartment for a random “switch of my mind from all that work” shoot or on travels (youtube video), than the XF27mmf/2.8 is the one. It’s my lens for casual shooting
  5. Samyang 12mmF2 – my top wide solution for travels and astrophotography and often in my travel bag. It’s only on the 5th position, but it’s a lens I am happy to keep and find very useful in my lineup
  6. XF 23mm f/1.4 – a great performer, and it’s a shame I don’t use it that much anymore, but with the 35/1.4 and 27/2.8 always in my bag, the 23/1.4 finds little space in there. But I will always be greatful for this lens, because it took some of my favorite images of all time, including the image of the new-born baby of SonyAlphaRumors. SAR was photographing with his FF Sony, me with my X-T1 and 23/1.4. Then we compared the images, and we had a clear winner: the Fuji :). I passed SAR the image, and he sent it to friends and family via email. I told about this in this article.
  7. XF 18-55 – the only problem of this lens, is that the XF18-135 exists.
  8. XF 55-200 – I loved this lens so much when I bought it, and I still do. I used it mainly for photographing animals like in this image. And I also still take some candid portrait shot with it. But once again the XF18-135 is to blame that it mainly stays at home

It’s hard to justify keeping the XF18-55 and XF55-200 any longer, but it’s also so hard to sell them.

However….

… another option could be to get the brand new Fujinon XF16-80mmF4, sell my XF18-135 and XF18-55, and at that point stay with the XF16-80 and XF55-500.

I have watched through my 18-135 image EXIF data, and discovered that I hardly use it at its long end anyway. My favorite image of 2018 for example was taken with the 18-135 at 70mm.

Also, a photography genre I have basically ignored until now, is macrophotography. I think it could give me a creative and motivational boost to try out something completely new. So I could sell two lenses and get the XF60mm or XF80mm (but I am afraid the 80 is a bit too “Pro” for my skills)

Decisions… :)

But something must go, since I have to start funding my still very meager XF33mm f/1.0 piggy bank, which has been drained recently due to my marriage.

Which brings me to the next problem: any idea guys how I can convince my wife that we need more lenses? ;)

take care,
Patrick @ Fuji X Forum, Flipboard, Facebook, RSS-feed, Twitter and Instagram

LEAKED: Full Fujinon GF50mm f/3.5 Press Release: Price $999 and Shipping September 26

Fujifilm USA pulled the trigger a bit too early, and published the full press release of the Fujifilm GF50mm f/3.5.

It’s all copied down below, so do not panic even if they remove it :).

The official annoucnement is tomorrow, July 18, at 1AM New York time

GF50mm f/3.5 Press Release

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Fujinon XF 33mm f/1.0 Listed for $2,350 at Romanian Store

XF33mm f/1.0

A Romanian store has the Fujinon XF 33mm f/1.0 R WR listed at their store for $2,350. That’s definitely a better price than the $3,100 listed at the Czech store a few months ago here.

Now, I think that this is just a price holder and not based on real information they have. But it’s a good opportunity for us to talk about the XF 33mm f/1.0 pricing.

UPDATE: Mistral75 said in the comments:

The ROn 9,899.99 price includes the Romanian VAT (19%). You have to subtract the VAT amount to compute a USD price. The result is $1,976.84, say $1,999 when rounded.

The Right Price

In my opinion, Fujifilm must price the Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0 very aggressively, and as our Fujifilm XF 33m f/1.0 recommended price poll showed, already a $2,000 price tag would be a deal breaker for many.

The brand new full frame Panasonic Lumix S PRO 50mm f/1.4, which is an XF33mm f/1.0 equivalent, costs $2,300.

So Fujifilm can, under no circumstances, sell it higher than $2,300. But also, they should show the advantage of APS-C by pricing it lower than the Panasonic 50mm f/1.4.

And if Fujifilm thinks to set a higher price at the beginning, for later on offering some deals on it, then I allow myself to tell Fujifilm (who reads this blog and even adds those lenses to their roadmap, that the FujiRumors community recommended them to make), that this is a bad idea.

Just set a great price right from the start, and don’t launch any deals on it for a long time. You will start making money with this lens immediatly, instead of having to wait several months for finally selling it.

Considering the Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 sells for $1,000, anything between $1,200 and $1,500 would be a good price for the Fujinon XF 33mm f/1.0.

Dear Fujifilm, many credit cards (mine included) are ready to suffer right at announcement day. So don’t let this surely marvellous piece of lens engineering sit in warehouses unsold by setting a too high price tag.

  • read here – 2020: A Fuji Odyssey Ends with the Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0, but Do We Really Need it?

Don’t forget to:

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Updated Fujifilm 2019/2020 Camera and Lens Release Timeline

Fujifilm Timeline

It’s high time to update our older Fujifilm 2019/2020 camera and lens release timeline.

This is just an approximate timeline and expect to see updates to this list over the next few weeks and months.

For now, this is mainly just an update to the list we shared back in January.

All rumors are as always exclusive FujiRumors.com information. When I just make some guess, I will highlight that for you in the notes.

  • IMPORTANT NOTE: We are talking about release timeline, not announcement timeline.

How Many Lenses a Year?

  • as we told you here, at the current pace and current resources, Fujifilm can release about 2/3 GF and 2/3 XF lenses a year
  • the list below contains 1 XF and 1 GF lens
  • hence we can expect to see 1/2 more XF and 1/2 more GF lenses to join the list
  • Fujifilm has given up options to vote which lenses should come next

Fall 2019

Coming 2020

Expect 1 or 2 more X as well as GF lenses. My guess:

  • GF 21mm F4 Tilt Shift
  • XF 10mm F2

Probably NOT Coming 2019/2020

* our sources say it will not be released in 2019, and probably not even in 2020. But Fujifilm managers confirmed here, that the X-H line will continue

Top Possible Bonus Gear in 2020

* based on this old rumor rumor
** wishful thinking based on XF10 disappointment
*** no rumors. but please, FUJI, PLEASE!!!
**** no rumor, just a mere wild guess

BREAKING RUMORS on FujiRumors Facebook, Flipboard, Youtube, Instagram, RSS-feed and Twitter

Rumors and Discussions

Stay in the Loop

2020: A Fuji Odyssey Ends with the Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0, but Do We Really Need it?

Do We Need Super Fast Lenses?

Five years ago, in April 2015 here and May 2015 here, we shared the first Fujinon XF 33mm f/1.0 rumors, and in 2020, this long rumor-odyssey will finally end.

Thanks to the XF33mm f/1.0 we will soon:

  • stop complaining that APS-C does not deliver enough shallow depth of field
  • start complaining that the DOF at f/1.0 is too shallow and we will stop down at f/1.4 or f/2 anyway :)

And, although I am a bit scared about the recently guessed price tag, I am looking forward to this lens.

However, many of you argued in the comments, if such a fast lens really makes sense.

Tony Northrup thinks its makes sense, and in a recent video he even suggested Fujifilm should focus on making even more super fast lenses.

Others think that Fujifilm should focus on smaller, slower, and more affordable lenses.

So the question today is: do we really need the Fujinon XF 33mm f/1.0 R WR?

Today I will go against my own believes, and give you two reasons, why we do not need this lens (and yet I want it badly ;) )

REASON 1: ISO

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Fujikina 2019 Tokyo, May 25/26: Fujifilm GFX 100 Launch Party and More?

Fujikina 2019

Fujifilm announced the Fujikina 2019 event in Tokyo on May 25/26.

In the Fujifilm world, “Fujikina” means “big launch event“, and in this case it will be the official launch party for the Fujifilm GFX100, which will be announced on May 23.

What else could come?

Besides the release of the silver Fujinon XF16mmf2.8, I have not heard any more details about the event.

The Fujifilm X-Pro3 is sure for 2019, but no source has so far told me, that it will come in May (but never say never).

If you are waiting for the Fujinon XF 16-80mm f4 and GF50mm f/3.5, Fujifilm said they will be released in fall.

Whatever comes, you only have to do one thing: follow FujiRumors to know everything as fast as possible ;).

GFX · X fan meeting “FUJIKINA” is again.

This time, Tokyo’s event space “CROSS DOCK HARUMI” in Harumi will be held, and an event “FUJIKINA 2019 Tokyo” will be held to thoroughly enjoy the GFX X series.
In this event, you can experience the latest models of GFX and X series, talk shows and studio demonstrations by top photographers and creators from inside and outside Japan, gallery exhibition, free quick maintenance service (by reservation only) and GFX and X series. We offer various contents such as free rental service (by reservation only).

In addition, “FUJIKINA 2019 Tokyo” is planning to make a public program to create promotional videos and photos of overseas artists using the GFX / X series as a new program. Don’t miss the chance to see and experience the top professional production sites.

At the Fujikina 2019 there will be touch & try, quick maintenance service, loan Program, photowalks, live talk & studio demos and public filming. You can check out the full program at the dedicated fujikina 2019 page.

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