Many Fujifilm X and GFX shooters earn their bread and butter with Fujifilm cameras, and many of those are also extremely successful in their specific genre.
For example, there are Fujifilm shooters, who won prestigeous awards, such as…
some won the world wildlife photography award (story here)
some made the cover of the TIME magazine (story here)
some won the World Photography Arts&Culture Award 2015 (story here)
some won the First Prize of the World Press Photo Category “Stories (stroy here)
some made the front page of the Wall Street Journal (story here)
Fuji X was good enough for God’s work (story here)
some captured America’s most hated man (story here)
some distracted a French presidential candidate during his interview (story here)
and more…
You also probably know Kevin Mullins, one of the top wedding photographers globally speaking, who shoots exclusively with Fujifilm X series camera.
The list could go on and on (and I apologize for all those I didn’t mention here), but today it’s about Markus Klinko, a photographer, who saw his work displayed at Times Square in New York, who photographed top celebrities like Beyoncé (btw, Beyoncé shoots Fujifilm X100s, as you can see her here) and David Bowie.
Markus is also a good friend of FujiRumors, and he has also contributed with several articles on Fujirumors.com.
Today we have the pleasure to dedicate our “Behind the X gear” episode to our friend Markus Klinko. Enjoy :)
Fujifilm announces firmware updates for X-H1, X-T2, X-Pro2, X-E3 and X100F coming soon
Complimentary upgrades will provide new functions including a new PDAF algorithm, Flicker Reduction and Select/Create Folder, and additional compatibility of the newly introduced MKX18-55mmT2.9 and MKX50-135mmT2.9 lenses.
Pixco is another Chinese brand, which has produced a couple of manual lenses for Fujifilm that have passed unnoticed so far. So high time to report about them here on FujiRumors first (thanks to the FR-reader for the link).
Here are the Fujifilm X-mount lenses and extension tubes they offer:
Guest Post by The Overrated Photographer. You can follow him on instagram or on his website
Introduction
There are a number of videos and manuals around which cover the Fujifilm autofocus system and settings in detail. The big problem isn’t the things they cover, it’s what they don’t cover. Guides often talk about how to configure and setup your camera, but with this guide, we’ll focus on the hidden things, how to use it to get the best outcomes.
I’m not going to try to cover the basic configurations here, for example, what AF-C or AF-S is. If you want to know how to use the basic settings, I’d recommend the Fujifilm autofocus site or this video from Fujifilm. Now please bare in mind, this is only my experience with the Fujifilm autofocus system, and more specifically my experience with the Fujifilm X-T2 and X-E3 systems. This isn’t an official Fujifilm guide, but in the absence of such a guide, I’m giving it a go.
Greetz to all Fuji Lovers from Rome – X-E3 with 18-55 and Sirui T-025X
Fantastic Feedback… How is it Possible?
We have reported several X-H1 bugs (which will be fixed soon via Firmware update) and some more negative X-H1 feedback. And yet, there are some, who simply have a fantastic camera. A good battery life, an incredible autofocus and more.
Reading the manual helps a lot (so you can stop panic’ing when your EVF/LCD suddenly stutters… you will discover it’s a power saving mode you can turn off ;) ).
But the manual does not tell the whole story.
There are a lot of tips and tricks to make the camera work best for your needs, that I highly recommend to read books like the ones of Rico Pfirstinger, who shares plenty of useful tips and tricks about the X100F, X-T20, X-T2, X-Pro2 as well as older cameras like the X-E2, X-T1, X-T10, X-E1 and X-Pro1.
Since the Fujifilm X-H1 shares many similar features, and carries all the X-DNA inside, it might be useful for you to maybe grab the X-T2 book, which will in large part also applicable to the Fujifilm X-H1.
With that said… let’s share today’s Fujifilm X-H1 roundup :)
Great Battery Life?
Some Fujifilm X-H1 users over at our Fujifilm X-H facebook group report surprisingly good battery life for the X-H1. For example, Miklos wirtes:
Many people complain about the battery performance of the x-h1. I use it mostly for sports. Here is my experience. With battery grip after shooting one soccer game in close to zero degrees centigrade the first battery in the grip at 64%. The other two still at 100%. 1300 shots taken. The camera and the grip are both in high performance or boost mode. Also, I do not review photos while I shoot sports. Do we need better battery performance than this??? In case someone is interested also to see the photos at miklosphoto
Shot my first 2018 wedding. Initial Thoughts on X-H1:
No bugs or issues. At all. Thankfully!
Highly Responsive.
Focus was very accurate in low light. Low light simply isn’t an issue.
ISO performance is amazing (I use 1.4 and 1.2 lenses so that helps a lot).
QUIET. I don’t think the bridal party knew I was taking any pictures lol
With the Godox trigger system and flashes, it tends to have a millisecond or so delay when clicking the shutter. Wasn’t too thrilled about that but it’s not a dealbreaker.
Shot close to 1000 raw photos until the battery was at 23% and I switched it then. Definitely can blow through a 32GB card at compressed raw file settings with one battery.
Noticed in broad daylight that the back LCD screen really needs to be brighter.
That’s all for now! I’m absolutely wiped! Lol
X-H1 Reviews
But the X-H1 review flood does not end here.
X-H1 Review + Laowa 9mm F2.8
roycruz – Whatever the Weather – Fujfiilm X-H1 and Laowa 9mm Zero-D Test and Review
In order to maximize my adaptation of these spots for Flashpoint XPLOR 1200 extension heads (Godox H1200) and the new AD600 PRO units, I made sure to add the small reflector that is a standard for all Elinchrom flash heads, to my adapters.
Initially, I combined the Phottix Elinchrom to Bowens adapter with the reflector from the Elinchrom Quadra adapter, by adding a custom, acrylic tube piece.
This solution proved to be not as durable as I hoped, and I since found a simpler solution. I now use the entire Quadra adapter, but added a Bowens low profile custom mount to the back of the Quadra adapter, and also eliminate the stand adapter piece entirely. This is by far more solid, and avoids struggling with the lesser Phottix adapter.
Elinchrom deserves much praise for keeping a theatrical follow spot in their line up, which they also sell at a very reasonable price. Both Broncolor and Profoto have sadly long discontinued their own versions of the theatrical zoom spots.
At the moment I would be very careful with any comparison that is out on the web, since the test for sure uses still a pre-production firmware, and we don’t know if it’s the latest one. Also, we don’t know which AF tracking settings were used on those cameras.
So watch the video, feel free to comment here on FujiRumors, and keep in mind that what you see is pre-production firmware. In fact it seems strange to me that the X-T2 with the same settings and a slower focusing lens (the XF18-55) is more successful than the X-H1 with a faster focusing lens (the XF16-55).
Fujifilm X-H1 versus X-T2
DPReview wonders, what does the new X-H1 bring over the X-T2?
I know that there are tons of articles like these on the web, so I will point out only, what so far has almost passed unnoticed, and that DPReview makes well to highlight, and some important confirmations, like the improved AF.
“Less obvious improvements, but equally significant to serious videographers include a video-specific shutter speed of 1/48sec, which will give a 360, 180 and 90 degree shutter angle for 24, 30 and 60p footage.
phase-detection autofocus system has been seriously upgraded […] Quite how Fujifilm has managed this without upgrading the X-H1’s processor (which is the same as the one used in the X-T2) is a mystery to us, but it’s impressive.
The X-H1’s eye sensor can react in as little as 0.15sec, when your eye is raised to the finder (compared to the X-T2’s 0.4sec).
Fujifilm has been putting ‘DR’ dynamic range expansion settings in its mirrorless and compact cameras for years, but the X-H1 expands on this (no pun intended) with a ‘Dynamic Range Priority’ mode. This has two settings: weak and strong, which use the camera’s existing DR modes in combination with flattening of the highlight and shadow ends of the tone curve. This gives a flatter, wider DR version of DR200 and DR400% modes, respectively. There’s also an ‘Auto’ setting that selects which level to apply.“
Last but not least, listen in the video below, how the shutter sound of the X-H1 compares to the one of the X-T2. Video shared by Bjorn Moerman on youtube here.
MESSAGE TO SOURCE: In case you read this “CMJ”, the rumor box should work now. With your permission, though, I’d love to chat with you via email or any other way you decide. Of course I guarantee 100% anonymity. And last but not least… THANKS a lot :).
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Fujifilm Manager Mr. Udono had a live stream with Thai youtube channel กล้องกล้วยกล้วย. It’s a one hour talk, with questions made in Thai and English answers of the manager. But don’t worry, I listened it all for you, and I’ll make summary for you guys…. you’re welcome ;)
The focus is on the Fujifilm X-H1, of course. You will find a more detailed list of statements at the bottom of this article.
For the start I will focus on some of his answers, that are more related to questions he got about the future of Fujifilm.
Full Frame Interchangeable Lens System As usual Fujifilm categorically excludes an interchageable lens system with full frame sensor. He says “No plans for FF. We have high quality APS-C sensor and Medium Format“
Full Frame X100F Successor I know that a wide spread specualtion is that the Fujifilm X100F successor might get a full frame sensor, and it could make sense, since Fujifilm would not have to build up a complete new line of lenses, but also here, Mr. Udono seems to indicate that this won’t happen. He says:
“The most important is design and size. With full frame, the camera and lens will become bigger. Compactness is important factor of X100 line.We don’t want to miss such important point“
So, if you ever hoped for a full frame X100… these words don’t really make much hope for that.
On the other hand, the Full Frame Sony RX1RII is actually very compact, and comparing it at camerasize. But compared to the Fujifilm X100F, the RX1 has no hybrid viewfinder, which for sure needs its space too in the camera body.
Medium Format Fixed Lens Camera The manager does not seem convinced by this idea. A fixed lens camera seems to make sense to him, if it is compact. A fixed lens MF camera would be much bigger than X100F.
Future APS-C Sensor Megapixel Will Fujifilm offer APS-C sensors with more megapixel than the the current 24MP? The manager answers:
“We have to think at balance between image quality and speed. More pixel take longer time to process. 24MP is already enough. If we have opportunity to increase we will, but we have to think at speed and image quality. For high megapixel images we have Fujifilm GFX 50S.”
IBIS Future Just like Fuji Guy Billy in the TCSTV live stream here, also Mr. Udono confirms that the IBIS mechanism is currently quite big, hence it does not fit into smaller bodies. His words:
“in order to keep IQ, at the moment Fujifilm needs bigger IBIS unit“
Product Planing – How Long does it Take to make a Camera / Lens? Mr Udono starts saying that they care of customer feedback when they design new products:
“We listen to customers and photographers. X-H1 we listened to photographers voice and added functions on top of X-T2. Especially for top end cameras we have lots of discussions with photographers. Direct comunication with customers, also via dedicated Fujifilm showrooms”
Then he shares more details about how long exactly it takes to develop and then launch a camera and lens to the market:
“Once we have a fix idea, it takes 1 year to make the camera. But before it takes another year of discussions. So 2 years in total. In case of lens development we need more time.”
And more:
4:2:2 and 10bit: Limitation of processor. We tried to have more specifications, but at the moment it’s difficult
MK lenses: Cover 70/80% of film needs. For web-users who shoot video. Not for cinema or TV
ETERNA: If lots of request, Eterna might come to other X series cameras
Size: small and lightweight is still top key factor for mirrorless, also in future
Fujifilm X-T2 next firmware update: We will think of upgrading it
XF200mF2: coming later this year
Touch Screen: more functions and improvements possible
Articulating screen: The mechanical parts requested to make articulating screen would make the camera bigger
