The Rise of Selfie Screens, The Myth of Them Being Better for Video and About Pleasing Youtubers instead of Customers

2020 Trend

These days everybody is making its list of the best and worst gear 2020, as well as best and worst trends of 2020.

And it’s on the latter one, the “trends”, that I would like to focus on today.

Because it is clear: one of the hot trends in the photography industry is putting selfie screens on cameras.

And guys, we have to talk about it!

I Am NOT a Selfie Screen Hater

To be clear: I do not hate selfie screens.

And in fact, during the various COVID-19 lockdowns, I often have to teach online and record my lessons, and the selfie screen is a true blessing!

A fully articulating screen is not the photography-evil of our times. It still works fine, it’s still flexible, and I have rather rapidly learned to accept it on my Fujifilm X-T4, sometimes even to love it (especially during my online lessons).

So, if you are one of those, who loves the fully articulating screen, I get it. Maybe I don’t love it as much as you do, but I could totally accept a selfie screen on cameras like the future Fujifilm X-H2 for example.

But….

But it’s getting a bit out of control, with selfie screens just popping up on so many cameras, that we have to talk about it.

And why is this happening?

Tony Northrup
“Selfie Screen? Pleasing Youtubers is Higher Priority than Pleasing Customers”
Vs.
Jonas Rask
“I have no count as to how many shots I missed becauseof the Selfie Screen”

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Photography Books for X Mas

With the X mas season approaching, I thought it could be interesting to share some gift ideas gravitating around photography books. Feel free to drop your suggestion in the comments.

Overall Best Seller on Amazon

  • Humans by Brandon Stanton
    Reviews:
    – “One of the most influential art projects of the decade.” ―Washington Post
    – “Profound interviews and signature stunning photography.” ―Newsweek

Top rated trilogy by Henry Carroll:

Thames & Hudson Photofile, a mini collections from names like Bill Brandt, Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, Josef Koudelka and others (thanks Dough).

Fujifilm related books:

Other Recommended Photography Books

The Top Selling Photography Books on Amazon:

Top 10 Posts for November: SIGMA Lenses for Fujifilm, the X-Pan Rebirth of X-Pro1, Film Simulation Recipe Cards, XF27mmF2.8 MK II and More

Here are the top 10 posts for November:

  1. The X-Pan Rebirth of Fujifilm X-Pro1
  2. This Guy Designed Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipe Cards to Download and Print
  3. Sigma Says DC DN Lenses for Fujifilm X Mount will Hopefully Come in 2021
  4. Fujifilm X-H2, X80, GFX100V, X-Pan, Monochrome and More – FR-Readers Wishlist Corner
  5. Fujinon XF27mm F2.8 MK II Coming Early 2021 with Fujifilm X-E4
  6. Fujifilm X-E4 Coming in First Quarter 2021
  7. Tokina ATX-M 23mmF1.4 and 33mmF1.4 Pre-Order Available Soon and Release on December 11
  8. Fuji Guys Switching To Fujifilm Guide (and Finally They Explain it!)
  9. Fujifilm Introduces FUJIFILM GFX100 IR (Infrared) Version Large Format Mirrorless Digital Camera
  10. Fujifilm Manager Talks Full Frame Market Shift (and Why Fuji Sticks with APS-C), WR Versions of Older Lenses, Market Situation & More

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Top “Personal” post

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DPReview 2020 Gear Awards: Canon Dethrones Sony, Fujifilm X-S10 Triumph but did they Forget the GFX Lenses?

Best Gear 2020

DPReview awarded the best gear of 2020.

Lots of what they say makes sense, but I don’t really agree with everything. For example, the Fujifilm X-T4 is second in the mid-range ranking behind the Canon R6, which costs $800 more. For me, the Fujifilm X-T4 is so much better value for money.

Worth to notice, Canon grabs some of the most prestigious top spots, which in the past were usually in solid Sony hands.

And to me totally unsurprising: the little and affordable Fujifilm X-S10 is not only the best entry level camera, but it also grabs the second spot as overall top product 2020.

I am saying it since I’ve shared the first rumors: Fujifilm is doing lots of things right with the X-S10. If you don’t need weather sealing or 2 SD card slots, it’s by far the best value for money camera you can buy.

Last but not least the glorious Fujifilm X100V, frankly without any competition in the fixed lens compact camera segment.

What I do not get is the lack of any GFX lens. Not only the Fujinon GF30mm f/3.5 or Fujinon GF45-100mmF/4 have not been awarded, but they did not even enter the shortlist of candidates.

In my opinion the GF lenses would have highly deserved a top spot. But I guess the GFX system is not really on DPR’s radar due to rather limited market share, and it’s easier to award gear that is also a big hit at the box office.

Let’s go through the list.

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Fujinon XF27mm F2.8 MK II Coming Early 2021 with Fujifilm X-E4

Fujinon XF27mmF2.8 MK II

It had to happen this way!

According to our trusted sources, Fujifilm decided to launch the Fujinon XF27mmF2.8 MK II along with the Fujifilm X-E4. Both will be announced in early 2021.

This makes a lot of sense, as the XF27mm pancake prime is the perfect fit for a camera so small and portable as the X-E series.

I own both, the X-E3 and XF27mmF2.8, and I am looking forward to both, the X-E4 and XF27mmF2.8 MK II.

Will I buy both?

I don’t know yet.

I am so happy with my X-E3, that the X-E4 needs to have a couple of new nice features in order to convince me to get rid of my X-E3 for the X-E4. A simple tilt screen (please no selfie-stuff), a combined ISO/shutter dial as on X100V and X-Pro3, all the latest film simulations and autofocus algorithm… give me all that, and it will be hard for me to resist to it.

The new XF27mmF2.8 MK II instead needs just one thing: an aperture ring! Give me that, and I am all-in!

And even though I have no additional rumors about the XF27mmF2.8 MK II for now, I will probably sell my current 27mm just before the new one hits the market and the old one inevitably loses value.

It’s an act of faith: Fujifilm originally planned the XF27mmF2.8 to come with an aperture ring (as you can see in images we share in the past), and I have faith (no information, just faith) that Fujifilm will put the aperture ring back in the new 27mm.

DO NOT PANIC

Yes, I know, when Fujifilm released the latest X mount roadmap, the XF27mmF2.8 II was not included in the list of new lenses.

But you might have missed it, how, ahead of the new X mount roadmap, I warned you here: the XF27mmF2.8 MK II is coming, but won’t be on the new roadmap.

You don’t have to, but I strongly invite you to trust me: the XF27mmF2.8 MK II is coming, and today we know it will come along with the X-E4.

Trust me, guys ;)

Black Friday

Black Friday officially starts on November 27, but it looks like Amazon was rather impatient, and already put its Black Friday pages live.

 

 

The Power of Fujifilm Colors: Why I LOVE Fuji Colors and See Them in Action at Our Film Simulations Group

I don’t know you, but when I look at an image, the first thing I notice is not how sharp it is at 400% magnification or how grainy it is at 12800 ISO.

Nope!

What first grabs my attention are subject/composition and colors. Those are the main “WOW” factors for me.

And while for the first one (subject/composition) no Fujifilm camera can help you and it’s totally up to the photographer to compose a pleasing image, when it comes to colors, Fujifilm cameras can be quite a good support for us photographers, and certainly they are for me.

Since I switched to Fujifilm (after a long journey searching for “my” system), I have quite radically changed (and speed-up) my editing-workflow thanks to Fuji’s film simulations.

I still shoot RAW+JPEG, I still adjust exposure, add sharpening here and there and make some other tweaks. But the more film simulations Fujifilm was releasing over the years, the less I found myself in the need to laboriously edit the color part of my images in order to set the right mood.

Not to talk of all those times, when the JPEG is just right out of the box, and I don’t adjust anything at all.

So yes, for me, Fujifilm film simulation make a whole lot of difference and are one of the main reasons why I love Fujifilm.

In order to celebrate Fujifilm colors, I recently launched the Fujifilm Film Simulation group, which has reached 10+K members in a very short time.

In this group, images can be edited in all their parts (sharpening, shadow/highlight recovery etc), except for colors. The colors must come purely out of your Fujifilm camera (or be applied in post in Capture One / Lightroom).

It is also allowed to share images that use custom presets, which means take a film simulation and fine tune its settings in-camera (increase contrast, add grain etc), creating your own receipts to store as custom profile inside your Fujifilm camera. Those are very fun to try out!

Now, since I am in total lockdown again (see me here chilling with my dog and cat at home), I have a bit more time this weekend and I decided to use it to go though the images at our Fujifilm Film Simulation group and pick out some of the most liked shots for you.

You’ll see images taken with all kind of film simulations, but you’ll notice that Classic Chrome and Classic Negative turn out to be the most shared and liked ones (or receipts derived from those film simulations).

But also ACROS, Velvia, Provia and one of my favorites, Astia, are also present down below.

Feel free to check out the images below and to join the group if you want.

NOTE: if you join the group and share images, do not forget to tell us which film simulation you used in the description of the image.

I wish you a fantastic weekend,
Patrick

Film Simulation Images Roundup

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FUJIFILM X100F now Discontinued and in Closeout

The Fujifilm X100F was a huge success.

It sold stronger than any of its predecessors leading to biblical long waiting times for pre-ordered cameras to be finally shipped (same destiny the XF50mmF1.0 faces today).

But it looks like you won’t find it for sale for much longer.

In fact, as listed at Adorama here, the Fujifilm X100F is now marked in “Closeout”, indicating that once the stock is cleared, they won’t get any more samples.

All this means just one thing: the Fujifilm X100F is discontinued!

That’s of course inevitable, since the X100F got a wonderful successor with the Fujifilm X100V.

Fujifilm Manager Talks Full Frame Market Shift (and Why Fuji Sticks with APS-C), WR Versions of Older Lenses, Market Situation & More

As we reported here, Toshihisa Iida has just been promoted to new President and Managing Director at Fujifilm Europe.

He is also the guy who said in the past that Fujifilm will NEVER go Full Frame.

Now he gave an interview to the amateurphotographer. Here are some excerpts:

COVID-19 affects on Fujifilm

  • Before the pandemic struck, there were more than 8,000 professional photography businesses operating in the UK alone
  • global demand for digital cameras has dropped by 40% since the start of April 2020 according to CIPA, but thanks to the performance of products like the X-T4 and X100V, Fujifilm is performing significantly better than that
  • Fujifilm also worked hard to supply medical imaging technologies to those on the front line, as well as working to realize the manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and therapies at scale with pharmaceutical partners

Biggest Industry Future Challenges for Fuji: the drift towards full frame or the rise of smartphones?

  • biggest challenge is to ensure to keep innovating in R&D
  • Finding a real consumer demand’ is a key
  • provide a better experience of taking photos and videos
  • Customers don’t buy a sensor, but an experience
  • Fujifilm is not a company to simply follow the same path as others
  • Consumers demand more and are no longer wanting to invest in a product; they want a service and an experience.

The Market Differences over the Globe

  • X-T4, X-T3 and X-T30 are all popular around the world, and the X100V has been the bestselling high-end compact globally.
  • GFX is almost evenly split except in the Chinese market [admin note: I have been told the GFX100 sells extraordinary well in China]
  • piqued popularly of the X-A series in some Asian countries
  • Globally, instax is one of Fujifilm’s biggest consumer success stories

And Full Frame?

  • in the last two years the market shifted strongly towards full frame
  • for Fujifilm, APS-C is the best-balanced system
  • APS-C is the best answer for those downsizing due to the smaller, lighter lenses, as well as the camera body
  • GFX provides the best image quality without requiring a high level of investment.

Fujifilm X-S10

  • It was demand coming from customers used to DSLR cameras and from those who prefer to have more usability for video shooting
  • very rich features such as IBIS, 4K30p video with long recording time – but with a small weight of just 465g
  • X-S10 offers a very smooth transition for DSLR customers to enjoy the latest mirrorless technologies with the advantage of a smaller, handy size.

Weather Resistant Versions of older lenses?

  • WR versions of older lenses requires to completely re-design the inside structure, hence in some cases needs R&D from scratch

Should Fujifilm work closer with Sigma and Tamron?

  • I cannot be specific about our working relationships with other companies but we have received and understand our customers’ request.

You can read the full interview at amateurphotographer.

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Fujifilm X100 with 20mmF2 and 21mmF2 Lens Patent Spotted

As you know, the Fujifilm X100V features a redesigned 23mmF2 lens, by adding a second aspherical element in oder to increase corner sharpness and image quality at close focusing distances at wide apertures.

Now the patent for this new lens has been spotted.

But interestingly, that same patent also includes examples of a “20mm F2” and “21mm F2” lens.

  • [Publication number] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-177110 (P2020-177110A)
  • [Publication date] October 29, 2020
  • Description: Imaging Lens and Imaging Device
  • [Application date] April 17, 2019
  • [Applicant]
    [Identification number] 306037311
    [Name or name] FUJIFILM Corporation
  • PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image pickup lens having a small size, high resolution, a small F number, and high performance, and an image pickup device provided with the image pickup lens.

Here are the variations of this lens as found in the patent as spotted by the Japanese site asobinet.

I find the 23mm focal length perfect for the X100 line, but if Fujifilm is really looking into slightly wider options, then I’d go with an 18mm lens, like the Ricoh GR cameras or the Fujifilm X70 and XF10.

Fujifilm X100 line Group

Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
Focal length 23.689 23.553 23.670
F value 2.06 2.20 2.06
Angle of view 62.0 61.6 61.2
Image height 14.20 14.20 14.20
full length 38.35 37.85 37.57
BF 4.861 3.869 4.560
Example 4 Example 5
Focal length 20.875 21.727
F value 2.06 2.06
Angle of view 67.8 68.2
Image height 14.20 14.20
full length 34.39 36.10
BF 2.905 5.404

 

Fujifilm Digital Camera Range: Making Sense of the Line-Up, What Should be Dropped, What Should Stay… and Where is the X-H Line?

Fujifilm shared this Pyramid explaining their Current Camera Line-up
Fujifilm shared this Pyramid explaining their Current Camera Line-up

I already said it in my X-S10, Attack on Sony article: the Fujifilm X-S10 makes a whole lot of sense.

And yet, I do understand one of the critiques made to Fujifilm: their line-up is huge and potentially confusing.

There are indeed some lines, that in some occasions do not not differentiated themselves enough from each other.

But this is an issue Fujifilm realized and I feel that they are taking care of it, for example:

  • the Fujifilm X-Pro3 is a unique machine, with a concept, so far nowhere to find
  • Fujifilm is aware that the the Fujifilm X-H2 must differentiate stronger from the X-T* line in order to continue to evolve separately

Fujifilm understands the problem and is finding ways to separate the lines better.

And yet… there are some lines that should be dropped, in my opinion.

Let’s take a look it at, by using an official Fujifilm media sheet that has been sent to me, which shows a pyramid with all Fujifilm X series cameras listed and ordered by Fujifilm itself.

The Red Zone

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