Tony Northrup took a Fujifilm GFX 50R for his Barcelona trip and now published a review about it (video above).
I will sum it up for you below, but I would quickly like to correct a few errors he made.
He says the GFX sensor surface area is 30% bigger than Full Frame, but it is actually 70% bigger. This is not correct, and Tony makes the MF sensor sound smaller than it really is.
But today I’d like to focus on how to update your camera using the Fujifilm camera remote app.
In fact, a Fujifilm manager revealed here that way fewer people than expected (and hoped) update their camera using the App.
And since the manager looked pretty sad about it, I thought I jump in and help a bit by sharing a “How To” guide on FujiRumors.
The update via camera remote is honestly pretty intuitive and straightforward, but the main goal of this article is simply to create a bit of awareness for the in-App-firmware-update-method.
So, if your camera has bluetooth, give it a try, next time your camera gets some Kaizen love.
It’s again an interesting one, that also becomes very technical when it comes to analyzing the autofocus system and lets imaging-resource conclude that Fujifilm’s PDAF technology is arguably the most advanced on the market.
Down below you can find the key points and some images of the interview. The complete one can be checked out at imaging-resource here.
Market Future & Canon Predictions
Fujifilm totally disagrees with Canon’s prediction, that ILC business is going to contract by half over the next two years
Market will depend on innovation that will come
Fujifilm believes there is room for further grow
Some markets will decline, but other markets have still potential to grow (Asian market)
Full Frame
Customers should have different options
Currently full frame has 1/3 of the market by value
2/3 of market is predominantly APS-C, Micro Four Thirds, and some medium-format
other manufacturers focus on full frame, this might open opportunities for Fujifilm as long as they keep up innovating APS-C and MF
mainly X-T3 and GFX 50R helped Fujifilm to grow by 10% total volume growth
APS-C vs FF is not just about sensor size, but also the lens size, lens weight, overall cost, or the speed, the 4K movies
people judge the system more on the overall package
Fujifilm X-T3 vs X-H line
sold better than expected
Fujifilm X-T3 sold 40% better than X-T2 if you compare to same period since launch
X-T3 and X-H1 have cannibalized each other
with the new lower X-H1 price tag, X-T3 and X-H1 sit nicely next to each other
H-series and T-series will coexist for the future, but we need to clearly differentiate the lineup without confusing customers
Lenses
XF200mmF2 is not only for sports, but also for portraits for very creamy bokeh and concerts for example
GFX System
Fujifilm GFX 50R sales are above expectation and factory is very busy
Fujifilm GFX 100 design is almost final, very early firmware, and IBIS still does not work
GFX 100 megapixel autofocus: same sensor structure as the X-T3
GFX 100 has almost zero competition, because FF is only at 50MP and other medium format cameras are very expensive
Fujifilm thinks at multi-shot high-res shooting mode for GFX100, but has not decided yet
designing IBIS is a real challenge for big MF sensor
Fujifilm is still improving image quality via firmware
GFX100 launch in first half 2019 for around $10,000
Fujifilm GFX 50S most popular lens is the GF 32-64mmF4
Fujifilm GFX 50R most popular lens is the GF 45mmF2.8
GFX 50S owners have more lenses than GFX 50R owners
GFX owners complaint about the lack of more fast lenses for the system and Fujifilm is taking into consideration their feedback
Fujifilm listens to customers and tries to make their wishes happen, but sometimes their wishes become reality is very difficult and challenging
As bright as possible, as small as possible, as affordable as possible…
same team works on GFX and X. One R&D budget and depending on needs they are flexible to shift their focus
Autofocus
X-T30 has improved algorithm which will come to X-T3
CMOS sensor is always reading by lines. So it isn’t very suitable for horizontal phase-difference […] technically we can make a cross-type system but normally, subjects are more… and horizontally-arranged PDAF pixels support them better
Fujifilm could do vertical AF correlation, but hasn’t felt the need to do it
8% of pixels are phase detection pixels (high density), good for low-light and high-frequency subjects
signal and phase pixel are read separately
we used to have like 60 regions within each AF point, but now 240
depending on the light level, the X-T3 can “bin” PDAF pixels together (basically just adding their contents) to get a better signal/noise ratio, and so be able to determine focus even in very dim lighting. Depending on how you do this, you’ll trade-off some ability to see the finest details, but it can really help in very low-light conditions
The deadline is June. Since then, the Fujifilm GFX100 must hit the stores.
Currently Fujifilm is working hard on the firmware and I asked the source, who told us in October 2018, that Fujifilm wants to implement pixel shift multishot in the Fujifilm GFX100, at which stage the development of the pixel shift mutlishot is.
Here is what it told me:
sensor/pixel shift multishot is easier to achieve with Bayer sensors than with X-Trans
the Fujifilm GFX100 will probably not have pixel shift multishot at launch
pixel shift multishot should come later on via firmware update
With pixel shift multishot the camera shoots several images while shifting the image sensor and combines them to generate images with a higher resolution than is possible with regular shooting.
Michael The Maven published his full Fujifilm XF200mm f/2 video review. He praises this lens a lot and says it’s a step above anything Fujifilm has ever made so far.
In fact, he says the XF200mmF2 is so spectacular, that it does not make sense mounted on any current Fujifilm camera.
This is why he speculates that Fujifilm will release a professional APS-C flagship sports camera in not so distant future aimed to compete with the Sony A9.
Back in early 2017 (rumors of March 3, March 14 and April 14), we told you how Fujifilm was planing “the ultimate Fujifilm X“, a feature packed APS-C hybrid stills/video camera with IBIS, that could cost around $3,000 (if not more).
However, Fujifilm hesitated if such a camera would be successful, hence vastly revised the project (rumors of July 12, July 17 and July 24).
The result was the Fujifilm X-H1, an ergonomically fantastic camera with IBIS and a new ninja-shutter, but with the core specs and battery of the Fujifilm X-T2.
Rumors and Poll
Let me say it clearly: I have no indication at the moment that would allow me to say with confidence that Fujifilm revived plans for the ultimate Fujifilm X. Hence I can in no way confirm Michael’s speculation.
All that is sure is that Fujifilm had such plans in the past (2017), and Fujifilm can put that same project on the “to-do” list anytime again, just like it happened with the Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0, another project Fujifilm froze in for a few years, and then revived later on (also thanks to the pressure the FujiRumors community made).
Coincidence wants that a few days ago FR-reader Nathan contacted me with a survey suggestion, that fits perfectly into today’s article. Nathan wrote:
“I would like to purpose a simple survey for your readership. Should Fujifilm create a Fujifilm X-T3Pro to compete with the Sony a7000“
IMHO, a Fujifilm X-H2 with latest technology and bigger battery below $2,000 (vertical grip included) would be more than enough to satisfy the needs of wildlife and sport photographers and there is more urgent need for something like the Fujinon XF400mm f/4 to attract more of them into the X system.
But let me know what you think in the comments down below and feel free to vote the survey on if you would you like (or not) Fujifilm to revive plans for the ultimate feature packed (and expensive) Fujifilm X.
The Fujifilm GFX100 removed all dedicated dials except for one “Shooting Mode Dial“, which will allow you select between stills, multi or movie mode.
We had a huge debate about the Fuji GFX100 dial removal here on Fujirumors (includes a poll) and mostly people were not happy at all about it, because they feel that dials and retro-controls are part of the X series DNA.
Well, it seems that Fujifilm was not insensible to the mostly negative feedback that came from the FujiRumors community and they now felt the need to explain why they removed the dials. Check the “new shooting mode switch operation” section below.
I will add all the screenshots to all the media slides below, but I also write them all down here on FujiRumors, just in case you are watching this on a smartphone and you don’t want to open the slides and keep up zooming in and out to read them… we like to take care of our readers here on FujiRumors ;).
You will also find the hands on images by dpreview, who also said:
textured finish similar to that used on the GFX 50S
integrated grip provides more space for shutter mechanism and IBIS
about the size of Nikon D5 or Canon EOS-1DX II – comparison here
lacks the retro-style dials
large 3-position dial on the left is used to switch the camera between movie, stills and multiple exposure modes
‘drive’ button at its center
large top screen won’t make miss the large shutter speed and ISO dials of its predecessor too badly
EVF clarity and resolution excellent. Free from the pixelation and noticeable lag which affected the finder of the 50S
viewfinder unit is removable, but when the GFX 50S finder is attached to the GFX 100, they won’t get the benefit of the greatly improved resolution of the newer EVF
all-new OLED ribbon display on the back, below the main LCD will serve to show the status of key camera settings
tilt and touch screen
While the main shutter dial has an on/off switch collar, the same control on the secondary shutter release serves to lock/unlock the button
Battery life: ~400 shots (CIPA) per single charge
dual SD-card slot
next-generation XQD/CFexpress media in the GFX 100 is being discussed for future products in the GFX lineup
microphone and headphone jacks, plus HDMI and USB, courtesy of a USB 3.0 Type C port
possible to charge the GFX 100 over USB
4K/30, 10bit, 4:2:0 video internally and 10bit 4:2:2 externally via HDMI
GF 45mm F2.8 delivered plenty of sharp images at 1/20sec and a couple of acceptably sharp shots at shutter speeds as low as 1/6sec
larger view of the single Fujifilm GFX100 images below
We already knew that the Fujifilm GFX100 will be the first medium format camera able to shoot 4K/30p, but now Italian Fujifilm X photographer Luca Bracali and Italian store NewOldCamera dropped a few more specs from the GPP event in Dubai here (Luca) and here (NOC).
Lucky me that Italian is one of the 3 languages I manage much better than English (and poor you, who have to live with all kind of English errors I make), so here is the translation of the main new specs unveiled by Luca and NOC.
4K/30p with H265 codec and 400 mbps
shipping within the end June
price: €10,000
5 fps continuous shooting (GFX50S and GFX50R shoot at 3fps)
Full rumored and officially announced Fujifilm GFX100 specs and larger view of the images below:
Fujifilm hold the first X summit at the GPP in Dubai, an event aimed to listen to customer feedback in the best Kaizen tradition and discuss about the Fujifilm future.
For example, Fujifilm asked people which X and GFX lenses they should make next and which firmware update should come next.
Sadly there was not much participation (hardly 50 comments), so let’s see what happens if I share the same polls here on FujiRumors, the only Fujifilm community that can collect several thousands of votes within a few hours ;).
You find Fujifilm’s future X and GF lens survey down below.
Big news: just as we rumored a few days ago, the Fujifilm X-T3 will get a major firmware update, centered on autofocus improvements. It will come in April. Fujifilm showed a video demo of the improvements, and it was fairly impressive. Better face and eye tracking.
Here is the entire 1 hour and 48 minutes video summed up in key points for you. You’re welcome :).
XF35mmF1.4 vs XF33mmF1.0: the XF 33/1 needs to be twice as big, since it needs to let in and correct twice the light
XF33mmF1 has more than twice lens elements than the XF35/1.4
to correct aberration on the XF33mm f/1.0 you need around 7-10 glass front elements
the XF35mmF1.4 has only 7 elements overall
the backside of the XF33mm f/1.0 has about 8 to 10 glass elements
overall the XF33mm f/1.0 has more than twice the lens elements
the 7 to 10 glass elements on the front of the 33/1 weight about 200 gram
challange is to move heavy lens elements precisely during autofocus
Toshi was not satisfied with the size of the lens, but he understands the challenges of developing it. However, he invites engineers to make it still as small and light as possible
XF16mm f/2.8 and XF 16-80mm f/4 working protoypes
XF16mmf/2.8 announcement soon
XF16-80mmf/4 will follow. Launch later this year. Lens feels really light
Future X and GF lenses
Fujifilm asks people which lenses Fujifilm should develop next – FujiRumors added the polls down below
Tilt shift lens is very likely to come next for G mount system
Zack Arias agrees with FujiRumors and he does not want a 35/1.4 MK II because he does not want the 35/1.4 magic to go lost
development costs of new lenses are very high
FUTURE GFX CONCEPTS and GFX CAMERAS – starts 59:39
GFX Concepts
Mirrorless should be free from all legacy
Fujifilm shows design mock-ups of GFX
they show a very small cubic and modular GFX, where you can attach a grip unit and viewfinder unit. So you can build the GFX according to your style (full video here and original full video here)
the modular GFX is just a mockup, but Fujifilm hopes it won’t take long to create such a small device
Medium format size can be reduced a lot, but there are challenges, for example a smaller shutter unit and better battery efficiency
with global shutter Fujifilm can make it smaller
The clear message here is: don’t worry, we are going to make the GFX system a whole lot smaller. So invest into GFX, and we will deliver you also a super-compact body one day.
GFX 100
Fujifilm shows a working prototype of GFX100 and they take a sample on stage, including pixel peeping
at 100MP the benefits of medium format shine, because it’s easier to design lenses that resolve 100MP for MF than for full frame or APS-C
hand-holdable medium format camera thanks to IBIS
GFX100 will cost around $10,000, but final decision has not yet been made
250+ total firmware updates made since the original X100 has been introduced
They show upcoming firmware of X-T3 with significant autofocus improvement. Better face detection, better tracking, better eye AF. Coming in April. Check it out in the video embedded above or on youtube at 1:28:35
Fujifilm also said they will give us the opportunity to switch between faces with the new firmware
survey about which firmware should come next
they official mention Kaizen as their philosophy
Q&A
Fujifilm is studying the rating system
Adobe X-Trans support: Adobe says that for them to get good results with X-Trans is difficult, it’s a lot of work. Fujifilm will support Adobe for better processing
People ask for complete Camera Remote App redesign
Fujifilm is working on improved camera remote app
There will be more X summits, and you can interact at slido here, and of course you will be the first to know, if you follow FujiRumors on Facebook, Instagram, RSS-feed and Twitter.
Modular GFX with Viewfinder and GripModular GFXModular GFX with GripGFX modularXF 33mm designValue of AngleValue of Angle ChartX-T3 April FirmwareFirmware Wishlist
Fuji Guy Billy joined the Fujilove podcast. For those of you, who are right now on the road or at work and you can’t listen to it all at iTunes, Stitcher or on fujilove, here are the key points:
Fujinon X Mount Lenses
Older Fujinon lenses have new life in terms of autofocus on Fujifilm X-T3
The legendary XF35mm f/1.4 was deliberately designed not optically perfect, to give it a unique characteristic and that “magic” look
The Fujifilm X-H1 maybe has been misunderstood by the market. It had a lot of new video features, so people considered it more a video camera. But it is also a better and more robust camera, and facilitates handling of bigger lenses. For Professionals weight is sometimes not a problem, but more durability. That’s why Fujifilm launched the Fujifilm X-H1. It should also appeal to DSLR customers, who were on the fence of switching to mirrorless. IBIS is quite nice also for photography, especially in low light
Shutter has an S1 (half press) and S2 (full contact to release shutter) position. Regarding the Fujifilm X-H1, you can contact your Fujifilm service and see if they have an option to adjust the S1 and S2 position to your taste (low, medium or high). There might be a charge for that service, depending on your country
IBIS
Fujifilm wanted to make an excellent IBIS system, and it is one of the best on the market. But the size of the system was too big to put it into other X-series cameras. At this moment, it can’t fit in other cameras, but hopefully one day IBIS can be designed smaller and make it fit on other cameras
Fujinon GF 100-200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR: If you look to move into medium format, you don’t have many lenses initially to choose from, so zoom lenses can cover various focal lengths. The GF100-200 is compatible with teleconverter. It’s a little bit heavier, but very sharp. At that focal length with medium format sensor, you can isolate your subject very well
For a full overview on which Fujifilm cameras can be powered using a battery pack, check out this article
For cameras without USB-C connection like Fujifilm X-T2, you can power the camera using a USB-C to USB 3.0 cable
Battery Pack allows you for example to make timelapse all night long without worrying about changing the battery
The Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD battery level drops by only 10% after 5 hours powering a Fujifilm camera
Officially you can charge 1 battery for 7 times using the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD, but in Billy’s experience you can charge it even more times
Navigate Menu
Tips and Tricks: Best way to navigate the menu is using the front and rear command dial. Front dial jumps from page to page, and rear dial jumps from item to item
Loading ...
