Two or three times a year, I feel like I need to put a bit of order in the whirlwind of rumors, and give you guys a well-ordered overview of the rumors shared so far this year by FujiRumors.

It’s also the opportunity for me to check back the accuracy of all the rumors I’ve shared this year.

So high time for some facts:

• 229 blog post published so far in 82 days (2017)
• 36 rumors shared in 82 days (2017)
  
• 12 rumors still to be verified
• 24 correct rumors out of 24 verifiable rumors
• 0 wrong rumors out of 24 verifiable rumors
• 100% correct rumors

Sure, there are still 12 rumors that have to be verified, not all will be correct (because they are wrong or Fujifilm will change plans), but I’d say of the 12 remaining, I wouldn’t be surprised if most are correct.

A big hug goes to all sources, from the most anonmyous to the most trusted one, who decided to help me to find the right path in the fake rumor jungle and to put excitement in the Fuji world by sharing accurate rumors. You make being an Fuji shooter even more fun :-)

Also, thanks to everybody, who spotted some interesting Fuji related news/rumor/deal/review on the web, and took his/her time to drop me an email with the link to it. Much appreciated… and feel free to keep it up.

thanks to all,
Fuji X Forum, Facebook, RSS-feed and Twitter

HIGH RATING*
* 75% to 99% correct

• Fujifilm X80 Coming Second Half of 2017 (shared February 20)
• Trusted Source Confirms: “Fujifilm Developing Ultimate APS-C X-camera. Based on X-T Design. Price Not Yet Set, but Most Expensive X” (shared 14 March)
• Instax Goes Hybrid: Fujifilm INSTAX Square SQ10 Will have a Micro SD Card Slot (shared 16 March)
• First LEAKED Image of the Fujifilm Instax SQ (not SQ10). Film Only (shared March 17)
• Instax Square SQ10 with USB-Charging (shared March 18)

MEDIUM HIGH RATING*
*50% to 74% correct

• Fujifilm X100F Allows You to Change ISO Value with Command Dial (Probably Coming to X-Pro2 via Firmware) (shared January 16) – NOTE 1: X100F part is correct. To see if it comes also to X-PRO2. NOTE 2: The firmware announcement of March 23 says that this feature will come via Firmware, but only to X-T2. This sounds very strange to me. Could be an error of Fujifilm. I’ll wait for the firmware to come out, and if indeed the X-Pro2 does not get this feature, move this rumor in the wrong rumors section
• Fujinon XF 33mm F1.0 No Longer on Fujifilm’s Internal Roadmap … GAME OVER for Fuji’s Super Fast Lens? (shared January 30)
• Fujifilm Plans Fujinon XF 18mm F2 Mark II Lens (shared February 9)
• Profoto and Miltiblitz support for GFX (shared February 26)
• Fujifilm (Currently) Planing a Fujinon XF200mm F2 (shared March 2)

MEDIUM LOW RATING*
*25% to 49% correct

• Fujinon XF 8-16mm F2.8 WR will Be The Next X-mount Lens Launched after the XF80mm Macro (shared January 25)
• Fujifilm Working on the Ultimate $5,000+ APS-C X-Trans X-series Camera (also for Video) (shared March 3)

LOW RATING*
*1% to 24% correct

• This could actually be by far the longest section…. I’d just need to publish all the fakes ;) .

THE FIRST 2017 CHECK

Fujifilm GFX Facebook Group – 4,600 members

Just like the X100T, also the X100F will be launched in black and silver. – via nokishita

So soon we will see:

– X100F (Black / Silver)
– X-T20 (Black / Silver)
– XF50mm F 2 R WR (Black / Silver)
– GFX-50S
– GF32-64 mm F 4 R LM WR
– GF63mm F 2.8 R WR
– GF120mm F 4 R LM OIS WR MACRO

Nokishita says it will be announced next week. According to FR sources, it will be the 19th.

Fujifilm X100F Facebook Group – 1,900 members

Fujifilm seems unstoppable. 2016 was such a great year, but the start of 2017 is awesome too. Tons of rumors have already been shared… so time for a recap.

Keep in mind, some of these rumors are from trusted sources, others not. So maybe not everything will materialize.

In January 2017 we will see:

• Silver X-T2
• Graphite X-Pro2
• Graphite XF23mmF2 WR
• Kaizen Firmware
• XF50mmF2
• X100F
• X-T20
• GFX + 3 Lenses

For the rest of 2017 I’d like to dream big :-)

• XF80mmF2.8 1:1 Macro
• X-E3
• XF33mmF1.0
• XF200mm
• XF8-16mmF2.8
• 3 more G-mount lenses for Fujifilm GFX
• Lenses with Clickless Aperture
• Profoto (&Co) Fujifilm support

I’d say enough good reasons to stay tuned on FujiRumors ;)
Fuji X Forum, Facebook, RSS-feed and Twitter

greetz…

THE RUMOR
Sony Stops 16MP Sensor Production

According to a new source (thanks), Sony just stopped the production of its 16 Megapixel sensors. As a consequence, so the source, Fujifilm is in the process of withdrawing all its 16MP cameras.

If true, then this is the end for 16MP X-Trans cameras… and some of those had a considerably short production life, as for example the Fujifilm X70 and Fujifilm X-E2s, which were launched just 11 months ago!

The source said that Sony’s decision surprised Fujifilm, since it came without much advanced warning (usually Sony gives a much longer advanced warning when it comes to end of sensor production, so that companies can adjust their strategy according to Sony’s sensor plans).

THE FACT
Fujifilm X70 Marked as Discontinued

Here is another puzzle piece, found by an attentive FR-reader (thanks), who followed the discussion about the X70 at kakaku.com.

Someone over there wrote an email to Fujifilm and asked why, at some Japanese stores, the X70 is no more available. Well, Fujifilm told him that the X70 has been discontinued. You can read the discussion at kakaku (translation).

And indeed, stores like yodobashi maked the black X70 as discontinued. And also at mapcamera you can’t find any X70 anymore (just accessories).

I’ve checked also EU/US stores and indeed X70 stock can be very limited or even not available, like at AmazonUK (silver version)

I remind you that also the X-T10 and X-E2 were marked as discontinued at the official Fujifilm site.

Fujifilm X70: USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / FocusCamera / Adorama / CANADA: AmazonCA / EUROPE: AmazonDE / AmazonUK / AmazonITA / AmazonFR / AmazonESP / PCHstore / WexUK / AUSTRALIA: CameraPro 

THE THEORY
by FujiRumors

If all said above is no coincidence, then here is what could have happend:

Fujifilm was surprised by the fact that Sony ends production, and decided to discontinue the X70 in order to use the remaining 16MP sensors for much more popular 16MP cameras like the X-T10.

Or maybe I’m reading too much into it, and the rumor + fact are not related to each other… I’ll let you know if, with the help of sources, I can find out something more.

stay tuned…
Fuji X Forum, Facebook, RSS-feed and Twitter

X-T10 (save $100): BHphoto / AmazonUS / FocusCamera / Adorama
X-T10 doubt XC kit (save $400): BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4: the IQ of the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 for ¼ of the price!

_ _ _

I’ve received an information from a new source, who had a conversation with Sigma. He asked them if they plan to release X-mount versions of their lenses. Well, in short, Sigma’s answer to this source was:

• The Fujifilm X-system market share is too small.
• Due the restricted market share, Sigma currently has no plans at all to release X-mount version of their lenses.
• Fuji should have adopted the M4/3 mount
• Fuji’s fault? By not using the M4/3 mount and offering their own X-mount, Fuji resigned X-shooters to a limited lens selection [Really? Take a look at that, Sigma]
  

That’s a bad news. Especially since over the last year, when Sigma managers were asked if they will offer X-mount versions of their lenses, they didn’t deny this possibility, giving answers like [quote from this video interview] “We always plan to expand our product line for mirrorless cameras. If possible, we would like to support as many systems as possible.” Also to DSLRmagazine Sigma said [google translated]: “I’m pretty sure the market for CSC will grow in the future, do not know how, but we have the belief that we must support as many systems as possible“.

After these statements, a slender hope arose amongst us X-shooters, but according to this information today, waiting for X-mount Sigma lenses is like waiting for Godot.

Now, it’s true that Fuji is not really a giant in the digital camera industry. However, over the last years the X-system grew and it now has a respectable number of followers. I’m convinced that, with the right lens offering & an interesting price tag, Sigma could make some nice money with us X-shooters, as also the Poll here could indicate:

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I do NOT agree with Sigma, when they say that, by not adopting the M4/3 mount, Fuji resigned X-shooters to a limited lens selection. Really? There is plenty of great Fujinon glass out there (and more coming soon). And manufacturers like Samyang, Zeiss, Lensbaby, SLR Magic & more have their X-mount offerings, too. As shown in the amazing complete X-mount glass overview, there are overall 56 X-mount lenses on the market and 6 more are coming soon.

Fujinon glass alone already covers most needs of photographers… and that’s maybe part of the problem for Sigma: all the great Fujinon glass that is already available on the market! It must be hard & risky to compete with it, also for Sigma.

Zeiss tried it with the Touit 12mm and 32mm, but completely failed. Those lenses were too close in FL to existing Fujinon lenses, optically great, but not superior (probably even inferior) to the XF glass and even more expensive than the Fujinons. Result: you can now get them for a fraction of their original price!

Samyang seems to be more successful when it comes to X-mount lenses. They are offering lenses that are still not covered by Fuji (like the Samyang 8mm fisheye) and their probably most successful X-mount lens, the Samyang 12mmF2, convinces with a very low price and good IQ. So no surprise that over at our Fuji X Forum, the Samyang 12mm thread now has 31,828 views and 133 comments… in just 4½ months!

So maybe we should add one more point to Sigma’s thoughts shared at the beginning of this post

• There is so many awesome Fujinon glass out there, that we are afraid to fail when we compete with it, just like Zeiss!

But competition is a good thing for us customers. C’mon Sigma, join the X-mount party and make some pressure on Fuji ;) . Combine the great IQ of your glass with an aggressive price, and you will find many X-shooters ready to invest into it.

And what do you think, should Fuji really have adopted M4/3 mount?

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