Several months ago, I first read about adapters that would allow me to mount my Canon lenses to my new Fujifilm GFX 50S. Interested, I reached out to the various companies mentioned inquiring about their availability and acquiring one for potential testing. Of these, only one, Steelsring, got back to me. After some conversation, we agreed that I would test the unit and write an article as to my findings. Several months later, in December of 2017, I received my adapter.
I was intrigued. When first released, the Steelsring EF>GFX adapter was reported as being the only adapter of its kind which would also property report the Lens EXIF information to the camera and turn off the automatic lens correction (for the Fuji 63mm lens) in the process. Having this ability allows you to create your own special “Lens Profiles” for the camera/lens/adapter combination – something I find quite useful and important.
Lightroom – Note the Lens is correctly reported as the EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM @ 70mm and 1/70 sec at f/2.8)
When the unit arrived, it came in a very attractive wood and aluminum case. It was extremely well packaged and after careful examination appeared to be well constructed as well.
This is how the Steelsring Adapter arrived. It also makes for an excellent storage case.
Of course, how these adapters operate is that on one side of the adapter is the Native Mount (Fuji) side, and on the opposing side is the Lens Mount (Canon side). Most adapters are “passive” so there are no contact pins. The Steelsring adapter is of a new generation of mounts that allow a camera to actually obtain accurate focus using “non-native” lenses. In this case Canon lenses.
So, the next step was to mount this to my Fuji GFX and begin testing.
I found the fit to be quite tight and secure, both on the Fuji side and on the Canon side. I would say even more so on the Fuji side. Many of the Canon lenses I found “clicked” right in to place. A few required a little adjustment of the lens release button to ensure they were indeed “locked-in”. Once this was properly engaged, the connection was tight, with no looseness or “wobble” at all.
My objectives were quite simple.
Determine if a lens adapter, in this case an auto-focus lens adapter, could provide usable AF accuracy and speed using my existing Canon lenses.
Determine if the “vignetting” of these lenses would be significant enough to render them useless or usable for my testing.
DRPreview just published their Fujifilm X-H1 review and it gets the silver award with a 86% score. It’s as usual a long and in depth review, so I will share just some highlights from the conclusions:
Overall Conclusion:
The X-H1 is, in many ways, an excellent camera: adaptable to a wide range of photographic challenges and with most of the tools you’d need to shoot excellent video. It brings stabilization and video improvements over the Gold-winning X-T2, along with the kind of ‘big camera’ ergonomics that some photographers love. However, all of this comes at a price, both financially and in terms of size.
If you already have a number of X mount lenses, the X-H1 is the most capable camera you can mount them on. Its performance is as solid as its construction feels and the addition of stabilization will be appealing. It’s also well worth considering as a stills/video hybrid, if you haven’t yet picked a system. However, given how good some of its competition is at this point in the market, we can’t wholeheartedly recommend it in the way we would with the X-T2, which means it earns a Silver Award.
Image Quality:
The X-H1’s image quality is a match for the X-T2, with perhaps a few tweaks having been made to the JPEG noise reduction at high ISOs. The Raw results are similarly impressive, with low noise levels and plenty of detail being captured. Dynamic range is also good: a little behind the very best of its APS-C peers but still sufficient to give plenty of processing flexibility. As always, the standout feature for Fujifilm is the JPEG engine that provides an extensive series of well-judged color modes that provide interesting creative choices.
Autofocus:
The X-H1 can be a highly competent performer in terms of autofocus and is able to both focus and subject track effectively. However, there are some significant caveats. Face detection isn’t very consistent and subject tracking often fails if the subject as allowed to move beyond the central, phase-detection region of the sensor. […] Overall, though, paired with a fast-focusing lens, the X-H1 is able to autofocus sufficiently quickly and reliably to be used for a wide variety of shooting situations.
Video:
The X-H1’s video quality is very good, with very good levels of detail capture and reasonably well-controlled rolling shutter. […] The 200Mbps footage looks very good when lined up against almost anything else
Make sure to read the whole review at DPReivew here.
Today I’d like to share with you guys 2 interviews that Fujifilm managers gave to the Spanish site albedomedia and the French site focus-numerique. Both are focused on the Fujifilm X-H1, but not only.
Let’s start with the one in my favorite language, Spanish, and the interview at albedomedia:
X-H1 size: The truth is that the ‘feedback’ we obtained from users is that they wanted a larger camera, especially a ‘grip’ of larger dimensions to improve its operation,
IBIS in Smaller Bodies: [The Fujifilm X-H1] could not be made smaller either, due to the system of stabilization in the body -IBIS- , which needed a more contundent mechanical structure
High Resolution multi shot: Technically it is possible, yes, although at the moment we do not have plans to incorporate it […] although it is not something strictly necessary, it does represent a very interesting option for certain situations where this extra resolution is needed, especially in this APS-C format, more limited in these aspects than higher-order sensors. size.
Sony A7III: […] we believe that, globally speaking, the Fujifilm system is more balanced […] we believe that our optics, much more balanced, are an advantage […] However, it is true that they [Sony] have better marketing; that is something that we must improve
X-H1 Vs. X-T2 (and Fujifilm X-T3): The X-H1 is oriented as a hybrid product for photography and video, while the X-T2 is focused mainly for photography, so [the latter] will evolve especially in this aspect
X-T2 video enhancements via Firmware Update: Yes, some models will be updated with some of these developments, but we have yet to decide when it will be done
X-T2 Vs. X-H1 heat dissipation and hardness: In fact, in the X-T2 we used a 6H hardness, while in the X-H1 it is 8H, thanks to its new paint particles applied. In addition, heat dissipation is improved by 25%
Battery Life: It was about finding a compromise between size and autonomy, in addition to maintaining compatibility with existing cameras. For those users who need greater autonomy, opt for the external grip with additional battery
Low Resolution X-H1S like A7S and GH5S?: We do not have it planned; at the moment we want to focus on a hybrid photo / video product, although perhaps in the future we could consider it, depending on the success of the video
Next X-Trans Sensor: The [current] 24 Mpx are a good compromise for now. On the other hand, increasing the resolution would not increase the quality either, due to the limitations of the optics
AF Improvement: The performance of the AF could be improved. The area of AF covered by our cameras is smaller than that of our competitors […] our current 6 × 6 X-Trans matrix works quite well, there’s no need to change it
I agree that Sony has a better marketing strategy than Fujifilm, and I am happy to hear that it is technically possible for Fujifilm to implement the sensor shift multi shot feature on the Fujifilm X-H1 X-Trans camera. It’s a feature that honestly will be very rarely used (if ever), but one of those things that you better have than not… just in case.
They also basically confirm our rumor, that the Fujifilm X-T3 won’t have a much increased pixel number. We reported that the new X-Trans sensor will still below 30MP.
Advantages of X-H1 over GH5, GH5s and Sony A7S II: most important advantage is in the quality of color reproduction. We have integrated into the X-H1 the new Eterna film simulation which is particularly adapted to obtain a cinematic aesthetic
Sensitive Shutter Button: opinions about trigger sensitivity were mixed. We decided to keep our initial choices, but we intend to offer our users the opportunity to contact Fujifilm after-sales service to rectify the sensitivity of the trigger if they wish
Autofocus compared ot DSLR: We believe that sooner or later we will catch up with the few delays we still have in the world of SLRs
Mirrorless Future: We also believe that from 2019, more than 50% of cameras sold worldwide will be hybrids.
I am pretty sure that Fujifilm plans to close the gap in AF speed with DSLR already with the Fujifilm X-T3, which will have a more powerful processor and a new sensor with lenss than 30MP. Keeping the megapixel still below 30 megapixel will allow the new processor to calculate the data faster.
Regarding the Fujifilm X-H1, if I understood the google translation correctly, Fujifilm offers a service, where you can change the sensitivtiy of the shutter button if you wish.
First off, Digital Rev just shared their Fujifilm X-A5 and XC 15-45 Hands-on Review.
Regarding the camera they say it feels plasticy. No surprise, though, and also no dealbreaker, since the X-A camera line sells better than any other camera brand in some Asian countries (yes, even better than Canon, Sony and Nikon).
They also talk about the Fujinon XC 15-45, and complaint about its performance in video mode.
And yet… the X-A5 (whose development has been outsourced by Fujifilm), will again sell strong.
NOTE: According to Rico Pfirstinger, all cameras are full compatible with the XC15-45 and no compatiblity update is needed
NOTE 2: The Fujifilm X-A3 and X-A20 got a firmware udpate for full compatibiliy with XC 15-45. Such an update is still missing for the X-A2, which has the same flippy screen of X-A5. I get requests by readers owning the X-A2 for Fujifilm to add support for it.
Until today, Fujifilm always did it like this: shortly before or right at the day of the official release of a new lens, Fujifilm delivered a firmware update to add lens compatibility to Fujifilm cameras.
However, the last updates back in February 2018 just added XC15-45 support for Fujifilm X-A10 and X-A3.
Now the camera is shipping and falling into hands of X-shooters worldwide… and still, I can’t see any new update at Fuji’s site.
Now, I assume that newer cameras come already with the proper firmware support for this lens, but what about older cameras? Believe it or not, dear Fujifilm, there are X-shooters out there who still own and use older cameras (like me with my X-T1), and we would like our cameras to support this lens too.
I hope Fujifilm will deliver soon a firmware compatibility update, and if not, then we would like an official statement where you tell us which cameras will support this lens and which ones not.
So guys, you know FujiRumors is Fujifilm’s by far favorite place for online feedback… so if you would like to see XC15-45 support also for your camera, then let Fujifilm know in the comments.