Viltrox TNP-W235 Battery for Fujifilm Coming Soon (and About the Advantage of Using Original Fujifilm Batteries)

Viltrox is going to launch its own NP-W235 third party alternative battery for the Fujifilm X and GFX system, called TNP-W235, as reported at the Chinese Weibo account 独立摄影师联合会.

So far this year the best selling gear on FujiRumors was the new SmallRig NP-W235 (which I own too).

The Viltrox TNP-W235 seems to use the same interface with a built-in USB-C port for direct charging and also the same power (2400 mAh).

The options in terms of third party batteries are substantial and often also of respectable quality.

The two brands I personally use as NP-W235 replacement:

However (and that’s valid also for other companies as far as I know), if you use third party batteries in your Fujifilm cameras, and that third party battery is cause of a problem (for example it swells up and gets stuck in the camera), then, even if your camera is under warranty, you won’t get the problem fixed free of charge. On the other hand, if you use the original battery, for as long your battery is under warranty, every problem caused by the battery itself to the camera will give you access to free warranty repair.

That’s why, if you want to go the 100% safe route during the time you camera is under warranty, you might want to stick with original batteries, so if any problem happens caused by the battery, it will be fixed under warranty.

In all my years using third party batteries, I had my first third party battery fail last year, where my Patona swelled up in my X-E3 and I had to fiddle around to get it out,

Battery Articles

Essential Accessories

Fujifilm Digital Camera Sales Suspension Notice and Fujifilm Japan Apology

Fujifilm Japan has just issued a notice and apology regarding the supply of mirrorless digital cameras in Japan.

This time the affected cameras by the still ongoing shortage in Japan are the Fujifilm X-T5 and the Fujifilm X-S20.

The situation is so bad, that Fujifilm Japan now even decided to suspend orders.

Also the Fujifilm GFX100 II experiences long shipping delays in Asia, as we reported here.

In North America and Europe the situation looks much better, with all the cameras mentioned in this article easily to find in stock.

Official Press Release

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Fujifilm X-E4 Second Hand Price Higher than Original Launch Price

I stand to my point: the Fujifilm X-E4 was not a failure.

The true failure was that Fujifilm was not able to manufacture and deliver it.

Fujifilm even discontinued the X-E4 while many still had one on pre-order and were patiently waiting to get it shipped.

So it happens that for all those, who wanted the X-E4, the only option now is to look around at the second hand market, where, as reported by asobinet, the price in some countries can be higher than what the X-E4 did cost brand new. And digitalcameraworld has an article up here, where they explain how they sold their X-E4 for more than what they originally paid for it new.

Now, recently Fujifilm France hinted that there is no market for the X-E line. But if that was the case, I wonder why people are buying it second hand and overpriced, similar to what is happening to the Fujifilm X100V.

Anyway, I strongly hope the X-E line will continue. It’s a great alternative to those who want an X100-alike experience (minus OVF) but with the possibility to change lenses. Although I don’t really change lenses much on my X-E3, where this lens lives glued on it.

I still love using my X-E3, as you can see in my video here, but it starts to show its age, especially now that I also own the X-T5 with a terrific boost in terms of autofocus and features.

I would probably jump on an X-E5 on day one if Fujifilm would ever make one, just to get access to the new autofocus power and more film simulations (Reala included). Better if with 40MP, but I could also live with the Fujifilm X-S20 solution, so the 26MP combined with the new X Processor 5.

So please, dear Fujifilm, don’t axe the X-E line. Give us an X-E5, produce it in decent numbers, and you’ll see you’ll be rewarded for that.

Read also:

Huge SanDisk CFexpress Type B Deal – Ends Oct. 23

There is a substantial rebate on SanDisk CFexpress Type B cards and the SanDisk PRO-CINEMA CFexpress Type B.

Some of the deals are marked as ending on October 23.

SanDisk Extreme Pro CFexpress Cards are included in the list of officially recommended CFexpress cards by Fujifilm. But there are some differences between cards.

So, if you want access to all video codecs and formats, get these two cards.

Both the above will also allow you for stills bursts shooting, but the Pro-Cinema version will give you longer bursts than the Extreme Pro.

If video is not you thing, than any of the cards listed above is a great pick, as they are all officially recommended by Fujifilm (see here).

Fujifilm Manager: The End of Entry Level (X-E line?), X100V Successor, APS-C and GFX Full Frame Alternative, Market Share and More

image courtesy: Phototrend
image courtesy: Phototrend

The French website Phototrend had the opportunity to interview Franck Bernard, Director of the imaging division at Fujifilm France. You can read the full interview here and the summary below.

  • Fujifilm GFX100II and the new GF lenses were well received
  • Fujifilm’s strategy is to grip full frame between their APS-C and Medium Format bodies
  • When asked if X-H2S is popular among sports photographers, the manager said that the road is long. It’s not only a question of having the best product, but also of having the entire ecosystem
  • Overall market share in France? As far as hybrid cameras goes (full frame excluded), Fujifilm is market leader with 26% over the last 12 months
  • X-T5 is the best seller followed by X-T30II and X-S20/X-S10
  • the photo market is sustainable and will always remain so
  • smartphones accelerate the demand for cameras because at some point people will want to use a real camera for better quality
  • it’s too early to talk about an X100V successor
  • It has now been 3 years since the X100V was released and Fujifilm does not have a fixed renewal cycle forcing them to change bodies every three years
  • the demand for X100V is still high
  • “If we have decided to stop entry-level products such as X-T200 or X-E4, it is because it is not promising as a market“
  • but Fujifilm wants to keep more affordable models in the lineup (see X-T30)
  • third party lenses can have negative effect on Fujinon lens sales, but Fujifilm thinks they have the quality to compete with Sigma, Tamron and Co
  • Fujifilm is neutral in regards to third party lenses. They don’t oppose nor push them and they respect them

I’d like to make some considerations.

Fujifilm X-E Line

The French manager hinted that they dropped the X-E line, but that pretty much does not fit with the hints recently a Japanese Fujifilm manager gave us here. And also Fuji Guy Billy mentioned here the X-E line as a line that would continue (unlike X-T***, X-A* lines, which btw were just Fujifilm branded Xacti cameras since a long time anyway, as we reported here).

Fujifilm X100V successor

No, it’s not too early to talk about it.

Third party Lenses

The French Fujifilm manager said they are neutral towards third party lenses. Although I remember Fujifilm managers inviting Sigma managers and talking about Sigma lenses for example here. So this gives me the impression Fujifilm is quite positive overall towards third party lenses.

The French manager said they think they have the quality to compete with third party lenses. This depends. The newest third party lenses from Viltrox & Co are quite phenomenal for the price. Maybe here and there they might not match the quality of the top of the line most modern Fujinon XF lenses, but there are quality options also from third parties.

The real and most important factors, for me, to use as much as possible native Fujinon lenses are two:

  • lots of third party lenses do not have an aperture ring
  • color consistency among Fujinon glass. And since a Film Simulation are a big deal for me, I like Velvia & Co to look consistent across the various lenses I use. There are for example third party lenses, like my manual focus Samyang 12mmF2, that are very lovely, but the colors they give me are not the ones I consistently get with my Fujinon lenses.

These are for me the two main reasons why I mostly stick with Fujinon XF and GF glass, although I own third party lenses for both systems, too.

My Personal Gear

Voigtländer NOKTON 50mm f/1.2 Available for Pre-Order

The Cosina Voigtländer 50mm f/1.2 is now available for pre-order at BHphoto here.

The Fujifilm cameras that support the electronic contacts with this lens are:

  • X-H2S
  • X-H2
  • X-Pro3
  • X-T5
  • X-S20
  • X-S10
  • X-H1
  • X-T4
  • X-T3
  • X-T2*
    *When using the X-T2, the aperture value can be displayed in Fno by changing the aperture value display setting from TNo to FNo in the body settings.
  • X-T30
  • X-T30II
  • X-E4

Not Supported Cameras

  • X-T1
  • X-T20
  • X-T10
  • X-T200
  • X-T100
  • X-Pro2
  • X-Pro1
  • X-E3
  • X-E2
  • X-E1
  • X-M1
  • X-A7
  • X-A5
  • X-A3
  • X-A2
  • X-A1

List of Voigtländer lenses for Fujifilm:

Additional Details

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Fujifilm 2024: A Look Ahead Between Rumors and Speculations (X-Pro4, X100R, X-E5, X-T40, New XF Lenses, GFX Future)

2023 is Done

We just told you that there will be no more Fujifilm announcements in 2023.

And since in terms of new gear we are done for this year, lots of people started asking me what is coming in 2024.

Now, I am working on it, and we have shared already something.

For example we told you that the next XF lens to come is the replacement of this lens here.

More rumors will follow.

But as you know, on FujiRumors we will not make up a single rumor just to make traffic, nor share anonymous rumors we receive in which I don’t trust.

We prefer to share less rumors, generate less traffic, make less money, and value your time with less, but accurate rumors.

But until more rumors drop, I thought we could also make one single article where we talk about the current state of the rumors and also make speculation on what could or we would like to come in 2024.

2024 – A Look Into the Future

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It’s Over my Friends: No More X or GFX Related Announcements This Year

Yes I know.

I am aware that in the first half of 2023 Fujifilm has registered a camera with the code name FF230002.

And I am aware that never before Fujifilm needed more than 4/6 months to release a camera after its registration has been spotted.

This is why 99,9% of people out there are so sure there will be another Fujifilm announcement this year.

Maybe in November, as that’s a great month to launch new gear (Fuji’s most important camera has been launched November last year for example).

But this ain’t gonna happen, according to our sources.

In fact, we have been told (thanks!!!), that as far as 2023 goes, this was it. There is no new gear coming in 2023.

I mean, yes, the two GF tilt shift lenses still have to hit the market. But of course our sources mean that there won’t be any further announcements this year.

This means that we will also NOT get the next Fujinon XF lens that we already rumored a couple of weeks ago, in 2023.

So all we got (and will get) in 2023 is:

  • Fujifilm X-S20
  • Fujifilm GFX100II
  • Fujinon XF8mmF3.5
  • Fujinon GF55mmF1.7
  • Fujinon GF30mmF5.6 Tilt Shift
  • Fujinon GF110mmF5.6 Tilt Shift

Some great stuff dropped in 2023 for both systems, but certainly there was more to rejoice for GFX users rather than X series users this year.

But before the X series users start moaning, just a quick reminder on what we got in 2022:

  • Fujifilm X-T5
  • Fujifilm X-H2
  • Fujifilm X-H2s
  • Fujinon XF 30mmF2.8 Macro
  • Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR
  • Fujinon XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8
  • Fujinon XF 18-120mm f/4

Sure, we always wish for more. But over the last 2 years I think we can agree that there has been quite some decent stuff for both systems.

And what about 2024?

Well, for that, my friends, you’ll have to follow FujiRumors.

Rumors, that will be shared exclusively for you here on FujiRumors.

Fujifilm Facebook Groups

40 Fujifilm Products Win Good Design Award

40 Fujifilm products won the Good Design Award.

In terms of X and GFX photography gear, these are the winners.

40 products in a wide range of business areas win Good Design Award

– Mirrorless digital camera “FUJIFILM GFX100 II” and “Structural color inkjet technology” chosen as one of the Good Design Best 100

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