Chip Shortage Delays Nikon Z9 Delivery to October 2022 – Bad News also for Fujifilm (and Fujifilm X-H2)?

The worldwide chip shortage and the camera high demand is pushing the next stock shipment for the brand new Nikon Z9 to October 2022 according to various Japanese retailers as reported by SonyAlphaRumors.

We are talking about a flagship camera, on which Nikon totally relies on to recover from their dramatic market share decline (Nikon is behind Fujifilm in the mirrorless camera market and with DSLR included is way behind Sony and Canon).

Moreover, SAR also says that Sony has postponed most of their new camera launches to the second half 2022.

So the fact that Nikon won’t be able to ship the latest orders of their single most important camera for many months to come should put all camera manufacturers into high alert, even Fujifilm.

If the chip shortage is really going to last that long, then I wonder how this will affect also planed Fujifilm announcements for 2022.

And here is where we have to talk about the Fujifilm X-H2.

Fujifilm X-H2 Announcement

We know one thing for sure (thanks to our sources): the next camera Fujifilm will launch is the Fujifilm X-H2.

Let me say it again: no other X series camera is planed between now and the Fujifilm X-H2.

Considering that the last “real” X series camera announcement was the Fujifilm X-E4 back in January 27 (I refuse to consider the Fujifilm X-T30II a “new” camera, as it basically just an X-T30 on firmware steroids, and the Fujifilm X-T3WW is an X-T3 without charger), we are now waiting since almost 1 year for a new X series camera to come.

That’s a whole lot of time.

Given the long wait, I hope Fujifilm was somehow also able to organize enough chips for the Fujifilm X-H2 in order to announce it as soon as possible, ideally in early 2022 (as most of you speculate).

And considering how important the Fujifilm X-H2 is for Fujifilm, I am sure they’ll do everything they can to release the X-H2 as soon as possible.

But these are crazy times, and I highly doubt Fujifilm has at this point set any solid announcement date for the Fujifilm X-H2 yet.

And quite honestly, would anybody of us be surprised if the Fujifilm X-H2 would materialize only in the second half 2022? I guess not, considering the circumstances.

But let me be clear at this point: I still hope for an early 2022 announcement for the X-H2. It’s not a rumor, just a hope. I just say that if it would come later, I personally would not be overly surprised by that, even if that would mean that Fujifilm hasn’t launched a new X series camera in 1.5 years or more.

Solution for the Worst Case Scenario

If the chip shortage would force Fujifilm to postpone the launch of the Fujifilm X-H2, then I hope that they will at least make some sort of “development announcement” as they did for the Fujifilm X-Pro3.

In fact they partially already did it also for the Fujifilm X-H2 when they said that in 2022 there will be a stacked BSI X-Trans sensor for Fujifilm APS-C cameras. Sure, the X-H2 was not mentioned, but trust me, the Fujifilm X-H2 will be the first X series camera to sport such a sensor.

But that’s not enough.

In case of a longer delay (which I hope won’t happen), my hope is that Fujifilm will make a more solid and concrete Fujifilm X-H2 development announcement, in which not only they could show us mock-ups (as they did with the X-Pro3), but also give us a more solid date as far as the announcement goes.

For many professional photographers, having a perspective on where a certain system is going and developing, can be a reason to stick or switch to that system (or away from it). Hence, Fujifilm can’t keep silent for too long on the Fujifilm X-H2 front.

Sure, FujiRumors can contribute a bit to keep the buzz going thanks to the rumors shared by our sources, which help to keep confidence in the X series future (and hence keep people into the system and making others curious about it). Just take a look at the rumors below, and you’ll understand that Fujifilm is planing big things for 2022. But at some point also Fujifilm has to come forward more decisively than they already did.

With all that said, I hope there won’t be any need for a development announcement and that the Fujifilm X-H2 will come soon enough.

Fujifilm X-H2 Rumors Recap

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PRICE CHANGE: Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 XF for Fujifilm X Mount to Cost $469 (instead of $429)

Earlier today we reported about the first review of the upcoming Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 for Fujifilm X mount.

At the time we shared the article, the reviewer, Damian, said Viltrox told him the lens would cost $429. However, after the video went online, Viltrox contacted Damian and said that the final price changed and that it will now be of $469.

Thanks Damian for letting us know in the comments to our original article.

So, make sure to check out our coverage of Damian’s review here. A nice lens is coming for the Fujifilm X system.

We Got You Covered!

Viltrox AF 13mm f/1.4 XF Review: Sharpest Viltrox Fujifilm X Mount Lens coming for $469 in 2022

The Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 is on the official Viltrox roadmap since April 2020 and yes, I know that based on hints I got I said that it should be announced in November. Well, that evidently did not happen and I apologize to all of my readers.

I guess also Viltrox struggles with the worldwide parts shortage and in fact in today’s video, Damian, who is testing the lens right now, confirms that Viltrox had to postpone the release for this lens once again. Viltrox now told him they pushed it back to 2022.

The good news: the review samples are now out, so I guess it can’t be that long of a wait anymore.

Speaking of review samples, Damian is the first to publish his first look on the Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 AF XF.

It’s a nice video which includes lots of samples and autofocus demos (for stills and video). So definitely check it out.

Personally I am happy to hear that Damian considers the Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 XF the sharpest (and best) Viltrox XF lens so far with excellent autofocus (also face detection) and very usable in the center even at f/1.4 (a bit less usable in the corners wide open). The clicked aperture ring is a bonus for me although I’d have hoped for a bit of lighter lens (it weights 420g).

It’s not free imperfections, like a noticeable vignetting wide open and some distortion and chromatic aberration, but considering that many will mostly use it for landscape photography (and hence stop down anyway) and especially considering the price of $469, to me it looks like a good value for money lens.

Now let me say this.

I generally prefer Fujinon X (or GFX) mount lenses, and not because they are better in terms image quality (if a lens is more affordable, then I can accept to give up a bit of IQ), but if there is one thing that I love about the X/GFX system, then it’s the colors I get from it (with Astia being my favorite all-rounder film simulation).

And in my experience, whenever I use third party lenses on my Fujifilm cameras, the colors simply don’t come out the way I am used to (and love it) from the Fujinon lenses. In fact, this is one of the main reason why my Fujinon XF10-24mm has basically replaced my Samyang 12mm f/2 in my camera bag. Not because the Samyang is bad, not at all (look, I have taken some of my most loved images with it). But sometimes I can be terribly lazy with post processing my images, and I know the XF10-24mm will nail the colors the way I love it more than my Samyang 12mmF2 would, and hence spare me some time in post.

In short: if you love film simulations, like I do, native Fujinon lenses will deliver better results, or let’s say results that more faithfully reproduce the vibe and tone Fujifilm intended to give us with the various film simulations.

Ah, speaking of colors, Damian says that the Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 XF colors are on the cooler side.

With all that said, I think Viltrox made a very smart move with this lens, as Fujifilm itself is not offering anything that can closely match the Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 in terms of focal length and aperture. The closest competitor at this point is the Samyang 12mm f/2, which is smaller than the Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 and also weather sealed (the Viltrox is well built, but not weather resistant). However, the Samyang is also slower and more expensive.

So overall a great addition for the X mount system and a lens that I am hugely interested in if it performs decently also for astrophotography.

We Got You Covered!

Some Images taken with my XF10-24mmF4 and Samyang 12mmF2

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Fujifilm GFX100S Among Top Rented Gear 2021 at Lensrentals and Top 4 Stills/Hybrid Cameras

Lensrentals has listed their top rented gear for 2021.

There is only one Fujifilm gear in the list, and it’s the Fujifilm GFX100S, which Lensrentals calls their “personal favorite“.

Worth to note is that there are only 4 still (or hybrid) oriented cameras in the list, and the Fujifilm GFX100S is among them. The rest are mostly video cameras and lenses.

A pity only that those, who rented the GFX100S and then maybe wanted to buy it, very likely could not find any sample available, as that beast is mostly unavailable even 11 months after its announcement.

Down below you can find the full lists of top rented gear shared by lensrentals.

  1. Canon EOS C70 Cinema Camera (RF)
  2. Sony FX3 Full-Frame Cinema Camera
  3. Sony Alpha a1
  4. Sony FX6 Full-Frame Cinema Camera
  5. Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro (EF)
  6. RED DIGITAL CINEMA KOMODO 6K Camera Production Kit
  7. Nikon Z 7II
  8. Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM
  9. Leica Q2 Monochrom
  10. Aputure LS 600d Pro Daylight LED V-Mount Kit
  11. DZOFilm Pictor 20-55mm T2.8 Parfocal Zoom (EF)
  12. Fuji GFX 100S Medium Format Mirrorless
  13. Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM
  14. Sony FX6 Camera Kit w/ 24-105mm f/4 G OSS Lens
  15. DZOFilm Pictor 50-125mm T2.8 Parfocal Zoom (EF)
  16. Canon EOS C300 Mark II w/ Touch Focus Kit (EF)
  17. Blackmagic Design ATEM 2 M/E Advanced Panel
  18. SmallHD Cine 24″ 4K High Bright Pro Monitor

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