Fujifilm X-E4 – Make More With Less: Fujifilm Manager Interview, Eye AF demo, Everything You Need to Know and XF27mmF2.8 R WR

On January 27, the big announcement day for Fujifilm, the little Fujifilm X-E4 was clearly overshadowed by the Fujifilm GFX100S.

And I get it, the GFX100S is definitely more of a revolution for the camera industry than the X-E4.

And yet, as a big X-E line lover, and current owner of the X-E3, I want to bring back some attention to the X-E4.

So far I have not made up my mind if I will get one or not. If I would not already own a 26 MP camera (the X-T4), then I’d probably upgrade. But so far I find myself well with the combination of X-E3 and X-T4. Today I used it to photography my wife and our son, switching between X-E3 with XF35/1.4 and X-T4 with XF80mm Macro. After the shoot, my son and me rested on the couch, as you see here ;).

So, back to the X-E4.

Down below you can find a summary of an interview of Janpanese Fujifilm manager, a few AF demo videos, a comprehensive X-E4 overview as well as some thoughts on the new XF27mmF2.8 R WR.

Also, a few videos from the “make more with less” Fujifilm series dedicated to the Fujifilm X-E4.

Videos + Summary

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Fujinon GF80mmF1.7 King of All Portrait Lenses (vs GF110mmF2): “Usually Gear Does Not Matter, but in This Case, It Matters”

ZP Productions published his review about the Fujinon GF80mm f/1.7 on his youtube channel. Since he owns the GF110mmF2, he also compares to that lens.

Down below is a summary, but the 12 minutes video linked below is well worth watching.

  • very good lens, but not a perfect lens
  • the GF110mmF2 is more perfect in terms of optical quality, chromatic aberration, sharpness to the corner
  • GF80mmF1.7 is a lot easier to use outdoors than the GF110mm. It’s lighter and shorter
  • the rendering on the GF80mm is smoother than the GF110mm most of the time, because of smoother bokeh balls
  • GF110 is optically more corrected than the GF80mmF1.7. There is a very slight chromatic aberration on the GF80mm (you must zoom in a lot to notice a very slight aberration). It’s not obvious and also not distracting, but when it happens, you can remove it in post
  • GF80mmF1.7 mantains sharpness in the center and also in the corners. However, in the extreme corners it’s still sharp, but not tack sharp like the GF110mmF2
  • sometimes, when you try to focus on something in the very corner of the frame, the lens seems to not always nail the focus and it can result in softer images
  • it’s overall a very sharp lens
  • works great outdoors but also indoors, where the GF110mm might be a bit too long sometimes
  • unique lens that gives you a unique look in your portraits
  • Unique rendering
  • fantastic lens for night photography
  • easier to shoot handheld and get sharp images at slower shutter speeds
  • for night portraiture, available light and led lighting photography, it is definitely easier to sue than the GF110mmF2
  • he enjoys this lens a lot
  • this lens is not too expensive. It’s cheaper than the GF110mm and some equivalent FF lenses
  • it is pre-production sample/firmware, and that bit of chromatic aberration might be fixed with the final firmware. But he repeats it is very minor chromatic aberration, almost non-existant and visible in case only at 200% magnification
  • it is the nicest portrait lens you can get on medium format today

To certain degree, it’s just inevitable to see CA in such super fast lenses. Some show more if it, some less, and from what I could see in the sample in the video, the Fujinon GF80mmF1.7 shows a very reasonable and acceptable amount of CA in some conditions.

Look for example at the just announced Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM lens. Right now some people are actually quite impressed by how much chromatic aberration it shows wide open (DPR highlights it as the main flaw of this lens) and they hope that the shipping delay announced for the Sony 35mmF1.4 GM means that Sony is somehow trying to quickly fix it.

In some situation in life you just have to come down, stop down, and all will be good again ;).

Another review has been published by Patrick Tomasso (video below). Here are his thoughts about the Fujinon GF80mmF1.7.

  • if you are a portrait photographer shooting full frame right now and you consider to go medium format, the GF80mmF1.7 is the definition of “bokeh beast lens”
  • every sensor size has its bokeh beast lens, but the GF80mmF1.7 is the king of all of them. Nothing comes close to this lens in terms of DOF, detail, sharpness
  • if you are portrait photographer and try this lens, it will be hard to you go back to anything else
  • the reviewer does not shoot much portraits, but if he did, he’d just drop his full frame gear to get this lens
  • you can back up, get a wider shot, but still separate the subject from the background in a way you can’t with full frame or APS-C
  • he used the lens to shoot landscape and street, and even if you’d usually not use it for that, it’s a lens that changes your entire perception of photography, the way you see and frame things
  • GFX camera + GF80mmF1.7 gives you a look that will set you apart from almost everybody else that’s shooting right now
  • in an oversaturated market, the GFX gear can separate you from the pack
  • usually gear does not matter, but in this case, gear matters
  • it’s difficult to pull off that GFX look with any other combination that’s out there in the camera market
  • for video, as this lens is focus by wire, it is almost impossible to manually focus this lens during video, and AF is not good enough for video use
  • moving forward, medium format might become a system that is just affordable and attainable as full frame
  • everyday people are now starting to get access to medium format

Enjoy the videos down below.

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Video Reviews Below

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Fujifilm GFX100S (vs GFX100) First Looks: Low Light AF Almost as Fast as Canon/Sony (Really?), Joystick Issues, Quick Eye AF Demo

ThePhoBlographer got his hands on a Fujifilm GFX100S since a few days, and here is initial feedback shared in two videos:

  • super small
  • 5 fps with continuous autofocus
  • fantastic build quality and weather sealed
  • autofocus is faster than original GFX100
  • at minute 3:35 he says that in low light, the GFX100S is “pretty much almost as fast” as the Canon EOS R. It’s up there with Canon and Sony. He could not believe it, so he kept doing it over and over again, and it kept performing
  • for being pre-production (hence not final firmware), it’s already very good autofocus on the GFX100S

Honestly, considering that this is just prototype firmware and that MF is not known to be master of speed, I have a hard time to believe that kind of autofocus performance.

What we know is that there is a new and improved algorithm in the Fujifilm GFX100S, that speeds up single, tracking and eye autofocus. So I definitely expect a sensible improvement over the original GFX100. But how much it was able to come close to high end full frame or APS-C cameras, that remains to see once more reviews come in with final production firmware.

Down below we also add a quick eye autofocus demo of the Fujifilm GFX100S. It’s a Japanese first look on the GFX100S, and I will let you start the video at 17:46 to get direct access to the quick eye AF demo.

Always covering the brand new GFX100S, ZP Productions shared an initial look at the GFX100S and compares it to the original GFX100. Here is what he says:

  • coupled the smaller G mount lenses, you can hold and operate the camera one handed (such as with the GF45mm)
  • has a top LCD like the GFX100, but GFX100 has also a small LCD on the battery grip
  • he runs over some differences in terms of buttons and dial layout between GFX100S and GFX1000
  • GFX100S has only 5 FN cabable buttons, the GFX100 has 7 FN buttons
  • he prefers the joystick on the GFX100 over the one on the GFX100S. On the GFX100S you press down and sometimes nothing happens [note: consider that these are pre-production firmware]
  • the joystick itself is nicer on the GFX100S, as it is bigger. But the tactile feeling is not as good as GFX100 (less responsive). [Again: pre-production firmware used]
  • slighlty lower resolution EVF on GFX100S compared to GFX100
  • autofocus in terms of eye detection feels a bit faster than GFX100S over GFX100. More stable, more sticky
  • lighter, smaller and easier to use camera than the GFX100. But it lacks of buttons, has weired joystick and lower resolution EVF compared to GFX100. Also no vertical grip option
  • external power during video is also better on GFX100 due to 15 V DC-IN connector port to power the camera
  • GFX100S has the X-T4 battery, and it gives you more shots per battery
  • GFX100S is the way better camera for travels
  • about as big as the Canon R5
  • he owns the GFX100, so he probably won’t buy the GFX100S

As for the joystick, you can set it that it works always, or that it works only after you clicked it (or even turn it off completely). Maybe the reviewer had it set to “press first than move”, which could explain why he had to push hard, probably until he accidentally pressed so hard that he pressed in and activated it. Or it’s just because it’s a pre-production sample. Frankly, I would not worry about it at all.

Check out all videos down below.

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Videos

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Fujifilm GFX100S Manager Interview: Why No Battery Grip Option, No Tilt EVF, Quick Eye AF Demo and More

Fujifilm managers have released an interview in Japanese to a youtube channel.

Again we rely on the automatic translation tool. Here is the summary for you guys.

  • 1.7x larger sensor than full frame
  • the appeal of the GFX100S is not only megapixel
  • color gradation improves with the GFX sensor
  • the smaller form factor and more affordable price compared to GFX100, will make it appealing to more than just professional photographers
  • the lighter the camera becomes, the better
  • focal plane shutter and integrated battery grip made the original GFX100 big
  • IBIS was made smaller too
  • then developing the X-T4 battery, they were already thinking to implement it also on GFX cameras
  • ISO 6400 is still so beautiful
  • PSAM dial is used in other camera systems. People used to it will find it easier to switch to GFX now because it offers a PSAM dial
  • if you start adding shutter speed dial, ISO dial etc, the camera will get inevitably bigger and heavier
  • having a top LCD and command dials makes camera smaller and lighter
  • the tiltable and detachable viewfinder on GFX100 necessitates of some well build parts that cost money to implement. The GFX100S hence has a fixed EVF and it’s also slightly lower resolution to make it cheaper
  • the addition of a vertical battery grip option would have ment adding electrical boards on the bottom of the camera, which also would have made the camera bigger and heavier
  • the capacity per battery has increased thanks to the NP-W235 battery
  • it’s better to have the battery in the pocket rather than on a big integrated battery grip
  • by adding accessories like a battery grip option, the price would have come closer to the GFX100
  • nostalgic negative film simulation
  • at minute 5:45 of the first video linked below (click and it will start at the right point), there is a quick eye AF demo
  • AF algorithm has been improved
  • weights 1700g when paired with the new GF80mmF1.7
  • You can go more out in the field thanks to the GFX100S smaller size
  • the sensor is large so the lenses are large, too. This means the glass elements that have to be moved are large and heavy. So the manager asked to make the lens inner focus. They also have to remove aberration with special glass elements. It’s all about finding the balance between price, size and performance
  • you can’t shoot dozen of extremely high speed rapid bursts, because the focal plane can’t move that fast [note: the GFX100S shoots at a max. of 5fps], but it can capture shorter action moments, like a motorcycle passing by
  • 4K30p video
  • you can adapt cinema PL lenses via adapter
  • you can now experience the world beyond full frame

That’s about it :).

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Videos

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FUJIFILM Fiscal Year 2020/3 Results: Firm X-T4 and X-S10 Sales Push Operating Income Back in the Black to Same Level of Last Year!

Fujifilm Fiscal Year 2020/3 Results

The results for the third quarter of the fiscal year 2020 have now been published by Fujifilm (Q1 report here, Q2 report here). FYI, the fiscal year in Japan starts on April 1 and ends on March 31.

It’s a year devasted by COVID-19, hence also Fujifilm suffered in some areas. But there are also good news. Let’s go with order.

The biggest hit in the imaging division has been taken by broadcast and cinema lenses. Not really a surprise, given many big events being canceled, such as the Toyko 2020 Summer Olympics.

Good news comes from the X series, where “firm sales” of the Fujifilm X-T4 and Fujifilm X-S10 allowed revenue for the third quarter to recover to the same level of last year.

A pity Fujifilm is still not able to decently ship the Fujinon XF50mm f/1.0, which still is mostly back-ordered. If they’d been able to match the initial high demand for that lens, that could have shown up with even better numbers.

Crossing fingers the same shipping-desaster won’t happen with the Fujifilm GFX100S and Fujinon GF80mmF1.7, as they also enjoy an astonishing high amount of pre-orders, and if Fujifilm will be able to deliver within March, then they will have decent imaging division figures to show for the end of the fiscal year compared to other brands (Fujifilm manager already hinted they are doing better than the rest).

The instax system keeps going strong.

Fiscal Reports

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