Fujifilm Publicly Asks Which X and G Lenses to Make Next, Shows Video Demo of New Fujifilm X-T3 April Firmware, Modular Compact GFX Body and More – X Summit

Fujifilm X Summit

Fujifilm hold the first X summit at the GPP in Dubai, an event aimed to listen to customer feedback in the best Kaizen tradition and discuss about the Fujifilm future.

For example, Fujifilm asked people which X and GFX lenses they should make next and which firmware update should come next.

Sadly there was not much participation (hardly 50 comments), so let’s see what happens if I share the same polls here on FujiRumors, the only Fujifilm community that can collect several thousands of votes within a few hours ;).

You find Fujifilm’s future X and GF lens survey down below.

Big news: just as we rumored a few days ago, the Fujifilm X-T3 will get a major firmware update, centered on autofocus improvements. It will come in April. Fujifilm showed a video demo of the improvements, and it was fairly impressive. Better face and eye tracking.

Here is the entire 1 hour and 48 minutes video summed up in key points for you. You’re welcome :).

X and G Mount – starts 27:48

Why no Full Frame

  • All brands go to mirrorless, and to different mounts and sensor sizes
  • Medium Format makes it easier to design lenses for higher resolution. But also needs more power
  • Barney from DPReview says there is no perfect format. It depends on what the customers wants
  • Every format has Pros and Cons
  • Focus is APS-C size. Provides fast system and enough resolution
  • For higher resolution, go GFX
  • Fuji’s R&D challenge is to make APS-C quality better and GFX smaller

X mount

  • X-mount design: sensors are getting better and so sensitive, that they have to deliver light through the lens in a very precise way
  • More light, less digital correction
  • Value Angle: Long technical explanation. In short: the wider the value angle, the more precise and easier they can send light to the sensor
  • Fujifilm compares the value angle of X-mount to full frame, and they show that X-mount has much wider value angle (screenshot below)
  • Canon and Nikon full frame mirrorless have smaller value angle
  • The Value angle of Sony full frame is very narrow
  • Wider value angle gives more flexibility for lens design. Allows for more light and less digital correction

FUTURE CONCEPTS – starts 41:57

XF33mm f/1.0

  • XF35mmF1.4 vs XF33mmF1.0: the XF 33/1 needs to be twice as big, since it needs to let in and correct twice the light
  • XF33mmF1 has more than twice lens elements than the XF35/1.4
  • to correct aberration on the XF33mm f/1.0 you need around 7-10 glass front elements
  • the XF35mmF1.4 has only 7 elements overall
  • the backside of the XF33mm f/1.0 has about 8 to 10 glass elements
  • overall the XF33mm f/1.0 has more than twice the lens elements
  • the 7 to 10 glass elements on the front of the 33/1 weight about 200 gram
  • challange is to move heavy lens elements precisely during autofocus
  • Toshi was not satisfied with the size of the lens, but he understands the challenges of developing it. However, he invites engineers to make it still as small and light as possible

XF16mm f/2.8 and XF 16-80mm f/4 working protoypes

  • XF16mmf/2.8 announcement soon
  • XF16-80mmf/4 will follow. Launch later this year. Lens feels really light

Future X and GF lenses

  • Fujifilm asks people which lenses Fujifilm should develop next – FujiRumors added the polls down below
  • Tilt shift lens is very likely to come next for G mount system
  • Zack Arias agrees with FujiRumors and he does not want a 35/1.4 MK II because he does not want the 35/1.4 magic to go lost
  • development costs of new lenses are very high

FUTURE GFX CONCEPTS and GFX CAMERAS – starts 59:39

GFX Concepts

  • Mirrorless should be free from all legacy
  • Fujifilm shows design mock-ups of GFX
  • they show a very small cubic and modular GFX, where you can attach a grip unit and viewfinder unit. So you can build the GFX according to your style (full video here and original full video here)
  • the modular GFX is just a mockup, but Fujifilm hopes it won’t take long to create such a small device
  • Medium format size can be reduced a lot, but there are challenges, for example a smaller shutter unit and better battery efficiency
  • with global shutter Fujifilm can make it smaller

The clear message here is: don’t worry, we are going to make the GFX system a whole lot smaller. So invest into GFX, and we will deliver you also a super-compact body one day.

GFX 100

  • Fujifilm shows a working prototype of GFX100 and they take a sample on stage, including pixel peeping
  • at 100MP the benefits of medium format shine, because it’s easier to design lenses that resolve 100MP for MF than for full frame or APS-C
  • hand-holdable medium format camera thanks to IBIS
  • GFX100 will cost around $10,000, but final decision has not yet been made
  • Coming before June

COLORS and IMAGE QUALITY – starts 1:17:46

  • They explain their color science.
  • The steps are: signal, measure, calculate, tune, target color
  • there will be new film simulations and they asked people which should come next (FujiRumors has already expressed its opinion)

FIRMWARE – starts 1:27:25

  • 250+ total firmware updates made since the original X100 has been introduced
  • They show upcoming firmware of X-T3 with significant autofocus improvement. Better face detection, better tracking, better eye AF. Coming in April. Check it out in the video embedded above or on youtube at 1:28:35
  • Fujifilm also said they will give us the opportunity to switch between faces with the new firmware
  • survey about which firmware should come next
  • they official mention Kaizen as their philosophy

Q&A

  • Fujifilm is studying the rating system
  • Adobe X-Trans support: Adobe says that for them to get good results with X-Trans is difficult, it’s a lot of work. Fujifilm will support Adobe for better processing
  • People ask for complete Camera Remote App redesign
  • Fujifilm is working on improved camera remote app

There will be more X summits, and you can interact at slido here, and of course you will be the first to know, if you follow FujiRumors on Facebook, Instagram, RSS-feed and Twitter.

Which Fujinon XF Lens Should Fujifilm Make Next? - max. 2 selections

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Which Fujinon GF Lens Should Fujifilm Make Next? - max. 1 selections

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Firmware Wishlist - Pick 1

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Belgian Store Teases FUJIFILM MYSTERY EVENT on March 30

Fujifilm Mystery Event

Belgian store Art & Craft is teasing a “Fujifilm Mystery Event” on March 30 on their facebook page here.

“We can not say anything about it yet, but we promise you: it is worth a visit! Photographer & Fuji Ambassador Ioannis Tsouloulis will be ready that day to explain the whole event & answer all your questions.”

FujiRumors broke the news that the Fujifilm X-T30 will be announced on February 14, so March 30 could eventually be the shipping start. And before you start again: nope, Fujifilm X-H2 is not coming that soon.

Or it could be something completely different, from the rumored major Fujifilm X-T3 firmware update to not yet rumored Fujifilm gear.

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Dedicated X-T Zones

Fuji Guy Billy: Fujinon XF 33mm f/1.0 Development Challenge, XF 16-80mm f/4 very silent AF, X-H1 Market Misunderstanding and More

Fuji Guy Billy Interview

Fuji Guy Billy joined the Fujilove podcast. For those of you, who are right now on the road or at work and you can’t listen to it all at iTunes, Stitcher or on fujilove, here are the key points:

Fujinon X Mount Lenses

Fujifilm X100, X-E3, X-T20 and X-T3

  • Fujifilm X100 was the game changer and started the X series success
  • When developing the X100, Fujifilm wondered who is going to buy a fixed lens camera at this price point, but it turned out to be a success
  • Fujifilm X-T3 is balance of size, weight and quality in a good price point, but for Billy even the X-T3 is big
  • Billy’s go-to camera is the Fujifilm X-E3, paired with XF35mmF2, XF23mmF2 and occasionally the XF50mmF2 because of portability
  • Fujifilm X-T20 with no joystick is a dealbreaker for him

Fujifilm X-H1

  • Fujifilm X-H1 latest firmware introduced lots of improvements and the new lower price makes it very tempting
  • The Fujifilm X-H1 maybe has been misunderstood by the market. It had a lot of new video features, so people considered it more a video camera. But it is also a better and more robust camera, and facilitates handling of bigger lenses. For Professionals weight is sometimes not a problem, but more durability. That’s why Fujifilm launched the Fujifilm X-H1. It should also appeal to DSLR customers, who were on the fence of switching to mirrorless. IBIS is quite nice also for photography, especially in low light
  • Shutter has an S1 (half press) and S2 (full contact to release shutter) position. Regarding the Fujifilm X-H1, you can contact your Fujifilm service and see if they have an option to adjust the S1 and S2 position to your taste (low, medium or high). There might be a charge for that service, depending on your country

IBIS

  • Fujifilm wanted to make an excellent IBIS system, and it is one of the best on the market. But the size of the system was too big to put it into other X-series cameras. At this moment, it can’t fit in other cameras, but hopefully one day IBIS can be designed smaller and make it fit on other cameras

Fujinon G Mount Lenses

  • Fujinon GF 50mm f/3.5 coming in 2019 and Fujinon GF 45-100mm f/4 in 2020
  • Fujinon GF 100-200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR: If you look to move into medium format, you don’t have many lenses initially to choose from, so zoom lenses can cover various focal lengths. The GF100-200 is compatible with teleconverter. It’s a little bit heavier, but very sharp. At that focal length with medium format sensor, you can isolate your subject very well

External Battery Packs

Navigate Menu

  • Tips and Tricks: Best way to navigate the menu is using the front and rear command dial. Front dial jumps from page to page, and rear dial jumps from item to item

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Fujinon XF 8-16mm F2.8 and XF 200mm F2 Compared to Equivalent Full Frame Glass, Owner Manuals, Reviews and More

Fujinon APS-C vs Equivalent Full Frame Glass

The Fuji year 2018 saw the arrival of two high-end, fast and top quality lenses, the Fujinon XF200mm f/2 LM OIS WR and the Fujinon XF 8-16mm f/2.8 LM WR.

Both Fujinon lenses are still smaller, lighter and cheaper than perfectly equivalent full frame glass, as you can see in this comparison, where we compare the Fujifilm XF200mm f/2 (with 1.4 TC) versus the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L and the Fujinon XF8-16mm f/2.8 with the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM.

Check out the comparison here.

Price and size is one of the advantages of an APS-C system. For more advantages, read this article.

And as soon as the Fujinon XF33mm f/1.0 hits the market in 2020, Fuji’s APS-C system will have also an equivalent to something like the Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G and the Sigma 50mm f/1.4.

So, that was the fast glass.

But many people, who buy into an APS-C system, probably do it because they look for the best balance between size, weight, price and performance.

Lenses like the Fujinon XF 16mm f/2.8 (which will come soon) and the Fujinon XF 16-80mm f/4 (which will come later), perfectly fit into the philosophy of the “balance“. Great performance in a compact, flexible, portable and affordable package.

My prediction: Fujifilm will sell the XF16mmF2.8 and XF16-80mmF4 like hot cakes, just like they do with their f/2 trinity, the XF23mmF2, XF35mmF2 and XF50mmF2.

Good that Fujifilm is boosting up its lens production by 70%.

But today’s roundup is all for the big and fast guys, the Fujinon XF 8-16mm f/2.8 LM WR and Fujinon XF200mm f/2 LM OIS WR. Enjoy it.

Fujinon XF 8-16mm F2.8: BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS, Focuscamera
Fujinon XF 200mm F2: BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS, Focuscamera

Fujinon XF 200mm f/2

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

BREAKING: Fujifilm X-T30 Announcement on February 14

Fujifilm X-T30

According to our trusted sources, the Fujifilm X-T30 will be announced on February 14.

FujiRumors will be live blogging the event non stop, so make sure to join FujiRumors on Facebook, Instagram, RSS-feed and Twitter.

And remember that:

Check out our Fujifilm camera and lens timeline 2019/2020 for more details.

And I know that given the terrific rebate on Fujifilm X-H1 ($900 cheaper than just at launch price), many speculate the Fujifilm X-H2 could be annouced, too. But so far I do not have any indication that leads me to correct my previous rumor, which said the Fujifilm X-H2 will not come in 2019.

More rumors are coming :), so make sure to get notified instantly by following FujiRumors on Facebook, Instagram, RSS-feed and Twitter and hitting that little bell icon on the bottom right of your browser.

Fujifilm X-T20 new MSRP + Fujifilm X-H1 Super Deal

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