Tag: Fujifilm

Fujifilm film price increase

Bad news, Fujifilm Announces Big Worldwide Price Hike on Film according to PetaPixel:

This latest price hike will hit your wallet pretty hard — hence the dedicated announcement.

“The price increases are substantial and it would be an increase of at least double digit, but will vary depending on products, markets and regions” Fuji says. You can expect to see the price tags change starting this month.

An increase of about 10% in the us (archived link) according to Fujifilm USA.

Some people suggested to buy anything but Fujifilm. If only they were not the only one in some market segments.

More Fuji X-Pro2….

The Verge shows us how Fujifilm makes the X-Pro2 and camera lenses in Japan:

I didn’t really know how they were put together. The answer, it turns out, is that they’re not assembled by robots, but by actual humans with a lot of work and care.

A fascinating photo essay.

ephotozine tells about the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 Design, Prototypes, and Manufacture, another view of the manufacturing and also the evolution of the physical design of the prototypes, showing different tests on the controls layout. They also follow up with their own Fujifilm X-Pro 2 First Impressions Review which is not very optimistic on the battery life.

Marius Masalar Fujifilm X-Pro2 review, based on a pre-production model with more close up picture of the body:

I’ve been waiting for the camera that takes everything I love about the X100T and expands the shooting envelope enough to make it viable for work as well as pleasure. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that it’s Fuji who ultimately delivered it in the form of the X-Pro 2.

After reading that, the X-Pro2 is even more tempting than before.

Fuji X-Pro 2 and 5 years of Fuji X

Fuji has been celebrating the 5 years of Fuji X, a line they started with the release of the Fujifilm X-100.

Yesterday, Fujifilm officially announced the X-Pro2, the successor of the X-Pro1 that was released in April 2012 and boostrapped the Fuji X-system and introduced the X-Trans sensor. I bought the X-Pro1 sight unseen and didn’t regret it, despite its flaws and quirks.

The X-system has since evolved, between the X-E bodies (cheaper X-Pro1) and X-T (improved EVF only bodies) and the range if new high quality lenses, into a really high quality mirrorless photographic system. Fujifilm has followed-up from customer feedback and managed to provide serious improvements for the various through firmware updates for the existing model — something we have yet to see from most of the competition. And it is happening again with the X-E2 getting improvement from X-E2s.

The X-Pro2

I don’t have the privilege to have access to this camera, so don’t treat this article as a review.

The short version of the X-Pro2 vs the X-Pro1, it is a bit more of everything. More pixels, more speed, more AF focus points, more manual controls, more shutter speed, more exposure compensation, etc.

The various improvements are, without specific order:

  • 24 Mega pixels X-Trans (vs 16 on the X-Pro1)
  • The same hybrid viewfinder improvements than the one found on the X-100T
  • More AF focus point – with phase detection AF
  • Faster shutter speed (1/8000) and fast flash sync (1/250) with the new focal-plan shutter
  • Mechanical dial for the ISO
  • ±3 stops exposure compensation on the dial and up to ±5 in C mode with electronic controls
  • Front selection wheel and improved grip
  • Diopter for the viewfinder
  • 2 SD-cards slots
  • More precise battery meter (but quid of the battery life)
  • Built-in wifi with remote control
  • More film simulation modes
  • Weather sealing

The expected price of USD$1700 is in the same range as the original X-Pro1 and to be available in February 2016.

Let’s see what is being reported elsewhere:

I still have questions. A major one is about the battery life. Since the X-Pro2 uses the same NP-W126 batteries, I’m not sure if it will not plagued by the same problem. I have trouble filling up a 16GB card in RAW with only 4 batteries ; so imagine with two 32GB cards…. in this dual slot setup. Not that the dual slot is useless, but it is not useful for just extended capacity as you’d end up switching batteries even more.
Update: Garrett told me over twitter that the X-T1 that use the same battery is already much better for battery life. There is hope.

The other question is how long it will take to have RAF support in the various applications, given how much of a joke is the application that come with the camera, at least with the previous ones. If only this was documented…, but I digress.

While it sounds like a good time for me to upgrade, I will wait for the things to settle first.

Other announcements

Also announced, the X-70, a refresh of the X-E2 named X-E2s, a new XF 100-400mm lens and a new flash EF-X500.

The X-E2s is a refreshed, aka slightly improved, version of the X-E2 with better high ISO and a few other software perks, that will also be delivered through a firmware upgrade for the X-E2 users. It is great to see Fujifilm committed into improving existing model with software when it is possible.

  • The X-70 is like a X-100T with a wider angle and slower fixed lens 17.5mm f/2.8 and an EVF a flip LCD screen instead of the hybrid. With the promise of an expensive hot-shoe mounted optical viewfinder. In short a competitor to the Ricoh GR.
  • The XF 100-400mm is a f/4.5-5.6 tele-zoom with weather sealing and optical image stabilizer.
  • The EF-X500 is an auto TTL flash for the X-system to be released in May 2016.

Edit: the X70 doesn’t have an EVF. Edited accordingly. Sorry about that.

Fuji new “body cap” lens

(Petapixel) Fuji’s New XM-FL is an X-Mount Body Cap Lens with Built-In Photo Filters:

Fujifilm has announced a strange new lens over in Japan. It’s called the XM-FL, and it’s a 24mm f/8 body cap-style pancake lens that features built-in photo filters that can be accessed by turning a dial on the side.

Very light, totally “dumb” (ie no electronics), for ~$100, can make for interesting experiments on your Fuji X.

From Fujifilm Japan (in Japanese)

Similar in principle to the Olympus body cap lens in 2013.

Fuji X100T First Looks

Zack Arias has had his hands on a Fuji X100T, at least a pre-production model. We know how he loved the first one, how he loved the improvements of the second generation, how he love the X series. Faster, better wifi, classic chrome, better buttons standardized on the rest of the X-series, new hybrid viewfinder.

Petapixel today: Fuji Unveils the X100T with “Electronic Rangefinder” Function, Improved Controls and More gives us some news from the product announcement.

It is great to see Fuji iterating over to improve things and the hybrid viewfinder improvement are, I hope, a shape of things to come for the 2nd generation X-Pro1 that is rumoured.

Fuji X round up

Zack Arias take on the Fuji X-T1: Yep. It’s A Fuji (archived from the original).

Conclusion… I have zero regrets about selling all of my Canon gear and going Fuji. Zero regrets.

I have to admit, I’m not a pro like him, ie I don’t shoot for a living (also I’m less talented), but since I have my X-Pro1 I haven’t used the Canon much nor even lusted on any piece of gear for it.

Last week I have had my hands shortly on the X-T1 and the EVF is absolutely so much better than the X-Pro1. Non-withstanding the other advantages. If only I could try it longer.

Also don’t miss his Mystical Marrakech video (on YouTube) that he did for Fuji:

Things about the X-E1

Tim Bray wrote a love letter to Fujifilm:

He starts with the conclusion:

It’s the best camera I’ve ever used: Light, wonderful in the hand, perfect controls, astounding lenses, pleasing pictures. So if you were thinking of buying a Serious Camera, this is totally one of the ones you should look at. Or maybe the X-E2; more on that below.

I’ll let you read the rest.

As an X-Pro1 owner I can tell that almost everything applies to it too.

Fuji XF23mm f1.4

Fuji announced the Fuji XF23mm f1.4 for the Fuji X series (like the X-Pro1)

This lens will provide a fast 35mm-like lens ; one of the favourite field of view of street photographers.

Thinktank Retrospective 5

Jorge Ledesma call the Thinktank Retrospective 5
The Best Street (Casual) Photography Bag for the Ricoh GR and Companion.

I’ve tried quite a few bags, too many to name, but let me tell that the Thinktank Photo Retrospective 5 has stolen my heart and the hearts of my two primary photographic tools — the Ricoh GR and the Pentax K5 IIs. Its like this: you know how you fall in love with a certain comforter and that’s what you like to sleep in all time. Well, its like that for the GR/K5IIs and the Retrospective 5. I can’t think of any other bag that has all the features that one needs to have while on the field photographing.

While I don’t have a Ricoh GR, I bought this bag over a year ago to use with my Fujifilm X-Pro1 – after having bought the Retrospective 30 – and I love it. It even fits the 5DMkII with the 24-105 or the 40mm pancake.

Retrospective 5 (Pinestone)
Retrospective 5 (Pinestone) by .:fotomaf:., on Flickr – cc by-nc-sa-2.0

Leica M typ 240 review

Highly anticipated, the Leica M type 240, aka Leica new M as announced in 2012, is starting to appear in the hands of various photographers.

Ming Thein, a Kuala Lumpur based photographer, reviews the new M:

First off: the M 240 is an enormous leap forward ahead of the M9 in every area; in fact, it feels like several generations have been skipped.

He even ask about the relevance of the rangefinder design, whether it is still the best today.

I actually wonder if the appearance of the EVF on an M camera means that the rangefinder’s days may be numbered; the reality is that the system requires very precise calibration, is prone to drift, is limited when it comes to zoom lenses, long lenses or off-center subjects, and is manual focus only. […] Perhaps Fuji is going in the right direction after all.

In my opinion, the Leica is about the rangefinder, but Fujifilm has shown the way to the best of both world with the X100 and X-Pro1, except it is not yet a rangefinder, and is not as accurate as one. But do we need one or do we just need a good focusing system for mirror less systems?

Also read Thein’s B&W with the Leica M Typ 240.