FUJIFILM AT CP + 2019 Interview: Fujifilm GFX100Mpx, GFX, Video Lenses, XF lenses, Firmware Updates, Fujinon XF33 f/1.0, and More
Phototrend interviewed Shinichiro Udono, Jun Watanabe, and Takuya Noguchi from Fujifilm at CP+ 2019. Below are some excerpts and pictures from the interview or you can read the full interview here:
- Mirrorless camera sales already make up 48% of annual sales in value
- Fujifilm thinks that in the second half of 2019 hybrid cameras already exceeded the 50% mark.
- Fujifilm isn’t the only reason for mirrorless hybrid cameras taking off there is Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, etc…
- This year mirrorless sales should be around 55% to 60% of the camera market
- Fujifilm launched its first hybrid camera 7 years ago in 2012
- Fujifilm has a well-established system with 31 XF lenses including those on the roadmap and they plan to add 10 GF lenses.
- Fujifilm f/1.4 lenses are designed for professionals f/2 or f/2.8 lenses are for photographers that want to remain compact
- Fujifilm is making lenses for everyone
- When Fujifilm launched the X-Pro1 in 2012 their priority was photography and not video
- Newer lenses have features that are more compatible with video
- Lenses with a lot of moving glass are not ideal for video.
- The Fujinon XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR and Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR are good for video
- Fujifilm recommends their zoom lenses for video work but might make better-fixed lenses for video in the future
- Fujifilm X-H is still for professionals and X-T is for enthusiasts but professionals can use it too
- Fujifilm’s IBIS system is still too larger for X-T cameras
- Not sure why people won’t drop dreams of a Fujifilm Full Frame cameras since they have GFX medium format.
- The combination of APS-C and Medium Format is the best option
- Full Frame is too big and the lenses are too heavy with almost no advantage over APS-C
- Keeping the system small encourages owners to take the camera with them more and to take more photos
- For customers that want a larger system with higher resolution, GFX is their solution
- The Fujifilm X-T20 will not be discontinued and it will cost less than the X-T30
- Fujifilm X-T3 is the best option for customers that want the latest technology
- Fujifilm will add IBIS to the X-T line when they can do it without compromise
- Fujinon GF50mmF3.5 R LM WR will be launched in 2019 and Fujinon GF45-100mm F4 R LM OIS WR will launch in 2020.
- The Fujinon XF 33mm f/1 R WR is the brightest AF lens and it is designed to have beautiful bokeh and great wide open performance.
- Fujifilm was waiting for the technology to create an f/1 AF lens.
- The Fujifilm GFX100Mpx isn’t finalized yet, but the overall size and user interface is almost final.
- The Fujifilm GFX100Mpx will have very fast AF thanks to the phase detect pixels
- The Fujifilm GFX100Mpx IBIS system was a challenge because it is hard to stabilize such a large sensor
- The Fujifilm GFX100Mpx will record 4k 30p without cropping, which should please professional videographers
- The Fujifilm GFX100Mpx is ideal for professional photographers working in fashion, advertising, portraiture, landscape, and more
- Fujifilm GFX 50R sales are more than anticipated and many advanced amateur photographers are buying it for landscape and street photography.
- Fujifilm didn’t put any technical research into how they could make a modular GFX
- There are currently no plans to make the modular GFX, but maybe they will in the future when they have the technology to make one.
- It probably got a lot of attention because it was unique and compact.
- Fujifilm was surprised by the excitement from their customer and photographers about a modular GFX system.
- Fujifilm got the idea to update their cameras significantly and frequently from the smartphone industry.
- Fujifilm X-T20 might still get updates, but they can’t copy stuff from the new X-Trans sensors 4 to the X-Trans 3 all of the time.
- Right now their priority is X-Trans 4
- The photography market is starting to copy their strategy of releasing big updates
- Just about every company is making a hybrid camera today
- The SLR market is shrinking by 10-20% a year
- The Fujinon MK18-55 T2.9 and Fujinon MK50-135mm T2.9 are selling at expected levels for X-Mount
- Video professionals are very interested in Fujinon MK lenses for X and E-mount
- The two MK lenses cover most of the needs of professional videographers from 18-135mm so they are going to focus on X and GFX lenses being better for video.
