Fujicast: Interview With Marketing Manager Andreas Georghiades – GFX MK II, GFX50R IBIS, X-H2, X80, Sports/Wildlife, Firmware Updates, and More
Fujicast is back again with Manager Andreas Georghiades (1, 2, 3) which they have been doing daily during the lockdown. You can listen below or read a summary:
Intro
- Neale James is thinking about leaving Nikon for Fujifilm or Canon
- Kevin Mullins went to Fujifilm because he liked that it was smaller and lighters with manual dials and the viewfinder – in short, he enjoyed using the Fujifilm camera and didn’t enjoy using others
- X100 is Kevin’s favorite
Q&A
- Canon is the benchmark for double exposure and how it works, but Fujifilm might develop theirs further because they are listening
- The rules have changed around what is a digital video camera so there is no longer a recording limit time, but you will always hit a thermal limit unless you have a large heat sync
- When X-Pro2 launched the demand was above normal because it was the first to have the X-Trans III processor. X-Pro3 wasn’t the first to have an X-Trans IV so the demand isn’t comparable and it also allowed them to make the product more niche.
- If X-Pro3 was just an X-T3 in a different body it wouldn’t have been as desirable so they made it a more distinct camera.
- X-Pro3 responses have been mixed but it is performing as they hoped
- Not sure what the Megapixel limit will be for APS-C because it will change over time
- Can’t say what screen might come to the next X-H camera, but reviewers haven’t complained about the X-T4 screen
- When the X-T3 came out vloggers said how great the video was on the camera, but it needed a flippy out screen to view yourself
- Now that the X-T4 is out with a flippy out screen some photographers are saying they do not like the flippy out screen
- In a perfect world, you could produce the camera with both kinds of screens
- All good things come to those that wait when asked about the future of the GFX
- GFX is limited by the 44x33mm sensors on the market so updates will depend on what comes
- We should see a replacement on the GFX rangefinder-style in the future, but won’t speculate about what is coming
- They looked at a 40mm f/1 and 50mm f/1 when they discovered the 33mm f/1 would be very heavy and require a tripod collar
- There is a demand for refurbished equipment and Fujifilm continues to develop there refurb market
- In-camera clarity creates a lag when outshooting rapidly on the X-Pro3 and it is a limitation of the setting like color chrome on the GFX when it launched, but there is no solution at this time except shooting RAW and doing a RAW conversion after because this is a hardware limitation at this time.
- Fujifilm prides itself on listening to as many requests for firmware updates as they can and they pass them up to corporate to implement than the engineers and product planning team decide what to focus on.
- Fujifilm is resource-limited when adding stuff to the firmware of released cameras
- Fujifilm could add a snap mode like Ricoh, but from their point of view focus limiter is similar
- Fujifilm has no plans for a compact tough camera mainly because smartphones are taking that market
- Fujifilm has the XP which is kind of the family compact market and Olympus goes after the high-end compact and Fujifilm is fine with that because other manufactures aren’t trying to enter these areas because it is shrinking and tough.
- Theoretically, AF speed, Low light AF speed -6EV, Classic negative, precision steps for tone settings, monochromatic color, Bleach Bypass and more could be added to the X-T3 via firmware, but Fujifilm isn’t sure where to draw the line, but Fujifilm will add what they can without detracting from new products.
- X-T3 is the first camera that they have gone quite with updating, but they believe it is a disserving, but as of right now the cost is an issue because it costs millions to develop since there are slight hardware differences to workaround
- It’s the general manager’s decision and it’s always a debate about whether rewarding loyalty is removing or adding to future sales
- What’s needed vs what is wanted is largely how they decided what to retrofitted so maybe we will see all the AF related stuff added to the X-T3
- Fujifilm will continue doing firmware updates, but the frequency might be reduced in the future
- Can’t talk about a future X70, but personally he would like to see it even though demand for compact cameras is going down every month
- The $500-$800 market is a very difficult market at this time
- Personally thinks we might see a super-compact ILC camera using pancake lenses
- ILC is still pretty strong
- Never say never about a GFX50R with IBIS
- Fujifilm’s current IBIS technology made the GFX100 bigger to fit the IBIS and remove the humpback
- GFX50R would have to have a humpback to have IBIS and keep its size or have a GFX100 style body
- Even with magnetic IBIS, the GFX50R would have to get bigger and might make it too big
- Fujifilm US is trying to bring X series coverage to FPS, but have no idea about rental improvements
- Fujifilm might do a video on multiple exposure for GFX since they did one on focus stacking
- Fujifilm would like to get more wildlife and sports photographers in their system, but the XF200 hasn’t had the demand they hoped to develop more expensive long glass
- Photographers don’t like putting expensive glass on affordable bodies so it is very hard to get into wildlife and sports
- X-H line will continue and it is still the first you see on their website X-H, X-Pro, X-T
- X-H is a more rugged camera than X-T and he expects it to be a flagship camera
- Fujifilm is trying to figure out how to open their house of photography store again
Fujifilm X-T News, Rumors, and Collaboration
Fujifilm X-T Owners Group
Fujifilm X-T Page
Plus our owners’ groups
Fujifilm GFX Owners Group
Fujifilm X-H Owners Group
Fujifilm X-T Owners Group
Fujifilm X-Pro Owners Group
Fujifilm X-E Owners Group
Fujifilm X-A Owners Group
Fujifilm X100 Owners Group
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