PT: Fujifilm CP+ 2026 Interview – GFX RF, GFX Eterna, More Pancakes, the X-Pro4’s Future, and More
Fujifilm Jun Watanabe was interviewed by phototrend at CP+ 2026. You can read the full interview in French here or check out the translated summary below:
The X-Pro Series & APS-C Camera Lineup
- The X-Pro Series is NOT Dead: Jun Watanabe reiterated his statement from last year, explicitly confirming the X-Pro series has not been abandoned.
- High Expectations for X-Pro: Fujifilm is acutely aware that fans have been waiting 7 years since the X-Pro3 and have massive expectations. While they wouldn’t give a specific release timeline, their goal is to ensure the next X-Pro fully meets those high expectations (suggesting they are taking their time to get the OVF/EVF hybrid experience right).
- X-E5 vs. X-Pro: The recently released X-E5 has a different positioning and doesn’t replace the need for an X-Pro.
- X-H2S & Wildlife/Sports: The X-H2S successfully achieved its goal of attracting sports and wildlife photographers who shoot moving subjects. Fujifilm believes that with their current lineup of telephoto lenses, there is strong potential for even more adoption in this segment.
- Entry-Level Strategy (X-M5 vs. X-T30 III): * The X-T30 III is currently selling better simply because it is the newer release. It is strictly targeted at photographers.
- The X-M5 has very stable sales but targets a different demographic entirely (video creators and B-roll).
- No “Cheap” Cameras planned: Fujifilm has no current plans to release ultra-budget cameras (like the old X-T100 or X-T200 lines) just to hit a low price point. They are focusing on products that “make sense” for users.
Lenses: The Future of Pancakes & “Mark II” Updates
- More Pancake Lenses are Coming: The 27mm f/2.8 continues to sell very solidly, and the new 23mm f/2.8 is also a hit. Because a pancake lens on an X-series body creates a “very elegant” kit, Fujifilm sees strong potential for a whole future lineup of pancake lenses.
- Wide-Angle Focus for Pancakes: When asked what focal lengths make sense for pancakes, Watanabe noted that shorter, wide-angle focal lengths are the most physically suited for keeping the size as compact as possible.
- The “Mark II” Lens Strategy: When updating older lenses (like the 16-55mm II), the absolute strict criteria are size and performance.
- The “Three Pillars” of a Mark II Lens: Any Version II lens must improve on all three fronts: 1) Better image quality, 2) Better overall performance, and 3) Reduced size and weight. Because “portability” is the core philosophy of the X-Series, shrinking lenses is a primary goal.
- Release Balance: They wouldn’t confirm if the 50-140mm, 10-24mm, or 90mm are next, but they revealed their overall lens roadmap strategy: They aim to release one entirely new lens in parallel with one redesigned (Mark II) lens to keep the ecosystem balanced.
Film Simulations & RAW Support
- Film Simulations to Expand Beyond JPEGs: In what is arguably the biggest tease of the interview, Makoto Oishi acknowledged that film simulations are currently only applied to JPEGs, but explicitly stated: “However, in the future, I think that could change.” (This heavily hints at deeper RAW integration or new metadata workflows).
- 20-Year Legacy: The digital Film Simulation R&D started over 20 years ago (debuting around 2005 with the S100FS), and it still relies entirely on their analog color philosophy and history.
- Updating Existing Recipes: Fujifilm is looking at two distinct directions for film simulations:
- Creating entirely new recipes/simulations based on user demand.
- Using future technology to update and “refine” existing simulations (like Classic Chrome) to make them closer to the “ideal” vision as new sensors and hardware evolve.
GFX System: Medium Format Compacts & Cinema
- GFX100RF Feedback: The fixed-lens medium format compact has been a massive commercial success, largely because it acts as a gateway drug—bringing brand new users into the GFX system without requiring them to buy separate lenses.
- Why no IBIS or Faster Lens? Users complained about the lack of IBIS and a faster aperture. Makoto Oishi defended this, saying it was the absolute best technical configuration at the time to make the smallest/lightest GFX possible. Interestingly, he noted that users who actually bought the camera find it works so well they quickly stop caring about the lack of IBIS or max aperture.
- GFX100RF II Hints: Oishi acknowledged the requests for IBIS/faster lenses and noted that since the 100RF is merely the first product in the new “RF line,” they are taking that feedback into account for future iterations.
- GFX Eterna Cinema Camera: * Feedback from professionals has been excellent, particularly praising the 4:3 Open-Gate sensor and the F-Log2 C color science.
- It is already being used in major productions, including the highly prestigious Japanese TV series Aibou: Tokyo Detective Duo (which has been running for over 24 years).
- Its body design (side panels, internal battery, menu GUI) is already being adopted as an “ergonomic standard” in the cinema industry.
- A firmware update is coming to minimize SDI and HDMI latency, and more firmware features are planned to bypass any processing limitations of the current hardware.
The X-Half (1-Inch Sensor) & Market Expansion
- A Massive Hit in Asia: The 1-inch sensor X-Half has been incredibly popular in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. European sales are “progressing well,” but Asia is the volume driver.
- The Exclusive White Colorway: The white version was made exclusive to Asia not because of market size, but simply because Fujifilm felt that specific color “suited that market” best.
- More 1-Inch Cameras Coming: Because a 1-inch sensor allows for much smaller bodies while maintaining high image quality, Fujifilm confirmed there is “significant potential” for more 1-inch products in the future.
- Why Buy This Over a 1-Inch Smartphone? Fujifilm argues their 1-inch cameras survive against 1-inch smartphones through “uniqueness”: Film simulations, optical lens differentiation, the physical shooting experience, and direct printing connectivity with Instax.
- Financial Boom: Driven by Instax and digital cameras, Fujifilm’s Imaging division saw a 14% revenue increase and almost an 18% jump in operating profit for the first 9 months of 2025, largely by successfully converting younger Gen Z/Millennial smartphone users into dedicated camera users.
6th Generation Tech & AI
- 6th Gen Priorities: For the next generation of sensors/processors, the priorities remain consistent: improving overall image quality, pushing autofocus responsiveness further, and enhancing video performance.
- AI Integration & Authenticity: Fujifilm sees endless possibilities for AI in computational processing, but they are treading carefully. They want to ensure a strict distinction between “real” photography and generative AI, which is why they are heavily pushing C2PA and CAI standards for image authenticity.
- Future AI Features: While they haven’t had specific requests for things like “AI picking the best burst photo,” they are talking to their professional clients and see a growing, undeniable interest in advanced computational processing.
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