It's not an announcement by Fuji, but Hasselblad said it sold more X1Ds in 10 days than they expected to sell in a year. I am not sure what that means, whether Hasselblad's expectations were too low or whether they usually sell in cameras homeopathic doses, but perhaps there is a big enough market for the Fuji after all.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Fuji's first medium format mirrorless camera
- Thread starter mavericks7913
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I would imagine there is. I mean look at us, given the chance we would have one. Financially, I can afford one if I really want it, but my hesitance is I know I haven't got the skills to eek out the very best of my existing kit right now so all I am chasing is ever more ease to get sharpness. Similarly, I am artistically challenged, you have seen my pictures! So what is the point for me right..
On the other hand, I know pros who use Hasselblad and Phase One kit. When they are dropping £27,000 plus on a single rig, then the possibility of a cheaper (easier to assemble) backup option, or something more portable means a lot to them. I mean, if you get grumpy at the amount of crap you have to carry now, you should see the amount of gear my friend carried for the recent shoot he did for the Harrods fashion brochure this season! I couldn't believe it. He had eleven tripods!!! Most were for lights setup but eleven!!! And I am not talking teeny weeny little svelte numbers, I am talking heavy duty platform stuff. I get pissy at myself carrying my little travel tripod!!! His twin H5Ds and assorted bits and bobs are huge too, pelican case for each one huge!
Question though, as a 35mm ff shooter, I know how I need to adjust my thinking when stepping down to my point and shoot. Do Medium Format shooters do the same thing when moving from MF to FF35? In which case, like we want a compact pocketable all in one FF, do they yearn for a compact MF in the same way? If they do then I think Fuji have a chance to get ahead because of a better filled out lens selection assuming the IQ is at least on a par.
I suppose the X1d is to an MF shooter as the Sony RX1 is to 35mm shooters no? There will be a market for those who know they need it. Also in a similar way to the A7 series, a new set of shooters will emerge as the jump from crop to full frame isn't so big now. Quite interesting really.
Given the price difference between APS-C sensors and FF sensors, I reckon that just on the basis of the bill of materials MF cameras will command a significant premium.
Interesting to note that Fuji skipped over the FF space entirely and jumped straght into MF. In an interview on DPreview with Fuji's Toshihisa Iida, he lays out Fuji's reasoning that there wasn't enough of a difference in quality between APS-C and FF to warrant making a FF camera, at least as far as Fuji was concerned.
Except Fuji say they there is no point in releasing a FF camera. Are you suggesting they are just buying time?
I think you misunderstood what I wanted to say: I was talking about the relative costs of sensors, not speculating on whether it makes sense for Fuji to release a FF system. I think they are making a smart bet: instead of having to compete with Sony, Canon and Nikon in the FF market, their competition is Hasselblad and up. And given the advantage the aforementioned three have in AF technology and speed, I don't think that is a battle they should pick. Also, MF cameras sell at a wholly different price point at much lower volume but probably much higher margins.
No misunderstanding - I was replying to mavericks comment re: Pentax skipping FF. I agree with your assessment.
Same story to Pentax. That's why Pentax started MF line up first cause they can not compete with other FF companies at that time so they entered MF format camera field with low price. You know that Pentax achieved the revolutionary low price first in 2011 around $10,000. It's not just a smart move, Fuji realized they need more skills to compete with FF companies but not ready yet. Yes, they are buying time because they still didn't finish with researching and developing their own sensor since the beginning. You need to remember that Fuji does not get most of profit from camera industry at all. So they really needed more time to develop FF.
Either that or we are witnessing one of those once-in-a-blue-moon changes. On another note, I did read where the GFX will accept leaf shutter lenses which gives me hope that I can use my Mamiya cache.
I would imagine there is. I mean look at us, given the chance we would have one. Financially, I can afford one if I really want it, but my hesitance is I know I haven't got the skills to eek out the very best of my existing kit right now so all I am chasing is ever more ease to get sharpness. Similarly, I am artistically challenged, you have seen my pictures! So what is the point for me right..
I think that's a really healthy attitude. Most of us have an unhealthy attraction to gear acquisition and a deep down belief that it might make us better photographers. Reality dawned for me when I started using medium format cameras - other people were just better. Bad light and boring subjects aren't magically transformed by expensive equipment.
While MF is a different beast to a 35mm camera, the controls are much the same. The attitude to shooting, for me at least, is rather different though. My gear is big, heavy and slow to use. It also takes some care to make the best of it. Focal lengths, depth of field, limits of defraction etc are all diferent too. I take a lot fewer pictures but with a lot more care. These new cameras may change all that and I can see the first users feeling a bit disappointed with their images if they expect these cameras to handle in the same way as one with a smaller sensor.
I'd absolutely love a more portable camera with the qualities of the Hasselblad I use for work, to use for travel and personal work, but I also like sports cars so I think that's the direction the lottery win cash would be going!
It looks like the Sony sensors are being sold (wholesale) at a lot less than the CCD sensors prevoiusly used as prices seem to have come down a lot and the makers are suddenly going about manufacturing in larger numbers rather than hand crafting smaller numbers. The more pixels used however must increase the numbers of dead pixels and rejected sensors though.
It would be interesting to see a shootout between the Hasselblad and Fuji....provided you can get similar lenses for both. I am surprised at the MP count being in the 50 range. You can get that with 35mm bodies. And Olympus E-M1 Mark II in hi res mode will deliver a 80MP file.
Also for both the MF bodies....are these only for landscape, portraits and other still shots? Do they have the AF speed and points to do wildlife or sports?
Also for both the MF bodies....are these only for landscape, portraits and other still shots? Do they have the AF speed and points to do wildlife or sports?
MP does not not better quality. Such as Phone or compact camera have 20mp and FF body have 20mp. MF have advantages for 16bit color, leaf lenses, overwhelming sharpness, and etc.
The digital rev video (above@4:41), says that the Fuji uses contrast detect autofocus.
That is my understanding as well. Something aimed at still life, portraits, etc. Great if you are in a studio.
At these sorts of shows, everything's quite controlled. You don't even get to keep the photos you take with them.
[doublepost=1474823714][/doublepost]https://blog.mingthein.com/2016/07/06/hasselblad-x1d-early-impressions-with-samples/
(has full size images from a prerelease version of the Hasselblad MF mirrorless).
The same photographer has done a review of the
https://blog.mingthein.com/2016/01/27/review-olympus-pen-f/
It's not fully operational camera. Fuji mirrorless cameras have both contrast and phase detect AF so we'll see. I tried Hassel X1D which wasn't fully operational and I see some differences between fully operational one and not fully operational one. We have to wait till 2017 anyway.