X-Pro2

[Elderly]

I wouldn't mind a Fuji digital back for the GX680 btw., preferably one that covers the whole image area.

Back in 1997 when I bought a GX680 outfit, I took it to Fuji near Bedford (UK) to have a grid screen fitted, and straight from the horse's mouth Fuji told me that a digital back was coming :ROTFL:.

 

[Lars]

Make that a curved sensor to keep it very compact.

Beautiful pipe dream - imagine the cost... all sensor fabs in the world are tooled to produce flat wafers. If you know how wafers are made and the sensor/chip fab process works it's really hard to imagine making a curved sensor in a cost-efficient way.

Flat or curved, the shape of the sensor is part of the optical system. It's relatively easy to make something flat - which is why cheap filters are pretty much as good optically as expensive ones - however making a curved chip to exacting standards will likely be quite costly. While (unless I'm mistaken) Sony has filed patents on using a curved sensor, it has not necessarily solved the problem of making one in a cost-efficient way.

 

[Vivek]

While (unless I'm mistaken) Sony has filed patents on using a curved sensor, it has not necessarily solved the problem of making one in a cost-efficient way.

If you look at the original research published on this (that is patented by others), the whole point is cost efficiency.
If you have handled ultrathin silicon wafers, it is easy to understand how robust they are and why it is doable.

Sony's perfume bottle selfie camera with Swarovski crystals offers curved sensor (albeit a tiny one). The Swarovski crystals perhaps cost more than bending the sensor.

 

[iiiNelson]

If you look at the original research published on this (that is patented by others), the whole point is cost efficiency.
If you have handled ultrathin silicon wafers, it is easy to understand how robust they are and why it is doable.

Sony's perfume bottle selfie camera with Swarovski crystals offers curved sensor (albeit a tiny one). The Swarovski crystals perhaps cost more than bending the sensor.

More proof that Sony is sort of like the "new Leica."

 

[Vivek]

Have you seen a €250 thumbs grip from Leica? Sony offers one. That is for a plain vanilla version and not a Damien Hirst bejeweled variety!

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Back in 1997 when I bought a GX680 outfit, I took it to Fuji near Bedford (UK) to have a grid screen fitted, and straight from the horse's mouth Fuji told me that a digital back was coming :ROTFL:.

Do you mean this one?

http://fujifilm.jp/personal/filmandcamera/filmcamera/mediumformat/dbp/index.html

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/5839668318/fujifilmback

It was only available in Japan and was discontinued in 2006. It was a SuperCCD, similar in concept to those in the S3 and S5 cameras. I've tried to find one for many years, but they seem to be extremely rare.

 

[iiiNelson]

FWIW Fuji is rumored to announce their MF camera at Photokina this year. If true this would be huge. I could see that camera and the inevitable XT-2 pair up well for a great kit.

 

[Vivek]

Awesome! Would this then be the first MF evil camera?

 

[Tim]

If you look at the original research published on this (that is patented by others), the whole point is cost efficiency.
If you have handled ultrathin silicon wafers, it is easy to understand how robust they are and why it is doable.

Sony's perfume bottle selfie camera with Swarovski crystals offers curved sensor (albeit a tiny one). The Swarovski crystals perhaps cost more than bending the sensor.

I just had to have a look at this thing - Sony's New KW1 is Part Perfume Bottle, Part Selfie Camera, and All Facepalm

Do Metabones makes an active EOS adapter for it? :grin:

 

[Vivek]

Do Metabones makes an active EOS adapter for it? :grin:

Speed booster (EOS to E) for NEX = €650 (shop price)

The new Fuji X70 = €699 (list price)

 

[Elderly]

Do you mean this one?


http://www.dpreview.com/articles/5839668318/fujifilmback

It was only available in Japan and was discontinued in 2006. It was a SuperCCD, similar in concept to those in the S3 and S5 cameras.

I presume that's what they were talking about, but it was almost 7 years after
my conversation with them before it was (briefly) available, and even if I could have afforded it,
I couldn't have coped with the crop factor as I needed all the field of view of my w i d e lenses.

I no longer have my GX680 (wonderful camera :thumbup, but I still have my S5Pro (in a cupboard :thumbdown.

 

[iiiNelson]

Awesome! Would this then be the first MF evil camera?

Possibly. If this is true, they price it correctly, and they release it with a good lens lineup them I may sell the Sony stuff for this. As good as some shots look from X--Pro 2. like I think I'd have an hard time returning to cropped sensors. This rumored MF camera on the other hand has some potential for me.

 

[David Schneider]

I've enjoyed my XE1 and XE2. When my Canon 5Dmk2 and then 5Dmk3 has gone down during my studio sessions, they filled in as great back-up cameras. They became my travel/family photo cameras.

I pre-ordered the XPro2 because I want to give it a good trial and comparison in my studio. If it passes, then it will become my studio workhorse camera. Compared to my 5Dmk3 and my Hassie H3D2-39, the Fuji X's are just more fun to use. Now it seems they increased the pixel count without screwing up the high ISO noise levels, increased the auto focusing, got Adobe to update Lightroom before the cameras hit the street, improved a lot of small things and added dual card slots (something I have come to rely on to make my life happier and cut down on my human errors with cards and downloading and back-up NAS failures).

Two things about the Fuji X's that I like. One is they are just more fun to use than other cameras I've owned at no loss of quality in the files. Life is too short not to enjoy your tools if you use them daily. Second, if you purchase a Fuji early in it's life cycle, they upgrade the firmware so that it's actually a better camera in a year or two than when you bought it.

 

[Lars]

If you look at the original research published on this (that is patented by others), the whole point is cost efficiency.
If you have handled ultrathin silicon wafers, it is easy to understand how robust they are and why it is doable.

Sony's perfume bottle selfie camera with Swarovski crystals offers curved sensor (albeit a tiny one). The Swarovski crystals perhaps cost more than bending the sensor.

The more I read about the concept of a curved sensor the more I believe it's a dead end. The sensor curvature is specific to a certain focal length, so you lose some economy of scale, and it won't work at all in an interchangeable-lens or zoom lens camera. Manufacturing efficiency is largely unknown - do you bend the silicon into shape, or do you grind it to spherical, or do you use spherical wafer (in which case you need a new fab line with spherical focal plane process lenses) etc. It all sounds largely inefficient (== costly) and highly specialized.

 

[ramosa]

Jono's reply, by the way, is a great one. It effectively (and even politely) moves us all past a somewhat trollish, incendiary comment, but it also builds upon the discussion knowledge base (in terms of the 4m dots), provides some early support for this camera (from a well-known camera aficionado), and points out what he sees to be a cosmetic design flaw. Seriously, a great reply.

Jono: I would be interested to see what you think of the camera's IQ once RAW files are more widely distributed. (I have used Leica Ms [M6-M9], the Leica Q, and the Sony RX1r in recent years, but am trying to get a feel of what--if anything--would be lost in terms of IQ. Trust me--I would prefer to move from the aforementioned more-expensive cameras to a less-expensive option like the X-Pro 2.)

All the best ...

Pssssht - I've just spent a day shooting with M lenses on the SL - mostly with the 75 'cron at f2, and I've not zoomed in to focus once. Of course, you're entitled to dislike it, but you don't have to be a Leica sycophant to think it's good. Whatever

I do agree that the 4m dots of the SL finder is not the be-all and end-all. The X-T1 finder was great (as is the latest Olympus finder) and I'm sure that the EVF on this camera will be good as well - it looks like a fantastic camera to me - really excellent - the only criticism I can find is that I still don't like the slanting top plate (but that's also just a matter of taste). I'm quite tempted personally.

 

[kit laughlin]

From above:

Personally I'm most interested in the rumored MF Fuji system if it's priced correctly

and

Now a straightforward small 645 fixed lens Fuji camera with a 35mm - 50mm equiv prime would be something unique.

Yes, please, PLEASE. And no video; I have that covered with µ4/3rds. I just want a 'record-life-happening' fixed lens MF camera, small, intelligent, and feeling good in the hand – like an X-100s on steroids.

 

[jsf]

Well, I am looking forward to the XT2. I have the 100-400 and it is a brilliant lens. I can only imagine what it will look like on the new sensor. Joe

 

[bensonga]

I had a chance to actually see, hold and shoot with a X-Pro2 today at my local camera shop. I like it a lot, especially the improved grips on the body, front and rear, and the little toggle for moving the focus point around etc.

When the price drops by a few hundred dollars, I'll be picking one up to join my X-Pro1, which is still my favorite Fuji X camera.

Gary Benson
X-Pro1, X100, X-E1, X-T1

 

[David Schneider]

FWIW Fuji is rumored to announce their MF camera at Photokina this year. If true this would be huge. I could see that camera and the inevitable XT-2 pair up well for a great kit.

Probably the first semi-possible rumor about a Fuji MFD.
http://cameratimes.org/fujifilm-medium-format-camera-50mp-sensor-available-2017/

 

[kit laughlin]

Yes, please, to the Fuji MF body.