Fuji Roadmap Rumours (and in body stabilisation)

[baobob]

The announcements through 2013 will be lens releases from the roadmap.

--

so we hope ...

 

[LetsDoTheStapler]

jimmyca1219 wrote:

mr moonlight wrote:

If any updates to the Xpro1 or XE1 come this year, it will most likely be in the form of a "S" like the X100S. So an Xpro1s and XE1s with the new updates that the X100S has. I'd be surprised to see either by the end of this year, but next year I think it's possible to get an Xpro1s with some additional new features. I doubt IBIS will be one of them and I wouldn't want the extra added weight or size.

I'd be perfectly happy if they just upgraded to bring it to the same level as the X100s is at, or at least what I hope it's at. The only other features I wouldn't mind would be an increase in resolution and a user removable IR filter, the latter being a pipe dream.

It will be very interesting if Fuji follows apple's route.

Xpro1s- improved features but same body.

Xpro2 - New body design.

And then xpro2s, xpro3, xpro3s and so on.

 

[Daniel from Bavaria]

Hi,



I think it is absolute possible that Fuji will bring a faster than expected update of the XP1 and the XE1, as they`ve been greatly critisized because of there focus-speed by some magazines. Everybody wrote that the concept is great, the IQ is great but it lacks of the same focus-speed as some competitors.

And as the mirroless market is a fast growing one it is important to get market shares now, as it is a system market.

Therefore I think it is absolutely possible.



Nevertheless for me personaly it would be more delighting if Fuji would bring out the 1.4 23 as soon as possible and I will be 101% happy with my XP1 once they give me the possibility to have a Auto-Iso Setup as the X100 does have.



BTW: My father does have the OM-D and during his last visit it was interesting to see that he had more problems to get thinks in focus during the nighttime than I had with my XP1. During day the OM-D is faster, but after testing it excessivly during his stay here, I can truly admit that the difference is really subtle (with the 18-55) and far away from being night and day.



Regarding the IBIS: No, I don't think they will change their concept.



Regards,

Daniel

 

[Keit ll]

I think that Fuji could do themslves big favour by introducing IBIS. It would greatly enhance the use of legacy lenses with a suitable adapter.

Sony were surprised by the number of users who bought a NEX specifically to use Leica & other quality lenses but they have stubornly refused to re-use their excellent IBIS system which they inherited from Minolta & which they improved on. Its use could only enhance the use of non stabilised lenses & therefore the appeal to a much wider group of potential buyers.

 

[cptrios]

Keit ll wrote:

I think that Fuji could do themslves big favour by introducing IBIS. It would greatly enhance the use of legacy lenses with a suitable adapter.

Sony were surprised by the number of users who bought a NEX specifically to use Leica & other quality lenses but they have stubornly refused to re-use their excellent IBIS system which they inherited from Minolta & which they improved on. Its use could only enhance the use of non stabilised lenses & therefore the appeal to a much wider group of potential buyers.

What it most likely boils down to is that Fuji/Sony's marketing researchers have a significantly different definition of "much wider group of buyers" than you do. They'll have fully investigated the "sell more bodies thanks to IBIS" vs "charge more for lenses with IS" issue and, apparently, come out on the side of in-lens IS. Like you said, lots of people are using NEX bodies exclusively for legacy lenses...which means that for that subsection of customers, Sony makes a body sale it might not have made otherwise, then that's pretty much it.

Marketing cynicism aside, there are technical constraints as well. First, putting a good IBIS system into a camera body would almost certainly necessitate making that body bigger. The best IBIS out there at the moment belongs to the OM-D, and apparently the reason its viewfinder hump is so large is because it houses the IBIS brain. Then of course you've got the microlens array problem - a sensor as large as APS-C in a camera with such a small flange distance needs a good microlens array in order to ensure sharpness and a lack of wonky color on the edges of the frame. With IBIS, that array would have to move around with the sensor, which would mean light would be hitting parts of the sensor at different angles from shot to shot. I can't imagine that wouldn't produce some odd results!

 

[Keit ll]

Thanks or your obsevations but I`m afraid that I don`t buy them ! It is my view that those who feel compelled to accept the status quo will always come up with some excuse......
If you have ever seen an exploded view of the NEX you will see that IBIS could be fitted with only slight modifications , a few extra mm in body dimensions would be imperceptible. I don`t think the comments about issues with microlenses are valid as they move with the sensor & this does not cause problems on other cameras.

The cynical comment that providing IBIS would deter buyers from getting Sony IS lenses is not proven & whatever happened to the age old proposition that giving the customer what they want keeps them happy & keeps them coming back ? How many times have you read that including IBIS would turn away potential customers ?

 

[NJHr]

No offence to anyone but I really hope neither Fuji or Olympus waste to much effort providing design and features for owners of legacy lenses. Ricoh remember designed a GXR module specially for M mount lenses and they had 2 different focus peaking technologies as well. Does anyone remember the GXR system? Special microlenses and no AA filter etc. to get the most out of the lenses at all focal lengths. It is all but a dead forgotten system in less than 2 years despite still forming the best system for mounting legacy M lenses outside of a Leica. This is a tiny niche within a niche interest area please Fuji don't waste time and money on it.

 

[cptrios]

Keit ll wrote:

Thanks or your obsevations but I`m afraid that I don`t buy them ! It is my view that those who feel compelled to accept the status quo will always come up with some excuse......
If you have ever seen an exploded view of the NEX you will see that IBIS could be fitted with only slight modifications , a few extra mm in body dimensions would be imperceptible.

Well, I have no idea how much space an IBIS system really would take up inside a camera, so who knows. Sony have officially said that they won't put IBIS in the NEX cameras because of size issues, though.

I don`t think the comments about issues with microlenses are valid as they move with the sensor & this does not cause problems on other cameras.

It doesn't cause problems on the Oly cameras because the sensors are small enough not to get into angle-of-incidence issues with legacy lenses. And their own lenses all seem to compensate well for any potential problems...unlike some of Sony's, which as someone over in that forum mentioned, inspires the thought that their lens departments and camera departments have little communication with one another. And in Sony and Pentax SLRs/SLTs...well, the sensor is far enough away from the lens to once again avoid most angle-of-incidence problems. A large sensor mirrorless camera is in a whole different situation.

The cynical comment that providing IBIS would deter buyers from getting Sony IS lenses is not proven & whatever happened to the age old proposition that giving the customer what they want keeps them happy & keeps them coming back ? How many times have you read that including IBIS would turn away potential customers ?

No, of course it's not proven...it just makes sense, and as Sony is a giant multinational corporation and not a mom-and-pop artisan camera workshop, their age-old proposition is "mind the bottom line." They'll have done cost-benefit analyses of all the options and figured that they'll make the most money this way. Same with Fuji (just with a bit less evil as they seem to genuinely care a bit more about photography). And no, they wouldn't be turning away potential customers with IBIS...they'd simply be luring in customers who are going to spend less money with them post-camera-purchase. It's reasonable to think that their research has shown that the money they'd need to spend to implement a new IBIS system would not be worth whatever increase in camera sales they'd get out of it.

Keep in mind I'm not defending this at all - it's just the way things work.