GFX100, a 15 fold increase of value compared to an XF IQ350 (per Bernard)

[eronald]

It looks like I won’t have to tap into their weekend delivery potential in the end.

Cheers,
Bernard

You mean all you need now for the 0.1 Gigapixel  cat photo is the cat?

Edmund

[BJL]

The contention was that sales of the new mf camera will ensure development of the platform

That’s probably a better way to look at it: will cameras like the GFX100 sell well enough to produce a ROI that makes Fujifilm willing and able to keep developing the system. It will clearly be a small part of Fujifilm’s total business (IL cameras are a small part of Sony’s and Canon’s total business, BTW) but adequate ROI, or even the prestige and not losing much on the 44x33 system, should be enough.

[Dan Wells]

Looking forward to your reports, Bernard!

If Fuji can grow the MF market so their share of it is 100,000 units/year (across three models, probably no more than 20% of that is GFX100s), that's a great business for them - If they make $1000/camera, it's a nice $100 million business. Even 50,000 cameras/year is worthwhile for them (easily).

[chez]

Looking forward to your reports, Bernard!

If Fuji can grow the MF market so their share of it is 100,000 units/year (across three models, probably no more than 20% of that is GFX100s), that's a great business for them - If they make $1000/camera, it's a nice $100 million business. Even 50,000 cameras/year is worthwhile for them (easily).

Are you just pulling numbers from the air or do you have some reference we can view?

[BernardLanguillier]

You mean all you need now for the 0.1 Gigapixel  cat photo is the cat?

As well as some charged batteries I guess... and a few other details.

I guess I’ll have to read the manual this time around...

But I am already under the charm of the 110mm f2.0 and the colors.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Dan Wells]

I've seen in some Fuji interview that they were aiming at a few thousand units/month (3000?) for the 50S alone, before they released the other two (which would be reasonable for a camera in that price range).  They must have either gotten it or come close enough to satisfy themselves in order to have released two more models and a slew of lenses. There is a 2019 Fuji interview in which they claim to have "doubled the size of the medium format market" - which includes Pentax and the H system as well as the extreme high end.

The only manufacturer I've actually seen production figures per model for is Nikon (and those are primarily from serial number tracking, NOT Nikon releasing the sales).

Nikon's production capacity on the D3x (the closest thing they've ever done to medium format - with its very high resolution sensor (for the day) and 14-bit capture) was 2,000/month (Thom Hogan, I believe), and serial number tracking estimates that at least 25,000 of those were sold in about 33 months from wide availability to the launch of the D800. The D3x was more expensive than the Fujis except the GFX 100, and perhaps more exotic.

The D800-D810-D850 have always run in the 10,000/month range (from the release of the D800 to today) Nikon has stated 10,000/month as the volume they have available on that line (some DPReview or Imaging Resource interview), and serial number tracking suggests they pretty much sell it, except perhaps when the camera is stale .

I suspect Fuji sells significantly more over three models than the D3x ever did - 1000 to 2000 per month wouldn't double the medium format market, and wouldn't be worth making three significantly different bodies and a bunch of lenses... They'd be ecstatic to do D8xx volume, even split over three models, and I strongly suspect they don't do it. If their "few thousand a month" hope for the GFX 50S came true, they'd have to do that for each model without cannibalization.

Between that, I don't know... I suspect their target is in the range of 50,000-100,000/year (4000-8000/month) across the three models. How close are they? The 100 alone - a shot in the dark, but D3x volume? Same market, wedged in between the top quality you can get from anything cheaper and Phase and Hasselblad offering a slight step up for several times the money...

[BernardLanguillier]

Very favorable first impression of the GFX100!

Cheers,
Bernard

[eronald]

Very favorable first impression of the GFX100!

Cheers,
Bernard

Where is that cat when you need it?

Edmund

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

But I am already under the charm of the 110mm f2.0 and the colors.

What's your impression of the Bokeh? I've read earlier comments (possibly earlier Fujinon designs for MF), that they were a bit on the harsh side (due to relative over-correction?), not smooth (compared to other brands). Are there even alternatives for this mount (it seems like Fujifilm is aiming for lens-generated profit, rather than from the body)?

Cheers,
Bart

[BernardLanguillier]

Bokeh can be complicated to assess as a whole, but on the images I have shot so far with the 110 and 250mm it seems absolutely outstanding. One of the best I have seen.
 
But this is a first impression.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Christopher]

The camera is great. So far I’m impressed a lot. IBIS and AF are great. However, mine probably has to go back to Fuji as it resets itself every time when switching it off. 

[vjbelle]

Mine arrives on Monday.  Has anyone tried the power setting to allow for the EVF to have higher resolution? 

Victor

[vjbelle]

The camera is great. So far I’m impressed a lot. IBIS and AF are great. However, mine probably has to go back to Fuji as it resets itself every time when switching it off. 

Bummer...... maybe Fuji has a quick fix.  Try calling them on Monday.

Victor

[Christopher]

I will sadly it looks like a problem going around.  Certainly not common, but I know of four people having the same problem. Really shouldn’t happen on a 10k camera.

[Paul2660]

Happened on one their APS-C cameras XT-2.

They fixed it with firmware within a week. Odds are this will be handled with a firmware update

Paul C

[eronald]

I will sadly it looks like a problem going around.  Certainly not common, but I know of four people having the same problem. Really shouldn’t happen on a 10k camera.

There seems to be a problem with the settings not being stable until some small battery inside the camera gets charged.

Edmund

[eronald]

What's your impression of the Bokeh? I've read earlier comments (possibly earlier Fujinon designs for MF), that they were a bit on the harsh side (due to relative over-correction?), not smooth (compared to other brands). Are there even alternatives for this mount (it seems like Fujifilm is aiming for lens-generated profit, rather than from the body)?

Cheers,
Bart

There are some Mitakon lenses that are cheap, MF, and some of the best bokeh I have ever seen. I think there's a 65 and 85.

https://zyoptics.net/product/mitakon-speedmaster-65mm-f-1-4/

I don't know whether Contax and Mamiya MF lenses can AF on the Fuji. But I guess all those and the old Hassy lenses ... and Leica (!) can be used if just bokeh is the issue.

Edmund

[Dan Wells]

The other (common) problem with Fuji cameras that can cause the symptoms mentioned above (I've had it on several of their APS-C cameras) is that their clock batteries seem especially slow to charge.

Stick a fully charged battery (well, two in this case) in the camera. Leave it on a shelf for a couple of days (I haven't had to charge one in a while, and forget if it should be off or on but asleep). That will charge the little battery that runs the clock and keeps the settings intact. After this, set the settings, and they should stay set unless there is a further problem.

This can happen with any camera, but Fujis seem especially slow to charge the clock battery. My Z7 did the same thing when I was playing with on its first day, but leaving it alone for an hour or two charged the clock battery. My X-T2 took over 24 hours if I recall correctly. Once I got the clock battery charged, I've never had a Fuji (nor anything else)give me another problem unless I left it without a main battery for a month or so.

[BernardLanguillier]

I haven’t experienced this disappearing settings issue.

I charged 2 new batteries with the charger provided by Fuji, loaded them in the camera, used the camera 4-5 hours later. No problem seen.

I am impressed really. Did some low light focusing/IBIS tests last night. 110mm f2.0 handheld, ISO12,800, f2.0, 1/10s, one weak led light in a tent. The camera focused quickly and reliably and images reviewed on screen don’t reveal any blur.

This is a 100mp small MF camera that is as flexible as the best in class mirrorless.
- the EVF is even better than that of the Z7,
- the overall smoothness of operation is DSLR like
- exposure is spot on
- eye AF needs to be investigated some more. Overall it seems to work very well on cooperating subjects and decently with candids, the eye box in viewfinder does’t always appear to be able to follow but images are more often focused than not
- it isn’t light but the ergo is pretty good,
- the batteries drain pretty fast but I realized at the end of the day that I had an option with IBIS on all the time that must have made things worse. Still I used up only 1.3 batteries after a day of shooting. I love the % accurate display of used battery capacity
- the vertical grip isn’t the best but is still totally usable I find

Now it’s a complex tool and coming from many years of Nikon/Hasselblad, there are some aspects of the UI that will benefit from a read of the manual. 😀

The menus are super rich and I am not able to fully guess the exact meaning/impact of perhaps 20% of the options.

In short things would be perfect if Edmund changed the title of thread to “GFX100, a 15 fold increase of value compared to an XF IQ350”.

Cheers,
Bernard

[BobShaw]

There are some people here making comments on a camera they have actually held. Is that allowed?