Click on those links to download the new firmware just released by Fuji:

– FUJIFILM X-T1 : Version 3.00
– FUJIFILM X-E2 : Version 3.00
– FUJIFILM X-Pro1 : Version 3.40
– FUJIFILM X-E1 : Version 2.40

As usual with Fuji they added a ton of new features and fixes. I hope all other companies making cameras will take a note from it and learn from Fuji how to please customers with continuous support!

Heino Hilbig sent us that nice graph based on official CIPA data showing how the camera market changed during the last 80 years.

1) Analoge photography has been killed rapidly by the digital camera generation.

2) The Digital camera business got “almost” killed by the smartphone selfie generation :)

We don’t know yet when the digital camera market fall will stop. And it’s unclear what can save it…

PRESS TEXT from Heino:

The figures may invite for an “optimistic” view:
 
According to CIPA’s camera production statistics, the recession of the camera market has slowed down a little. It decreased just 32.9 % until October 2014 compared to the same period last year.
Questionably, nevertheless, is  that the decline of the margin product SLR increased it’s momentum. 25% this segment shrinked in 2014 so far – without hope that this decrease could be recovered by the sales of mirror free compact systems.
 
What impact this development has on the total photo market, becomes even more clear if we look to the sales ratios of the German photo market: In 2013 the share of cameras and lenses counted for not less than 85% according to European market research company GfK (sales of photo finishing products excluded) – a relation that most probably is not substantially different in other countries.
 
Can’t this trend be stopped?
 
Even if manufacturers launch success stories over and over again (e. g. , light field cameras or action cameras)– such relatively small segments do not change the overall negative picture.
Simply the dominance of smart phones is far too big.
 
Is it? What if that would not be the case?
What would be, if the pure existence of the Smartphones is not the real cause for the recession of the photo market? What, if there are other causes too? Causes we could counter attack?
 
The figures, CIPA and GfK publish, give reason to hope that we don’t have to accept the ongoing decline of the market, if we find the right strategies for manufacturers, service suppliers and photo trade.
 
Let us discuss about it:
 
In two presentations at the PMA/CES in Las Vegas we will show that pointing to smartphones or market saturation as an explanation of the shrinking camera market falls too short and we will indicate ways the industry could take to change the situation:
 
Monday, 5th of January, 2015, 9:00 o’clock
Photography, the Most Emotional Business of the World – Why then the Market Collapses? How can manufacturers, trade and press react to this?
 
Tuesday, 6th of January, 2015, 13:00 o’clock
How to Tackle the Collapsing Camera Market?
 
So, will we see us in Las Vegas?
 
Heino Hilbig
 
Managing Director
Mayflower Concepts
Hamburg – Germany
 
www.mayflower-concepts.com
 
e-mail: contact@mayflower-concepts.com

New official NX1 commercial.

Olympus 40-150mm PRO lens review by Luminous Landscape.
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR Review at Photographyblog.
Zeiss Loxia Biogon 35/2 Review at VeryBigLobo.
Samsung 16-50mm f/2-2.8 lens review at SLRgear.
Sigma DP2 Quattro full review at Mirrorlessleassons.
Ikelite Underwater Housing for the LX100 Released (Ikelite)
Samsung NX1 First Impressions (MirrorlessLeassons)
What Matters Most: NX1 plus Alex Webb (SamsungCameraRumors).
A 1000 fps C-mount camera on Kickstarter.
Samsung NX1 review at Luminous Landscape.
Lytro Illum Review at Photographyblog.
Samsung NX1 Review (Photographyblog).
Samsung NX1 review by Digitalcameraworld.
Samsung S 50-150mm f/2.8 ED OIS Review (Photographyblog).

Samsung NX1: Comparable to the Canon EOS 1DX Speed (SamsungCameraRumors).
Using the LX100 in studio at Mirrorlessjourney.
Sigma dp1 Quattro Full Review (ePhotozine).
E-Pl7 review at Trustedreviews.
Switching to Mirrorless: Embracing Fujifilm X (Danielkorzeniewskiphoto).
Samsung S 50-150mm f/2.8 Lens Focus (ePhotozine).
Samsung NX-1 First Impressions (Luminous Landscape).
Few Months with the Sony a7S – What I Learned (Learningdslrvideo)
Sigma DP1 Quattro review (CameraLabs).
Nikon 1v3 review: A marvel of a camera (Theinspiredeye).
Samsung NX1 Expert Review (ePhotozine).
Sensor Crop Factors and Equivalence (Photographylife).

Our friends from the CameraStoreTV team tested the new Samsung NX1 and you should absolutely watch it to fins out how much they like the new camera!

And finally the camera is also in Stock in USA via Amazon (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).

Imaging Resource posted that interesting interview with Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki. These are the highlights:

1) Sigma’s business is growing and the only issue they have is supply shortage: “we have lots of back orders that we can’t catch up on.“

2) Mr. Kazuto says “we’ve received lots of requests from customers to make a larger-sensored (Full Frame) camera.” and “we’re studying that challenge.” And also interesting is that he said that it’s easier to keep the pixel pitch, and just increase the die size of the sensor and numbers of Pixels. It would create a real high resolution FF sensor!

3) He also said it’s unlikely they will make MFT designed lenses: “If we share the same lens construction for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds, then we can reduce the cost. If we make the lens just for Micro Four Thirds, possibly the price would be higher.“. And “The demand for Micro Four Thirds lenses is still fairly low, compared to APS-C or full-frame.“

4) About E-mount lenses: “On the other hand, for the Sony E-mount, there aren’t so many lenses like Micro Four Thirds, so we get lots of requests.“

It would certainly be a bold move to make lenses for the E-mount system!

Finally you can have it:

USA preorders:
Sony Alpha a7II (Body Only) for $1,698 at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), Adorama (Click here), SonyStore (Click here).
Sony Alpha a7II with FE 28-70mm OSS Lens for $1,998 at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), Adorama (Click here), SonyStore (Click here).

EU preorders: Sony Alpha a7II (Body Only) for 1.799 Euro at Amazon Germany (Click here) and 1299 pounds at Wex UK (Click here).
Sony Alpha a7II with FE 28-70mm OSS Lens for 2.099 Euro at Amazon Germany (Click here) and 1699 pounds at Wex UK (Click here).