Not surprised to see the A7III and X-T3 becoming the two cameras of the year.

Fujirumors posted this super roundup of all the info you get in a new Fuji Thailand interview:

GENERAL GFX MEDIUM FORMAT PRESENTATION

• Fujifilm compares Full Frame Size/Weight vs Medium Format, showing that medium format is lighter. But they cheat on lens equivalency (min 06:01). C’mon Fuji, no need for that
• 3 advantages of Medium Format are Depth of Field, Compression effect and Resolution/Dynamic Range (min 08:08)
• Fujifilm discovers sensor equivalency and this time they get also the lenses (almost) right (min 08:54)
• Mirrorless G Mount has a flange distance of 26,7mm, but Fujifilm can design lenses that go inside the mount, allowing a minimum focus distance of 16,7mm (min. 11:45)
• sensor wants to get the light straight from the lens, so shorter flange distance is better
• large sensor allows more stereoscopic effect bokeh (min 15:34)

FUJINON GF LENSES

• Fujinon GF 100-200 will be compatible with 1.4x teleconverter. He goes over lens specs at min 17:29
• Fujinon GF 50mm specs and details at min 18:09. He says it is not pancake, but “small prime”
• Fujinon GF45-100mmF4 coming 2020. He goes over specs and details at min 19:03

Fujifilm GFX50R

• Fujifilm “respects” the rangefinder style lovers, so they made the Fujifilm GFX50R
• Smaller and lighter for street photography

Fujifilm GFX100 (mainly starting from min 23:53)

• Fujiflm GFX100 will have faster sensor readout. They don’t know how Full Frame will develop in future and if they can make medium format just as fast
• Fujifilm GFX100 focal plane shutter is big and hence not fast enough for 10 fps (min 13:11)
• Fujiflm GFX 100 has a backside illuminated sensor with customized photodiods
• 100 Megapixel are sensible to shocks, so, although challenging to develop, they put IBIS into the Fuji GFX100
• OIS – IBIS combo should work also on Fujifilm GFX 100, like it will do on Fujifilm X-H1 via firmware update in December
• Another challenge is to make it a Medium Format 4K cinema camera.
• 100% phase detection coverage
• Despite the higher pixel count, Fujifilm wants to keep sensitivity and dynamic range like GFX 50S and GFX 50R. The Manager adds that on GFX100 “noise is actually smaller” (min 25:12)
• The Fujifilm X-T3 autofocus algorithm will be implemented in Fujifilm GFX100
• Launch in first half of 2019 (already at the Fuji GFX100S announcement, Fujifilm Manager Toshi said it will come in “early 2019”)

Additional Fujifilm GFX 100 Information

The following information comes from older manager statements, rumors and articles on FujiRumors, and I add them here so that you guys can have a more complete overview.

• Read here – Fujifilm GFX 100 sensor information published by Sony
• Read here – Fujifilm manager says Fujifilm GFX100S will cost $9,995
• Read here – Size Comparison: Fujifilm GFX 100S vs Sony A7III, Nikon D5, Canon 1DX, Canon EOS R, Nikon Z7, Nikon D850, Fuji GFX 50R
• Read here – RUMOR: Fujifilm GFX 100 with Pixel Shift Multishot
• Read here – Fujifilm Manager: GFX 100 Full Sensor PDAF, no Crop 4K@30p
• Read here – Fuji Guys Billy Hopes IBIS will be Implemented in Future Fujifilm GFX 50 version of GFX 100

Mixed

• No plans currently to make a compact medium format camera like the X100 series. Currently focus on making lenses and bodies, but not compact X100 alike camera. It’s up to user request (min 27:22)
• Phase detection pixels on Fujifilm cameras never damage image quality
• Sometimes contrast detection autofocus is better. Fujifilm should balance both, depending on the subject/conditions

X Series, GFX Series and Why no Full Frame

• Fujifilm considers balance. APS-C has right sizing, system weight. So it’s the best balanced system
• APS-C already covers so many photography fields
• X-Series can not cover the high megapixel it sometimes needs for fashion, commercials, landscapes, studio, so they went medium format, which allows even higher resolution than full frame
• Fujifilm has almost 70 years of medium format camera/lens experience

Skylum officially launched Luminar 3 with Libraries (Click here). You can preorder it today with a $10 discount using our code “MIRROR“. The software will be made available for download on December 18. If you proerder within that date you get many bonuses on top of it.

Luminar 3 includes the highly anticipated Library module that will make it work similar to Lightroom.

Pricing:
? New users can purchase Luminar for US$59 ( US$49 with coupon code “MIRROR“).
? Current users of Luminar 2017 can upgrade for US$49 ( US$39 with coupon code “MIRROR“).
Note that the price after the Luminar 3 with Libraries release will be US$69.

Bonuses:
? US$20 gift card to Manfrotto & Gitzo
? 3 video tutorials by Dan Kordan
? 3-month ViewBug membership
? 2-month KelbyOne membership
? Free eBook from Rocky Nook
? US$300 OFF Iceland Photo Tours

Here is the full Press text:

Major upgrade to Luminar includes eagerly anticipated ability to organize and edit an image library

The new library panel turns the acclaimed photo editor into a one-stop imaging solution, allowing amateur and pro photographers to intuitively import, organize, edit and publish images with unprecedented ease and efficiency.

BELLEVUE, WA – December 6, 2018 — Today, Skylum Software announced the availability of the next version of Luminar, their award-winning photo editor. Luminar 3 will start shipping to customers on December 18 and adds the ability to organize and edit multiple images simultaneously with the new Library panel. This addition transforms the photo editing software into a comprehensive, all-in-one imaging package.

Luminar 3 is a sophisticated image editor and library, which uses artificial intelligence to allow anybody, working with digital images to make better photos with intuitive and time-saving workflows. Luminar 3 makes processing, managing and editing photographs quicker and easier than with conventional software packages.

“This has been a long-anticipated update as our users were keen on a fast library function that works with their existing folders. We never replicate what’s already on the market, but look for new approaches to make our app as fast and easy to use as possible. And this is only the first of many far-reaching updates, so stay tuned.” says Alex Tsepko, CEO of Skylum.

The new Library panel is the result of years’ of research, analysis and interviews with a wide range of photographers. Skylum optimized the Library panel for speed and efficiency, responding to long-standing complaints by photographers that existing library options were cumbersome, cluttered, or impractical.

The Luminar library is a highly customizable image catalog that makes browsing, rating, and organizing a joy. Users can easily see a beautiful image wall that works with existing folders on their hard drive, connected devices, and synced cloud storage. There’s no need to re-import images, simply selecting a folder adds it to Luminar where pictures can be viewed, color labelled, rated and edited. 43rumors.com

Photographs are also automatically organized by capture date— all features that make it quick and efficient to find and sort images. Changes are made in real time in the original folder, keeping files and the hard drive organized as effortlessly as possible.

Luminar 3 also allows photographers to sync their editing adjustments. Any change made to a single image can easily be applied to a selection of files, which is useful for photos taken in similar settings or when a uniform style is desired.

Syncing works extremely well thanks to Skylum’s unique Accent AI and AI Sky Enhancer filters which use artificial intelligence to analyze and fix image problems. With these features, a number of images can be adjusted simultaneously, saving the photographer time and effort.

The new Luminar 3 will be available as a free update for all the users of Luminar 2018 and will include multiple free updates as we built out a fuller set of photo management tools and more time saving artificial intelligence features. More information about future update is available at https://skylum.com/luminar/roadmap.

About Luminar
Skylum is the company behind the pioneering Luminar software. With over 1,5 million downloads, the company is rapidly establishing itself as a major player in the photo industry.

Luminar’s intuitive interface and affordable cost, has put high-end RAW processing and image editing tools, driven by artificial intelligence, at the fingertips of busy professional and enthusiast photographers alike. The software allows users to edit images by using traditional tools, such as curves, clarity, and dehaze as well as via adaptive Luminar Looks or unique AI-powered tools.

While Luminar offers standard professional options like layers, masks, and blending modes, they also bring unique technology to the desktop. For more than a decade, Skylum has pioneered innovation in digital imaging, spearheading the development of the following features:

• Luminar ‘Workspaces’ streamline editing by offering recommended filters that are ideal for a chosen genre, including landscapes, portraits, aerial and portrait photography.
• Luminar developed ‘Luminar Looks’ – the next generation of adaptive styles to include LUTs, textures and AI-powered filters. With one-click a new style is applied, but simple and advanced controls make it possible for nuanced adjustments.
• Luminar perfected over 50 filters, including its revolutionary AI Sky Enhancer, which uses artificial intelligence to select the sky automatically for precise adjustment. With just one slider the perfect look can be achieved. Other innovative filters are Accent AI and the Sunrays filter, which can be used to add sunshine selectively.

Pricing:
Mixed-computer households can share the same product key for Mac and PC which can be activated on 5 devices.
• 30-day trial and 60-day money back guarantee;

Skylum product owners of Aurora HDR, Photolemur and legacy products may upgrade at a special price of $49/€49/£44 (until December 18)
New users can preorder Luminar 3 at a special price of $59/€59/£53

The retail price for Luminar 3 with Libraries after December 18 will be: • $69/€69/£64 for all new users

About Skylum Software
Skylum Software (formerly Macphun) is a photo software developer with the mission to make complex photo editing simple and user-friendly. Thanks to its innovative approach and high-end proprietary technologies, Skylum products have won dozens of prestigious awards, including “Best of the Year” awards by Apple for six straight years. Aurora HDR was selected as the “Best Mac App of 2017” by Apple. Luminar was honored with the “Best Imaging Software 2017”

award by TIPA and “Best Software Plugin” in October 2017 by the Lucie Technical Awards. To learn more about Skylum, please visit http://skylum.com/.

Sigma officially confirmed they will announce a new Full Frame L-mount camera in 2019. The current Foveon tech is really outdated and superslow. A newly published Sigma patent discloses a way to make the sensor readout much faster Instead of the classic three layer sensor Sigma is working on a dual layer layout. Every pixels has a green layer The second layer has an alterning pattern of red and blue sensible pixels.

It wouldn’t be a TRUE Foveon sensor anymore but it would help Sigma to overcome the speed issues

via hi-lows-note

What a bummer! The Photokina organization issued a Press release to cancel the May 2019 event. The next event will take place one year after in May 2020. I undertand that from a certain point of view it makes sense to skip one year. But still, it shows how uncertain this industry has become…

via Fujirumors