Category: Equipment

Equipment for photographers.

Fujifilm X-E5 and 23mm f/2.8 pancake

Some thoughts about the just announced Fujifilm X-E5, and its companion the 23mm f/2.8 pancake lens. Another camera I don’t have that I will talk about.

Take the X-T5, with 40 megapixel, IBIS and everything, put it in the X-E4 form factor, with the EVF on the side like on a rangefinder camera. Add a dedicated film simulation dial, not unlike the X-M5. With X-Trans 5 sensor and X-Processor 5 (the latest) it the top of the Fujifilm image pipeline.

The aluminium machined top, like on the GFX100RF calls for a more high end camera. Sadly it’s not weather resistant.

Fujifilm “retro inspired” design has always been at the foundation of the X-series camera. And the X-E5 pushes it a bit further in the EVF with an optional “classic” display, a minimal display simulating a 7-segment LCD and a needle exposure meter. Is this distraction free or just nostalgia? Underneath the camera on the bottom there is a small button for Bluetooth that looks like the film rewind release on manual cameras. As for connectivity it can connect to the current set of Instax Link printers.

Like on the X-E4, the LCD flips up to the top, great for selfies. There is a mic jack but not headphone out unless you use the USB adapter, so this might not be the best video camera. I personally wouldn’t pick this. That doesn’t mean its not capable, just that it might be limited.

Aspect ratio and digital zoom

The X-E5 supports the following aspect ratio (crops): 3:2, 16:9, 1:1, 4:3, 5:4. Nothing special. Why not the 17:6 or the 64:25 found on the GFX100 RF? This is a disappointment. The front lever allow selecting a digital zoom, x1.5 and x2. These are also crops.

Film simulation dial

The film simulation dial is under the top plate with a little window on top to show the current setting. I believe I still have the same opinion as on the X-M5 about the Film Simulation dial. But, in FS1 to FS3, you can set Film Simulation recipes. Apparently the settings of the FS modes can be combined Custom modes, ie each custom mode has its own settings. FINALLY. Maybe can we get this as an update on the X-M5, please, please, Fujifilm?

23mm pancake

At the same time the X-E5 is announced, the 23mm f/2.8 pancake WR is announced. It’s like the 27mm pancake, but 23mm. With an equivalent 35mm field of view (in 35mm), this is the third 23mm lens in the Fujifilm XF lineup along with the f/2 and f/1.4. This one offer a very compact alternative, and I expect it will be successful among Fujifilm street shooters.

Bundle

The X-E5 comes in either a body only or in a kit with the new 23mm f/2.8 WR pancake, in August 2025. The lens alone won’t be available before December 2025. I expect scalpers to buy the kit, hard to get, and then sell the two separately at over inflated price.

In that combination, the X-E5 is like a X100VI, but for CA$90 more. The X100VI has a faster f/2 lens, built in ND filter, different flash sync, and is a little bit smaller.

Price

CA$2000 or with the lens CA$2250, while the lens alone will get to CA$560. It’s more expensive down South with the tariffs. Some say it is expensive, but it is comparable to the X-T50.

Comes on two colours: silver and black. And the lens in an assorted colour.

Link: Interview of Fujifilm’s executives about the GFX100RF

DPReview has an interview of Fujifilm executives about the GFX 100RF.

Part of the reasoning is that the GFX100RF is a much more expensive camera than the X100VI, which means it needs to feel more premium. “At the beginning, when we discussed how we should design the camera, we already knew about the price point. So this camera should be more luxurious to match the price point,” said Oishi.

There is one way to avoid the supply problems: make it unaffordable. This sounds tongue in cheek, but the X100VI is still unobtainium, so is the X-M5…, the latter being one of the least expensive models.

A major factor in its luxury design is the top plate, which is milled out of a single block of aluminum—it’s the first time Fujifilm has used this type of manufacturing process.

Later, during the Fujikina event, Yoneda told us that turning an aluminum ingot into a GFX100RF top plate takes around five hours.

For so much I love well built devices, made out of metal, this looks like overkill to make it cost CA$7,000. This doesn’t make it a bad camera, but the law of diminishing returns clearly applies here.

To me, the unique feature of this camera, that also applies with the other GFX 100, is the possibility to shoot in 65:24 (or any other) aspect ratio and still have a large amount of pixels. And the GFX 100RF offers it in a smaller package. Fujifilm could offer the crops in the viewfinder for X-series and I’m sure it would work for many people with about half of the 40 Megapixels that the X100VI do offer.

Question on the Pentax 17 future

As Kosmo Photo reports that the main designer left Pentax, people are questioning the Pentax 17 future, or more realistically future Pentax film cameras.

Ricoh Imaging has said the Pentax Film Project – which led to the release of the Pentax 17 last summer – is now on hold while it investigates whether there is demand for further new film models.

If the main person behind the Pentax 17, driving the effort of film camera design, left Pentax, is there a possible future for further film cameras?

In the run-up to its release, Ricoh Imaging had said that it was investigating a raft of camera releases that could include a film SLR in due course.

I’m still not convinced that the Pentax 17 is for me. I would love to give it a try, but if I don’t enjoy shooting it, what’s the point? What I feel I might not like with the Pentax 17 is both the scale focusing and the lack of control on the exposure in general. On the other hand what I do like as a differentiator is the half frame vertical aspect ratio (but not its marketing). I do understand the constraints in the design and Pentax commitment, and this is why I hoped that they would develop further film cameras.

My ideal film camera design might be a difficult one in the current market. If it’s a reflex, a choice of mount might need to prevail to have an interchangeable lens camera. If not a reflex, it probably would have to be a fixed lens and have to be a rangefinder; otherwise a coupled rangefinder might mean Leica M mount, which mean relatively expensive glass. It’s one thing to build a camera, it’s another to build a lens system, or rely on out of production lenses. Right now film photography is on borrowed time.

Previously: Pentax 17, Reflex, a new 35mm film camera design

Canon V-Series

“V-Series”: I just made up that name. On March 26, for their video-first cameras line, Canon announced the global availability of the PowerShot V1, hoping that they sorted their manufacturing capacity. They also announced the Canon EOS R50V, a reworked version of the entry level APS-C sensor EOS R50, stripped of the viewfinder, and with improvements to the video mode. It comes (optionally) with a kit lens 14-30mm f/4-6.3 PZ. Body only, its cost is barely less than the R50, and with the kit lens it is still cheaper than the PowerShot V1:

The Canadian prices are:

  • PowerShot V1 CA$1,349.00
  • EOS R50V w/ 14-30mm CA$1,279.00

This is supposed to compete with Sony ZV line of cameras. The Sony ZV-1 II is CA$1,199.00, while the ZV-E10 II without lens a 16-50 is CA$1,499 and would compete with the V1 and R50V respectively.

This is more than the PowerShot G7X MarkIII (CA$1,069.00), or even the Fujifilm X-M5 (CA$1,199.00 with the 15-45mm).

News: GFX 100RF

The long rumored medium format fixed lens camera from Fujifilm was just announced.

It is called the GFX 100RF. RF stands for Rangefinder style, Fixed lens.

This camera will naturally compare with the Leica Q3 that is in a similar market segment.

The GFX 100RF has a 102 Megapixel sensor, larger than full frame (43.8mm x 32.9mm) like the one on the GFX 100II, and a newly developed fixed 35mm f/4 that is a 28mm equivalent FoV with a leaf shutter, and built-in ND filter. The lens can focus as close as 20cm front the front. The electronic viewfinder has a x0.84 magnification and 5.76 Megapixels, and it is complemented by a 3.15 in 2.1 Megapixel tilting LCD.

It has a dial that allows selecting 9 differwent aspect-ratios that, in addition to the usual ones, feature crops like 17:6 and 65:24 which are the Fujifilm G617 and T-X1 panoramic cameras respectively. There is also a vertical 3:4, that would allow taking a cropped picture in the portrait orientation. The aspect ratio dial will change the viewfinder to offer proper framing guides but the raw file will contain it all.

The digital teleconverter is a digital zoom similar to the one found on the Leica Q3 that will crop to any of 43mm, 63mm or 80mm field of view (in 35mm equivalent these are about 36mm, 50mm and 63mm respectively). The crop is done at the cost of less pixels, but since you start at 102 Megapixels, there is plenty of room to work with. Like with the aspect ratio crop, if you shoot raw, the whole image is still captured but it will be marked as cropped by default in your photo processing software (if it supports it).

There is no image stabilisation whether it is lens or in body. High speed flash sync is possible with the leaf shutter, up to 1/500 sec. There is also a dual SD-card slots and the camera is weather sealed if you install the included protective filter PRF-49.

And of course, all the usual film simulations are available.

Video

It wouldn’t be a Fujifilm without video. It doesn’t offer everything but you can shoot 4K in 30 fps, in 10 bits 4:2:2 and F-log2 with a digital images stabiliser, and there are both a headphone and a microphone jack.

Availability

The GFX 100RF is to the GFX-series what the X100 is to the X-series, albeit the latter showed up first.

MSRP is €5,499 / US$4,899 / CA$6,999, less than the Leica Q3 and available in April 2025.

Afterword

Please Fujifilm, bring these crops to the X-series. No need for a dial. Just allow assigning to a button. I want the frames in the EVF of my X-T3.

News: TTArtisan to release an Instax camera

TTArtisan is known to produce more budget friendly lenses for a variety of camera, including Fujifilm XF mount and Leica M rangefinder.

Now they are entering the market of the Instax cameras. Since the announcement is blocked by the Instagram wall, I’ll link to Kosmophoto: TTArtisan announces Folding Instant Camera which shoots Instax film:

Lens maker TTArtisan has launched a new folding camera which shoots Instax film.

It’s shooting Instax mini, it seems to be based on the Chinese Seagull 203 folding camera, and the shutter is mechanical.

Price is not available at the time.

News: Canon PowerShot V1

Well…

The PowerShot G7X Mk3 has been unobtainium for a while (over a year) as my G7X MkII has been malfunctioning/breaking down, and I couldn’t replace it unless I got a Sony.

There was rumors, and they are true. Canon unveiled the PowerShot V1. This video-first camera is their answer to the Sony ZV-1, the “vlogging” camera. One big caveat: you can only get it in major Asian markets, in April 2025.

A few bits: the sensor is roughly the size of a m4/3 sensor, but in 3:2 aspect ratio, which is larger than on the G7X, it has IS, audio jack for input and output, articulated screen, 4K, and a 16-50mm equivalent.

From the picture it looks more bulky, with a bigger grip than the G7X.

To be determined is the price, and the availability in Canada (and the rest of the world).

For reference the G7X MkIII has a MSRP of CA$1,069.00, and the MarkII was about CA$100 less, the Fujfilm X-M5 with the kit lens is CA$1,199.00, and the Sony Z-V1 II is CA$999.00

To be continued.

Update: The price would be ¥148,500 which is about CA$1,400 (incl. 10% VAT)

Instax Square Link

I just bought a Fujifilm Instax Square Link. It is a device that print Instax Square picture. Send from your smartphone a picture, obtain a hard copy on Instax Square instant film. If you have an Instax Mini Link, this is the same for Instax Square.

What’s in the box?

The box contains the printer, a light manual and a USB-C to A cable for charging.

The printer is battery powered (hence the cable). There is no film. I got a pack of white border and a pack of black borders.

The printer is like a big bar of soap. It is still slightly larger than my Instax Mini 90 Neo camera, but that’s to factor in the difference in size of the film pack.

I has two buttons, large one having a LED to show the status, a large door at the back for the film cartridge and a small trap door hiding the USB charging port and a reset hole. The latter is for cases where the troubleshooting involve turning it off and on. There is no display, like for the number of frames left.

The Instax Square Link compared for size to an Instax Mini 90. Both are roughly the same size.
The Instax Square Link compared for size to an Instax Mini 90

The initial setup consist of charging the printer using the provided USB cable (or any USB-C cable for that matter) and a charger (not included); and loading the instax square cartridge. That step is exactly the same as loading you favourite Instax camera.

To turn the printer on, press the big button for a solid second, it will light up white. The colour will change to flashing purple when printing

Print job

Screenshot of the Instax Square Link app

To use it you need a compatible smart phone (Android or iOS), install the Instax app and connect to the printer with Bluetooth. Within the app you can select images to print, and it’s fairly easy. There are other features within the app but beside the collage or frame print, I really don’t get it.

From my phone I printed a picture I posted a while ago on Instagram, works great. I also printed a picture I took recently directly with my phone. As long that the image is on your phone, you can print it.

Once you printed a picture, you can press the smaller button to reprint it, until the printer turns off. Otherwise you can use the application history to re-print later on. In some circumstance it doesn’t recollect the picture printed on the iOS app. This seems to happen if you use “share” to the Instax Link Square instead of selecting the picture from the application.

The Instax Square Link printer is ejecting the print with the picture face down.
The Instax Square Link ejecting the print.

Fujifilm manual state that the print takes 90 seconds to develop, but in my tests after 2 minutes it wasn’t developed.

The print facing is leaning against the printer. The image is not completely developed.
The print developing after 2 minutes.

In the end you obtain a colourful print.

The colourful print is flat on top of the printer, fully developed.
Print from the Instax Square Printer

The output ressemble a lot to the scan.

Instax Camera

One of the feature in the app is the “Instax Camera”. It is basically the camera app to take the picture before printing it. It put the live view inside a small Instax frame. It allow adding the date time superimposed, printed as a 9 segments led display, another bout of nostalgia that the demographics of that device have no recollection of.

Cost

The printer cost CA$180 (I got mine on sale at CA$160). On regular price, it’s priced between the SQ1, the cheapest Instax Square and the SQ40 the more comprehensive model. It’s not gonna break the bank.

The 2x 10-pack of film with white borders was CA$28, and the single 10-pack of black border was CA$17. That make a cost per print to CA$1.40 for the white border and CA$1.70 for the black border. There are other colours a bit more fancy if you like. You can buy the white border film in bigger pack which bring down the price per unit. A 100 pack bring the cost down to CA$1.20 a print. Also while I can find Instax Mini at my local pharmacy, Instax Square is less common. This is to be considered if you need resupplies in a hurry.

The tinfoiled pack of film leaning against the cardboard packaging that contain 2.
Instax Square film pack in its protective packaging as coming out of the box

Specs

The image size is a 62mm square (2.4in). The image printed is 800×800 pixels, which boils to 318 dpi. That’s a resolution similar to any print you got from a minilab. According to the manufacturer you can print around 100 pictures (that’s 10 packs) with a single recharge.

Verdict

Pros:

– Simple to use.
– Device reasonably priced.
– Battery powered.
– Output quality.

Cons:

– Requires a phone app, very limited interoperability.
– Unlike older models can’t be used from a Fuji-X camera.
– What will die first? The printing mechanism or its battery that can’t be replaced.

After thoughts

I enjoy using my Instax Mini but I’m often left off guard with the quality, and it seem all related to the optics on the camera and the exposure, with a limited dynamic range. It’s possibly part of the challenge. The printer demonstrate that the film rendition is good and that an hybrid like the Instax Mini Evo would probably offer similar results. Sadly the hybrid Instax Square SQ10 and SQ20 cameras that were in the earlier Instax Square lineup are no more so the search for a better image quality will probably need to be sought out of the other camare makers like Lomography, MINT or NONS.

Previously: NONS instant cameras

Link: Manufacturers Were Unprepared for the Point And Shoot Camera Revival

Petapixel, back in August: Manufacturers Were Unprepared for the Point And Shoot Camera Revival

As a result, 2019 saw the last major point-and-shoot releases from Canon, Nikon, and Panasonic. While Sony’s latest photography-first point-and-shoot, the RX100 VII, also released in 2019, newer pocket-sized models like the ZV-1 II and ZV-1F have shifted towards focusing on vlogging and content creation.

I have been complaining about the lack of availability of both the Fujifilm X100VI that is literally unobtainium and something to replace my defective G7X MkII (Canon is out of stock everywhere and whoever answers the Canon forums gaslight readers by telling them to check their retailers, while they can’t even replace camera they refuse to repair).

I really don’t enjoy smart phone as camera. In the beginning it was the quality, then at one point it ended being good enough, and I enjoyed it for a bit. But I’m over this. Don’t get me wrong the best camera is the one I have with me, and likely I have a phone, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy using it or that it inspires me. Also now with “computational photography” they add plenty of software to make them look better, sometime just turning the photo to goop like I have seen on some cheap Android smartphones.

We’ll see what the future brings.