What about a Fuji with M-mount?

[italy74]

Hi guys,
for now is just a "speculation" ( http://photorumors.com/2011/08/31/s..._campaign=Feed:+PhotoRumors+(PhotoRumors.com) ) but who of you would like to think of it ?

 

[Jaime M]

Would be nice to see a film Fuji replacement for the Hexar RF.

P.S.:I know this is about digital rf rumor.

 

[Cagliostro73]

I voted NO, because I'm alreeady waiting for the GXR module.
It's sayd that it will have no lowpass filter... i'm terribly curious!

 

[DamenS]

I was surprised they released an "X-10" prior to producing an m-mount camera ... just goes to show Fuji almost "lucked out" with the x-100 and still don't understand the pent up market for digital rangefinders.

 

[Odmit]

I for one certainly hope that a fuji M mount system will be developed. But without any fuji M mount lenses, i'm skeptical of anything ever eventuating.

 

[L. M. Tu]

This would be great. More choices for the consumer!

 

[jsrockit]

I was surprised they released an "X-10" prior to producing an m-mount camera ... just goes to show Fuji almost "lucked out" with the x-100 and still don't understand the pent up market for digital rangefinders.

Huh? The pent up market you talk about is very small. Fuji will sell a lot more X10s than a Leica ripoff. Plus, it's only been a few months since the X100 was out... the X10 was already rumored before the X100 came out. I guess you expect Fuji to pull a FF M mount manual focus digital from its arse in a few months time?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

If the new medium format fuji rangefinders are an indication, a Fuji M-mount digital will cost more than an M9, lol. Not interested.

 

[Arjay]

I'd be very surprised if Fuji would come up with an M-compatible body. Here's why:

• Fuji would have to abandon its ultra-silent central shutter concept in favor of a noisy focal-plane shutter (think of the shutter noise that Sony's NEX solution is making - brrr).
• Fuji would have to develop some new technology for focus confirmation because M lenses mean manual focus operation. Fuji's current camera concept is relying heavily on AF - which cannot be used with M lenses. So, they'd not be able to benefit from the R&D investment they made for the X100.
• Fuji would not be able to benefit from lens sales because everybody would use their old M lenses with the camera. That's not a very sound business model. Also, if users would get blurred pictures, they'd always blame the camera (instead of themselves or the lenses - remember Hexar RF?) - no camera maker likes that situation as it wouldn't be a winning setup.

 

[gavinlg]

I wouldn't be interested unless it was a full frame body. Crop factors on lenses designed for 35mm suck.

 

[eleskin]

The more digital M mounts the better!!! Leica watch out!!

The more digital M mounts the better!!! Leica watch out!!

I own 2 M8 bodies (one I bought new, the other used at a much more sane price) and in these lousy economic times, cheaper alternatives to blowing $8K plus on a future digital M are very welcome, especially when the advances in technology outpace the investment in an Leica digital body. If Fuji does this, great. What we do know is a full frame cheaper alternative to the M9-10 is coming, but we do not know from whom yet. The Sony Nex 7 has my attention, and may well be my next camera to hold me over until we see a full frame from Fuji, Sony, Zeiss, Voigtlander, etc,,,.

With more choices, we will have more features in different cameras to choose from to give our M mount, screw mount, or any mount lens more capability. This is important because Leica cannot do everything. Even though I own an M8, there are some features on the Nex 7 I would like to use, and considering I can buy one cheaper than a used M8, this is very attractive indeed.

So bring on the competition! One thing about Fuji: If they do make a full frame camera M mount, it will very likely follow the form factor of the X100, and will probably be a little heavier and larger because of a stronger body and reinforced M mount to carry heavy lenses like the Noctilux. That would be great! Sony may have something with their new viewfinder that is probably better than what Fuji has in its X100. In fact, Fuji may have to consider an EVF only camera with the latest viewfinder technology instead of what it has on the X100. The reason is in any M mount camera , you will need to focus the lens, and with an electronic viewfinder, Sony has the edge at the moment, but I like the conventional shutter dial on the X100, although I can live with the new dials on the Nex 7 which can be customized. With my M mount lenses, I would shoot RAW and have one dial for shutter speed and the other for ISO, thats it!!! Sweet!

 

[Matus]

I am getting a feeling that all the manufactures (with exception of Leica, of course) that produce cameras that with an adapter can use M-mount lenses must completely HATE them. Why? People (like us 😉) keep ranting how we it sucks to use full frame lenses on crop frame bodies - nothing is good enough for us.

... but if Fuji would bring a FX body with M mount that would allow acceptable level of focusing abilities - I just might stop ranting for a while ...

... even better - if Ricoh could bring FX M-mount module ... :angel:

 

[bobby_novatron]

I'd love to see a full-frame Fuji M-mount product. Heck, they could even strip it down and eliminate:

o the AF function
o the HD movie function
o the electronic viewfinder

If they offered a full-frame basic body it would have a major impact on the rangefinder market. Leica has no competition in this regard.

But there's things working against them:

o the lack of profit from the legacy / 3rd party lenses
o technical difficulties of using a full-frame sensor
o the relatively small rangefinder market

Who knows? Maybe it will happen.

 

[rover]

full frame 🙂

cropped sensor 🙁

 

[willie_901]

Low probability evens do occur (someone eventually wins the lottery even when the odds are 120 million-to-one).

I worry about it when it happens.

 

[bwcolor]

A full frame camera would only appeal to professionals and amateur photographers with some cash in a down economy. That said, I think that any company that produces such a camera had better make sure that they can recover costs with the low volume sales of the body alone. Once you ask for lenses designed for such a camera, the costs spiral, so that will probably not happen outside of the possibility of contracting with C.V., or Zeiss directly. So, a body that supports intelligent adapters that transfer full information would be a good way to go. The 'M' would be a low cost adapter. They only need to transfer focus information. Other adapters would require licensing, but they gave this a go previously with Nikon. 'M' lenses would provide compact lenses and other mounts would provide quality telephoto autofocus lenses. Fuji would sell the camera body, intelligent adapters and possible a third party line of lenses. Ricoh has a real option here also, but they would probably need to upgrade the electronics of their base camera module to speed up processing and communications with the lens/sensor modules.

 

[jsrockit]

in these lousy economic times, cheaper alternatives to blowing $8K plus on a future digital M are very welcome, especially when the advances in technology outpace the investment in an Leica digital body.

I agree...even in prospering economic times (the economy is only bad if you don't have a job or a good job). I bought the M9 as a once in a lifetime purchase. I cannot buy another camera that costs that much cash anytime in the near future... I just won't allow myself to.

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

If the new medium format fuji rangefinders are an indication, a Fuji M-mount digital will cost more than an M9, lol. Not interested.

I think the production costs associated with making an 'extreme niche' product like these new MF RFs are what keep the price so high. They would sell a lot of digital rangefinders. There's far more 'tech' and development involved in the X100, and it costs less than the MF RF. A full-frame X-something would definitely be half the M9's price.

I'm not sure that would be good enough, though, as a 5D3 would be at $2500 or less.... Fuji would have to come in a $3k or so....

Just an M mount? I don't think so. I hoped my manual focus rangefinder days were done. If it had AF with a few lenses (like a G2) AND could take old manual focus (RF) lenses, i'd be interested. If the sensor is 20MP or better (minimum 16).

 

[totifoto]

Full frame for less than 3000$ would be great 🙂
Less then 2000 would be awesome 😉
Less then 1000 would be suspicious 🙄

 

[Tompas]

Won't happen, since Fuji isn't selling M-mount lenses. They may build an X100-like camera with interchangable lenses, but with an own, proprietary mount.

But we will see a Zeiss d-Ikon on day, or a Bessa R2d/R3d/R4d. That one I'll buy -- provided it's 'full frame'.

EDIT: Anybody dropping by gets a free beer -- I just noticed this is my 1111th posting here! 🙂