Fujifilm launch wide conversion lens for X100

[Ken Ford]

Interesting. I wonder if this is the first of a series of converters?

 

[boomguy57]

I would be more interested in 50mm than 28mm...

 

[Sparrow]

Seems quite expensive for a converter.

Yep .............

 

[btgc]

Wanted to write something like "better they sort out sticky aperture issue" but yeah, good converter is good to have.....at least, option to go wider without buying next camera. It's on expensive side (how Ricoh asked for wide converter for GRD?) but if it's so good then it will be expensive, especially because x100 owners have already paid for camera and wouldn't want to change camera (read - double expenses) just to have wider FOV.

Photography were cheap only in state college when everything were covered

 

[jsrockit]

1/3rd the price of the camera... eek. seems Fuji is going the Leica route of accessory pricing.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I would love to see a Fujinon EBC 28mm accessory VF...

Are there any improvements in FW v.1.3 that aren't related to the wide accessory? Manual focus stepper motor speed, maybe?

Phil Forrest

 

[btgc]

1/3rd the price of the camera... eek. seems Fuji is going the Leica route of accessory pricing.

In big scheme of things this piece of glass probably really costs 1/3 of camera? PCB, motors and rest of internals are like a salads to a main dish?

 

[Gary Sandhu]

For 50mm
It would be nice to be able to switch on 50mm framelimes and have the camera crop . It would still be about 6 or 8 megapixels, right?
I suppose I could mount a 50mm viewfinder and crop later.

 

[umcelinho]

i just wish they did it to achieve a 21mm FOV, or at least 24mm.. but well, it'd probably give too much distortion, right?

 

[noimmunity]

Great news for X100 lovers

Great news for X100 lovers

My first reaction was like Gavin, isn't this going to cannibalized their XP1 sales? Kudos to Fuji!

The size of the conversion lens looks like it will increase the bulk of the whole package enough to push it over the tipping point from pocketable to bag-able.

The XP1 with the 18 lens might not be any bigger in the end. Of course, we'll have to wait and see what the 23/2 looks like when it comes out in XF mount.

 

[zwarte_kat]

Within a week after Leica announced the X2, brilliant

If the release date really is August, then this might explain why they announce it relatively early.
Where does it say the release dat is August anyway?

I was going to buy the 28mm unit for the GRD, but now I think I will go for this one, and have my x100 team up with my GXR Mount as a fast wide angle and macro companion.

And my X100 will be an even better party cam yaaaaayyaayyy!

 

[Ezzie]

The fact that Fuji has not abandoned the X100, but continues to bring out useful upgrades for it makes it more interesting to me than previously. One can now nourish hope for a 50mm equivalent adapter as well, making it even more desirable. Hmmm, what to sell.

 

[zwarte_kat]

Okay I just realized that I understand Japanese, checked their website. It's on sale starting May 26th, that's in ten days!

 

[Matus]

i just wish they did it to achieve a 21mm FOV, or at least 24mm.. but well, it'd probably give too much distortion, right?

+1 on the 21mm, but you are probably right about the problems with IQ. Still - 21 & 35 would be a great combination.

It is actually surprising that Fuji does this, as there is the X-Pro1 that allows one to change lenses.

 

[v_roma]

Personally, it does not seem that unreasonable to me. I'm not saying $350 is not a lot of money to me but I don't think it's a lot of money for this converter. I seem to remember someone quoting $700 for an out of warranty lens assembly replacement for the X100. If the adapter is really optically up to the standards of the X100 lens, $350 is not all that much. It's all glass, 4 elements/3 groups.

Seems quite expensive for a converter.

 

[jsrockit]

Personally, it does not seem that unreasonable to me. I'm not saying $350 is not a lot of money to me but I don't think it's a lot of money for this converter. I seem to remember someone quoting $700 for an out of warranty lens assembly replacement for the X100. If the adapter is really optically up to the standards of the X100 lens, $350 is not all that much. It's all glass, 4 elements/3 groups.

But it is still an adapter... in my experience, adapters cheapen the lens they are attached to. I could be wrong.

 

[btgc]

My first reaction was like Gavin, isn't this going to cannibalized their XP1 sales?

Do not think so. X100 with converter(-s) is like a breakfast, X1P is a lunch. Probably rather people will have both, for several reasons.

 

[umcelinho]

for those who want to go a bit wider than 28mm and spend less, I've found this page about using a Nikon .68x adapter, seems to be a good option, with 23.5mm FOV and not much loss of IQ.

1. Nikon WC-E68 .68x Conversion Lens (46mm thread) [edit: wow, it's like $150, I thought it'd be cheaper...]
2. Step-down ring : 49mm-46mm
3. 49mm UV filter (used as a spacer)
4. Fuji adapter (to get the 49mm thread)

In the post another adapter is mentioned, the Sony Fisheye converter for the NEX...

Anyone here have any direct experience with any of these? I'm considering getting this and giving it a try...

 

[Matus]

Interesting info, thanks.

 

[v_roma]

I agree with that. I think, no matter what, there will be some loss of IQ from using this adapter. I imagine Fujifilm is trying to minimize that as much as they can by building a decent adapter.

It does beg the question if enough people think that loss of quality plus $350 is worth it to go from 35mm to 28mm.

But it is still an adapter... in my experience, adapters cheapen the lens they are attached to. I could be wrong.