i wonder why fuji never made a x-pro-monochrome...

[back alley]

fuji made so many models based on the one 16mb sensor and now the 24mb...
i would have thought that of all the manufacturers fuji would have taken the leap/chance on a solo b&w camera...just imagine an expro monochrome?!

 

[gb hill]

Perhaps like politics, lobbyist for B&W Plugins & Presets paid off Fuji so they could sell their product.😀

I don't shoot digital but I'd think editing software is really good now. Is b&w better straight out of a sensor or through conversion?

 

[jarski]

Would not be surprised if they did this at some point, some kinda limited edition. They've been probably most responsive maker listening hopes and wishes of customers. And it would fit well their retro looking models too.

Bayer vs. Xtrans question would be irrelevant with such a model. It would be more of a generic Sony sensor turned monochrome?

 

[SaveKodak]

They claimed that they investigated the idea and found no real IQ benefit over their own sensor. I also just think it's expensive to do and they're not interested in being so niche. Fuji will tell to use Acros mode I would bet. I'll keep using actual Acros.

 

[Contarama]

I would imagine a few in the engineering and marketing dept were game but the accountants probably cut them off at shareholder pass.

 

[Faintandfuzzy]

I agree. They came out with a UV camera....and I would think a mono version would outsell a UV model 20/1. And I question any claim that a true mono version offers no benefit....Leica proved that false

 

[daveleo]

Is it credible that they could offer a sensor swap for anyone wanting mono?
Is that physically possible?

 

[jsrockit]

Too niche for a company which has to compete in the consumer realm. Monochrome is the realm of boutique companies.

 

[Tony Whitney]

Interesting question Joe. Actually, my X100 is "permanently" set to monochrome and sometimes with filters, that's the way I use it. For colour, I use other gear. So what I've "created" for myself a kind of poor person's Monochrome. I've had all kinds of fun with it and take it just about everywhere. Regards. Tony

 

[wrenhunter]

Arguably, the entire X line is so good for B/W that they already have.

 

[Pablito]

Would only make sense if it would produce images that were obviously better than what you can get now. Demonstrably, obviously better to untrained eyes.

 

[lonemantis]

Considering Fuji has roughly a 1% market share, I doubt they want to to put R&D money into niche models that won't sell. Leica can get away with charging $7500 for the Monochrom because their customers are used to paying those premiums, but a B&W-only Fuji over $2k would probably flop.

Either way, I've gotten great black & white results from off-the-shelf X-trans sensors, especially once you disable the aggressive noise reduction. I actually prefer converting to B&W in post - having the colour data available gives you so much more control over contrast and tones. I doubt the modest resolution gain from a true monochrome sensor would be worth losing that!

 

[Faintandfuzzy]

Too niche for a company which has to compete in the consumer realm. Monochrome is the realm of boutique companies.

Nonsense. They made a UV camera that would have 1% the interest of mono

 

[lonemantis]

Nonsense. They made a UV camera that would have 1% the interest of mono

If anything, a UV-IR model makes more sense from a marketing perspective. They're the only ones that sell a full-spectrum large-sensor camera new out of the box - any other camera requires expensive aftermarket conversion. There are tons of scientific and industrial applications for full-spectrum, so I see that doing well.

 

[shawn]

Nonsense. They made a UV camera that would have 1% the interest of mono

UV cameras have many applications in forensic photography. Bigger market than a monochrome camera.

Shawn

 

[gavinlg]

There was an interview when one of the managers said they studied it as a possible product but decided to offer the ACROS bw mode instead. To be honest, that acros film sim is damn good...

 

[back alley]

i understand the acros is very good but i'd have to buy another camera to get it.

 

[Rob-F]

It never seems to occur to me to shoot digital B&W. I want to give my film Leicas something to do! So I carry an M9 and a film M in my bag.

 

[gavinlg]

i understand the acros is very good but i'd have to buy another camera to get it.

I feel your pain. I'm still on an x-t1 and I really really want that acros.

 

[Fotobot]

A monochrome camera would have two advantages: a little more detail and better high ISO. But it would also have no highlight recovery. I believe the Acros simulation is generally better, for most purposes and most photographers. It offers highlight recovery (in Raw in Lightroom) and built-in filter options (red & yellow). I doubt I would buy a dedicated monochrome camera.