At the end of February, dpreview published a very interesting interview with Fuji Manager T. Iida. One of the questions dpreview made to the Manager, was if Fuji plans to release a Monochrome X-series camera, since “the X-Trans sensor should be well-suited to native monochrome capture.”
The Fuji manager answered: “Technically of course it’s possible but it depends on the demand, and such a camera would probably match perfectly to some of our core customers. […] I think a monochrome model might represent a sales opportunity for Fujifilm. […] I am a big fan of monochrome photography.”
Now, a couple of days ago I received this anonymous message
“It might be interesting to see how many folks would spring for a Monochrome only B&W only 24 MP sensor version of the Fuji X-Pro2. You might be surprised! Seems like a no-brainer.”
Yep, I think it’s interesting to see what you guys think about it. And apparently I’m not the only one. Also the Spanish site Fujistas investigated the same question. So I decided to launch two polls. Feel free to vote them and drop your considerations in the comments.
And now tell us if you think that Fuji should an alternative to Leica’s Monochrome camera.
Read about the advantages of a monochrome sensor at maxmax (thanks hmmm). “An equivalent monochrome camera will always take a much sharper image than a color camera because resolution is dependent on the color content in the picture.”
[poll id=”76″]
[poll id=”77″]
123 Responses
I´d like a silver edition 🙂
They should make a monochrome in the X-A1/X.M1 body. costs compact money and is esay to carry around as an add-on. No sense in something more complicated like X-Pro or X-T1.
I suppose it will have better resolution like the Leica Monochrome because of the absence of the color array blah blah.. then yes I would buy it.
Shut up and take my money … 😉
“the X-Trans sensor should be well-suited to native monochrome capture.”
I thought X-Trans is just a normal Sensor with a different color pattern in the antialiasing filter? So if the color filter mask is unnecessary for a B/W sensor, this sentence is pointless?
The point is that the X-Trans sensor does not incorporate an optical low-pass filter like most Bayer sensor designs do, so it is already very close to what a native monochrome sensor would be. Essentially all that remains is to remove the color mosaic filter.
But then, wouldn’t that mean less of a reason to have a monochrome sensor? Don’t get me wrong, I’d be excited to see one – though not sure if I would get it. Removing the color array also makes the sensor a stop or two more sensitive. There are some people that scrape off the color array on some cameras removing the microlenses which lessens quality, just to get that little bit extra, so there’s definitely a reason to have one, but I think the market would be pretty small.
Scraping the CFA actually impairs sensitivity and resolution somewhat due to the loss of the microlenses. It’s a net gain for monochrome due to the higher light gathering ability when the CFA is removed, but a sensor intentionally made with monochrome in mind can omit the CFA while retaining the microlenses, resulting in an even higher quality.
While the market would be small, I think this is the case of a camera that could potentially create its own market. The Leica Monochrom is the cheapest mono-only digital camera that has ever come to market. Let that sink in for a moment…Kodak made some in the past, but they were $10,000-plus. No one has ever tested the monochrome market at anything approaching a sane price. And if anyone *can* do it, it won’t be Nikon or Canon. They are volume sellers who are not about to make a small-batch sensor. It’s the niche players in the market – the Fuji, Ricoh, Leica, possibly also Sony, Pentax, Panasonic – who can better afford to shift their production line to make a small-batch camera. I am certainly interested to see someone try.
I cannot understand why their sensor would be ideal for monochrome. I would guess the opposite is true since their strong point is how they treat the three separate colour channels
The fact that it has a slightly higher percentage of green pixels probably has an effect on monochrome conversion quality (albeit infinitesimal), but if we’re talking about a monochrome “camera” X-trans wouldn’t come into play at all because a true monochrome camera shouldn’t have a color array. I doubt it would ever happen, because most of the people that really -need- (or want) that bump in monochrome quality probably would just get a Leica Monochrom / wouldn’t settle for less.
X-Trans has no optical low-pass filter, while most color sensors do. An ideal monochrome sensor would also have no LPF, so the design of the X-Trans is already pretty close to what a monochrome sensor would be.
I’ll grant you that they could have phrased it better, but that was DPReview’s phrasing in the interview.
X-Trans is a colour filter array, the same like Bayer-based one. Monochrome camera would not have X-Trans CFA.
Yes, but also no. While they do call the CFA the “X-Trans color filter array”, they also refer to the full sensor stack as X-Trans, e.g. “X-Trans CMOS II Sensor”. A monochrome camera would not have the CFA but would theoretically retain other design elements of the X-Trans sensor stack (microlens design, lack of optical LPF, phase detect AF design, photodiode array design, etc.)
don’t know really, my understanding is that whole ‘x-trans’ magic was really just plain sensor with different CFA and no AA
There is more to it than that. http://fujifilm-x.com/development_story/en/sensor/
Most DSLR (24 mp and over) have no AA filter anymore, or very weak filter.
Not exactly, in many cases. For example, the Nikon D800E actually has two AA filter layers that effectively cancel each other out, but they are still in the optical path. There is “no antialiasing” but the self-defeating design is not the same as having no filter layers at all.
monochrome only, no video, no advanced filters, just optical viewfinder, a bit cheaper price… i would take that
why wouldn’t you want all that that’s given to you for free via software? all fuji-x is fully electronic. i would prefer if fuji just started to make proper mechanical lenses with real manual focus and real aperture rings not that fly-by-wire non-sense
You and me both, hexx. I sort of gave up wishing for that, and sold my X100s, ditched the yearly upgrade plan and purchased a Leica. It’s the Fujifilm I really wanted to have but that Fujifilm will never make.
Guess what I just did this morning – got myself M too 😉 (now need to sell digital back to get some money back)
Just an observation. How come the loudest to oppose a monochrome fuji are, in their own admission have ditch their fuji already (or at the least gathering dust in their bin) and seem to be happy with their “other” brand camera. What relevance do you add to the discussion when in reality whether fuji releases a mono Simultaneously with a regular cfa sensor, you will still not be buying it since you have ditch the brand already? It’s like lobbying for something that doesn’t have anything to do with you whatsoever.
It would be best to hear from people who would actually be buying it. Personally, it would be a missed opportunity for the actual intended users if the idea gets shelved prematurely, but of course in the end this is a numbers game and will be decided ultimately by the market. Do I hear “limited edition”?
Not sure where that ‘ditching’ of my Fuji is coming from. I’m keeping X-Pro1, 18 and 35 lenses and keeping my good old X100 too. I’m selling medium format digital back – care to elaborate?
This is more inferring than a statement. Judging by your overall statement you have already moved on and happy with your leica maybe? My point is, you have already made up your mind and there is a higher probability that as I’ve said that no matter if fuji releases a mono or not, you will not buy the camera. Whether you are keeping your x pro 1 is irrelevant to the discussion.
The truth, if fuji is doing a market research, the number of the “no I will not buy” means nothing. They would be more interested in the ones who says yes. This is because if say, in the end 5,000 people says yes, fuji will evaluate that figure on what percentage will commit in actually buying it. Let’s throw a figure of say 4,000 will definitely buy (pure speculation of course but given just for the sake of argument). For that number of units, fuji will evaluate manufacturing cost plus mark up to make it worth their while. If the majic number comes up to $3,000 to $4,000 per unit to be profitable (again just an example figure). They will re evaluate the market if what percentage of that 4,000 people will buy it at that price. If they feel that nope, it won’t fly and nobody is going to get it at that price then they won’t release the camera.
It’s a numbers game after all, if it does not make selse, it does not make sense. So stating why you don’t need the monochrome is all good for a lively discussion but that is all there is to it.
Hint: I’m sure they already know the number of units to be sold to make it worth their while. The x100LE?
The first paragraph contains a lot of assumptions about me and my future purchase decisions, you know how it goes when it comes to assumptions.
The second one I cannot comment on as I haven’t been asked to participate in such a survey by Fuji, nor their dealers.
True, and just as it is just an assumption but if you say “you can convert colour files to black and white, you can’t do it the other way my 2p” or “If I want the actual look of Tri-X or Pan F – I’ll just shoot some” – precisely” these are direct quotes from you- Doesn’t that paint the picture already?
Of course in the end you are free to change your mind and buy the mono if it ever comes fruitation but if Fuji is going to to decide to release a camera I think they would bank on figures that actually says people will buy it as against somebody who may or may not change their minds.
Regarding painting pictures -> no it doesn’t, those are just mere statements of obvious.
Fine, if that is your official stand but would you mind telling what you voted for in all honesty?
Your statement might be as you say obvious but it sure implies that it serves you no purpose to use the camera since you can just convert your existing camera’s file to BW or just use traditional film.
There’s a difference between making a statement and stating your preference because after all it is a poll. If you are not clear where you stand then what is the purpose of stating the obvious, patrons of the site is intelligent enough to know these already and those who gets this niche camera would consider your statement mute.
*moot
yep
Why do i need to make clear where I stand, is that going to enrich your life?
Got it, 😉
If you abandon the mirrorless upgrade cycle (more vicious than any that predates it) necessary in getting a camera ‘as good’ as the system you ditched, and just settle in, you, I, and anyone else can afford a Leica.
The X-T1 is a keeper. My wife appreciates its tiny grip for her tiny hands.
Yep, they seem to be anyway on 3-year cycle with M, so even if they introduce a new one this year, it won’t be available until late 2016 for mere mortals.
Three or four years. Leica are less slaved to a developmental cycle because they have a specific customer in mind and know that customer. The person that will buy a rangefinder in 2014 is the same person that would buy one in 1975. The only real disparity is that the young person purchasing one today may have keener eyesight.
The X-Pro 1 was my wish-it-was-a-Leica camera. The X-T1 was my wish-it-was-a-Nikon-FE digital camera.
The next thing I buy will be another Leica, but only I grab enough event clients.
Autofocus and a leaf shutter make the X100T the Leica I really want to have that Leica will never make. 🙂
I do sympathize with the desire for real physical manual focus, but the focus-by-wire *is* improving. I find it much smoother and more responsive on the T than it was on the S. Still not as good as my favorite film-era lenses, but it’s finally at a point where I can adjust to it and not feel it is an obstacle.
But there still are many many things you cannot do with fly by wire lenses, least of all are things like free lensing. Even simply changing focus or aperture settings during long exposure for abstract photography, can’t be done.
They are less reliable in the long run, larger, and, depending on your definition, feel cheaper.
I LOVE the 35/1,4: sharp, contrasty, and good, soft bokeh, but it handles poorly. And so do the other lenses. If you are used to and MUST have a real hardware lens, there are NO substitutes for it.
But third-party non-electronci XF lenses are pointless in many ways because of the time it takes to focus, then stop down, or in the dark, having to struggle with EVF slowdown, not to mention, if using dark ND filters, stutter, shake, etc.
I simply don’t see the reason other than it being cheaper, for fly-by-wire in a so-called premium system. Yes, and shame on Leica for using fly-by-wire in the T.
Well, yes. A couple of weeks ago I shot some pics with the Leica Monochrome here at the Leitz Park in Wetzlar. The images have the most beautiful quality I have ever seen in my whole life. If Fuji is able to do something faintly similar, I would definitely buy one. But only with some real mechanical lense, Leica or Voigtländer maybe. That fly-by-wire crap is one of the reasons I sold my Fuji gear last year. They try to make everything look retro and mechanical, while in reality their cams have more electronic crap than your usual DSLR…
… only if they let us turn off that damm noise reduction!
I understand that a monochrome edition would deliver superior results in B/W photography, but it’s all about investments, profit, marketing.
Considering I shoot nearly 80% of my Fuji pics as B&W Jpeg+Raw, an all B&W camera would make a lot of sense. Wonder how much of a difference would it make between B&W RAW and Jpeg files. Also would that mean that just like X trans pixel cluster gives one Jpeg pixel or would each pixel on the sensor be individual, giving us higher resolution and real pixel count?
Just not sure if I want X100 or XPro style body, depending if they manage to also fit a built in red filter next to ND filter in X100 body.
Anyway, take my money and give us something new! btw Fuji, B&W film for Instax would be great as well, just saying…
I just wish they’d bring back FP-3000B (and their 4×5 pack films), but I know the market realities make that a pipe dream. So yeah, I’d settle for some B&W Instax films in Mini and Wide formats. I do enjoy printing in-camera B&W conversions on the Instax Share printer.
One X-Trans pixel is one pixel in the jpg already. It would still increase actual resolution slightly, since there is not interpolation involved with a monochrome sensor.
I’d definitely be on board. Higher resolution, better high ISO performance, possibly higher ISOs available as well, and because there’s no arcane demosaicing required, they’ll look as good in Lightroom as in any other RAW developer. Sold!
If they make only one, I’d want it to be the X-Pro, but they are welcome to do it with the X100 series and include built-in optical Red/Yellow/Green filters and a switchable Block-IR/Full Spectrum/HighPassIR-720 filter along with the ND filter. If that makes the camera a little bit bigger, I’ll take it.
If they did an X100T monochrome with switchable filters, with an IR pass/block option I’d buy the thing in a heartbeat (unless it costs say -twice- as much). I have no idea how -feasible- that would be, but it would be novel. A monochrome sensor IR camera would far outperform an IR converted camera.
Exactly, and it just appeals to me as an extension of the X100-series ideal. It’s really meant to be a camera that doesn’t require a camera bag. Everything you need is in your hand (or in your jacket pocket if you’re carrying one of the conversion lenses). The notion of an “everything in your hand” B&W camera is pretty exciting. Since this whole thread is purely speculative, I choose to dream big.
I’d rather have it on the X-Pro1. Whilst I have an X100 Classic, I have several X-Pro1 and prefer them simply for the fact that I can slap another lens on it.
Yeah, I do agree that if they made only one of these I’d like it to be an interchangeable lens camera. The versatility is just too valuable.
BUT…a monochrome X-Pro would be evolutionary, whereas a mono X100T with optical filtering inside the body would be revolutionary. Truly a never-been-done-before camera. I want both.
I sometimes shoot black and white 35mm film, and those who see the photos love the results. So yes, I would see value in a monochrome X-series camera. Sign me up if it’s in an X100-style body with fixed lens and came with color filters.
Let’s not spend the development money on old tech. Let’s get the new X-E3 on the market. With a fully articulating LCD, a EVF that is even better than the X-T1 viewfinder with a bigger eyecup to keep the light out. Let’s add more bracketing options especially, 7 and 9 multi-exposures. I love the viewfinder on the left side. 2 card slots, one for color and one for B&W (or any other combo that you can think of) and how about a RAW plus 2,3,4 bracketed Film Simulations. Add some more B&W Film Simulations as choices including some B&W infrared choices.
It’s a good idea if there’d be demand, and sales probably ain’t gonna be catastrophic, but personally, I love Fuji colors. And I’d never ever buy a monochrome camera of any brand.
you can convert colour files to black and white, you can’t do it the other way
my 2p
Must’ve been hell back in the days when one goes out with T-Max or Tri-X and decide later they wish they shot color. The majority of B&W shooters don’t care or would have a low-end P&S if they see something in color they might like. Cameras such as the Leica M Monochrom, or a possible Fuji X mono would be geared towards those who simply focus on B&W with little interest in color.
“Must’ve been hell back in the days when one goes out with T-Max or Tri-X and decide later they wish they shot color.” – for that reason my fridge is loaded with both b&w and colour films. When I go out with film camera I take roll of each
You can do it the other way around, it’s just hard work!
I am not sure if Fuji can make a good monochrome camera because now even RAW files in Fuji cams are softened, though the absence of color array should increse resolution. I like very much Leica Monochrome images, if Fuji can reach this level than I would consider to buy it. But I would like Fuji to bring most in Monochrome some B&W film simulations – of old great B&W films that are not produced any more, like AGFA APX, EFKE 25 (Adox CHS 25) – this film is amazing with amzing tonality and look in Rodinal, Kodak Tri-X, Kodak HIE (infrared) :-), and some classic films that are stil produced, like Ilford FP+, HP+, Adox Ortho, Kodak X-Pan, and of course Fuji Acros and Neopan. This would be a great feature if Fuji Monochrom (24-28MP) had B&W film simulations, very tempted to but such a camera.
I’m not sure I see them making film simulations of films they don’t sell / haven’t sold, and there are definite limits to what a simulation can do, compared to the unique sensitivities and natures of those films you listed. (I suppose you might be able to manufacture a physical filter which could mimic a monochrome film’s sensitivity range when paired with the sensor’s signature?)
A monochrome sensor also wouldn’t be able to really have any but the most basic simulations (grain?) as well, since they only have access to one channel, and have almost no idea what wavelengths of light hit the pixel site unlike a sensor with a filter array which is far better at guessing (which is how we get color images, but also the data to map into any digital simulation).
No, thank you. I like shooting color and converting to mono from RAW. That’s when I apply color/contrast filtration. (Always did, and still do this with film.) And with all the different filter sizes on Fuji lenses, how much fun will it be to carry a complete set of filters for each lens? 39-46-52-62-72mm and maybe more to come… Hey – there are already color filters on the sensor – why not use them? If I want the actual look of Tri-X or Pan F – I’ll just shoot some.
“If I want the actual look of Tri-X or Pan F – I’ll just shoot some” – precisely
Making a monochrome camera is probably “low hanging fruit” for Fujifilm development. But, if it is done before significant improvements to AF, processing power, and sensor are done, the act would probably do more harm than good in the eyes of the majority of the Fuji-X fans who are waiting for the X-Pro2 and other wanted body improvements.
I can convert color to BW but I can’t do the opposite.
No way I am going to waste money on a BW only camera
I hear what you say, but you do realise that it is just that – a conversion;
A poster called Hmmm shared this link (https://www.maxmax.com/b&w_conversion.htm ) slightly after you posted. It makes some good point about monochrome sensor & it’s benefits
I’d rather have the color sensor. Makes it much easier to do B&W conversions. Otherwise you need to bring along filters to adjust the look.
It’s a tradeoff that gives you other advantages. You would get better light gathering since the light does not have to pass through a CFA (though if you use color filters on the lens, that would of course take some of that advantage away), higher resolution at the same pixel size or alternatively larger pixels at the same resolution (i.e. lower noise), no interpolation artifacts from the demosaicing stage since one sensor pixel is one image pixel, and so on.
Now if Fujifilm came up with some kind of unique innovation like a built-in color filter similar to the built-in ND in the X100, with an option to somehow electronically adjust the color (maybe made of some kind of LCD or a polymer that can change color based on voltage or something, imagine having a color wheel-type dial for the filter color and seeing the results in realtime in the EVF, eliminating the need for regular filters), I could see that being a very interesting camera for black and white work.
I’m not saying there aren’t advantages to the B&W sensor but I’d rather have the simplicity of having the color and b&w options all at once. Especially since most images are web viewed where the resolution differences are reduced.
People who shoot only for the web are not the primary target market for a monochrome sensor camera. Much as with medium format cameras, the camera will only show its full potential when you make large prints of the images. If that’s not something you do, then by all means go for the simplicity and flexibility of the color sensor.
I do find the “color and b&w all at once” sentiment interesting in the context of history. It was always possible to make B&W prints from color film negatives, and they could even be of reasonably good quality if you used a panchromatic paper like Panalure (now discontinued). But I don’t know anyone who in the film days would say “I always shoot color negative film so I can get color and B&W all at once.” You made your choice when you loaded the camera and that was it.
I’ll admit, I do occasionally get photos when shooting a B&W project that simply look better in color, and I’d miss that opportunity with a mono camera. But these are few and far between. For example, a recent 1-week B&W project in Paris produced only three frames that I preferred as color shots. I’ll make that sacrifice if it means the hundreds of B&W frames are higher quality.
Some info about pure BW sensor advantage.
https://www.maxmax.com/b&w_conversion.htm
Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing
Stop jumping around. Nail the specs for the X-Pro2 and have a clear GA date within 2015.
It’s not jumping around on Fuji’s part. DPReview chose to ask them the question, and their response was essentially “It’s interesting, but so far we see it as an opportunity, not a project we are working on.” Now some anonymous person has poked FujiRumors to do a poll about it. We don’t even know if that person is at all affiliated with Fuji.
LOL, that’s a typical non-committal Japanese response.
The beauty of the typical non-committal Japanese response is that you can’t be sure what it means. It could mean “No”, it could mean “Yes”, it could mean “I am bored but I am too polite to say so”, or it could mean “I’m being evasive because I don’t have permission to answer that question either way.”
there are actually a certain number of specs about the X-PRO2 already published, some from trusted source. Estimated time of arrival too. Working on all the rest. Just follow this link: http://www.fujirumors.com/?s=X-PRO2
Xt-10?!?!?!?!?!?!?! ! Tomorrow?
If it had CCD sensor capturing pure luminance values, then there is a noticeable advantage in the quality of monochrome images, like the Lieca monochrome.
But will never happen, it’s not Fuji’s market, and wouldn’t sell in sufficient numbers.
Leica can make a niche product because they operate on low volume, high margin.
I’d consider it, but it would depend on price, honestly.
Am I the only reader to have picked up on this section of the quote “how many folks would spring for a Monochrome only B&W only 24 MP sensor”, 24 Mp, when are we going to have a 24Mp sensor full stop let alone messing with the ide aof a monochrome edition
When Fuji finally delivers their next generation X-Trans III with (hopefully) 24MP resolution, the BW conversions from color will be finer than the current sensor. I have printed BW for many years almost exclusively with my first DSLR (Fuji S2/ S3pro), now I appreciate good color, but with today’s tools BW conversions are easier (in high quality) than ever… So: No from my part, I’d always choose the color version.
The monochrome concept has nothing to do with ‘finer’ – in fact you are using a bare sensor with no filters, no optical or digital disturbance, no ‘just about right’ kind of conversions in between anymore. That delivers an image quality and DR you can never, never achieve using a CFA-based sensor, whatever the resolution or dynamic spec might be. Sorry, that’s the truth, when I saw the first results from the Leica Monochrome I was completely lost, so breathtaking and that from a 4 year old CCD. And that also explains why it’s at such an excessive price-level a no brainer for so many documentary-photographers.
No to a monochrome sensor – the advantages are outweighed by the hassle for color conversions.
BUT, if we are talking about simplifying, a big YES to a pro-grade Fuji camera that, in terms of the resulting image, doesn’t do anything a film camera can’t. That means RAW-only, and a single drive mode for shooting pictures. Also – an ISO dial.
Technically, a RAW-only camera would show nothing on the LCD screen but numbers, or have no LCD screen at all. Is that what you’re after? Shoot now, develop later…the film experience in digital form?
Why there is no pool on a new X100 with 50mm (equv.) lens?
YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! I mostly shoot monochrome at night under light conditions that any CFA strips detail from (sodium vapor, fluorescents & neon lights never use all three of the RGB colors). A monochrome sensor would be killer for these kinds of lighting conditions, bringing out A LOT more detail in shots, something only the Leica monochrom is able to do at present.
This would be HUGE for urban nighttime photography.
Where is a definitive time table and specs for the X-PRO-2 and the new WR primes can Fuji please talk about those first.
I still shoot B/W film in Medium Format, 8X10, and 35mm. However, I do have access to a professional darkroom to develop and print. I would buy a B/W X Pro immediately. I just got a Bessa R4M. If anyone tells you can get as good a quality of B/W print out a color digital camera they just have no idea what they are talking about. I have an MFA in photography and have been shooting film and digital for 30+ years. If you are posting your picture on the internet it may not matter but for a print there is a huge difference. I don’t even bother printing B/W digital files. Color yes. Given that so few color film stocks are available now it’s almost pointless shooting color film. I print only and don’t post on the web so a B/W X Pro (if it’s done right) would be perfect for me. I agree with the ISO dial comment below. Fuji please include this on the camera for both models. So count me in for a B/W X Pro and a new color X Pro. I’ve ditched all my Nikon gear (except for an FM2N).
Would love to see your work James, even though you don’t post on the web. There’s got to be SOMETHING you have digitally available.
I think there is a critical misunderstanding of what Fuji (or you) mean by “monochrome”. If it is Leica-like, then there is no color conversion at all and it is crucial.
Because one can use teleconversion lens for that.
But nobody wants to use that monstrosity.
I shoot B&W 90% of the time. But I don’t know if a pure B&W camera will entice me. There’s no way I can spend $1000+ on a ILC B&W only camera because there are that 10% of the time where I need to shoot color. Maybe if they create a low-end model, like a X-A1 level version to try it out. I might be more intrigued to get it.
I struggle to see the point. My images look plenty sharp enough, and some huge jump in sharpness might run into lens limitations anyway.
The photo exhibits I’ve been to have very sharp pictures, for the most part, and these are large printed images.
This certainly doesn’t make sense for photographers who display their work on the web, where perceptions of sharpness are dependent on viewing screens.
“Some huge jump in sharpness might run into lens limitations anyway.”
A valid point, but I am optimistic that because the X-Trans color sensor tends to produce better sharpness than other designs of similar size(*), that would mean the XF lenses are already well-equipped to handle the sharpness of a mono sensor.
(*) Disregarding the sometimes lackluster sharpness when Adobe does the demosaicing
What if they could create a way to have an interchangeable sensor? So you could buy the b&w specialized sensor and also have a color one? Would that be worth it or beneficial?
You wouldn’t even need to swap the sensor, it’s just the colour filter array on top. But realistically it’s not something you could do at home.
I’d go or it if it was like the X-E1. I had an X pro and didn’t like it. Too complex and high $.
Now, beside the mono Fuji, where is your FF Leica rangefinder knockoff Fuji??
Also you need to improve on the 16 mp sensor for low light.
I have to underexpose 2 to 4 stops for some my work, so this is what I have to deal with. (All shot with X-E1)
3 to 4+ stops underexposed.
http://dewallenrld.tumblr.com/image/111042181561
http://dewallenrld.tumblr.com/image/111041717491
This one is as good as it gets for low light night noise with me
2 – 3 stops underexposed.
http://dewallenrld.tumblr.com/image/109786759681
all from
nsfw
http://dewallenrld.tumblr.com/
It is like shooting in the wet darkroom lit by the safelight only. Of course you can’t use your 36 mp monster cams for this work. I use my petite Fuji. All my shots are candids. If you guys tried to get close like I do with your bloated mega pixel cams the girl will come out and throw bleach or ammonia on you. Or she will signal the pimp or enforcers to kick your ass and throw you cam in the canal. That is why most of what you see in the red light district are shot with a zoom from across the canal.
For my social doc work this noise level is acceptable. For everyday stuff this noise level in the first 2 pix would not be useable for my taste.
I hope you can improve on the low light noise Fuji. Make the first images I showed you look like the last image when it comes to noise. A 28 mp organic should do the trick Fuji.
No. In this digital age the monochrome film simulations are more than enough, along with all the post-processing options. Unless it is significantly cheaper, I would pass.
Even Ansel Adam would not ask this question if he lives today. Just convert the X1, X2, and X-Pro cameras still in stock to BW for those who wanted and move on. Give them $100 discount too.
Creative thinking, but converting a camera to mono requires losing not only the CFA but the microlens array on top of it. A purpose-made mono sensor would be higher quality. Also, the conversion process is very risky and difficult so you will lose a certain percentage of the sensors. This is why companies like MaxMax that even dare to do the conversion have to charge such high prices for the converted cameras. They may only successfully convert 60% or 50% of the camera sensors they attempt. If Fuji did this approach, it wouldn’t be $100 cheaper; it would likely be twice as much as the original camera.
Sure, cool niche camera, but bring out the X-pro2 already first!
I don’t mean to be party blooper for Fujifilm. I absolutely love Fuji and own both the XE-1 and XT-1. Excellent B/W camera in the market now aside from Leica MM, perhaps the fans can try Sigma DP Merril series. Absolutely amaing B/W, their poor High ISO performance only applies to color in most cases anyway, A big Plus would be their 46 MP sensor ( or which ever way the tech guys calculate theirs).
Hows about a Digital Xpan instead? Xpan Xpan !
The Fujifilm version wasn’t actually called xpan, but hell yeah make it so!
“the X-Trans sensor should be well-suited to native monochrome capture.”
But If it’s monochrome it is not x-trans anymore isn’t it?
You might be right, but I guess that’s there’s more to xTrans than the “simple” color filter arrangement; but I could well be wrong though
There is more to processing it, but when it’s gone it’s gone.
You are correct. If it is a monochrome camera, there will be no colour filter. For monochrome photography, it will be better because it would thereby be a 1:1 sensor – no interpolation. The colour filter remains the primary deficiency in digital photography.
I would probably not buy a monochrome Fuji but I’d like to see one in the lineup.
B&W with apsc? I should go leica MM….
In the absence of rumors, it seems the postings here are more and more this poll or that poll.
Sorry but your point is ?
Let’s do a poll on the question of too many polls.
I vote yes to your suggestion
ok I got it!
I post rumors? I just do it for traffic.
I post deals? I just do it for money.
I post Polls? that’s bad too
hm… there is no way out for me. Whatever I post, there will be complaint. Have to live with it
I like the polls as this gives me an idea as to what other Fuji X users think regarding many issues and the direction that Fuji could take to cater to their needs. Fuji does their own polls, but we have no control over the demographics of the people they survey. Fuji will be aware of the opinions of the readers of the Fuji Rumors site and that will sway their thinking. As a former market researcher, I will add two comments. Only 10 – 15 per cent of readers will respond to a poll (so your 6100 respondents are representative of the opinions of more than 60000 people and the opinions of the smaller number are quite representative of the larger number) AND an informal poll is much more useful for planning the earlier in the planning cycle it occurs (before decisions on direction are so far along that the poll results are no longer useful).
“But If it’s monochrome it is not x-trans anymore isn’t it?”
Who cares about a name? Fuji can call it whatever they like.
If you make a mono Fuji do better than the MM. Make the blacks drop out like film and lose extreme shadow detail. Or at least give us that option with a switch to be able to toggle the option to be more film like.
Digital tries to see too much in the shadows and it looks ugly when you push it. Film would just drop that crap out and it would be black. Or maybe that is a job for LR if Fuji can’t do the job?
Color with APS-C? You should have a Leica M9 right now.
Sell all your Fuji gear; it might at least pay for the body.
If it was like the Leica systems where going strictly mono means you get more range and less noise then okay, I can see a use for that. If it was literally just the same as the other Fuji cameras are now just with colour not as an option then there’s clearly no point.
If this came in a X-Pro body, yes I would. X100, probably also yes. One would think if this became a real product the sensor would be tweaked to show advantages over software conversion. I’d buy both a regular body and matching monochrome variant. The other option is once the X-Pro2 is out and deemed a worthy upgrade, I’d send off a X-Pro1 body for an infrared conversion.
For those who don’t get it. Check this out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysQl7SUEo4s&spfreload=10&ab_channel=TheCameraStoreTV
If, after watching that, you still don’t get it, then don’t bother. You just don’t get it.
What would be even more interesting is a monochrome infrared-only version. I am pretty sure I’d buy a x100 IR monochrome camera, unless seriously overpriced.
I’d love one but my next camera will be the X-Pro2. Not sure when I would add a monochrome X100 or X-Pro-like body. The megapixel count would certeainly not be an issue for me.
Don’t know why an X-E monochrome choice isn’t offered. I prefer the form factor of my X-E2 over that of the X-T1 and I wouldn’t want to lose the versatility of my six Fuji lenses. I sold my X-Pro because I found that over time I almost exclusively used the EVF (never thought that would happen, but it did). I only buy a new camera every three to four years, but I would buy a monochrome X-E-something in a heartbeat. And if it would help Fuji to cross the line, I wouldn’t mind signing in for it in advance in a kickstarter sort of way either. By the way, for a monochrome sensor, 16 or 18 MP would be more than enough IMHO (I print large).