Η ΓΝΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΣΤΟ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΑ ΑΠΟ ΑΥΤΟ
The cannabis-derived compound cannabidiol (CBD) is gaining traction as a treatment for a broad range of conditions, but it's notoriously hard for the body to use. Now a breakthrough production method has removed a major roadblock to its bioavailability.
Category: Psychedelics, Medical Innovations, Body & Mind
Tags: CBD, Cannabis, Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Inflammation, Pain, University of South Australia
Iceland-based Arctic Trucks has been kitting out Japanese SUVs for hardcore off-roading over some two decades at this point. It's been in cahoots with Isuzu's UK operations since at least 2016, and this year, the partnership has gone all out with a new Basecamp purpose-built for overlanders looking to pitch a tent in less-than-hospitable locales.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Truck, Isuzu, Arctic Trucks, Camping, Outdoors and Camping
Product Photos: Richard Butler
The Fujifilm GFX100RF is a 100-megapixel medium format digital camera with a fixed 28mm equivalent F4 lens.
Key featuresThe GFX100RF will retail for $4899 and will be available starting April 24th. It will come in either black or black and silver, and includes a braided strap, filter ring, filter and a color-matched square lens hood.
Buy now:
Buy at B&H Photo Index:The GFX100RF occupies a new space in Fujifilm's lineup and comes with a new design. It's essentially the long-rumored 'medium format X100,' in that it takes the formula of classic styling, direct controls and a wideangle prime lens permanently mounted on the front.
Don't take the rangefinder implications of the letters 'RF' too seriously though: this is essentially the world's most ambitious compact camera, lacking not just a rangefinder but also the X100/X-Pro hybrid viewfinder that gives the appearance of a classic rangefinder camera. Instead, the RF's EVF is a relatively standard 5.76M dot affair located in the top left corner of the back of the camera.
While the body is nowhere near as large as the interchangeable lens GFX cameras, it still has a lot of presence. You'll never forget that you have it on you and would be hard-pressed to fit it into a pocket. That's especially true when it's fitted with the included square lens hood, which adds style points but has to be mounted on the adapter ring, adding a substantial amount of depth, substituting flare for flair.
Like the X100VI, the GFX100RF can be weather-sealed when the adapter ring and a filter, though this too makes it bulkier. The hood can still be fitted to the adapter ring when the filter installed.
The fixed lensFujifilm says it went with a 28mm equivalent for two reasons: to make the camera as compact as possible while also letting users shoot with relatively lower shutter speeds without the aid of IBIS or optical stabilization. That ability – which will largely depend on how still your hands and subject are – will come in handy given the lens' relatively slow F4 (F3.2 equiv) 9-blade aperture.
The lens is made up of 10 elements in 8 groups, with two aspherical lenses. It has a minimum focus distance of 20cm (7.9") and can accept 49mm filters when fitted with its adapter ring.
The fixed lens also allows the provision of a leaf shutter, allowing the GF to sync with flashes up to 1/2000 (technically, it can sync all the way up to 1/4000, but you risk cutting off some of the flashes' burst using such a brief exposure).
Aspect ratio dialLooking at the back of the camera, the first thing that sticks out is the large dial above the screen. Its singular purpose is to let you apply various crops to your image, changing your JPEG's aspect ratio – and reducing how much of the sensor's area and resolution you're using.
There are nine options to choose from, and the camera gives you a few ways to preview your chosen aspect ratio. It can use black borders, a bounding box or raise the opacity of the portions of the image that will be cut off.
Amusingly, the label for the XPan-emulating 65:24 aspect ratio is a bit too wide for the window; you can see the labels for neighboring aspect ratios peaking through.There's also a "C" setting that lets you control the aspect ratio via one of the camera's command dials or the menus. If you decide you're unhappy with the crop after the fact, you can use the in-camera Raw reprocessing feature to change the aspect ratio, assuming you've been shooting in Raw + JPEG, as the camera maintains the full sensor Raw file and saves the intended crop as metadata.
Crop zoom 28mm equiv. 35mm equiv. 50mm equiv. 63mm equiv. GFX100RF | F9 | ISO 80 | 1/125In addition to its choice of aspect ratio crops, the GFX100RF has a crop mode that punches in to give the impression of using a longer lens. You physically control the crop using a toggle switch situated under the power switch and front control dial.
As always, cropping reduces the area of the sensor being used, meaning a reduction in resolution and of total light capture. This has a consequent reduction in tonal quality if viewed at the same scale as full-sensor images. The table below indicates the equivalent focal length that each of the crops gives, both with reference to the camera's 44 x 33mm sensor, which is how the camera reports the 'focal lengths' of the crops, and in terms of their full-frame equivalents for reference.
In 44x33 terms In 'full-frame' terms Effective focal length Crop Equivalent focal lengthAs you can see, hitting the lever once essentially turns the camera into a "full-frame" camera with a 35mm F4 equiv lens, before dropping down to nearer APS-C and Four Thirds image quality.
As with the aspect ratio crops, the zoom is only applied to the JPEG, leaving your Raw untouched. You're also able to remove it using the in-camera Raw reprocessing feature, though you can't select a different crop in-camera, though: it's the crop you shot the image with or the full sensor, only.
How It ComparesThe fixed-lens camera market is small but has several strong competitors, especially if you're willing to spend this much money on one. Leica's Q3, with its high-resolution full-frame sensor and 28mm focal length, is the most obvious point of comparison, but Fujifilm's X100VI is also a potential competitor for those who prefer the 35mm field of view or want a substantially smaller, less expensive option.
We've also included the Hasselblad X2D, which has a similar sensor but with an interchangeable lens mount. The Fujifilm GFX 100 S II is perhaps a more direct competitor in both specs and price, but the Hasselblad's size and use of leaf shutter lenses prompted us to include it instead.
Fujifilm GFX100RF Leica Q3 Fujifilm X100VI Hasselblad X2D MSRP $4899 $6295 $1599 $8,199 Sensor 102MP medium format (Bayer) 60MP full-frame (Bayer) 40MP APS-C3" tilting
3" tilting 3.6" tilting Storage formats 2x UHS-II SD,The GFX100RF's sensor may appear to be in a class above many of its fixed-lens peers, and in good light, we'd expect its larger sensor to give it a proportionate image quality advantage.
But it's worth considering raw light-gathering ability if low-light shooting is a big concern for you. Wide-open, the Q3's much faster lens gives it a 1.7EV potential advantage despite its smaller sensor, and there are lenses substantially faster than F4 available for the X2D (though they do come at significant expense). Even the APS-C-equipped X100VI* can gather a bit more light per-whole-image than the GFX can in its 35mm crop mode.
While the difference in focal length is a deal-breaker for some photographers, those who like 35mm equiv may find that Fujifilm's smaller offering provides a more engaging shooting experience thanks to its standout hybrid viewfinder – the GFX100RF, meanwhile, has a good but otherwise standard EVF. It's also the only camera in this lineup without any form of stabilization, which further reduces its capability as light level drops, even if you take into account the reduced risk of shake from its leaf shutter.
*It's impossible to mention the X100VI without acknowledging that, over a year after its announcement, it's still extremely hard to get. Persistent stock issues mean you'll have to be patient or willing to pay a reseller a substantial premium over MSRP if you want one.
Body and HandlingThe GFX100RF is relatively wide and boxy, though a small grip helps make it easier to hold. While it's undoubtedly large for a fixed-lens camera, it's not particularly heavy, making it easy to tote around all day.
The rear touchscreen display can be tilted up and down, though not left and right, as with some of Fujifilm's other cameras. The EVF is bright and crisp, making it easy to compose your shot.
From the top, the family resemblance to the X100VI is obvious. Though that top plate sits on an appreciably larger camera.The GFX100RF is brimming with controls. There are two programmable command dials: a knurled barrel on the front and a conventional dial in the back, with the rear one being clickable to cycle through functions. There's also a dedicated exposure compensation dial and autofocus mode control.
Shutter speed and ISO control share a dial, with the latter requiring you to pull up on the bezel before rotating. The lens has an aperture ring, which includes an automatic setting and two opposed nubs that make it easy to turn.
On the left of this shot, top-to-bottom are the camera's power switch, the barrel-style front command dial and the 'digital teleconverter' toggle at the bottom. To the right is the front plate lever (designed to look like the self-time control on a film camera). This can be flicked in either direction to access two functions or held in either direction to access two more.Also fixed in function is the zoom toggle on the front, as well as the aspect ratio dial; neither can be reconfigured. The lever on the front plate, however, is entirely customizable, and you can assign up to four functions to it, as it can differentiate between a flick and a pull and hold. The latter action takes around three seconds to activate. It also has a customizable button in the center.
The Q button, which by default brings up a customizable, on-screen control panel, is on the edge of the grip, which makes it difficult to press without adjusting your hand. This sort of placement makes a bit of sense on smaller cameras where there's nowhere else to put it, but is baffling on a camera that has so much room on the back. Also hard to hit while using the camera is the small, unlabeled button on the top plate right above the exposure compensation dial, which can be customized. As with many of Fujifilm's cameras, you can also have up to four settings that are controllable by swiping up, down, left or right on the touchscreen.
You can also use the touchscreen to position the autofocus point, though the camera has a dedicated joystick for that purpose.
The dual UHS-II SD card slots live on the right-hand side of the camera, while a door on the left opens up to reveal headphone and microphone sockets, the USB-C port, and a micro-HDMI port.
BatteryThe GFX100RF uses the 16Wh NP-W235 battery, the same that powers cameras like the GFX 100 II or X-T5. It's rated to get 820 shots in its normal mode, which is a frankly stunning performance. We consider ratings – which rarely reflect the number of shots most people get but rather act as a standard benchmark to measure cameras against each other – of around 400 shots or more to be sufficient for a heavy weekend of shooting, and the GFX100RF almost doubles that figure.
Initial ImpressionsBy Mitchell Clark
Sometimes, it's just nice to see a swing for the fences. To an extent, the GFX100RF is a variation on the X100-series' winning formula, though the changes it brings may mean it's destined to be a cult classic rather than an immediate blockbuster. It has a different focal length – Fujifilm's 28mm fixed lens cameras historically haven't set the world on fire – isn't quite as pretty, doesn't have the hybrid viewfinder, comes in a much larger body and, of course, has a much larger price tag.
It's also a camera with plenty of quirks, though that could make it more appealing to a certain audience. The biggest are the two non-programmable controls, the zoom toggle and the aspect ratio dial. There is a cleverness to the former in that, in conjunction with the medium format sensor, it adds back a little bit of the flexibility fixed-lens cameras usually give up. It's not only a 102MP camera with a 28mm equiv. lens, but also effectively a 62MP full-frame camera with a 35mm lens, a 31MP ∼APS-C camera with a 50mm equiv. lens, and a Four Thirds-ish camera with a 63mm equiv. lens.
As fans of the RX1 series are likely to attest, a fixed lens camera with the a7R V's sensor and a 35mm lens could certainly be attention-grabbing. In some ways, the GFX100RF can become that with the flick of a switch – or, at least, a version of that with a lens that's substantially slower than what you'd normally find on a fixed-lens camera.
Fujifilm says it went with an F4 lens to make the camera as small as it could. And indeed, the GFX100RF isn't all that much larger than some of the company's ASP-C cameras, though it certainly weighs more.That's where the camera's footing starts to wobble a bit. With the zoom and aspect ratio choices each cropping into the sensor, you're utilizing less and less of the light-gathering ability you paid so dearly for. The chart below shows just how much you're giving up: using an admittedly extreme aspect ratio and crop, you can get down to a 9MP image from a 19x7mm region of the sensor. The lack of sensor or optical stabilization also means that, even when utilizing the whole sensor, you have to be cognizant of lighting conditions and shutter speed if you want sharp images.
Aspect ratio 28mm equiv. 35mm equiv. 50mm equiv. 63mm equiv. 4:3 102MP3:2
90MP65:24
50MPRealistically, though, none of that is really what this camera is about. It's about being an object that proves to yourself and others that you are a 'Photographer' and about giving you direct control over the image-making process. And, yes, it's about being able to create some gorgeous, high-resolution shots while still having the freedom to crop away that resolution if it fits your vision.
In some ways, this camera feels like peak Fujifilm. It's a culmination of everything the company has been doing for the last few years, with its physical controls for the camera's key features and focus on creating the image you want in-camera without the need to crop or color grade in an external program. It's also one of the most photo-focused releases we've seen from the company in a while. Because while it has the same video capabilities as the GFX 100S II, in this instance, they almost feel vestigial; the company isn't really talking about them because that's not what this camera is about.
We'll have to wait until we can get our hands on a production model to fully evaluate its autofocus and image quality performance, but one thing is already clear: this camera is anything but boring.
Buy now:
Buy at B&H Photo Sample GalleryPlease do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.
Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.Yuji Igarashi, Divisional Manager of Fujifilm's Professional Imaging Group, holding the GFX100RF on stage.
Photo: Mitchell Clark
Fujifilm has announced the GFX100RF, a fixed-lens medium format camera, at its X Summit event in Prague. It uses a 102MP sensor, paired with the X-Processor 5 chip found in the rest of the company's lineup and a 35mm (28mm equiv.) F4 lens with a leaf shutter – a first for the GFX lineup.
Read our GFX100RF initial review
The company says it's the "most compact and lightweight" model in the GFX series. It comes in at 735g, which is slightly lighter than the GFX50R, which weighs 775g. It also says the "RF" stands for "Rangefinder style Fixed lens." The emphasis is on style – the camera doesn't feature an actual optical passthrough window, but instead uses a 5.76M dot EVF with 0.84x magnification – the same found on the GFX100 S II. There's also a 3.2" LCD, with a redesigned user interface to match the 3:2 aspect ratio.
The lens gives a 28mm equiv. field of view.
Image: Fujifilm
The company says it designed the 35mm F4 lens with compactness in mind, trying to keep the unit small despite the large sensor it has to cover. The lens doesn't have any optical image stabilization, and the sensor is also unstabilized. The leaf shutter allows you to sync flash "at any shutter speed," according to the company. The camera also features a built-in ND filter.
The top plate is made out of aluminum, and the company says it tried to make the camera feel even more luxurious than the X100VI, giving the controls a "precise and tactile feel." The camera will be available in black and silver finishes.
On stage, Divisional Manager of Fujifilm's Professional Imaging Group Yuji Igarashi said the camera is "a combination of two things: our cutting-edge technology and our history of film cameras." The camera features a dial for controlling your aspect ratio, simulating the shooting experience from several of the company's film cameras, and letting you shoot images in 1:1 and even 65:24.
Image: FujifilmThe camera also features a lever to control the "digital teleconverter," letting you crop in to several different focal lengths in-camera: 45 (35mm equiv.), 63 (50mm equiv.), and 80mm (63mm equiv.).
The company says the GFX100RF's autofocus algorithms are specifically "tuned" for it.
Fujifilm also says that it's developing a "workflow online using encryption technology" that will help you check the Content Credentials of an image, verifying that it's authentic, though it's currently still in the testing phase. The company joined the C2PA and CAI content authentication organizations in 2024.
The camera will be available in April and will cost $5,499 Euro, inclusive of VAT. In the US, it'll retail for $4,899 before sales tax.
Buy now:
Buy at B&H PhotoThis summit's "one more thing" announcement was a look at the GFX Eterna cinema camera.
Image: Fujifilm
During the event, the company also revealed that some of the footage from its announcement video was shot with its upcoming GFX Eterna cinema camera. Yuji Igarashi confirmed that the camera is still on track to launch by the end of the year, as originally announced.
In what's expected to soon be commonplace, artificial intelligence is being harnessed to pick up signs of cancer more accurately than the trained human eye. This latest AI model has a near 100% success rate and serves as a clear sign of things to come.
Category: Cancer, Illnesses and conditions, Body & Mind
Tags: Charles Darwin University, Cancer, Diagnostic tools, Artificial Intelligence
Tesla has been granted a ride-hail permit in California by the state's Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), paving the way for the EV giant to make good on its promise to launch a robotaxi service soonish.
Category: Transport
Tags: Self-Driving, Autonomous Vehicles, Tesla, California
Chinese humanoids are starting to move with extraordinary grace and agility, but Boston Dynamics is the OG in this field, and fresh video of its swivel-jointed Atlas robot running, cartwheeling and breakdancing shows it's still at the bleeding edge.
Category: AI & Humanoids, Technology
Tags: Boston Dynamics, Humanoid, Robots, Robotic, Crazy
There's newfound hope for stroke patients in recovery, with what researchers believe is the very first drug that can comprehensively deliver rehabilitation without the need for challenging long-term physical therapy.
Category: Stroke, Brain Health, Body & Mind
Tags: UCLA, Stroke, Brain, Neuroscience, neurons, Rehabilitation, Drug development, Brain activity
This strange white paste might not look like much, but it might help solve the sand shortage, while making the cement manufacturing process capture carbon dioxide instead of emitting it. Scientists at Northwestern University grew this stuff out of seawater, electricity and CO2.
Tags: Concrete, Climate Solutions: Cement, Cement, Climate Solutions: Cement, Building, Building and Construction, Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Sequestration, Carbon Neutral, Northwestern University
Quite similar to the ePropulsion eLite but bigger and more powerful, the RemigoOne is a hassle-free portable electric outboard built for fast, easy transport to and from the water. The push-button e-drive recently made the trip over to the US market, where it gives Americans an option for a clean, quiet, readily luggable all-in-one electric propulsion solution for RIBS, tenders, dinghies and small boats up to 25 feet (7.6 m) long.
Tags: Outboard Motor, Boating, Boats, Marine Innovations, Portable
It’s not every day that you see a US$1,000 motorcycle that’s ready to ride as it comes. That’s exactly what we have here in the form of the X-Pro MC-N025, a unique, commuter bike that comes from … China. Yep.
Category: Motorcycles, Transport
Tags: China, Affordable, Honda Motorcycles, CFMoto, Benda
Our soft tissues swell and shrink throughout the day, so a wearable that fits in the morning may not do so in the afternoon. A new adaptive lining for the sockets of prosthetic limbs was designed with this important fact very much in mind.
Category: Medical Devices, Medical Innovations, Body & Mind
Tags: Prosthetic, Imperial College London, Comfort
Today seems to be the day for teasers, with March 26 shaping up as the day for announcements. Canon just shared a teaser suggesting two new cameras coming on March 26, and now Sony has shared a mysterious YouTube video teasing a new camera also coming on the same date.
The video is short and has very little information. Typical of teaser content, the camera is heavily cloaked in shadow. It primarily reveals the sensor and lens mount, along with a "Go small, shoot big" tagline. The first part of that phrase suggests a smaller form factor. The "shoot big" portion, though, along with the view of the lens mount, gives away that it is an interchangeable lens camera.
The rest of the video doesn't provide much other than a button labeled "5" and a 3.5mm jack. The video caption simply states, "Be ready for the announcement of a new product," and provides the announcement time as March 26th at 10:00 EDT / 14:00 GMT / 22:00 CST / 23:00 JST.
Naturally, the comment section is full of guesses. Many are speculating that it could be the FX3 II or FX6 II, while a few think it could be the a6900. Luckily, the announcement is only a week away, so the answer will be revealed soon.
Canon posted a teaser across its social media channels, promising that something is coming soon. The post features two cameras shrouded in shadow, with a large "V" between them and the date March 26. "In one week, a new chapter begins! We promise it's worth the wait," says the Instagram caption. "Subscribe to our YouTube channel at the link in our bio to be among the first to know!"
Of course, as a teaser, details are minimal. But the photo does provide some worthwhile details. One of the cameras is less hidden in shadow than the other, revealing a bit more. It looks remarkably like the Canon PowerShot V1, which was recently released in Asia during CP+. You can even make out the 8.2-25.6mm lens, which is what the V1 features. So, it seems like a safe bet to guess that we will see a broader release of the new compact vlogging camera.
The second camera, though, is much darker. Even when brightened, it doesn't reveal any additional details. However, the giant "V" in the image suggests that both cameras will fall in the company's V series of vlogging and creator cameras. It looks to be only slightly larger than the PowerShot V1, though the lens seems quite a bit larger than the V1's. It's hard to tell if it's another fixed-lens compact or if it could be an interchangeable lens system for vloggers.
Luckily, the announcement is only a week away, so we don't need to wait much longer to find out what Canon is hinting at.
Mercedes’ “compact sedan for the electric age” has arrived and boy is it stuffed with electric capabilities. It becomes the first EV in a completely new generation of Mercedes cars.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes, Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, Electric Vehicles, Hybrid, BMW, Geely
2012's XF1 was just one of a range of high-end compacts Fujifilm produced in the past.
Photo: DPReview.com
In our interview with Yuji Igarashi, Fujifilm's Divisional Manager, Professional Imaging Group, he seems to hint at more affordable models, aimed at first-time photographers.
"I think now that cameras have become quite expensive, that’s maybe why young people are going to second-hand cameras for their first camera," he says: "I think maybe there’s a gap for young people to start shooting with digital cameras."
"Maybe there’s a gap for young people to start shooting with digital cameras"The public awareness generated by the X100V and VI puts them in a good position, he suggests: "We’re getting a lot of interest from the younger generation. The younger generation and also a more female audience. Because in the past it was a more male-dominated industry."
"That's an opportunity for expansion: the younger generation, both male and female."
This audience isn't necessarily familiar with cameras, he suggests: "I think you know many people are the first-time buyers of cameras, so I think that's a huge difference. People who were coming to our system maybe five or ten years ago had experience in shooting with other cameras and then starting with X-series, whereas now we’re seeing people for whom X-series is the first camera in their entire life, so they’re comparing their experience to smartphones, rather than comparing to other cameras."
"Now we’re seeing people for whom X-series is the first camera in their entire life""To be honest, we’re still trying to figure out what is the right camera. Of course many young people are interested in X100, X-M5, X-T30 and even X-T5 so they’re quite diverse: we can’t really categorize that audience."
But, he hinted, addressing this audience might mean an expansion beyond its existing models. "They want what’s right for them," he says: "it’s not like there’ll be one camera that’s right for everyone."
"I think [X100VI] has helped raise awareness of other X-series cameras," says Igarashi
Photo: Richard Butler
Could be compactCould there be room in Fujifilm's lineup for a compact camera, again, we wondered. "I think there is demand for compact cameras," says Igarashi.
"I think that smartphones have actually helped people get into photography because everybody takes pictures. So I think there's potential for compact cameras."
The younger generations' relationship with photos is different from their established users, he suggests: "When young people now take a picture and then look back at a picture they took maybe 10, 15 years ago, it may look almost exactly the same because image quality has remained very good."
"I think there's a lot of potential in compact cameras as long as we can provide something unique""So they’ve never experienced this kind of nostalgia in their images. I think second-hand compact cameras are perhaps unique because the images look kind of old and the body looks old and gives this nostalgic feeling to it."
"For my generation, when we were children we had film cameras: we already experienced that, so it’s not a new thing for us, but it’s a new thing for a younger generation."
"I think there's a lot of potential in compact cameras as long as we can provide something unique, and provides a unique experience for the users."
Must be engagingExperience, is a critical consideration Igarashi says: "I think that the shooting experience is probably the most important thing that distinguishes smartphones," he says: "For our cameras, at least."
"I think that experience is what young people are looking for: the fact that you’re intentionally capturing this moment in time, the way you want to capture it."
"Smartphones can be a great tool, but I think there’s more emotion you can add by using a camera to capture the scene."
Interview conducted by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler, at the CP+ 2025 show in Yokohama, Japan. Answers edited for flow.
Fujifilm's Makoto Oishi and Yuji Igarashi at the company's booth at CP+ 2025.
Photo: Dale Baskin
Fujifilm is still committed to both the X-Pro and X-E lines, says Yuji Igarashi, Divisional Manager of its Professional Imaging Group, as we discussed the future of those cameras, the challenges of autofocus and addressing the X100VI backlog.
X100VI backlogIgarashi was keen to explain how the X100VI has ended up back-ordered and clear up the mistaken impression that the shortages are intentional.
"The number of pre-orders on Day One was so big that some people have been waiting for a year," he acknowledges: "It was an extraordinary volume of orders and, of course, we're doing our best to catch up with that. We've been shipping consistently, and we continue to do our best."
"We've increased our production of X100VI quite a lot," he says. To put it in context, he tries to give an idea of how they got caught off-guard: "if you look at the X100 series’ history, we’ve had five cameras preceding this camera and we've already sold in a year what they would have sold in three or four years."
"We've already sold in a year what they would have sold in three or four"Ramping-up production is harder for a camera like the X100VI, he says: "Generally speaking, a premium product is more difficult to produce. For example, the top plate of X100VI, you can see the sharp edges are made from aluminum, and it goes through many processes like stamping and milling, and filling in the colored details. So, it's not like you can simply increase production, quickly. But of course, we will continue to do our best to make a camera available to everyone who wants one. "
Autofocus concernsIgarashi also said he recognized the concerns some users and reviews have expressed about autofocus.
"I don't think we are at the point where I can say, ‘Ok, this is good enough and we’re not going to do any more', he says: "So even today, we're working on making improvements."
"Of course, we always continue to improve our autofocus and also we are aware that we have room to improve as well. And so we’re making a continuous effort."
"We are aware that we have room to improve... so we’re making a continuous effort"One aspect is that the evolution and expansion of the X-series is exposing their cameras to new photographic challenges, he says: "Picking up the X100 autofocus, and then using an X-H with a telephoto prime lens and trying to capture wildlife is a completely different story."
"Of course we know that shooting wildlife or sports is not our bread and butter: it’s not what we’ve been doing for years, and that’s what we’ve been learning as we create these longer lenses. We’ve been expanding our field of photography as we’ve been expanding our lens lineup."
"The areas we’re used to, I think we’re better at, and the new areas we’re expanding into, those are both the spaces we think we have room to improve."
On X-Pro and X-E"Our plan hasn't changed, we still plan to launch a successor to X-Pro3, but we don’t have a date, yet. And X-E of course, too. We haven’t abandoned the line either."
But, especially in the light of what he'd said about a younger audience, we wondered whether it was likely that the X-E series would return to its more enthusiast-focused roots, given how much the X-T series has now expanded to address that audience.
"We’re always considering what's right, so it's never fixed," he says: "I think we look into every product, not just X-E. There’s nothing that’s perfect, which is totally unchangeable: it’s something we consider every time we come up with the next version."
There are limits to this, he suggests: "I think everybody would be surprised if it wasn’t rangefinder style," he jokes.
"Some people really liked the latest X-E"But, he says, it's impossible for one product to serve everyone: "Some people really liked the latest X-E we had: X-E4, but some did not, so while we can’t make everyone similarly happy, we try to come up with the best possible solutions. We try to listen to the latest feedback and make improvements from there."
Jun Watanabe, Product Planning Manager, explained the sorts of users they will be building the next X-E for: "They love the rangefinder style, and they don’t have a specific shooting subject [in mind]," he says: "They love daily life photography [and using X-E] as a snap camera." Importantly, "they love the style and the design," he confirms.
The future of photo-focused camerasExisting photographers shouldn't be alarmed at the company's efforts to broaden their appeal, Igarashi stresses. If anything, the broadening product line lets each camera be a bit more focused: "I think improving cameras for photographers is very much possible. Very small things, but for example, because we have more hybrid cameras like the X-H, that's allowed us to make the X-T5 screen a tilting screen instead of flip out screen. We can probably separate our cameras more between stills and hybrid models."
"We just need to be mindful of who the audience is, and how to provide the right fit for those people."
Interview conducted by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler, at the CP+ 2025 show in Yokohama, Japan. Answers edited for flow.
At just 6.6 m (21.7 ft) in length, what this off-grid capable tiny house lacks in available space it makes up for with portability. It could be a good fit for up to two people wanting a towable vacation home or to embrace a minimalist life on the road.
Category: Tiny Houses, Lifestyle
Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home
If you missed your chance to buy one of the coolest smartwatches ever made, listen up. Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky's new outfit Core Devices is now accepting pre-orders for two new Pebble-like wearables.
Category: Wearables, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Smartwatch, Pebble, E-Paper
Viltrox has announced that its highly regarded AF 135mm F1.8 Lab lens is now available for Nikon Z-mount. The lens was initially released last fall for E-mount, offering a much more affordable prime portrait lens alternative to Sony's FE 135mm F1.8 GM lens. Now, Nikon users will have a budget-friendly version of Nikon's 135mm F1.8 S Plena.
The Viltrox Lab lineup is the third-party lens maker's high-end series, offering flagship quality and more premium features than its other series of lenses. As a result, Viltrox promises edge-to-edge sharpness in the 135mm F1.8 Lab. The E-mount version has received excellent reviews for the quality it provides, especially for the price, and the Z-mount model should be the same, given that the mount is the only difference between the two.
The lens uses the Viltrox HyperVCM motor for autofocus, which Viltrox claims offers 150% faster autofocus than traditional STM motors. It says the lens will provide 100ms near to far focus point switching for fast yet smooth transitions. It also promises silent autofocus with minimal focus breathing, making it a worthy lens for video purposes. It offers a 0.72m (2.4') minimum focusing distance with 0.25x maximum magnification, roughly the same as Sony's 135mm and slightly closer than Nikon's Plena lens.
Image: ViltroxThe AF 135mm F1.8 Lab features an 11-blade aperture diaphragm for attractive bokeh. The optical design is comprised of 14 elements in 9 groups, which include four ED low-dispersion lenses and two high-refractive-index elements. It's made to be durable, with a dustproof and splash-resistant design and magnesium alloy barrel.
Like the E-mount version, it features a small screen on the top of the lens that can be customized to show relevant information. The lens also offers an AF/MF switch and an aperture de-click switch. A multifunction ring enables adjustable function modes such as aperture adjustment, exposure compensation or ISO control on Nikon cameras. Finally, a USB-C port allows for firmware updates.
One of the tradeoffs for the budget price is more weight. 135mm prime lenses aren't known for being very lightweight, but the Viltrox lens is an especially hefty offering. At 1265g (2.8lbs), it is a bit heavier than the Nikon 135mm F1.8 S Plena, which weighs 995g (2.2lbs). Saving money, in this case, means added weight.
The Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 Lab lens for Nikon Z-mount is available now on the Viltrox website for $854, which is a temporary discount from its $899 price.
Buy now: $854 at Viltrox