*UPDATE* Fujinon for Canon? [CR1]

[Canon Rumors]

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Fujinon Lenses A brief email this AM stated Fuji will announce Fujinon lenses for the EF mount in March. No other details were given. This is the first time I’ve heard anything on the topic. Grain of salt and all that.

There have been mentions elsewhere from time to time that Fuji wasn’t finished in the DSLR business.

*UPDATE* This could also be lenses for video as pointed out by a few people, though the information did specify EF.

cr

[lol]

My history doesn't go back that far, but when was the last time Fuji seriously dabbling with SLR lenses? I recall they did a series of SLR bodies not long ago but they used Nikon mount.

I can't see them becoming yet another mass market 3rd party SLR lens maker like Sigma/Tamron. Have they historically done exotic lenses that might be of more interest? Could they be "video" lenses?

[philHolland]

I agree they could be "video" lenses or perhaps just video centric lenses.  i.e. locked focus zooms, lens gears, perhaps f/2 zooms. 

[PXL_Pusher]

I recently purchased the Fujifilm Finepix x100 as a secondary camera for when I really want to get creative with my shots. The camera is brilliant in many aspects, but besides that if the image quality I achieve with that camera and it's f/2 Fujinon lens is any indication... I would be very interested in trying some fujinon glass on my 7D - specially any exotic glass like wide aperture primes and UWA zooms.

The fujinon lens on the X100 produces sharp images from corner to corner and really hasn't given me any CA that I can notice. Haven't really used the video feature so I can't give any feedback on that.

Can't wait to hear more on this!

[lol]

Just been poking around Fuji's site and they already do a range of PL mount 35mm video lenses: http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/optical_devices/digital-film-cinema/pl-mount/

Wouldn't be hard to re-mount them like Zeiss already do with theirs. Being optimised for video I wonder how the resolution would hold out for stills. Two of them are T2! That means they must be f/2 or faster...

14.5–45mm / T2.0 or 18-85mm / T2.0. Sounds good as a replacement kit lens maybe? They are 6.5/6.9kg in weight though. And I think it'll fall into "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" territory.

[tmangan]

Grain of salt and all but this could be great. As a former large format photographer, Fujinon produced some of the best lenses for use on 4x5 and 8x10 cameras. Fujinon had innovative designs that were as sharp or sharper than their Nikkor, Schneider, and Rodenstock counterparts. They also produced many models that that the other lens manufactures did not copy or compete with. This could potentially be an interesting developement for alternative lens options.

[spaceheat]

My history doesn't go back that far, but when was the last time Fuji seriously dabbling with SLR lenses? I recall they did a series of SLR bodies not long ago but they used Nikon mount.

I can't see them becoming yet another mass market 3rd party SLR lens maker like Sigma/Tamron. Have they historically done exotic lenses that might be of more interest? Could they be "video" lenses?

Fuji currently makes all of the Hasselblad H Series lenses.

[dstppy]

Interesting at least . . . competition wouldn't be bad for the consumer, but if there's no AF tie in . . . well, it'll end up as a niche market, really regardless of quality.

IIRC don't the video and consumer crowd always get cranky when there's no continual-af for video?

[Edwin Herdman]

Makes some sense.

My history doesn't go back that far, but when was the last time Fuji seriously dabbling with SLR lenses?

Historically Fuji was one of the big SLR lens makers.  They made lenses in at least M42 and X-Fujinon mounts.  They still make some of the world's best broadcast video lenses.  They also should make tons of security camera and other industrial lenses.

[lol]

IIRC don't the video and consumer crowd always get cranky when there's no continual-af for video?

If it's a PL re-mount job, those lenses are well into big budget cinematography. They don't care for AF. This wouldn't be a consumer level product.

Thanks to others for filling me in on Fuji's history. If it turns out to be photographic lenses, it will be interesting to see if they're moving into the premium niche market like Zeiss, or more mass market like Sigma. I just can't see anyone else trying to go into the mass market though.

Did Fuji have a particular niche though? For example, Zeiss aren't know for longer telephotos for example. Mostly wide to short tele primes.

[FredBGG]

My history doesn't go back that far, but when was the last time Fuji seriously dabbling with SLR lenses? I recall they did a series of SLR bodies not long ago but they used Nikon mount.

I can't see them becoming yet another mass market 3rd party SLR lens maker like Sigma/Tamron. Have they historically done exotic lenses that might be of more interest? Could they be "video" lenses?

Fuji currently makes all of the Hasselblad H Series lenses.

Fuji makes and designed the whole Hasselblad H system. It was initially the Fuji GX645.

Fuji has also hinted very strongly at returning to making high end luxury cameras.

Hasselblad was bought up by a German investment group. Seems that Fuji that has deep pockets was not interested. Fuji also passed on buying Pentax.

This rumor of Fuji making EF lenses may be just part of Fuji's strategy to bring it back into the high end DSLR market, both 35mm and MF.

Start by impressing the market with the lenses and then follow up with cameras.

I think it is safe to say that the sleeping giant has awoken.

No other large photography company  has the dimension of the Fuji group.
None of the others have the "NEW" pedegree of still developing film cameras and bringing back
previously discontinued films.
Fuji could soon establish itself as the premiere photography company in the world.

Going back to the lenses I use the Fuji GX680 and the lenses for the GX680 system are
very special. The 180mm f3.2 with 6x8cm negatives or slides is simply amazing.

Fuji replaced Zeiss as the Hasselblad lens designer and manufacturer.
I can see this happening in cinema lenses too.

Unlike Canon and Nikon Fuji is a film manufacturer and it's S5 super CCD years ago had a dynamic range
that only very recently has been matched by other sensor manufacturers.

[Edwin Herdman]

Hasselblad and to some extent Pentax are just names - Fuji already has all the resources it needs to create a top-tier camera line.  Hasselblad in particular has nothing in the way of technology to entice a buyer, I'm afraid.  Pentax was somewhat better off but they're probably lucky they got bought.  (Probably lucky for all of us too, since they have been making some interesting but niche products lately.  Go Ricoh!)

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Hasselblad and to some extent Pentax are just names - Fuji already has all the resources it needs to create a top-tier camera line.  Hasselblad in particular has nothing in the way of technology to entice a buyer, I'm afraid.  Pentax was somewhat better off but they're probably lucky they got bought.  (Probably lucky for all of us too, since they have been making some interesting but niche products lately.  Go Ricoh!)

True, the main issue facing a company that makes $$$$$ lenses is how to make a profit selling to the mass market.  The initial investment is pretty steep, and there is no guarantee of widespread acceptance, many think of Fujifilm as a low price manufacturer because of their low end consumera camera line.  Only a few know of the truly excellent lenses they make at the highest levels.

[c.d.embrey]

Not only does Fuji make high end Broadcast and  Digital Cine lenses (Arri sells Fuji zooms for the Alexa), they make the best lenses for ENG (Electronic News Gathering) and EFP (Electronic Field Production).

It makes sense for serious Canon HDTV shooters to want to use the best video lenses. If Canon is making a REAL video camera with an EF mount than it makes even more sense.

ARRI and FUJINON have joined their extensive expertise to create a completely new family of modern cine zooms. Using the latest in optical design technology and innovative manufacturing techniques, the ARRI/FUJINON Alura Zooms combine the highest optical performance with an amazingly small size, weight and price.  http://www.arri.de/camera/lenses/35_format_lenses/alura_zooms.html [/quote}

[ronderick]

Don't know about the older history, but I know there's still quite a fanbase for the Fujifilm S5 Pro even today (basically a Nikon D200 fitted with the great colors from Super CCD, but doesn't take the standard batteries and have a slower shooting speed).

I've also heard tales from co-workers about the alliance between Fujifilm and Nikon back in those days, but it seemed to have ended on a low note (wonder if anyone here knows the whole story?).

It would be interesting to see what kind of Fujinon lens will appear for the EOS bodies. However, one thing I would definitely LOVE to see would be a EOS camera equipped with a full frame EXR sensor...