From the looks of it, Fuji isn't aiming towards M43 or NEX, they're gunning for Leica. Slap a couple native lenses and a Leica mount adapter and you pretty much have an M9 killer.
As a Nikon guy, if they got some special sensor in there, I wouldn't mind if they release a follow up to their F-mount S5...Fuji S6 Pro in a D700 chassis would be sick!
I definitely agree with this. It's not meant to be a more portable interchangeable-lens system to compete with SLRs, like m4/3 is. It's meant to be an affordable digital rangefinder, since the only rangefinder now is the M9, and most don't find it affordable. Also, I'm sure that many want features like autofocus. It will probably be a bit faster operation than the X100, but not blazingly fast.
You don't even need a Leica mount adapter. Fuji is a powerhouse when it comes to optics; their medium format cameras are nothing but well received among professionals. As far as the intended use of rangefinders, it has a perfect introductory lineup:
-18mm (24mm equiv.) for wideangle, 24mm is respectably wide, and I assume they'll introduce a wider angle lens later
-35mm (~50mm equiv) as a normal lens
-A zoom lens for convenience, let's just call it an 18-55mm for now.
-A 60mm, which is incredibly perfect for portraits, gives a slight telephoto
Shame it seems like it's gonna be an APSc based camera vs. at least an APSh or full frame. Would have been be nice if it was a reasonably priced M9 competitor
So Fuji has basically just reissued the X100 as an interchangable lens camera with a tweaked sensor ... a bit of let down especially as they are going with their own new mount which in my opinion makes absolutely no sense ... just to have an aperature ring based lenses.
Pffffff.. another product just confuse the marketplace vs. truly standing out from the crowd.
I guess u43 will be able to stand its ground a while longer. Granted, I'd prefer to the Fuji LX over the Sony NEX7 if I was in that marketplace..
So we now from Nikon with a decent ILC mirrorless system for an entry point, u43s being IMO the best bang for you buck, Fuji x100, NEX7/Fuji LX, Leica M
Of all those.. it still seems to me u43 is still the overall system to get.. if ONLY they'd make a significant announcment about some type of sensor improvement coming down the pipe and a freaking body variant that includes a VF if only to stop all the bad forum posts and begging for some diehard vf shooters.
While a full frame would be fun, it wouldn't be realistic. I'd bet that it would drive the camera to be nearly 2/3 the price of an M9, at which point, most people would just get the M9. Even though Fuji is well known among professionals (and now consumers moreso than ever, thanks to the X10 and X100), they still have to choose their battles wisely. Introducing a more expensive camera in today's market is not a wide choice. With the short register distance of a rangefinder, the costs to tame a fullframe would be exponential compared to the gains. Who will pay $3,000+ for a Fuji rangefinder when a 5D and D700 (and their successors) cost less? They most assuredly want to capture more of the consumer sector than Leica has been able to; they don't have the name recognition.
Look at any other company's foray into the high end to see how that turns out. The Volkswagen Phaeton, for example, was made to compete with Mercedes, BMW, etc. It had the same price. Considering Volkswagen at the time owned Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Bugatti and therefore had all of that engineering prowess at their disposal (along with the at-the-time unofficial partnership and rampant idea-sharing with Porsche), the car was most assuredly as well built and well-equipped as its competitors. But, without the prestige or the name recognition, sales fell flat.
They also went with their own mount because this rangefinder will have autofocus and will communicate with the camera in other ways; look at the picture showing all of the electrical contacts on the back of the lens. I don't think that this confuses the market any more than the X100 did. Given the humongous reception that the X100 and X10 are receiving from consumers, I'd say that they're doing well by staying in that end of the market. Give everyone that's loving the X100 the ability to increase the functionality with a family of lenses.
I really think this camera will carve out its own nice little comfortable pocket in the market. I do agree with you that if m4/3 had introduced a proper rangefinder-style body and some solid sensor technology, there would be a lot less squawking from users like me.
I don't get the drama, really.
Judging by my experience with the X100 and some Fuji compacts, this will produce beautiful images, but the camera will be slow to focus. It will also take its time writing images to the memory card and the video mode will be beyond awful.
The Leica M9 has no video, but look at the reception that it's getting; I don't think Leica has any wants with regards to sales. This camera will be to the Leica M9 as the new Mustang is to a 1967 one; still a beast capable of amazing performance, but taking advantage of today's technology.
and last Saturday I made some poor kid have his drink come out his nose when he realized I had two M9's.
