I get a message or comment every now and again that’s really silly. Are you worried that so many photographers are leaving Fujifilm? It could be worded a little different. Maybe it’s, Fujifilm should be worried that so many are leaving. Or, I’m leaving the brand and I know many others who are, too. There are a lot of variants, but the sentiment is always the same. Someone is switching brands or threatening to do so, and that is newsworthy and everyone should pay attention because there is a Fujifilm exodus. Am I worried that so many photographers are leaving Fujifilm? No, I’m not, not even a little.
My camera journey began almost 30 years ago (that’s crazy!) with a Canon AE-1. After that I switched to Pentax, and continued with Pentax when I went digital; however, I was never really satisfied with my DSLRs. So I tried Samsung (remember when they made mirrorless cameras?). Then I bought a Sigma Merrill. I went with Nikon for a few years. Then I tried Sony and Panasonic. I did what is quite typical, and went from brand-to-brand-to-brand searching for something that I just couldn’t find. I didn’t even really understand what I was looking for. But then I purchased a used Fujifilm X-E1, and I fell in love with the traditional tactile controls and overall experience. Later, I got an X100F, and fell in love with the camera-made JPEGs and straight-out-of-camera photography. That’s what I was looking for (even though I didn’t know it), and I found it once I tried Fujifilm. I don’t regret the other camera purchases because they’re a part of my journey; without them, I might not be where I am today.
My story doesn’t end there, though. I get accused all the time of being a “Fujifilm fanboy” but I’m not strictly a Fujifilm photographer. I own and use Ricoh GR cameras. I tried a Nikon Zfc (it’s been collecting dust for a few years now). My brother-in-law uses Sony cameras, and he wanted me to make Recipes for it, so I purchased a Sony a7 IV. I didn’t much like the experience of the camera, so it’s been collecting dust for awhile now, too. I tried a Canon DSLR awhile back that I picked up for a good price; however, I only ended up using it for a few weeks before returning it to its box where it sat for a long time until I eventually sold it. A couple of years ago I tried a Leica Q2, but it’s not a camera I can afford (even if I could I probably wouldn’t buy it). I’m not against any brand. They all have pluses and minuses, and none are perfect or for everyone. Each photographer should use whatever they want to, whatever makes them happy or allows them to best create whatever it is that they want to create. For me, Fujifilm is that brand, but I’m not afraid to try something else.
Photography should be enjoyable, and if someone is not enjoying it, perhaps some change is needed. There is no need to rigidly stick strictly to any one brand, unless that is what makes you happy. If you think a Canon camera will be good for your photography, buy a Canon. If it’s Olympus, go that route. Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to continue your journey searching for the best photographic tools for you. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest if someone sells their Fujifilm gear and goes with another brand. Do what’s right for you.
Of course, the way that the question at the top is typically worded it’s as if it’s not an individual, but a group. It’s stated as if it’s a movement, an exodus. There are always people switching brands, no matter the brand. People are constantly going from brand-to-brand-to-brand, just like I did for years. For some, Fujifilm wasn’t their first and won’t be their last. That’s just the way it is, and it’s common and normal. However, some brands are shrinking, some brands are staying even, and some brands are growing. Fujifilm has been leading the pack in terms of growth for a few years now. If there’s a large group of photographers abandoning the system, there’s a much, much larger group jumping into it. There can’t be an exodus from the brand if the brand is experiencing so much growth.
What’s going on here is something different than that, and there’s actually a term for it: flouncing. It’s flaunting your bounce—storming out in an exaggerated, theatrical manner. It’s very easy to recognize, with some examples being, “That’s it, Fujifilm has lost me forever!” Or, “I’m selling all my gear and switching brands.” Or, “This camera release is the final straw!” Or, “I’m switching brands and I know many others are too.” People leave brands all the time and have legitimate reasons for doing so, but flouncing involves added elements, such as drama (it’s presented as a major event that everyone should pay attention to), attention seeking (it’s intended to provoke reactions), virtue signaling (the person wants others to know they’re taking a stand), and peer pressure tactics (they want others to join them). It’s a type of performative behavior. A common pattern is that 1) something is announced (camera, lens, firmware, etc.), 2) someone doesn’t like an aspect of it, 3) they declare the brand has lost its way, 4) they announce they’re leaving (or are considering leaving unless this or that happens), and 5) they predict a mass exodus. You see it all the time in the comments section of many websites.
Basically, anyone who flounces should be ignored. If they are truly going to switch brands or whatever they’re threatening to do, then so be it. People try different camera brands regularly. Most people—normal people—just do it and don’t call attention to themselves. The flouncer might have valid criticisms, but unfortunately they present it in an unhealthy, destructive way. Criticism can be invaluable for any and every brand, but it’s not going to be heard unless it’s stated in a constructive fashion. In other words, if someone is truly concerned about something and wants to see a change, they will go about it in a substantive and reasonable way without making it about themselves.
A person who flounces is seeking attention, validation, and/or influence. It’s as simple as that. It’s a type of negative behavior that is generally considered unhealthy and unproductive. Flouncing speaks much more of the person saying it than whatever their complaint might be, and none of it is positive. It would be great if people stopped doing it. So, no, I’m not concerned in the slightest about “so many leaving” Fujifilm. I’m pretty sure Fujifilm, who has never sold so many cameras before and has trouble producing enough stock to meet current demand, is not concerned about it either (although I certainly do not speak on their behalf). Sorry (not sorry), there is no Fujifilm exodus.
Sounds although you were searching for a digital replacement for your best transparency camera. I certainly am.
Always hated paying for airbrush services.
Best Rgds.
Yeah, I suppose. I would argue that the latest Fujifilm models are superior in a lot of ways, kind of the best of both worlds. If handed a Canon AE-1 and lifetime supply of film, I would still use my Fujifilm cameras 95% of the time. But, otherwise, yes.
That new preset the Velvia Chrome is the PRETTIEST sim EVER. I’m not one for simulations, and I’ve never installed one on any of my cameras but I just installed this one.
This one?
https://fujixweekly.com/2026/04/13/vivid-chrome-a-fujifilm-recipe-for-x-and-gfx-cameras/
I appreciate your kind feedback!
…..your articles are always penitents and just. Il like them very much. in the end of the ’70 I have a Yashica FX D and a Yashica Mat G I like them very much and after that Fuji S9000 digital. In the beginning of the ’90 It was a Nikon D90 and a Nikon D3400. And for the last 5 or 6 years, It is a Fuji X100T and my best one a X100V. I think it is your fault because I always waiting for your next simulation recipe. Thank you and continue your excellent work!
I own a Yashica Electro GS, but unfortunately it doesn’t work. A couple of my favorite photos from my pre-Fujifilm days were captured with a Nikon D3300. That series was surprisingly decent for how cheap they were—the AF wasn’t all that great, but, compared to today, most from that time period weren’t super amazing anyway, yet we still managed. Thanks for your kind comment!
I currently shoot Fujifilm (X-T5 and X-T20), Olympus (Film) OM-2n, Olympus (Digital) EM-5III and OM-1 and Sony A7CII. I always find it odd that so many people link their identities to a camera brand – I can see it if maybe your Nikon FM caught a bullet for you in Nam so now you’re a Nikon guy for life, but come on. Life is short – grab and shoot every camera you can!
I love Fujifilm more than any other brand (by far), but it would be silly to be all-or-nothing, and I’d certainly have missed out on some photos and experiences if I was strictly one-brand-only. They all have pluses and minuses, and none are perfect or for everyone. I think having cameras from multiple brands (for various purposes) is pretty normal.
Because lenses can be expensive, I totally get buying into one brand so that you can use your lenses across all your cameras, including when you upgrade. That’s understandable. And I guess that gives one familiarity, making things easier when going from one body to another. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Personally, I’m very open to trying various brands. I would love for another to come along and do something that I really love/appreciate. I’m surprised that none have really tried to do what Fujifilm is doing. I suppose an argument can be made that maybe Nikon has to a degree, but only kinda sorta. It seems like an opportunity for some brand or startup.
I started with Nikon, then moved to Fuji for smaller footprint/travel. Sold my all my Fuji and Nikon stuff several years ago because of the frustration with autofocus and moved to Sony for primarily sports/underwater. Just recently picked up an xe-5 for travel/fun…. Now very happy with both, each serving my different needs.
That’s awesome. The Fujifilm X-E5 is one of my favorite cameras, probably my most-used right now.
I think YouTubers switching brands and making a single and dance about it is more about trying to drive audience, and/or a sign they’ve run out of real content and have resorted to click bait.
Where I think Fuji should pay attention is the erosion of the professional offerings in the X Series range. Not replacing the X-Pro 4, the reduction in build quality of the X-T5 compared to, say, the X-T3, and not keeping up with professional level subject detection or sports/wildlife optics (the XF 150-600 and XF 500 are good optics for hobbyists, but I doubt people making their living shooting sports would touch them). Focussing on single card slot and no internal memory etc.
All the recent and semi recent new product launches are of what I would term non professional cameras. It’s as if Fuji have ceded the “small” professional camera arena to Leica and others. Which is a shame. I really like the Fujiverse. I’m a hobbyist. I shoot all sorts. I’ve got an XH2 for the sensor, and an XH2S for the speed of autofocus. I think they are two great cameras but really they should be one great camera.
I hope Fuji stop looking for gimmicks (like the X Half, the “film” video camera thing, the sim dials, the aspect ratio dials) and get back to making cameras that stack up with the best in build quality, operating software, autofocus, and professional details (like two card slots).
I wasn’t talking about YouTubers, but people who comment on articles or videos. Perhaps YouTubers are where the trend can be traced back to, though.
I do think Fujifilm should have released the next X-Pro (or fixed the cable on the X-Pro3 and kept it in production longer), and not let so much time pass by. I disagree that the build quality of the X-T5 is “worse” than the X-T3 or other X-T series cameras, in my opinion that’s fiction; if it is true, it is to such a minor degree that I can’t spot it, despite handling these cameras all the time and having a ton of experience with them. I think it’s a myth.
As far as AF, I concluded this a couple of years ago and it is so true that it is a safe bet, should anyone want to wager. Those who complain about the AF almost always are owners of an X-H2 or X-H2s. Somehow the camera with the best and fastest AF is the one that generates the most complaints, while those with “lessor” models seem to get along just fine. I don’t have a good explanation, only the observation. Perhaps it’s simply expectations. Maybe it’s that the AF firmware bug primarily affected the X-H cameras. Maybe those own the camera tend to find themselves in more demanding situations. Maybe it was because those cameras were marketed primarily to those coming from Canikony brands. I don’t know. I just know that if someone complains about Fujifilm’s AF, four out of five times their camera is an X-H2 or X-H2s. If Fujifilm had never made those cameras, there would be far, far, far fewer AF complaints today. I find that fascinating.
Fujifilm will never have “the best” AF for many reasons that I’ve stated several times, including that the Canikony brands had a big head start (dating back to the ’70’s and ’80’s), have much larger R&D budgets, can better attract and retain the best talents, and have gone all-in on AF while largely ignoring IQ improvements or even to the detriment of IQ (as reported by PetaPixel). Nobody should ever have the expectation that Fujifilm’s AF will be as good as the Canikony brands, because it goes against facts and reality. Outside of some major paradigm shift (maybe AI?), it’s just not going to happen. And why does any one brand have to be the best at everything? That’s a silly expectation, too. Some brands are better at this and some are better at that, while none are perfect or for every person. Aside from that, the Canikony brands are nearing or have reached the peak of an inverted U-curve, and each new AF improvement has less and less and less of a practical benefit; Fujifilm is not near the peak, and their improvements will be more meaningful, becoming less and less so as they, too, near the peak. Additionally, the AF on even the cheapest model, the X-M5, is better than 98% of all the AF cameras that have ever been made. If being in the top 2% best AF cameras of all time isn’t good enough, I don’t know what to say. It’s a great time to be a photographer, and there seems to be a general lack of appreciation for just how good we have it and how fortunate we really are to be photographers right now.
The X half is wildly popular in some parts of the world. I don’t see why the people who love it shouldn’t have the opportunity to do so just because some others think it’s a “gimmick” (I own and love it, it’s a camera we fight over in our household). The Instax video camera was an Instax camera and not X or GFX; Instax is Fujifilm’s largest camera line, much bigger thing than X and GFX combined. I wouldn’t worry too much about what happens in the Instax world. That’s a whole different department, and (sadly) they communicate very little with the X/GFX teams.
Just as a follow up. I think the subject detection AF on the XH2S (which I own) is much closer to the class leaders. It’s not perfect, but it’s good. Ironically, that serves to highlight that the subject detection AF on the XH2 (which I also own) is not good. I don’t know the technical limitations of camera manufacturing, so I don’t know why Fujifilm decided they needed two XH cameras, rather than one – the XH2S with the 40MP sensor would have been the kind of camera Canon or Nikon or Sony would have put out. I really like both cameras, I just wish they were one camera.
As for what I’m referring to as gimmicks – I get that people some people love the sim dial, X Half etc. but they are not utilities that pros would use. Which is my overriding point. That Fujifilm is falling behind in delivering professional level X Series cameras. The last truly professional iteration was the X-T5/XH2 which happened in 2022. The X-Pro 3 was released in 2019.
It does look to me as though Fujifilm is concentrating on consumer camera gear for the X series. But who knows, that X-Pro 4, or X-H/X-T6 with a stacked 60MP sensor might be just around the corner… and yes I’ll buy it when it comes out because I like using Fujifilm cameras, rather than the bigger, heavier, less fun to use, alternatives.
The X-H2s has a lower MP stacked sensor, while the X-H2 has a higher MP non-stacked sensor. The lower MP makes processing quicker. Remember, X-Trans takes more processing power (and everything that comes with that) than Bayer. A stacked sensor is much quicker, but is more expensive and comes with some tradeoffs. That’s why you have a different experience with the X-H2s and X-H2; the former is for speed, the latter is for resolution. As far as them becoming one, there are rumors of that (have no idea if it’s true), so there might be only one X-H3, perhaps with a 30mp-ish stacked sensor. I would be highly surprised of a 60mp sensor, due to the negative side effects (processing, storage, dynamic range/high ISO, lens sharpness, diffraction, price), but you never know.
As far as the X half not being for professionals, I know of one “pro” photographer who has used it for absolutely amazing photos—one that was printed large, and a couple frames that ended up in a book. I know of a half dozen other “pro” photographers who use it routinely for their personal photos. I know of “pro” photographers who use and appreciate the Film Dial, too. You might be surprised by what some professional photographers use.
As far as the release of their more premium lines, I think Fujifilm learned with the X-H1 that you shouldn’t release one at or near the end of a generation, that it’s best to release them at the beginning. We’re at the end of the fifth-generation, so it’s been more bottom and middle tier releases lately. Come this fall and continuing through 2027, as the sixth-generation rolls out, I suspect we will see more higher tier releases, like the X-T6, X-H3, etc..
As far as a quality difference between the X100V and X100VI, I own both models, have them both in front of me right now, and have used both very extensively. There is 0 quality difference between the two. Anyone saying otherwise is seeing ghosts or is being dishonest.
In terms of the quality issue on the X-T5 that I mentioned. It’s the same type of quality issue that I see between the X100V and X100Vi. It might be batch related or a shift in manufacturing location, but bother the XT5 and X100Vi feel flimsier in their dials and buttons than their predecessors. So that’s a feeling based on my own personal handling of all those cameras over time. Your experience of those cameras might be different.
If the number of people posting Fuji shots on Insta is anything to go by, there is hardly an exodus; I have no sales figures but my impression is that Fuji is selling better than ever. Totally agree with you that this “flouncing” (had never heard the term before) is super annoying. I have been shooting Fuji for almost 10 years and recently invested in a Nikon Zf. Based on the first 6 months, I think the Zf is a “better” (now that is an unscientific expression if there ever was one) camera than the XT5: more responsive/snappy, better viewfinder, more advanced features and better AF, of course. But the JPEG color science of Fuji, if not “better”, is much more versatile; it is far easier to get a specific “look” if you don’t want to edit (much). I think Nikon should include the possibility to “bake in” the white balance adjustments in the custom recipes, which would make a big difference. For now, I’m not sure which system I will keep in the long run – keeping both is the safest bet :).
It used to be extremely rare that I’d run into someone with a Fujifilm camera while out-and-about, but now it happens regularly. That’s not scientific, but I think it says a lot.
No reason you can’t keep both. I own a Zfc (although I haven’t used it in a couple of years), and I’ve picked up and held a Zf (although never used it), and one issue is that they don’t have a grip (the Zf has a tiny bump), and they are both kind of large and heavy to not have a grip. I would hope that Nikon would address that on future models (assuming there are future versions… there was a huge gap between the Df and Zf). Nikkor Z-mount lenses don’t have aperture rings, and that’s a major, major downside in my opinion (I would use third-party options, personally). The PASM switch is a weird implementation that drove me nuts, so I put it in M and left it there. But the cameras are beautiful, and Nikon knows how to make quality, high-performing gear. I can certainly understand why people are happy with it and choose to buy and use it.
It’s funny; the grip of the Zf gets often complained about, but I use a Smallrig grip extender (like on the XT5, by the way), and with that, the grip does not worry me in the least, not even with larger zoom lenses. Currently on holidays and some days I’m walking around for hours with the camera in my hand (on a wrist strap) without any issues (and I’m in my ’60’s). Like you, I don’t use the PASM switch and shoot in M always, except when I give the camera to my family members and set it in full auto (some Fuji camera’s have this, too, and it can be quite handy :)). Agree that the lack of aperture rings on the Nikon lenses is a downside. You can program the manual focus ring (for every lens, Nikon and third party) to act as an aperture ring, but it’s not the real thing. Viltrox now releases Z-mount lenses with aperture rings, whoohoo!
Yeah, I can see using a add-on grip. People do that with some Fujifilm models, too. Of course that adds additional size and weight. It makes more sense for models that are maybe too small for someone’s large hand (such as the X-T30 III); the Zf (and maybe even Zfc) are large enough that you shouldn’t need to add a grip. It’s the same for the X-T5, you shouldn’t have to add a grip to that camera, but there are some people who do. You do what you’ve got to do to make the experience most pleasant, whatever that is (and no matter the brand).
Using the retro-styled Nikons in Manual mode with third-party lenses that have an aperture ring makes a lot of sense, and is how the cameras seem to naturally want to be used. That’s what I did with my Zfc (before I packed it back in its box).
On fujirumours you regularly see people pissed at Fuji and leaving the brand, they sound like big babies, I always wonder why they are still on fujirumours whining
On any given article, there are two are three examples of flouncing. I’m sure it’s the same few people over and over and over and over. I’m not sure why Patrick puts up with it, as the overall experience of his website would be better for everyone if he kicked out the trolls and consistently toxic commenters. You don’t put up with them, and they tend to go away.
People have had, FDS since 2015.
That’s over a decade… 🤣