Thursday, July 20, 2006

I think the time is right for Fujifilm to launch a mid-range DSLR...

As a photographer and a big afficionado, I always dream of new photography products that will suit my every need and not only that I produce them in my head. Being not bad with a pencil either(hey what's wrong with some self-creditation?), I sometimes jot down some ideas. Some time ago I had designed a Fujifilm DSLR aimed at the mid-range market as Fuji didn't and still doesn't have a DSLR to bridge the novice to the pro (in fact they don't have a novice DSLR either, but I think a mid-range should cover both). So, being in love with their SuperCCD SR I had come up with this idea:





It would incorporate the SuperCCD SR and be sized between it's top range compact and it's pro DSLR. It would feature the Nikon F-mount already featured on their current (or discontinued due to new European Legislation Laws on lead) Fujifilm S3pro, Anti-Shake, some film simulation modes (not all present on the S3pro, costs my friends, costs!!), a high shutter speed of 1/4000th, 3 frames per second to 10 frames and among other things keep the threaded cable release, which I think it's a great idea.

It's not the first time I have dreamt up something and put it on paper, I have actually sent something over to Pentax (another of my favourite brands and the one that opened my apetite for photography), to which I got an interesting reply letter. I think as a fan, it is important to keep that symbiotic relationship going, particularly when your product provider is keen about knowing your views of what they provide to you. But that is another posting. I would also like to see what Pentax is gonna concoct for their top range DSLR as it is looking quite quiet for the time being, but they do have already two DSLRs set for launch, that look interesting and include Image Stabilisation by popular demand (knock, knock Fujifilm :-D ).

Nevertheless, the time is more than right, I think the current attempts at providing an alternative to a DSLR by Fujifilm are not that bad, but the real thing is always a real thing and then there are performance questions around it (in fact there are no questions, DSLRs simply outperform compacts, if you are willing to carry along lenses and accessories). More so, with the demise of the Fujifilm S3pro in Europe, I think Fujfilm will need to fill in that gap ASAP. The camera was an excellent one in my opinion, producing excellent images from that SuperCCD SR and will be sorely missed (I haven't had the chance to get my hands on one new). I am sure that Fujifilm will deliver a very capable DSLR in the next instalment(s). It would be nice in fact to see both a mid-range and a pro DSLR launched with the SuperCCD SR.
But let's see what happens.


Until next time,



Luis

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