Chapter One: Comments from the lens design team.
7An Integral ND filter allows the X100 to take full advantage of the power of F2.
- To enable shooting under very bright conditions with a maximum open aperture, an ND filter becomes indispensable.
- A sheet-type ND filter which can be switched on/off is built into the lens system. When switched off, the filter is retracted.
- The ND filter is the equivalent of an f-stop reduction of 3 stops or a reduction of light volume to about 1/8.
8FOCUS; the only lens design software of its kind in the world! The essence of FUJINON lens design.
- Our unique lens design software FOCUS, (Fujinon Optical Class library & Utility System), is used in the design of Fujifilm lenses. The major difference from commercially available lens design software and FOCUS is that the software developer is able to work together with the lens designer. This enables rapid improvement of the software in response to the needs of the designer, which in turn contributes to higher quality lens design.
- In the initial stages of designing the X100 lens, we used a configuration of a gauss-type lens and the arrangement of the cemented-type lens near the image formation plane as the basis for our study. This configuration is especially responsive to bright F values and also has the benefit of superior close-up photography performance from the standpoint of low aberration variance. Unfortunately, the disadvantage of this type of lens is that the total length cannot be reduced, so further development was required.
- Keeping our development focused on the concept of a lens that achieves both high performance in a highly compact form, we cancelled our first design and went back to the drawing board. We then engaged in diverse experiments including the reversal of part of a lens element group, separation of the cemented-type concave-convex lens and other exercises, carefully evaluating each modification. This process was repeated many times eventuating in the production of a bespoke 6 group/8 element lens, a unique lens configuration completely different from a gauss-type lens.
9One more challenge: 10cm macro performance!
- In order to expand the camera's scope of applications, a macro capability is essential. However, the adoption of a lens that has both a "bright" aperture value and slim size makes exceptional macro performance especially challenging.
- While adopting a focusing system of a fixed rear lens element group and an adjustable front lens element group, the lens has been designed to hinder the occurrence of "image plane error" when taking a macro shot. However, when shooting macro shots with an open aperture in the neighborhood of F2, spherical aberration tends to occur. It is therefore recommended that an aperture value of F4 is selected for macro applications.
10All-new "Super EBC".
- In order to maintain high image quality with exceptional clarity, the lenses are treated with FUJINON's proprietary Super EBC.
- Of the 6 lens groups housed within the X100, 3 of the 12 faces,with the exception of cemented faces, are treated with conventional EBC. The other 9 faces are given a wide-band coating to prevent red ghosting from incident light rays, with a maximum of 9 layers of coating appropriately applied according to the requirements of the lens element.
11Message to photographers from the X100 lens design team.
The X100 lens is not just about focusing on a part of the scene and capturing only that area in sharp detail, it is about achieving beautiful quality that extends to the out-of-focus parts of the image. In designing this lens, we paid attention to the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light and especially the beauty of the background "bokeh" effect. You could say that the X100 lens enables you to effortlessly achieve high image quality. With this lens, I want to make the most of its superior image quality with low distortion and high resolution to attain stunning landscape photos.
Takashi Suzuki Senior Operations Manager, Optical Design Group, Engineering Division, Optical Device Business Division.
Before each X100 lens is shipped, the MTF characteristics are measured and the lens is tuned. That is why I am confident that the photographer will enjoy the satisfaction of a lens that performs according to the original design specifications. My main responsibility was making the lens as compact as possible, and so I hope that you enjoy its easy-to-carry slim form and make it your constant companion, ready to capture high quality images that only the X100 can achieve.
Yoshitaka Takeshita Engineering Manager, Electronic Imaging Products Development Centre, Research & Development Management Headquarters.
