In an interview with French publication Phototrend, Franck Bernard, the director of the imaging division of Fujifilm France, shared lots of fascinating details about Fujifilm’s market efficiency, newest cameras, and whether or not the corporate would possibly make a brand new movie digital camera in response to enthusiasm round analog images. In a machine-translated model of the interview carried out on the current Salon de la Picture present in Paris, France, Bernard mentioned that Fujifilm is the market chief within the digital camera market that doesn’t embody full-frame cameras, possessing “round 40% market share.” That is value exploring a bit. Whereas Fujifilm is a significant participant within the APS-C house with its X Collection cameras, the corporate’s GFX medium-format system additionally includes a part of this 40%. Mainly, of all Micro 4 Thirds, APS-C, and medium-format digital cameras, plus another area of interest choices with different sensor sizes, Fujifilm has a big piece of the entire pie. And it’s not like different firms aren’t a part of this house. There are some well-liked APS-C cameras available on the market, for instance, together with Sony’s a6700 and ZV-E10 collection cameras, the Nikon Zfc and Z50, and Canon EOS R7 and R10, to call only a few. For Fujifilm to have such a stranglehold on the non-full-frame market is spectacular. The corporate has had a powerful 2024 to date, too. The X100VI nonetheless, many months after its launch, experiences extreme demand, whereas the brand new GFX 100S II is among the greatest worth propositions available on the market for photographers who demand the utmost in picture high quality.
Talking of the X100VI’s large demand, which has made the digital camera almost unattainable to buy with out a lengthy wait time, Bernard says the corporate was very aggressive in its manufacturing earlier than saying the digital camera, however the demand proved “unimaginable.” “Persons are ready for it, and I apologize for the unavailability of the product. However I feel we’ll handle to ship all of the bins ordered in simply 10 to 11 months,” he provides. Fingers crossed, photographers will, sooner or later, be capable of purchase the X100VI simply. There’s additionally the brand-new Fujifilm X-M5, an inexpensive X Collection digital camera geared toward customers in search of their first digital camera. However don’t name the X-M5 an “entry-level digital camera,” Bernard warns. Whereas the X-M5’s $800 worth level is aggressive in as we speak’s market, that’s nonetheless a wholesome chunk of change. “It’s a must to watch out together with your phrases,” Bernard quips, acknowledging that the X-M5’s comparatively low worth level considerably expands Fujifilm’s choices for various budgets. “We realized that there was an actual demand on this worth phase, particularly amongst younger individuals. The smartphone is a springboard to the sort of case, each by way of worth and viewers,” he says. The X-M5 can be an thrilling addition to Fujifilm’s lineup for an additional purpose, because it’s the primary digital camera to sport Fujifilm’s new, extra environmentally-friendly packaging. Bernard notes the corporate’s aggressive CO2 discount plans. As a part of this initiative, Fujifilm checked out tips on how to cut back the environmental affect of its packaging, together with eschewing the colourful inks that make cardboard more durable to recycle, the quantity of plastic within the bundle, and the often-unnecessary chargers and cables that the majority clients have already got. Fujifilm tells PetaPixel the X-M5’s new packaging method will carry over to all the corporate’s future cameras.
Talking of future cameras, Fujifilm has carved out its wholesome market share thanks in vital half to its unimaginable Movie Simulations, which meticulously recreate the look of well-liked movie shares from Fujifilm’s previous (and, in some instances, its current). When Fujifilm’s X Collection launched greater than a decade in the past, movie images was struggling, so this digital facsimile method made lots of sense and scratched a nostalgic itch. Rising numbers of photographers are scratching that itch by shopping for precise movie cameras. Movie is experiencing an infinite resurgence, and a few firms are even making brand-new movie cameras, together with Pentax and Mint. Will Fujifilm leverage its wealthy analog historical past by making a brand new movie digital camera? In a disappointing blow to analog lovers, Bernard says no. “For now, I don’t assume a brand new movie digital camera is on the agenda,” he says. Nonetheless, he stops wanting shutting that door totally. “I want to stay cautious,” Bernard provides. Franck Bernard mentioned many different matters with Phototrend, together with synthetic intelligence, how Fujifilm shrunk its new XF 16-55mm f/2.8 Mark II lens by a lot, Fujifilm’s utility for sports activities and photojournalism, and rather more. The whole interview is offered on Phototrend. Picture credit: Fujifilm
