PetaPixel Interview With Fujifilm Manager Yuji Igarashi: 40 Lens Ideas, The Future of X-Mount, and More
PetaPixel recently interviewed Fujifilm Manager Yuji Igarashi on their podcast direct from the Fujifilm Museum in Tokyo. It’s an insightful discussion covering everything from the recent Focus on Glass event to the future of X-mount lenses and Fujifilm’s core photography philosophy.
You can watch the full interview above, and I have summarized the key points so you don’t miss anything below.
The Focus on Glass Event & 40 Lens Ideas
- Fujifilm prides itself on its 80-year history of manufacturing lenses, but they acknowledge that lens characteristics (f-stop, chromatic aberration, distortion, etc.) are very difficult to quantify to users.
- The Focus on Glass event was created to directly communicate Fujifilm’s optical philosophy and get feedback from photographers.
- Fujifilm considers the event a massive success and the feedback extremely helpful.
- The R&D team and the Product Planning team are two separate divisions, but they communicate constantly.
- Before launching the event, the teams had brainstormed over 40 lens ideas.
- They realized 40+ concepts were way too many to vote on (“we are never going through this”), so the most difficult part of the process was narrowing the list down to a diverse selection of 14 concepts.
The Winners, The Surprises, and the Dual-Focal Concept
- Fujifilm fully expected the XF 16-80mm f/2.8 to win the survey, and they weren’t surprised that the XF 18-50mm f/1.4 finished close behind it.
- The big surprise was the Dual Focal Length lens (18mm & 30mm) grabbing the 3rd spot.
- This dual-focal concept was inspired by the classic Fujifilm Travel Mini point-and-shoot camera, which featured a 28mm and 45mm equivalent lens.
- Fun fact: Igarashi-san revealed that the Dual Focal Length lens is his personal favorite concept on the list.
- The historical challenge: The original Travel Mini had good image quality at 28mm, but poor quality at 45mm.
- The modern challenge: If Fujifilm makes this lens, they must ensure both focal lengths deliver high image quality while keeping the physical size down.
- PetaPixel’s Jordan Drake mentioned the Leica Tri-Elmar-M, noting that cycling through primes on a single lens is a very unique shooting experience.
- When pushed on whether Fujifilm would ever build a fixed-lens compact camera featuring this dual-focal length lens, Igarashi-san smiled and replied, “That would be exciting, I think.”
Is the XF 16-80mm f/2.8 Possible?
- Technically, yes, it is possible.
- The goal weight for this lens would be around 400 to 500 grams. For context, the current XF 16-80mm f/4 weighs 440 grams.
- The biggest engineering hurdle is figuring out how to make an f/2.8 zoom small enough to match the footprint of the current f/4 version.
- Will it launch immediately? Probably not. But Igarashi-san says it’s “a matter of time.” Lenses are getting brighter and Fujifilm’s optical technology is advancing, so we will hopefully see it down the road.
Fujifilm’s Strengths & The Most Needed Lens
- When asked where the X-Series needs to grow the most, Igarashi-san pointed to the telephoto side. As Fujifilm releases more SLR-style bodies with larger grips, they have more room to expand their telephoto options.
- When asked what Fujifilm’s greatest strength is, he stated it is the combination of rangefinder-style cameras paired with prime lenses. When people think of Fujifilm, that is exactly what they imagine.
Industry Changes & Preserving Photo-Centric Heritage
- When the original X-Pro1 launched, 80% of cameras shipped globally were DSLRs. Today, 90% are mirrorless.
- The shift to mirrorless turned cameras into electronic devices, paving the way for hybrid photo/video cameras.
- Now, whenever Fujifilm designs a new lens or a Mark II version, they ensure it is optimized for video shooting.
- However, Fujifilm’s heritage will not be forgotten. As the industry pushed hard into hybrid cameras, a massive renewed interest in strictly photo-centric cameras emerged. Not everyone wants a hybrid.
- Fujifilm refuses to go in just one straight “hybrid” direction. They want to evolve in the industry from multiple angles.
- A massive internal theme for Fujifilm is “How can we make people excited about photography?” They want to preserve and expand traditional photography culture, which is why distinct lines like the X-E, X-Pro, and X-T series exist.
The Fujifilm TX-1 Panoramic Camera
- PetaPixel’s Jaron Schneider is obsessed with the classic Fujifilm TX-1 panoramic camera and admitted to bringing it up to Igarashi-san multiple times backstage.
- Igarashi-san’s reaction to the TX-1 speculation? A polite smile, a non-committal “hmmm,” and silence.
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