French photography site Phototrend published its interview with Franck Bernard from Fujifilm at the Salon de la Photo 2024 show which you can read in French here and check out a translated summary of it below:
- Fujifilm is doing well with the GFX and X series of cameras, which is why there are shortages which is a good problem to have.
- Fujifilm GFX covers formats outside of full Frame/APS-C and makes up 40% of that market.
- There is big demand for cameras below $1,000 that aren’t entry-level which the X-M5 is designed to fill.
- The X-M5 was originally designed for YouTubers, but the more they looked at it the more it made sense for photographers too
- Young people today no longer practice photography and few buy the cameras their parents would have, but there is big demand for vintage cameras
- AI in camera can be tricky because some want their photos to be auto-retouched, while others would like to retouch manually, but things like smile detection have been around for years
- AI will help speed up photography processing.
- The Fujifilm XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II was completely redesigned to reduce its size and weight, which was possible thanks to smaller more powerful LM motors.
- The Fujifilm XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II doesn’t have OIS because it doesn’t help with IBIS for shorter focal lengths only longer ones.
- Fujifilm doesn’t include a charger with the X-M5 to meet its CO2 reduction goals by 2030 since most people have whole boxes of cables at home.
- Fujifilm probably contributed to the back-to-film trend with its film simulations.
- As a film manufacturer, Fujifilm has data that shows there is a really big back-to-film trend among young people, but there are limits.
- If Fujifilm is working on a film camera the digital division doesn’t know.
- The Fujifilm x100VI has been a success beyond their imagination and they had ambitious forecasts that were blown away at launch.
- The demand came from the camera being new and the Fujifilm X100V being viral on TikTok.
- The Fujifilm X100VI is iconic and unique which helps drive demand and orders should be filled in 10 to 11 months.
- The Fujifilm x100VI hasn’t cannibalized hybrid sales because it is a stepping stone to mirrorless interchangeable cameras.
- Fujifilm has a camera for every taste and budget
- The Olympics just passed and there wasn’t much demand for the X-H2S, but photojournalists have really wanted the GFX100SII.
Fujifilm GFX100SII
B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama
Fujifilm GFX100II:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama
Fujifilm X100VI Silver and Black:
B&H Photo / Amazon (Silver : Black) / Moment / Adorama
Fujifilm X-M5
B&H Photo / Amazon Silver : Black / Moment / Adorama
XF 16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR II
B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama
XF 500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR
B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama
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