Fujifilm Manager Talk Kaizen, Telephoto Lenses, Why not Full Frame, X-E series Future, X100 Line and More

DPReview met up with Yuji Igarashi, Professional Imaging Group Manager, and Makoto Oishi, Head of Product Planning in Stockholm for the launch of the Fujifilm GFX100 II.

Here is a recap and below the link to the full interview.

Kaizen & Customer Feedback

• Fujifilm has never changed its position on firmware updates
• it’s just difficult to implement features launched with new sensor and processor to cameras with older hardware generation
• it would require complete re-engineering of the firmware, which would require lots of resources
• Fujifilm has priorities on how to use their resources
• sometimes it’s not even technically possible to put certain new features on older cameras
• but within the same generation of hardware, Fujifilm will do whatever is possible in terms of firmware updates
• at the beginning, Firmware requests were more about fixing stuff, as initially X cameras were not perfect. Now the request is more about adding new features via firmware
• the Fujifilm X and GFX system wouldn’t be where it is now without customer feedback

Sports and Wildlife and Telephoto lenses

• first MILC was X-Pro1, stills oriented camera. Now they expanded also their offering in terms of video and speed (speed = stacked sensor X-H2S)
• Fujifilm is adding focus for sports and wildlife, as Fujifilm is not yet known for that.
• X-H2S is oriented towards that segment and “in terms of lenses, we’re also introducing more longer lenses”
• we will continue to cultivate [the sports and wildlife segment]

X-E series

• DPR asks if there is a future for the X-E series. The answer was:
• “We haven’t lost focus on any of our existing range, so we’re always thinking about what will be next for us“

Stills

• Very positive about X-T5
• Fujifilm has a large customer base for stills photography
• it’s important to listen to that segment of customers
• sometimes though there are tough choices to make
• when collecting feedback for X-T5, feedback was 50:50 for articulating vs 3-way tilt screen. Fujifilm went ot 3-way tilt screen

Frame.io

• they talk about the easy to use Frame.io platform
• at the moment main Frame.io users are videographers
• there is potential also for stills

Full Frame, Why Not?

• “The whole philosophy that we have is making sure we offer value to our customers. So I think we can do that with GFX, with its bigger sensor and large format, but also with the more compact APS-C size, which is also a very capable system. We can be confident and say, for these two lines, we can offer something that other brands cannot offer.”

GF500mm F5.6

• When asked if it’s going to be big, the managers say “Maybe not so big. It could be long but light” [note: FujiRumors has already made a size comparison here.]

X100V

• Fujifilm tried to react by increasing production, but the demand keeps growing so it’s hard to catch up
• X100 line has always been popular, that’s why there is a fifth generation of it
• it was the first Fujifilm camera to get to the fifth generation
• it’s by far Fujifilm’s most popular product

You can read the full interview at dpreview here.

• Fujifilm GFX100 II – New
  BHphoto / Amazon / Adorama
• GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR – New
  BHphoto / Amazon / Adorama
• GF 30mm f/5.6 Tilt Shift – New
  BHphoto / Amazon / Adorama
• GF 110mm f/5.6 Tilt Shift – New
  BHphoto / Amazon / Adorama