Fujifilm Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Eastman Kodak Company

Hanover Park, Ill. – FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Communication Division today announced that FUJIFILM Corporation filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: KODK) in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Fujifilm has asserted four patents (U.S. Patent Nos. 10,427,443, 10,525,696, 10,875,346, and 11,294,279) pertaining to various aspects of processless lithographic printing plate technologies, including method and apparatus claims.

Fujifilm is seeking remedies including damages and injunctive relief related to Eastman Kodak’s unauthorized commercial manufacture, use, offer to sell, or sale within the United States, and/or importation of its processless lithographic printing plate products that infringe the four asserted patents, including those sold under the product name “SONORA X” and the brand umbrella name “SONORA XTRA”.

“Fujifilm is committed to protecting its significant research and development investments, and in bringing innovative printing plate technologies to customers around the world,” commented Toyoyuki “Tommy” Katagiri, division president, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Communication Division. “We will enforce and protect our innovation and intellectual property rights in the United States and around the world when we believe others infringe unfairly.”

Separately in October 2023 and December 2023 respectively, Eastman Kodak’s European subsidiaries, Kodak GmbH, Kodak Graphic Communications GmbH, and Kodak Holding GmbH, were sued by FUJIFILM Corporation for infringement of the related European counterparts of the US patents-in-suit in the Unified Patent Court and in Germany.

“We will continue to protect our intellectual property in processless lithographic printing plates, to the benefit of our customers, including small, family-owned printing businesses, as well as medium- and large-sized printing businesses,” added Katagiri.

• The Revival of Film Breathes New Life into Kodak, CineStill, FuguFilm & Co (but not into FujiFilm)
• Fujifilm purchasing Kodak patents

Updated Notice of Applications Software Used with “macOS 14 Sonoma” (previous notice here)

＜Update details＞
March 22, 2024 addition
We are planning to release the software compatible with “macOS14 (Sonoma)” as the following timeframe.
FUJIFILM X Webcam (Mac): scheduled for April
FUJIFILM PC AutoSave (Mac): scheduled for the end of March

＜Original Notice＞

• Fujifilm X100VI (Silver & Black)
  USA: BHphoto (black & silver) / Amazon (black & silver) / Adorama / Moment / Nuzira

It could not work. And it didn’t.

Fujifilm USA and Europe opened the door to scalpers by deciding to sell the limited edition Fujifilm X100VI on a first-come-first-served basis.

Well, today was D-Day, and of course all units available today sold out within minutes.

The demand was so high, that the Fujifilm USA website even crashed as we can see also from reports over at our massive X100 user group.

And then the inevitable happened: within minutes, lots of overpriced Fujifilm X100VI limited edition cameras started to show up on eBay (usually sold for around 5K).

So far all as we expected.

But now Fujifilm USA has issued a statement (see above), that they are “manually verifying orders for fraud and suspicious activity“.

So not only the server crashed due to the traffic overload, but it seems also other problems might have occured.

We can only speculate on the nature of the potential fraud Fujifilm is investigating. Maybe some people found ways to grab several units using different accounts?

We do not know, but at least it’s good to know that Fujifilm USA is aware of it and looking into it.

• Fujifilm X100VI (Silver & Black)
  USA: BHphoto (black & silver) / Amazon (black & silver) / Adorama / Moment / Nuzira
• Fujifilm X100VI in EUR, UK, CA and More
  UK: WexPhotoVideoUK / AmazonUK / ParkCameraUK
  GER: AmazonDE / CalumetDE / FotoErhardt / Fotokoch
  CAN: AmazonCA
  EUR: AmazonFR / AmazonIT / AmazonES / AmazonNL / PCHstore / 50.8 Shop
  Worldwide: Amazon of Your Country

• Fujifilm X100VI (Silver & Black)
  USA: BHphoto (black & silver) / Amazon (black & silver) / Adorama / Moment / Nuzira

The X100VI Madness Continues

Today the limited edition Fujifilm X100VI was available for sale in almost all European countries.

And guess what?

It sold out within a few minutes everywhere.

The system Europe has set up: who comes first, gets the camera!

Of course this system is dream come true for scalpers, and I’d not be surprised if in a few days we will find 90% of the purchased limited edition X100VI cameras highly overpriced on eBay. Let’s see if somebody will be able to top the 18,000 USD X100VI limited edition.

Fujifilm UK Goes a Different Path

Fujifilm UK instead has decided to take a different path. A path that will make life to scalpers a bit more difficult.

Here is how Fujifilm UK will distribute their 110 units of limited edition X100VI cameras:

• subscribe to the newsletter of Fujifilm UK
• on March 25, subscribers will receive an email with a link
• using that link, you can enter a ballot for the X100VI between March 25 and March 27
• on April 2nd the winners will be selected and notified
• on April 6 the winners can pay and pick up their limited edition X100VI at the House of Photography

If you want to know how to grab the limited edition X100VI in USA, check out this article.

• Fujifilm X100VI (Silver & Black)
  USA: BHphoto (black & silver) / Amazon (black & silver) / Adorama / Moment / Nuzira
• Fujifilm X100VI in EUR, UK, CA and More
  UK: WexPhotoVideoUK / AmazonUK / ParkCameraUK
  GER: AmazonDE / CalumetDE / FotoErhardt / Fotokoch
  CAN: AmazonCA
  EUR: AmazonFR / AmazonIT / AmazonES / AmazonNL / PCHstore / 50.8 Shop
  Worldwide: Amazon of Your Country