Fujifilm’s New CEO Mr. Goto: “Camera is Culture and Contribution to Society, We Won’t Stop Photography Business”

For decades, Fujifilm was lead by Shigetaka Komori, the CEO who overcome the film crisis by massively innovating the company and saving it from bankruptcy.

  • ebook suggestions: Innovating Out of Crisis: How Fujifilm Survived (and Thrived) As Its Core Business Was Vanishing

And yet, despite all the diversification, Shigetaka Komori was also the guy who said they won’t give up the photography business.

So, as long as he was in charge, I felt like we are in safe hands.

However, Shigetaka Komori left Fujifilm in March 2021 and the new top CEO became Teiichi Goto, and it was unclear how he would handle Fujifilm’s camera business.

Now we know a little bit more about it, or maybe not, as I have read two reports that are conflicting.

Let’s start with the shocker, the report at bloomberg.

Fujifilm Holdings Corp.’s tough decision to accept the demise of its film and digital photography businesses and embrace the health care and semiconductor sectors was validated last year during the pandemic, the company’s new chief executive officer said.

“Health care and semiconductor materials will be our future earnings drivers,” Teiichi Goto, who took the top post at Fujifilm last month, said in an interview Wednesday.

[…] While almost half of Fujifilm’s 2.2 trillion yen ($20 billion) in sales in the latest fiscal year through March came from those two segments [medical diagnostics, pharmaceutical manufacturing and supplying materials to chipmakers], they generate about two-thirds of the Tokyo-based company’s operating income.

Asked whether there was any chance that Fujifilm would change its name, given its evolution, Goto ruled it out. “Film isn’t just about photos,” Goto said. “There’s polarizer film for displays, medical dry film, antibacterial film. Ours is a logo that sticks all that together.”

And now comes the part, that can assure us that also the new CEO will keep the photography business going, as reported in an interview by asahi.com (google translated).

Regarding the film and camera business, he [Mr. Goto] stated that the he would continue without selling the business. “It is also a succession of culture and will continue. In ESG terms [Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance], it is “S” (contribution to society).”

That’s a pretty clear statement, that leaves little doubts that Fujifilm is committed to photography, even if other branches of the company are much more profitable.

Sure, some things will change in the camera industry. Many of the good old film stocks have to go in favor of instax film. And surely all what is entry level point and shoot digital compact cameras is long dead, and the focus will shift to higher end X and GFX cameras.

So, surely changes are happening and more will come. But if there is one company that can smartly maneuver around difficulties, then it’s Fujifilm.

via bloomberg via asahi via digicame-info

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Meet My Fujifilm GFX100S: What I Love, What I Hate and My First Firmware Request

The Mountains Shall Wait

So, my Fujifilm GFX100S just arrived as well as my Fujinon GF32-64mmF4.

The original plan was to hit the mountains and go full into landscape photography mode as soon as I have my GFX gear. But my wife decided she needed to take a 3 week long intensive course in Italian language starting exactly this week, which means I basically have to stay at home to take care of my son while she studies. Unluckily not the best timing ;).

But the summer is long and I’ll get my hiking opportunities. And it never hurts to have quality time with my son, too :).

The RAW Power Shall Wait (due to my Stupidity)

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Fujichrome VELVIA 100 Discontinued in USA as it Contains Prohibited Toxic Substances

The very popular and still strong selling Fujichrome Velvia 100 film is now discontinued, but only in USA.

The film is now back-ordered at BHphoto. You can still find a few rolls on AmazonUS here and Adorama here.

The reason is that it contains toxic substances inside the layers of the film, that Fujifilm says poses no risk for your health.

In short: don’t eat it, ok?

On March 8, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule regarding the chemical phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)) (CASRN 68937-41-7) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which prohibited the processing and distribution in commerce, including sales, of the chemical and products containing the chemical. EPA also issued an enforcement policy on the same day stating that it will not enforce the ban on processing and distribution until September 5, 2021.

A miniscule amount (less than 0.0003%) of PIP (3:1) is present within the layers of FUJICHROME Velvia 100 Professional films. Fujifilm believes that the trace amount of PIP (3:1) in the FUJICHROME Velvia 100 Professional films pose no risk to the environment.

As a global leader in imaging, Fujifilm is committed to acting sustainably, and complying with all country regulations. As such, Fujifilm will discontinue FUJICHROME Velvia 100 Professional film in the U.S. effective immediately (July 6, 2021).

If you’ve purchased FUJICHROME Velvia 100 Professional films please read the accompanying Safety Data Sheet carefully.

You can read the official Fujifilm statement at this Fujifilm page (via phoblographer)

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Animal Autofocus Already Available on Fujifilm Cameras, just not X/GFX! A Kaizen Request to Fujifilm!

These are crazy firmware days, great joys thanks to massive new firmware and some worries due to faulty firmware.

So let’s talk firmware today.

One of the autofocus features where Sony and Canon are running away to the competition is “animal autofocus“.

And while it is probably not a feature that most of us would massively use, it would be definitely still nice to have.

Now, the FujiRumors community often asked me if Fujifilm plans to ever such a feature in future.

Well, let me say this first.

Among all camera manufacturers, Fujifilm was actually the very first company to offer something like that, with the Fujifilm FinePix F80EXR.

As you can read in the product description here:

For those who enjoy the company of four-legged friends, the F80EXR has Pet Detection, allowing users the ability to detect up to 10 faces of dogs or cats and automatically optimize the focus. The F80EXR is programmed to recognize 57% of the Fédération Cyno Logique Internationale (FCI) Registered Dogs, 80% of the Top 20 Dogs in the American Kennel Club (AKC) Ranking and 60% of The Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) breeds. Pet Detection works by matching various dog or cat data of facial parts with patterns to detect the dog or cat being photographed.

So, considering that Fujifilm already had a similar feature, I am confident that they will offer that in future also on X and GFX series cameras, maybe extended to birds and other animals. Sure, it’s not a rumor, but looking at Fuji’s history makes me confident this is going to happen in future.

For more details about the Fujifilm FinePix F80EXR:

Characteristics of Dogs & Cats with Detection Difficulties (via fujifilm.com)

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