Part 2 of the interview Fujifilm UK manager Theo Georgiades went online (part 1) and can be read at amateurphotographer here.
In short:
Focus on reaching a new audience, including younger people and first-time photographers (hence not only younger people)
Quality straight out of camera is a bigger thing now
Instax and Film Simulations are so popular because many people want instant results
we’ve had film simulation for the last 10 years but it’s really taken off since 2023 with our recent cameras
New generation consumers exhibit different shopping behaviors.
Earlier camera launches (e.g., X-T1, X-T2, X-T3) led to corresponding spikes in lens sales.
Current buyers of camera kits seem content with the included equipment, showing less interest in additional lens purchases.
Smartphone generation tends to prefer owning one or two lenses.
Lens popularity now depends on the user type and the camera launched (e.g., 70-300mm X-Mount and primes remain popular).
Fewer people purchase multiple lenses upfront compared to earlier trends.
New users typically start with their camera and kit lens, investing in additional lenses over time.
Adapting to these new market habits is essential for the brand.
The X-M5 has gained popularity among new audiences, unlike earlier X-M or X-A models, which performed modestly in regions like the UK but thrived in Asia.
Traditional users often prefer cameras with viewfinders, like the X-T50 or X-S20, while newer audiences, such as content creators and step-up smartphone users, are accustomed to shooting via screens.
Shifts in shooting preferences, like not needing a viewfinder, have removed previous barriers, enabling product diversification.
This evolution allows Fujifilm to cater to a wider audience and explore niche features in future products.
Increasingly, people are gravitating toward dedicated devices like Instax, X Series, or GFX, moving away from reliance on smartphones to avoid distractions.
A new film camera? The manager has 25 years of experience with Fujifilm and has learned to “never say never”
Film photography is experiencing a significant resurgence, evidenced by increasing film sales.
Film cameras are gaining popularity
But businesses must differentiate between long-term opportunities and short-term trends.
Fujifilm continues to leverage its Instax range of instant film cameras and printers to meet market demand.
The GFX line was launched in 2016 with the goal of diversifying Fujifilm’s offerings.
The aim was to grow the medium format market, which had become stagnant, while also challenging the full-frame market.
The quality of video from the GFX sensor has continuously improved.
GFX remains a key focus for Fujifilm, and the company is excited about its future.
Fujifilm is committed to pushing the GFX line further and not becoming complacent (hence also GFX Eterna announcement)
I guess the part that got me pumped the most was when he talked about “becoming more adventurous with niche features in the coming years“.
We got hint of some of those “adventures” already:
Yes, I know. If I was in charge of Fujifilm, the company would go broke within a few months, because I am really just mostly drawn into their niche product lines. And I have zero interest in hybrid cameras, as my Fuji’s don’t shoot video at all. But in order to survive as a camera company, Fujifilm does have to offer more mainstream products too and “adapt to the market”. So I guess I have to put my heart in peace and accept that part of the R&D goes into products and features that I don’t care about (for example, I do not have any interest in the upcoming GFX Eterna).
But if adapting to the market helps Fujifilm to survive and maybe even thrive, than so be it. It’s just good to know that Fujifilm does not lose its soul and keeps niche products and features on their roadmap.
Theo Georgiades, general manager of Fujifilm Imaging Solutions UK, gave an interview to amateurphotographer which you can read here.
Most surprising to me: this camera here is the 3rd best selling Fujifilm camera in UK after the X100VI (1st) and X-T5 (2nd)
In short:
Market Share
Our recent product launches have really set us apart from other brands… we’ve always been a bit different.
(Fujifilm launched the Fujifilm X100VI, X-T50 (with film simulation dial), GFX100SII (medium format) and X-M5
We’re trying to create our own niche in the marketplace
Especially in the UK, Fujifilm has proven that we can be strong on our own without having a full-frame offering.
Fujifilm is now number three the UK market in terms of sales value, behind only Canon and Sony
That includes all camera types, including compacts
X100VI Demand
X100VI was a huge success and GFX system is growing
The demand for the Fujifilm X100VI was not underestimated but exceeded expectations.
Forecasting for a new product launch is approached prudently to avoid overstocking.
The launch day response for the X100VI was unprecedented, with overwhelming orders globally.
Criticism of planning is deemed unfair, as it overlooks the complexities of the background processes.
Fujifilm quickly recognized the unexpected demand and acted swiftly to increase production.
Developing and launching a camera takes up to two years, making rapid supply increases challenging.
Fujifilm began ramping up production within days of the X100VI’s announcement.
Since September, allocations to retailers have increased, and waiting times have significantly decreased.
Customers now experience shorter wait times of a couple of months instead of six, despite high demand.
Best Sellers
in UK, the X100VI surpassed sales of X-T5, although they are pretty close
X-T30 II is third, which went viral similar to X100VI
X-T50 had a really good start, then a bit of a dip, and has now started to pick up again
Film Simulation Dial
film simulation dial has attracted lots of new users
X-Pro and X-E line
Fujifilm has plans for new X-Pro and X-E cameras.
The Covid lockdown caused semiconductor costs to skyrocket, impacting production timelines.
Rising costs forced all brands to reprioritize product development cycles
The X-Pro and X-E series remain important to Fujifilm and are valued by the company and enthusiasts alike.
Development takes time, but Fujifilm is committed to these camera lines.
So the Fujifilm X-Pro and X-E line will both continue and Fujifilm says “we love those lines“. So they both will continue.
Here are the top 10 articles for November. Interestingly, the rumor about the Ricoh GR IV and GR IV M is by far the most read article, which proves my point even further: we need a monochrome Fujifilm as soon as possible and we need a Fujifilm X70 successor. There is a huge interest for such cameras, and Fujifilm should grab a piece of that market share before it is too late.
Maybe we might still get some third party manual of even autofocus lenses (maybe the X mount version of this lens here for example), but they’d come so late in the year that I prefer to include them in the 2025 list anyway.
The list includes only Fujifilm cameras and Fujinon or third party autofocus lenses (no manual focus), which are:
Fujifilm X-H2 – save $1,210 (free FT-XH and CFexpress card) BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama
Fujifilm X-H2S – save $1,210 (free FT-XH and CFexpress card) BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama
Make sure the deal runs at your official Fujifilm retailer. If for example the CFexpress card is out of stock they might bundle it with another item and the savings could be different.
Make sure the deal runs at your official Fujifilm retailer. If for example the CFexpress card is out of stock they might bundle it with another item and the savings could be different.
I will include several videos, including the one of Edvard, who shares interesting findings about the X-T3 which potentially shows where the AF issues with Fujifilm started.
Summing Up All Videos – tl;dr version
everybody agrees that now autofocus is workable again, even Edvard
some got better results than others, I guess based on use case, testing scenario and settings
Adan in “video 7” for example is very impressed and applauds Fujifilm for the improvement and says he is confident to use it now for his professional video work
others aknowledge the improvement, say it is something you can rely on for work, but highlight it is not yet at the level of top tier AF of other brands
Edvard is the most critical and I will share his findings below (with some interesting findings)
UPDATE: Edvard published a second video, which I share below with his main findings
there is still room for improvement (and looking at Edvard’s video some of the improvements could be achieved by using parts of the algorithm used on X-T3 firmware 3.00/3.30)
and finally… Thierry in Video 1 has simply one of the most beautiful settings and light to record a video (I know it’s unreleated, but I appreciate it when photographers try to give us also a great scenery ;))
My take:
Having a usable and workable autofocus is nice. This takes away stress for those, who rely on autofocus for work.
And that it is workable has been now confirmed by the very same people, who made very harsh videos against Fujfilm in the last few months. So there is no bias there.
My fear:
Most reviewers seem to be overall pleased and happy. But the error the Fujifilm engineers could do now, is to consider the autofocus chapter closed. There is still work to do, and maybe some feedback they get today from these videos can help them to improve further.
Read for it?
Below I will share a couple of videos. I could ignore the postiive feedback, but I think it has just as much reason to exist as negative feedback.
What FujiRumors can do is just to share it all to give you the most comprehensive overview possible.
My personal experience?
Well, none. Because I am still waiting for my X-T5 to get the update, but my X-T5 has so far shot 0 seconds of video in its entire life so I would not be able to compare it to how it was before.
What the April firmware broke, though, was the stills side of it. It did fail on me when shooting still standing people. But the June firmware fixed that, so now I have no issue in taking family pictures.
But don’t ask me for video… my X-T5 does not even know it has this option.
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