Starting from 2025, the Fujifilm X100VI cameras sold in Japan will come in only two languages: Japanese and English.
That’s something we have already seen with the Fujifilm X-M5, which also comes in Japanese and English in Japan as we reported here.
So keep that in mind if you plan on buying the X100VI in Japan and your native language is not English or Japanese.
Fujifilm offers a paid language addition service, in case you need it.
As FR-reader Speed pointed out in our X-M5 article here:
these are countermeasure to prevent malicious scalpers taking advantage of the weak yen ( and tax free ). I think this is just a measure to prevent malicious scalpers from reselling. This is not surprising. There are too many malicious scalpers who buy cameras in Japan and then resell them to China.
As annoying as this might sound, ultimately this is an attempt to protect genuine customers. And with “genuine” I mean customers who buy gear to use it, and not those who buy multiple cameras with the sole purpose to resell it at a higher price.
In theory, Fujifilm could not care less: a camera sold to a scalper brings them just as much money as a camera sold to a genuine photography lover. But it is nice to see they do try to find ways to make life a bit more difficult to scalpers.
When yesterday we published the comments of Fujifilm CEO, who said that it is very difficult to mass-produce Fujifilm cameras with retro dials, there were some who said that making a retro dial is just as quick and easy as making a PSAM dial.
Is it true?
Well, the CEO was referring to the production struggles of the Fujifilm X100VI, which uses the combined ISO/Shutter dial first introduced on the Fujifilm X-Pro2.
So let’s look at that dial. Is it really as easy as making a PSAM dial? Here is what Fujifilm writes about it:
Realizing the [dial] mechanism and manufacturing process were not easy.
Firstly, […] there are 22 positions in total, quite a lot of number for an internal dial. […]
Secondly, the dial is electronically linked. The analog dial operation is converted digitally to know exactly what the setting is.
And Lastly, this mechanism has to be weather-resistant.
In order to meet the requirement, the Shutter speed / ISO dial required 38 parts for its composition. This number is the fourth largest after the finder, shutter unit, and mount.
This is not only about number of pieces, some parts required highly tech solution to manufacture the piece.
For example, in order to achieve the accurate 22 positions, the piece needed to be very precise and durable regardless of its complicated form. This piece is realized by a method called Metal Injection Molding (MIM). It is not cost friendly, but the this method realizes the metal part to be durable even in its complicated form.
Why do we spend so much time on this one dial?
Unfortunately there is no economic and rational answer to that question. But it was something that the developing team of X-Pro camera had always dreamed of achieving. And it was also something that the passionate X-Pro users strongly wished for.
So please, don’t go around saying that making a dial like the one on the Fujifilm X100VI is just the same as making one for any PSAM dialed camera.
There is no other digital vintage-looking camera out there that uses that dial. And the reason why is explained above: it’s complicated, it’s expensive, and it makes no sense from a manufacturing efficiency point of view.
But we are lucky that Fujifilm thinks differently.
Fujifilm does not think that niche products with niche ergonomic solutions are just a waste of R&D. Fujifilm has such a massive photographic culture that they understand that cultivating a niche means cultivating the true passion for photography.
And speaking of Fujifilm X-E5, personally I hope it will have such a dial too, although I have little hopes since it is so expensive to make, and I guess Fujifilm does not want that camera to become too expensive.
