DPR interviewed Toshihisa Iida, General Manager of Fujifilm’s Optical Device and Electronic Imaging Products Division - her is the recap from FujiAddict:
COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
- Fujifilm is still operating under restrictions
- Manufacturing was affected in February
- Fujifilm is almost back to full-scale operations while working with strict health management processes provided by the Chinese gov
- Confident they can launch X-T4 at scale during the end of April
- Sales have slumped during the downturn in the US and Europe, which affects warehouses and logistical operations
- On the service side Fujifilm can still offer after-sales service in the US and Europe
- Fujifilm as a company is healthy because of how diversified they are and the medical division is booming with Avigan
- Toshihisa Iida thinks it is important to focus on peoples health and we hope demand returns after this is over
- The Olympics being postponed will affect Japan’s entire economy because many people were invested in the game coming this year
- When it comes to imaging there are many broadcasting businesses postponing or canceling orders that Fujifilm was getting ready for the Olympics
- COVID-19 is definitely more serious than the 2011 earthquake and tsunami because this is a long term disruption
- “COVID-19 is affecting everything, worldwide.”
Fujifilm X-T4 / Fujifilm X-H2?
- Fujifilm X-T3S was considered, but New Shutter, IBIS, new battery were enough changes to use X-T4.
- X-T4 IBIS is completely redesigned, plus used new parts and even fewer parts
- X-T4 IBIS about 30% smaller and 20% lighter than X-H1
- X-H1 and GFX100 expertise in R&D were needed for X-T4
- Fujifilm is still working on the X-H line to innovate
- The X-H line will be very different than that X-T series
Fujifilm X-T3
- Would like to provide features from X-T4 on X-T3 in a firmware update, but they have other priorities at this time
- X-T3 will sell alongside X-T4 because both are great cameras
Fujifilm X100V
- X100V has been well received, but the February launch had a limited shipment size so they are still back-ordered
- Fujifilm wants every photographer to be able to enjoy the 4k movie experience
- Proud of the X100V video improvements and it helps make the camera futureproof
Fujifilm GFX100 / GFX50S / GFX50R
- GFX100 has sold about 50% more than anticipated
- GFX100 was received very positively and they are just catching up on it being back-ordered
- Sales numbers have been very good and feedback has been good
- IBIS and AF are the two most liked features, but all of the feedback has been positive
- The photographers into GFX100 are been fashion, commercial, landscape
- Aerial and archival photographers are now getting interested
- Some customers are testing GFX100 for film making, but they don’t know how many are using it for video at this time
- Premista cine glass may be able to be converted to cover GF mount with an adapter (Previously confirmed to cover GFX)
- Fujifilm is happy with GFX being Rangefinder and SLR style
- Fujifilm currently has no plans for a fixed lens X100 style GFX because it would need its own lens development team
- Fujifilm’s current priority is expanding the GF lens lineup
- FUJINON GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR is their current priority, but they will listen to customers
- The GFX50S and GFX50R are loved, but Fujifilm would like to improve the AF speed
- AF is top of the list for improvements to GFX50S and GFX50R
Markets
- High-end sales are pretty consistent around the world
- High demand for GFX in China
- Entry-level models like X-A7 and X-T200 are big in Asia
- Asia is major for entry-level and GFX
- COVID-19 dropped GFX sales in China for the month of February
- Online has been pretty solid even with COVID-19
Third-parties
- Fujifilm has opened pretty much all of their specifications for third-party manufacturers like DJI and Rode
- Fujifilm is being proactive about talking with third-parties
- Tokina announced three lenses for X-Mount tied to them opening the mount to third parties
XF Lenses
- Fujifilm is aware that some of their older lenses need a Mark II and they will be working on new versions of many of their key lenses
- Some lenses need new optical designs, while others need mechanical redesigns
- If the Fujinon XC 35mm f/2 does well we could see more XC lenses
Via FujiAddict
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