Fujifilm weighs in: "There's a lot of potential in compact cameras"

2012's XF1 was just one of a range of high-end compacts Fujifilm produced in the past. Photo: DPReview.com In our interview with Yuji Igarashi, Fujifilm's Divisional Manager, Professional Imaging Group, he seems to hint at more affordable models, aimed at first-time photographers. "I think now that cameras have become quite expensive, that’s maybe why young people are going to second-hand cameras for their first camera," he says: "I think maybe there’s a gap for young people to start shooting with digital cameras." "Maybe there’s a gap for young people to start shooting with digital cameras" The public awareness generated by the X100V and VI puts them in a good position, he suggests: "We’re getting a lot of interest from the younger generation. The younger generation and also a more female audience. Because in the past it was a more male-dominated industry." "That's an opportunity for expansion: the younger generation, both male and female." This audience isn't necessarily familiar with cameras, he suggests: "I think you know many people are the first-time buyers of cameras, so I think that's a huge difference. People who were coming to our system maybe five or ten years ago had experience in shooting with other cameras and then starting with X-series, whereas now we’re seeing people for whom X-series is the first camera in their entire life, so they’re comparing their experience to smartphones, rather than comparing to other cameras." "Now we’re seeing people for whom X-series is the first camera in their entire life" "To be honest, we’re still trying to figure out what is the right camera. Of course many young people are interested in X100, X-M5, X-T30 and even X-T5 so they’re quite diverse: we can’t really categorize that audience." But, he hinted, addressing this audience might mean an expansion beyond its existing models. "They want what’s right for them," he says: "it’s not like there’ll be one camera that’s right for everyone." "I think [X100VI] has helped raise awareness of other X-series cameras," says Igarashi Photo: Richard Butler Could be compact Could there be room in Fujifilm's lineup for a compact camera, again, we wondered. "I think there is demand for compact cameras," says Igarashi. "I think that smartphones have actually helped people get into photography because everybody takes pictures. So I think there's potential for compact cameras." The younger generations' relationship with photos is different from their established users, he suggests: "When young people now take a picture and then look back at a picture they took maybe 10, 15 years ago, it may look almost exactly the same because image quality has remained very good." "I think there's a lot of potential in compact cameras as long as we can provide something unique" "So they’ve never experienced this kind of nostalgia in their images. I think second-hand compact cameras are perhaps unique because the images look kind of old and the body looks old and gives this nostalgic feeling to it." "For my generation, when we were children we had film cameras: we already experienced that, so it’s not a new thing for us, but it’s a new thing for a younger generation." "I think there's a lot of potential in compact cameras as long as we can provide something unique, and provides a unique experience for the users." Must be engaging Experience, is a critical consideration Igarashi says: "I think that the shooting experience is probably the most important thing that distinguishes smartphones," he says: "For our cameras, at least." "I think that experience is what young people are looking for: the fact that you’re intentionally capturing this moment in time, the way you want to capture it." "Smartphones can be a great tool, but I think there’s more emotion you can add by using a camera to capture the scene." Interview conducted by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler, at the CP+ 2025 show in Yokohama, Japan. Answers edited for flow.

Mar 19, 2025 - 22:08

Fujifilm weighs in: "There's a lot of potential in compact cameras"

2012's XF1 was just one of a range of high-end compacts Fujifilm produced in the past.

Photo: DPReview.com

In our interview with Yuji Igarashi, Fujifilm's Divisional Manager, Professional Imaging Group, he seems to hint at more affordable models, aimed at first-time photographers.

"I think now that cameras have become quite expensive, that’s maybe why young people are going to second-hand cameras for their first camera," he says: "I think maybe there’s a gap for young people to start shooting with digital cameras."

"Maybe there’s a gap for young people to start shooting with digital cameras"

The public awareness generated by the X100V and VI puts them in a good position, he suggests: "We’re getting a lot of interest from the younger generation. The younger generation and also a more female audience. Because in the past it was a more male-dominated industry."

"That's an opportunity for expansion: the younger generation, both male and female."

This audience isn't necessarily familiar with cameras, he suggests: "I think you know many people are the first-time buyers of cameras, so I think that's a huge difference. People who were coming to our system maybe five or ten years ago had experience in shooting with other cameras and then starting with X-series, whereas now we’re seeing people for whom X-series is the first camera in their entire life, so they’re comparing their experience to smartphones, rather than comparing to other cameras."

"Now we’re seeing people for whom X-series is the first camera in their entire life"

"To be honest, we’re still trying to figure out what is the right camera. Of course many young people are interested in X100, X-M5, X-T30 and even X-T5 so they’re quite diverse: we can’t really categorize that audience."

But, he hinted, addressing this audience might mean an expansion beyond its existing models. "They want what’s right for them," he says: "it’s not like there’ll be one camera that’s right for everyone."

"I think [X100VI] has helped raise awareness of other X-series cameras," says Igarashi

Photo: Richard Butler

Could be compact

Could there be room in Fujifilm's lineup for a compact camera, again, we wondered. "I think there is demand for compact cameras," says Igarashi.

"I think that smartphones have actually helped people get into photography because everybody takes pictures. So I think there's potential for compact cameras."

The younger generations' relationship with photos is different from their established users, he suggests: "When young people now take a picture and then look back at a picture they took maybe 10, 15 years ago, it may look almost exactly the same because image quality has remained very good."

"I think there's a lot of potential in compact cameras as long as we can provide something unique"

"So they’ve never experienced this kind of nostalgia in their images. I think second-hand compact cameras are perhaps unique because the images look kind of old and the body looks old and gives this nostalgic feeling to it."

"For my generation, when we were children we had film cameras: we already experienced that, so it’s not a new thing for us, but it’s a new thing for a younger generation."

"I think there's a lot of potential in compact cameras as long as we can provide something unique, and provides a unique experience for the users."

Must be engaging

Experience, is a critical consideration Igarashi says: "I think that the shooting experience is probably the most important thing that distinguishes smartphones," he says: "For our cameras, at least."

"I think that experience is what young people are looking for: the fact that you’re intentionally capturing this moment in time, the way you want to capture it."

"Smartphones can be a great tool, but I think there’s more emotion you can add by using a camera to capture the scene."

Interview conducted by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler, at the CP+ 2025 show in Yokohama, Japan. Answers edited for flow.