In addition to film, Fujifilm also makes cameras. With some Knipsen the production was stopped with others runs itself still. So there are also some suitable instant cameras for the Instax format. But Fujifilm also makes 35mm and medium format cameras. Some models of these are only available in Japan.
History of Fujifilm
Fujifilm, a name synonymous with high-quality cameras and photographic film, was established on January 20, 1934, as Fuji Shashin Film K.K. It began as an offshoot of Dai-Nippon Celluloid K.K., a company founded in 1919, and was spearheaded by the company’s first CEO, Asano Shūichi. The genesis of the company was primarily centered around the production of different types of film.
Named after the legendary Mt. Fuji, a symbol of strength and permanence, Fujifilm’s headquarters were initially situated in the village of Minami-Ashigara, in the prefecture of Kanagawa, at the foot of Mt. Hakone. It’s said that Asano Shūichi chose the name “Fuji” because of Mt. Fuji’s close proximity to Mt. Hakone, where the company’s plants were located.
By the early 1940s, Fujifilm began to diversify its product offerings, beginning with the production of optical glass primarily for military usage. In 1948, Fujifilm ventured into camera production with the Fujica Six. The Fujica brand name, a fusion of ‘Fuji’ and ‘camera’, was used for many camera models made by Fuji until the late 1970s. The brand name was later simplified to ‘Fuji’ in the mid-1980s and then to ‘Fujifilm’ in the mid-1990s.
The company began its journey into the digital realm in 1988, and quickly established itself as one of the most flexible film manufacturers to transition into digital imaging. Fujifilm offered leading technology in the field of small digital consumer cameras, particularly high-sensitivity CCDs, under the Super CCD brand. The company also marketed expensive DSLRs and innovative camera concepts like the X100, which featured a hybrid finder, a blend of an optical finder and an electronic viewfinder (EVF). Today, Fujifilm stands tall as one of the major producers of sophisticated mirrorless cameras such as the X-T3, renowned for its fast hi-res video capability.
Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, trading as Fujifilm or simply Fuji, has now become a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It operates in various sectors including photography, optics, office and medical electronics, biotechnology, and chemicals.
