Fujifilm’s immense success with the X-Series is interesting in two ways. Firstly, and certainly chiefly, X-series success and specially the success of X-100 and X-Pro lines are noteworthy from a pure design perspective. Secondly, one should not forget Fujifilm’s work on censor. Recall Fujifilm’s Super CCD? Photographers who have been using Fujifilm’s products, especially Fujifilm 35mm films, such as Fujifilm Velveia and Superia are bound to remember Fujifilm’s cult-figure among portrait photographers, namely, Fujifilm S5 Pro and Fujifilm’s Super CCD build into the S5-Pro.
Fujifilm S5 Pro appeared at Photokina, September 2006 and was later on made available to the public in spring 2007. While S5 Pro at the time was considered a pinnacle for contrast and skin tone rendition and soon became a cult-figure among portrait photographers, Fujifilm’s dependence on Nikon bodies can be considered a factor limiting the innovative power of Fuji in designing cameras. Thom Hogan, in a June 27, 2007 forum post in dp review, provides an interesting reading about Fuji-Nikon relation focusing on Nikon supplying Fuji with Nikon F-Mount bodies. Nikon D200, considered one of the best build bodies among Nikon DSLR systems at the time, was used as the basis of Fuji S5 pro with Fujifilm assuming responsibility for the censor of S5.
One can speculate into whether Nikon supply of Nikon F-Mount bodies to Fujifilm as the bases of Fujifilm’s S-Pro line may have been a factor delaying Fujifilm’s dedication to innovative design.
Fujifilm camera design experienced a revolution that is certainly visible in the company’s 2011 release of Fujifilm X 100 and the 2012 release of Fujifilm X-Pro 1. These two cameras are the post millennium hallmark of Fujifilm serious entry into the professional digital camera industry and certainly demonstrate Fuji’s total commitment to minimalism in designing cameras.
In terms of look and feel, Fujifilm X100 resembles Leica screw mount cameras of 1950s in its lines and has been a great success for Fujifilm since its introduction in 2011.
