Fujifilm further expansion of instax production

[Arcadia4]

Fujifilm has announced a 32m usd investment in instax production at ashigara plant to increase production by 10%, to be operational by autumn 26. Previous investment announced in 2023 expanded production by 20%.

https://www.fujifilm.com/jp/en/news/hq/13167

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I wish they start producing Velvia 50 and Provia 100 more.

 

[mshchem]

Amazing!

 

[Taylor K Nankervis]

I wish they start producing Velvia 50 and Provia 100 more.

I think we might be staring at oblivion, not production.
From what I saw around Tokyo (and Hokkaido), Instax rules and nothing else — every second person has an Instax dangling from something (often a Hermes tote or handbag), along with a Hello Kitty!
They have taken to it in a very big way, both in terms of novelty at the inherently very Japanese trait of being overly attached to gadgets galore!

 

[bags27]

I just bought the NONS Instax back for my 500 c/m, and it's so very cool. Yes, Instax does not have a lot of dynamic range. I'm learning to avoid high contrast settings. But under certain conditions, it is terrifically satisfying. It's the instant gratification of digital without being digital.

Still, I'd gladly give it up for Velvia 50 and Provia 100. Sigh....

 

[brbo]

Awesome!!!

They are betting the farm on Instax, Fuji will never be the same after this, paradigm shifting... They are investing, wait for it, 3% of their Instax revenue! Edgy!!!

From what I saw around Tokyo (and Hokkaido), Instax rules and nothing else — every second person has an Instax dangling from something (often a Hermes tote or handbag), along with a Hello Kitty!

I only spent 3 weeks in Japan this summer... but I didn't see a single person that had an Instax* camera and I was always the only one checking out Instax stuff at stores. Now, I'm not saying Instax is not doing fine, but it might be other markets (China?) that are booming (although Instax took off in Japan more than 90% of Instax market is now outside of Japan).


* film cameras did infinitely better, I saw 3 film cameras being used in the wild during that period. Oh, and one digital SLR.

 

[Agulliver]

It's not just Tokyo....wander around where the young people hang out in London....Instax is a huge business for FujiFilm.

 

[AERO]

It's not just Tokyo....wander around where the young people hang out in London....Instax is a huge business for FujiFilm.

Obviously the gimmick of 2025 for the youngsters............what next for 2026

 

[koraks]

gimmick of 2025 for the youngsters

I suppose from the perspective of someone of an advanced age, virtually everyone else is a youngster. Also, Instax took off many years ago. It's not a 2025 fad and it will surely still be around in 2026 and several years thereafter. The present steep boom started around 2008-2010 and has been following a near-exponential Rogers diffusion innovation curve since (covid slowed growth briefly). That's a remarkable feat; definitely not a gimmick. Instax is far, far bigger than darkroom printing.

 

[AERO]

I suppose from the perspective of someone of an advanced age, virtually everyone else is a youngster. Also, Instax took off many years ago. It's not a 2025 fad and it will surely still be around in 2026 and several years thereafter. The present steep boom started around 2008-2010 and has been following a near-exponential Rogers diffusion innovation curve since (covid slowed growth briefly). That's a remarkable feat; definitely not a gimmick. Instax is far, far bigger than darkroom printing.

So it has been around for some time - but kids are fickle - todays choice is tomorrows throwaway toy.......

 

[koraks]

So far, it's shown to be much more successful and longer-lived than, say, APS.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Instax will bury Fuji film production sooner rather than later.

I believe the only reason there is some film production at the moment is that shutting it all down is in the too hard basket and no one wants to own the problem.

 

[Nitroplait]

Instax has been selling like hotcakes in the camera store where I work.
It has been like that for at least the past 5 years perhaps more.
We are constantly short on some of the varieties.
If counted in number of packs, I am fairly certain it sells more units than all conventional film units combined in the shop.

I agree that Instax likely sucks most the investment capital of the Fuji Analog Division because the return on investment on Instax is significantly higher than that of conventional film.

 

[koraks]

I believe the only reason there is some film production at the moment is that shutting it all down is in the too hard basket and no one wants to own the problem.

Possibly. A more optimistic reading is that they honor what they've said in the (recent) past that they'll only turn the lights off once everyone else has left the room.

 

[brbo]

Possibly. A more optimistic reading is that they honor what they've said in the (recent) past that they'll only turn the lights off once everyone else has left the room.

Thing we don't like about this "110% percent commitment to film" is that it means that they will only stop putting Fuji name on the film that others make for them when there are no other manufacturers to make film for them.

In the meantime, I'm still very grateful for what little true Fuji film is being produced. There is nothing like Fuji Color 100 and of course nothing like their slide film.

 

[bags27]

Fuji, from what I understand, is primarily a health care company, secondarily an electronics company, and only tertiarily a photography company. To whatever extent the specific film production fits most economically into the first two of these is probably how they determine what they are going to keep producing.

 

[retina_restoration]

Obviously the gimmick of 2025 for the youngsters............what next for 2026

How is it different from Polaroids in the 1970s and 80s??

 

[Kino]

I have only dabbled with early Instax and it was fun, but I don't use a lot of it.

However, it does still keep some form of light-sensitive emulsion technology going and profitable, so you have to be grateful for that, IMHO.

 

[koraks]

Fuji, from what I understand, is primarily a health care company, secondarily an electronics company, and only tertiarily a photography company.

That's a bit of a difficult characterization. FUJIFILM at its core is a technology company with a manufacturing profile, and they have a number of markets and segments they focus on. With regard to those, your list makes sense, although the relative magnitude and strategic relevance shift from time to time. It is true that they've recognized and fairly successfully exploit the healthcare segment. But it's important to note that the technology base is fairly unified and thus they leverage the same set of technological competencies towards all markets. At the same time, those technological competencies are quite broad and heterogeneous in scope and moreover evolve all the time as a result of innovation, which makes it very difficult to state that "fuji is an X or Y sort of company" in any way.

 

[AnselMortensen]

There's no shortage of Instax cameras on shopgoodwill.com

 

[Arcadia4]

Fujifilm publish a very detailed annual report, by even uk corporate standards (all 110 pages of it). Imaging currently accounts for about 17% of group revenue, split 61% consumer imaging ( instax, film and ra4 paper) and 39% professional imaging (Digital cameras and lenses for various pro applications) , within that the main forward focus is on instax and digital cameras.

Details on p61.
https://ir.fujifilm.com/en/investor...Items1/01/linkList/0/link/fh_2025_alle_a4.pdf

 

[halfaman]

Fujifilm publish a very detailed annual report, by even uk corporate standards (all 110 pages of it). Imaging currently accounts for about 17% of group revenue, split 61% consumer imaging ( instax, film and ra4 paper) and 39% professional imaging (Digital cameras and lenses for various pro applications) , within that the main forward focus is on instax and digital cameras.

Details on p61.
https://ir.fujifilm.com/en/investor...Items1/01/linkList/0/link/fh_2025_alle_a4.pdf

Meaning that Consumer Imaging yearly revenue is about $600 million and confirming Fujifilm is the biggest player in the film business according to revenue, it is bigger than the remaining players all together (Kodak Advance Materials & Chemicals $270 million and Harman Tech. $40 million, for example).

 

[koraks]

The imaging strategy can be summarized as "milk instax and digital cameras". Which is nothing new, really. It's a cash cow segment, and has been for several years, intended to fuel innovation in other areas.

Meaning that Consumer Imaging yearly revenue is about $600 million and confirming Fujifilm is the biggest player in the film business according to revenue

You're too easily conflating Imaging with 'film'. But Instax is very big, indeed.

 

[Pioneer]

Hey. I like Fuji. I live in the US and I cannot buy Kodak anywhere near to where I live. However there are several stores in my small community stocking various Fuji film products. Instax, disposable cameras and 35mm color film. It ain't great but its something. Kodak is a non-starter.

 

[brbo]

Kodak is a non-starter.

How 'bout the fact that there's a Kodak film in each of those 35mm cassettes with Fuji name on it.

If that's not a start I don't know what is...