Year: 2022

Sustainable Solutions at the Heart of ‘Fujifilm House’

by maurice kammholz December 18, 2022 Comments0

2022 has been the year of renewing or building new office spaces for FUJIFILM in Europe with constructions in Germany, Spain and now also in the UK. In October 2022, Fujifilm officially opened ‘Fujifilm House’, our new UK headquarters in Bedford, which boasts more than 30,000 square feet of attractive working space, built with sustainability in mind.

Since 1983 Fujifilm UK’s operation shave been located on Bedford and only a short distance from the old building, the new one was constructed. However, there is one significant difference compared to the old building: SUSTAINABILITY. Sustainability considerations were integral to the new building’s design and the new site’s excellent BREEAM environmental rating underlines this point.

Protecting wildlife habitats

We have worked together with the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire to keep the environment around its UK HQ site as habitable as possible for wildlife. For instance, by installing permeable slabs in the Fujifilm House car park, we are able to nurture worms residing in the ground, prevent flooding and help maintain the water table.

Energy efficiencies

The site features 80 rooftop solar panels which are able to generate up to 63,000 kW of electricity annually, saving an impressive 29 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. Additionally, the new building accommodates 16 charging points for colleagues and visitors to use to anticipate the shift away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

Waste management

A waste sorting system, comprised of bins with different colored lids, enables rubbish to be sorted into different categories, making it easier to recycle. Steering away from single-use plastic cups on-site has encouraged the take-up of reusable cups.

Naturally clean

Fujifilm has also taken steps to keep the UK headquarters clean and tidy, in an eco-friendly manner. For example, toilets are flushed with water obtained by a rainwater collection and storage system, and toilet paper is made from completely recycled material. Even the toilet roll dispensers are made from recycled Tetra Pak packaging. In addition, the cleaning agent, which is made from biodegradable materials, is sold as tablets which can be added to water to form a liquid soap.

These are all just examples of actions taken in our new building. There is much more to discover on site. As you can see, the new ‘FUJIFILM House’ in the UK integrated sustainability at its heart.

Filed under Blog Innovation

FUJIFILM Holdings Named to CDP ‘A List’

by maurice kammholz December 15, 2022 Comments0

We do not know where to start… We cannot describe in words how honored we are that FUJIFILM Holdings was named to CDP ‘A List’ for Leadership in Climate Action and Water Security.

CDP – Carbon Disclosure Project – is a global non-profit that drives companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard water resources and protect forests. Working with over 680 institutional investors with assets of US$130 trillion, CDP promotes companies to disclose and manage their environmental impacts.

We are delighted that FUJIFILM Holdings has been named as an ‘A List’ in both climate change and water security. Since clean water and air are essential for the manufacturing of photographic film, which is the starting point of the Fujifilm Group, environmental conservation is fundamental to our business activities. We will continue to contribute to society through proactive efforts such as decarbonization, conservation of water resources and reduction of waste in cooperation with local communities and government to resolve environmental issues around the world. 

Teiichi Goto, president and CEO, representative director of FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation

At Fujifilm, social responsibility has a great importance across the organization. As a result, Fujifilm’s corporate social responsibility plan, ‘Sustainable Value Plan 2030,’ was established, addressing climate change and natural resource recycling. We, the Fujifilm group, have set a target of reducing water usage of the entire Fujifilm Group by 30% compared to FY2013 level and working to conserve water resources through efficient water use and wastewater treatment within our manufacturing plants.

In addition, we have set ourselves a target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the entire product lifecycle by 50% by the fiscal year ending March 2031 (FY2030) compared to FY2019 level. Therefore, we launched the environmental strategy ‘Green Value Climate Strategy‘ to manufacture with a lower environmental impact and to create products and services that offer excellent environmental performance.

What has Fujifilm accomplished towards these goals thus far?

  • Concluded a “comprehensive partnership agreement towards a decarbonized future” with the Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., to create a carbon-neutral model in manufacturing using state-of-the-art decarbonization technologies
  • Carbon neutrality at its recycling site of multifunctional printers in China in July 2022 by switching entirely to renewable electricity
  • Reduced environmental impact of local wastewater treatment by sharing a large-scale treatment facility located at FUJIFILM Manufacturing Europe B.V. in the Netherlands with neighboring companies
  • In-house treatment of all wastewater in manufacturing of sensor films for touch panels at the Ashigara site of the Kanagawa factory in Japan
  • Provides products such as magnetic tape storage media that can significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions by reducing electricity consumption during data storage
Filed under Blog Healthcare Innovation

FUJINON SX801, The next-generation surveillance camera system

by ninakuerten December 2, 2022 Comments0
Video

Together with Chromos Group AG in Switzerland, our colleague Rob van der Spank, Manager of the CCTV, Machine Vision and Binoculars department FUJIFILM Europe, tested the SX801, which was launched in late 2021. On one of the highest mountains, the Chäserrug mountain near the Chromos office, this FUJINON long range camera system was put to the test.

One of my responsibilities is the SX surveillance camera system range, of which I am very proud when I present this monster at exhibitions or during field tests, as we did in Switzerland for the SX800 back in 2019.

Rob van der Spank

This advanced camera system is a further development of the FUJINON SX800 with Full-HD resolution and a stabilized 40x zoom lens that was introduced at Milipol 2019. Thanks to its powerful 1/1.8” image sensor, the long focal length range of 20 mm to 800 mm and state-of-the-art image processing technology, the FUJINON SX800 and SX801 are ideally suited for advanced long-range surveillance applications. This makes it the perfect application to protect critical infrastructure and transportation networks, including airports, harbors, highways, borders, and the environment in general.

Unlike the FUJINON SX800, the SX801 can output three streams in parallel. It also comes with a new host software for easy configuration, playback and live-streaming.

It was an amazing experience as you can see in the movie and the performance of the SX801 was outstanding especially on the long(er) range surveillance. If we ever go back to Switzerland to shoot another movie? Who knows, if I were you, I would keep my eyes open somewhere in April next year.

Rob van der Spank

Check out the video down below to learn more from Rob about the FUJINON SX801 and its features.

Have we sparked your interest? Then, check our website or contact us for more information.

Filed under Blog Business

INSTAX Christmas decoration DIY

by mariesophieklueber November 30, 2022 Comments0

Only 24 days let until it is Christmastime again! Today, we show you how you can quickly create a unique Christmas decoration with your favorite photos.

For this you will need:

  • 1 glass
  • Water
  • Water beads
  • Mini Christmas decoration
  • 1 floating candle
  • Your favorite Christmas photo
  • Transparent tape if needed

First, put the water beads in a bowl with water and let them swell overnight.

The next day you can print out your Christmas motive with your INSTAX-Square Smartphone Printer like here, or you shoot a new one with your INSTAX camera. If you want to protect it from water, you can try wrapping it in clear tape.

Now take your jar and alternate filling it with a little of the decoration and the water beads. In the middle you put the INSTAX instant picture. When the glass is almost full, fill it up with water – and all at once the water pearls disappear!

Now your INSTAX photo floats in the middle of your great Christmas decoration! You can round off your DIY now, in which you put a floating candle in your glass, so you have conjured up a double eye-catcher.

A few tips: it’s best not to use real candy canes, because they dissolve quickly. Please note that it is possible that the INSTAX instant picture may change if it is in the water for a longer time.

See the video for more detailed instructions!
Filed under Be Inspired Blog Spotlight

How to: Make Better Images Indoors

by maurice kammholz November 22, 2022 Comments0

Here in Europe, you can already feel it… Winter season is here. The days are getting shorter, it is getting colder outside, and in some parts it is already starting to snow. Of course, such conditions create perfect outdoor sceneries to capture in your photos, but shooting portraits and other pictures involving people or pets might be challenging due to the unpredictable weather. Therefore, it is time to move back inside and make use of the cozy vibes of our homes. Especially, since Christmas is around the corner, and we are about to take the perfect cheesy family pictures. For beautiful indoor images with perfect color, you need to know how to respond to available light.

Remember, what you see is what you get!

Utilizing your camera’s electronic viewfinder, or the main LCD screen, gives you an accurate view of how the picture will be when you hit the shutter, eliminating any kind of guesswork. Even if you make adjustments to exposure or other settings, you are able to see these in your viewfinder. Thus, you get the picture exactly the way you want to.

Did you know if you add a live histogram to the display, it shows how bright or dark the image you will make is? In your camera’s settings, simply go to ‘screen set-up > display custom setting > activate histogram’.

Make use of auto ISO

As always, available light is inconsistent and therefore, it is important to be adjustable. ISO is every photographer’s secret for that! For everyone who is lazy or as we like to call it ‘smart’, simply set the ISO to Auto, so it adjusts automatically, ensuring you get a good exposure every time. If you prefer adjusting the ISO to your specific requirements, you can as well do so manually by altering the ISO handle.

In addition, you can set a minimum shutter speed with the Auto ISO. Now, it will not drop below that setting – as you can see, all you need to do is tell the camera to do what you want it to do! By choosing one of the auto ISO modes you will be able to change the three settings ‘Default Sensitivity, Max Sensitivity and Min. Shutter Speed’.

Significant to note is that control over Auto ISO is only available in the Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual modes. In other options, the camera uses Auto ISO automatically.

Filed under Be Inspired Blog Tutorials

Do you recognize this image?

by Giulia Grassi November 15, 2022 Comments0
https://blogs.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/2014/04/HD_2D00_Windows_2D00_XP_2D00_Bliss_2D00_Wallpaper_2D00_Backgrounds.jpg

We are sure that almost everyone is familiar with this. Exactly! This image depicts the famous default wallpaper hill of Microsoft’s Windows XP™ operating system.

A ‘digital window’ overlooking a green hill and blue sky in the Los Carneros American Viticultural Area of the California Wine Country. This photo, named Bliss, consistently makes a Windows XP™ PC recognisable.

However, if you think Microsoft© created it in one of its design studios, you are wrong. The Bliss is a completely original photo with slight editing.

Charles O’Rear, former National Geographic photographer, took the photo in January 1996 and Microsoft© bought the rights to it in 2000. O’Rear used a 1980 Mamiya RZ67 SLR camera and Fujifilm Velvia film to take the image, a film often used among nature photographers and known to saturate some colours.

Since it was the beginning of the millennium and technology was not as advanced as it is today and it was not possible to send the photos digitally Microsoft© decided to obtain the actual negative film for the best results. Microsoft© decided to have O’Rear fly in to have the film delivered personally: it was the cheapest and fastest way to get his hands on the film that would become one of the world’s most iconic photos.

The photo is mostly as it was taken in reality. Although there was later speculation that the image had been created with software such as Adobe Photoshop, O’Rear claims that it never was.

Microsoft© retouched the photo by slightly darkening the green spot on the hill, but other than that, O’Rear’s camera did the rest. The saturated colours are the result of Fujifilm Velvia film, which is known to saturate colours somewhat.

Microsoft© gave the photo its current name and made it a key part of its marketing campaign for XP.

It is estimated that billions of people have seen the image, making it perhaps one of the most viewed photographs in history.

Look the iconic hill on Google Maps.

Filed under Be Inspired Blog Photography