When women deal with machines and technology, magic is made. Throughout history, they were at the forefront of innovation, bringing unique perspectives, and creative problem-solving approaches to the table. They brought empathy and ingenuity to the world of machines, thinking not only how they work but also how they can improve lives. Every day, women in tech around the world are making incredible strides, developing software, designing hardware, managing IT systems, and driving innovation, and still, their contributions often go unnoticed.
In our latest, 8th issue of the Women4Women magazine, we want to change the narrative and honor women who are shaping the printing and graphic arts industry. Offering a fresh perspective and a completely new look and feel, this issue is aptly titled “Women and the Machine”. From the UK to Australia, we’ve collected over 20 stories of women from all across the globe, who bring change to the world of tech. They tell about their ups and downs, motivation and learning curves, how they challenged outdated stereotypes in the male-dominated field and what drives them to move on. On this inspiring journey, you’ll be accompanied also by evocative photographs taken in Italian factories in the 1980s by Turin-based photographerPaola Agosti.
“The stories we have collected in this new issue are all about a challenge. A challenge that has been quietly but not yet fully recognised, one that sees women and machines progressing and evolving together, demonstrating that technology, in this case applied to the printing industry, is not a men-only activity. These magnificent women tell us how they are able to create empathy with these mechanical ‘hearts’ and thanks to the strong ‘bond’ that is created, it has been possible to achieve results that we can describe as artistic. Business aptitude is not enough to do this,” – says Luana Porfido, European Head of Corporate Communication and ESG Management, FUJIFILM Europe GmbH.
The magazine features insights from the souls of Fujifilm, including Makiko Numata, Mihoko Endo and Isabelle Katrina Morales, who highlight the importance of innovation, perseverance and breaking down long-established barriers. At the same time, there are stories of external contributors, such as Lisa Farinati, Head of Business Administration of Faservice Srl, and Chiara Bezzi, Editorial Manager of Innovative Press, who discuss the transformative power of female leadership and the importance of sustainability and inclusion in the industry. Zhu Min, Vice President of C&C Joint Printing Co. Ltd, also shares her journey and achievements, including winning the prestigious “Bi Sheng Printing Outstanding Achievement” award.
“Our goal is to bring together diverse ideas, unique skills and extraordinary people to change the world. Women4Women is a concrete example that testifies to the path we have taken towards Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” – Yoshiki Kimura, President, FUJIFILM Europe GmbH.
On June 1, Düsseldorf will once again be host to one of Europe’s largest Japanese cultural festivals, Japan-Tag. This annual event, now in its 21st year, transforms the city into a vibrant hub of Japanese culture, art, and culinary delights.
Known throughout Germany and beyond as a festival of cultural exchange, Japan Day promotes a spirit of openness and curiosity towards other cultures. With around 90 stalls and a colourful stage programme, you can immerse yourself in the rich and diverse world of Japan.
From traditional performances to modern art, culinary experiences to interactive workshops, Japan Day has something for everyone. You can try yourself at calligraphy, tea ceremonies, martial arts demonstrations, and much more.
The highlight of the day is the spectacular Japanese fireworks display over the Rhine river, a tradition that leaves visitors in awe year after year. This breathtaking finale is a symbol of the close ties between Japan and Düsseldorf, celebrating the friendship and cultural exchange between the two communities.
Places to visit
Burgplatz square
It’s the place to see the official part of the event. Enjoy performances on the main stage and a selection of Japanese cuisine.
Reuter Kaserne
Here, with all the elaborate bento boxes, detailed figurines, and handmade drawings, you can dive into the world of manga and anime.
Rhine promenade
Along the river, you can try on a real kimono, fold origami, or practice the floral art of ikebana to experience authentic Japanese culture. Take part in drawing and language courses and find out special tips about travelling to Japan. Here, you will also find stalls with Japanese accessories and art items.
Johannes Rau Platz
Explore the demonstration and sales stalls, the Japanese cuisine, and the pop culture zones. Here, you can also find the cosplay and karaoke competitions.
Untere Rheinwerft
Visit the food courts for sushi, tempura, and a sake tasting session. Apart of that, you can enjoy here Germany’s best ninjas competing in parcour, or even take part in the competition yourself.
Lawn in front of the Landtag
You can take part in a variety of activities in this special action area, including the samurai and archery camp, and the sports stage showing off the best of jūdō, jiu-jitsu, kendō, karate, and more!
Marktplatz
Here is a family area with various activities for children in the marketplace, such as mask making, puppet and picture book theater, singing, etc.
Our TOP tips for the perfect Japan Day
Plan ahead
Start by downloading or printing out the event map. This will help you identify key locations like food stalls, stages, restrooms, and activity zones. Mark the spots you absolutely don’t want to miss and plan your time accordingly. Include some buffer time for exploring and spontaneous activities. Also, consider that the number of people is going to be pretty high, so if you want to secure a good place to watch the fireworks, it’s better to plan your time the way that you’re on the spot before 22:00.
Use public transport
Driving to the Rhine on this day may be more of a hussle due to traffic and the limited parking area. So, we would advise looking up the best public transport options to get to the event. Trains, buses, and trams are usually well-connected and can drop you off close to the place. Don’t forget to check the schedules for the last train or bus back home if you’re staying until the fireworks. If public transport is too crowded, consider using bikes or scooters if available.
Try the cuisine
One of the best parts of Japan Day is the chance to try authentic Japanese food and take part in engaging cultural activities. From sushi and ramen to takoyaki and mochi, make it a point to try a little bit of everything. Japanese cuisine is diverse and delicious, and the food stalls are a great way to experience it in a whole variety.
Get there early
To make the most of Japan Day and secure a prime spot for fireworks, it’s better to arrive earlier. This will help you avoid the largest crowds and have a more relaxed experience. This also gives you a chance to experience the activities until it gets too busy. So, use these early hours to wander around and get a feel for the event.
Tania Malkin, a renowned aerial photographer based in Australia, has always had a profound love for landscapes. From the serene beauty of bushlands to the awe-inspiring vistas of Shark Bay, her passion for capturing the natural world is undeniable. Recently, Tania had an opportunity to use the new GFX100S II camera on one of her projects in Western Australia, and her experience has been nothing short of transformative.
Shark Bay, with its diverse landscapes and stunning contrasts where the desert meets the ocean, has always been her favorite spot. And the GFX100S II has proven to be an exceptional tool to capture this from the air.
“I normally take one camera and one lens. Because size is important and I don’t want to be mucking around with equipment. And I like to be able to firstly trust the equipment that I have, and secondly, it needs to be small and compact and not heavy and not impact. I’m holding it solid shooting for 2.5 to 3 hours and I don’t put it down.”
It will be the latest addition to the GFX Series of mirrorless digital cameras incorporating the large-format image sensor approximately 1.7 times larger than a 35mm full-frame sensor. The camera is equipped with the newly developed 102MP sensor, GFX 102MP CMOS II, and our cutting-edge image processor, X-Processor 5. While having these powerful elements, it is still quite compact, weighing approximately 883g. This makes it the lightest among the 102MP large-format cameras in the line-up and allows for effortless handheld shooting, with minimised camera shake.
GFX100S II
With the 102 megapixels, there’s no more need to stitch panoramas to create large artworks and prints. The detail and clarity are mind-blowing. The camera is also equipped with a powerful image stabilizer and a high-speed AF function for enhanced user experience and unparalleled image quality.
“The 8.0 stops IBIS is fantastic because I don’t have to worry that even though I have the amazing autofocus, that the image is still potentially and not going to be sharp. But with the IBIS on the GFX 100S II, I was very confident that the images were going to be sharp, even with the wind resistance and the vibrations from the aircraft.”
“The camera captures the colours and the details of that particular area so beautifully. The sharpness, because of the IBIS, and then the 102MP with the incredible details of the sands and the ocean and the wildlife, the dynamic range that I was getting with the whitecaps on the water, and then the turquoise blue of the ocean with the rich red colours that would normally be out of gamut. It reads everything beautifully. Nothing was blown out. It was just incredible.”
Curious to know more features of the GFX100S II? Check here.
Paris is getting all set to host the anticipated Fujifilm INSTAX Undisputed breaking event as a part of the Playin’Paris festival. On May 24, Forum Les Halles will turn into the international stage for the top breakers. Competitors from different corners of the world, including Bboy Victor from the US, Ana Furia from Spain, and Raygun from Australia, will show their extraordinary talents and compete for top honours. The event will feature competitions in both male and female solo categories, as well as crew battles.
The Undisputed connects the most prestigious breaking competitions into a world series with respective winners competing at a Masters championship. Started back in 2013, they held competitions in London, Amsterdam, and Los Angeles. After a brief pause due to the pandemic, Undisputed Masters is now back, and we are proud to remain their headline partner.
“As breakers once revolutionised the dance scene in the 80s, they stand poised to ignite a new era for breakdancing. The FUJIFILM INSTAX brand is proud to continue to partner with Undisputed Masters as breaking grows in stature and popularity. Together, we celebrate the bold spirit of these athletes who defy limits, push boundaries, and put on incredible shows,”
– Shin Udono, Senior Vice President, Imaging Solutions, FUJIFILM Europe.
INSTAX Undisputed Recap | London, 2022
“Paris is the perfect backdrop for our event, with its vibrant culture and rich history in the arts. We’re bringing together the world’s top breakers to showcase their incredible skills and creativity, and I can’t wait for audiences to witness the magic first-hand. It’s an electrifying moment for the global breaking community,”
– Tyrone Van der Meer, Undisputed Masters Creator.
Three months after the Tokyo Summit, we’ve just celebrated our second X Summit in 2024 taking place in Sydney. And, of course, with new awesome launches! Today, we introduced our new cameras and lenses in the X and GFX Series, showcasing their advanced features together with professional photographers who got a chance to test our newbies in the field. Here’s a short glimpse into what’s new.
Fujifilm X-T50
The first newcomer introduced at today’s X Summit is a FUJIFILM X-T50 camera. It is sleek and compact, which makes it an ideal camera to carry with you wherever you go, without compromising on quality or performance. It has maintained the classic look but with a new rounded shape for a better holding grip experience. Despite being slightly larger than its predecessor, the X-T50 grip feels snug, making it feel smaller in your hand. The thumb grip extends smoothly outward compared to previous models, providing a better ergonomic feel.
What’s exciting, it’s the first X Series camera to feature a Film Simulation Dial, with 20 simulations to choose from, including the “REALA ACE”. Turning this dial on the top of the camera while shooting lets you enjoy the colours, as if changing film in real-time.
Looking inside, you’ll find the 5th generation X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor and the X-Processor 5, enabling high-speed and accurate autofocus and subject detection. The new camera also features a 5-axis IBIS image stabilisation, up to 7.0 stops, achieving clear, high-resolution 40.2MP images. Not to compromise the X-T50’s compact size, we reviewed the structure and arrangement of various parts and units required for IBIS implementation. So, now you have the 7.0 stops IBIS performance in the compact size of X-T30II.
“With the 40.2MP I’m finding that I’m able to really zoom in on the image, even when it’s on the screen and it’s showing so much detail. It’s really amazing to both get that detail when you’re shooting wide and you’re shooting close up as well. It just is holding so much data and I’m absolutely loving it,” – Rachel Claire, travel and lifestyle photographer.
FUJINON XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8 R LM WR
This new featherweight zoom lens elevates the capabilities of the X-T50, taking it to the next level. It is compatible with the X-T50 and other 40MP models with the X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor. At merely 240g, it is the lightest zoom lens in the XF line-up. Equipped with dustproof and weather-resistant features, it is a perfect choice for all weather conditions. Covering a popular wide-angle of 16mm to a mid-telephoto of 50mm, it offers high-speed, high-definition AF for exceptionally clear shots.
Given it’s a standard zoom that you carry all the time, close-up performance is very important. That’s why we’ve incorporated the maximum magnification of 0.3x and the minimum focusing distance of 24cm, enabling close-up photography at 15cm from the lens tip.
FUJINON GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR
With a focal length of 500mm, it’s the longest telephoto prime among our GF lenses which offers one of the highest-class quality and resolution. Size and weight really make it stand out. The weight of the lens is only approximately 1,375g, while there’s absolutely no compromise about image quality. Chromatic aberration is minimized to the limit. The new lens is equipped with a powerful 6.0 stops image stabilization system, enabling comfortable handheld shooting and significantly minimizing camera shake. Its AF drive system with linear motors allows for fast and high-precision autofocusing that overturns the conventional wisdom of large-format cameras and lenses.
“The autofocus is so good. It just snaps onto the bird, so like when the bird’s in the sky, I get out and bang, you’re on it. And then you just as you move with the bird, the tracking is fantastic,” – Shelley Pearson, bird and wildlife photographer.
“The thing that really stood out for me is that especially being a large-format sensor system, I can fit this in my bag with the lens on the camera. And that’s incredible, because, normally, when I’m traveling I’m always worried about the weight restrictions on airplanes and how to get it into one bag. And then, of course, we’re on a pretty adventurous trip, so being able to carry it around all day and not need to use a monopod – I think that was a really big advantage,” – Matt Krumins, wildlife, nature, and underwater photographer.
“One of the scenarios we had was in rapids in a river, and these birds were just sitting dead still on the logs. And the ability to handhold a long exposure shot to get the movement of the water, but still capture the 102MP of the birds was just fantastic. It’s an F5.6 lens, but when it’s paired with a large sensor format, it doesn’t actually behave like an F5.6 lens from a depth-of-field perspective. It is great for wildlife,” – Matt Krumins, wildlife, nature, and underwater photographer.
Fujifilm GFX100S II
Since we first launched the GFX100 in 2019 as the first 102MP large format camera, it has become a favourite among many professionals for its outstanding image quality, AF and IBIS. Additionally, we launched the compact GFX100S, a smaller model offering the same user-friendly experience as the GFX100, making it very accessible. Aiming to bring the appeal of large-format photography to more photo enthusiasts, we’ve created the GFX 100S II.
This camera makes no compromises, delivering top-notch performance. It is equipped with the newly developed 102MP sensor, GFX 102MP CMOS II, and our cutting-edge X-Processor 5, maintaining the best of the GFX 100S… and advancing even further. Weighting only 883g, it’s the lightest 102MP model in GFX Series. The GFX100S II offers the highest image quality in the GFX Series. By improving the pixel structure on the new sensor, we’ve extended the standard sensitivity to ISO 80. This means you can now capture images with a wider dynamic range and lower noise.
What’s more? You will definitely make use of the Face/Eye Detection AF and subject detection AF. Advanced AF prediction algorithms have improved the detection accuracy and tracking performance of moving subjects, so you can leave autofocusing to the camera and concentrate on the shutter release opportunity and composition. In addition, we’ve upgraded the IBIS performance too. The gyro and acceleration sensors accurately capture even the slightest movement, and the correction accuracy is improved, providing up to 8.0 stops of anti-shake performance.
Open up more possibilities with Film Simulations
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of our Film Simulation, we’re also launching the Film Simulation special content website. On this platform, you will learn more about all our film simulations, compare their characteristics, and open new possibilities for experiments that you’ve never thought about before. Stay tuned to be in the first row to check it out!
Two heads are better than one, right? It seems a bunch can move mountains! We are proud of our community of a new generation of passionate photographers, and this April, we were happy to gather them for a creative brainstorm.
Members of Photobooth Creatives, in collaboration with the dynamic minds behind the OnTrack festival, visited our production site in Tilburg, the Netherlands. Photobooth Creatives is a community for photo creators where they can network and share a valuable experience and personal tips and tricks with each other. They regularly organise plenty of photo events like photoshoots, photo walks, and brainstorming sessions. This time, they came to us to see how our best-in-class photographic paper is made and discuss new ideas and possibilities with our prints.
So, we pulled back the curtain on the magic behind Fujifilm, but the real magic happened when we sat down to brainstorm potential collaborations. That was the spirit! Sparks flew as we explored what we could do together. It’s definitely a new step towards strengthening the unique Fujifilm combination of photography and print.
What’s next? Well, the possibilities are as vast as the creative visions that fuel us. With newfound connections and inspiration, we’re ready to set sail on a new journey. And it promises to be fascinating!
Are you OnTrack?
The OnTrack festival gathers a vibrant, youthful communityfor two days of exploring street culture and everything connected to it. The line-up includes open-air performances, streetwear brands, photo exhibitions, sports, and graffiti artists live as they paint murals. It opens a completely different side of Tilburg you didn’t expect. And we are thrilled to be a part of it by supporting the festival and donating the prints. See you there on June 1-2, at the Spoorzone!
