Finally!!! my GFX 100 will be here tomorrow.

[Boinger]

So my daughter has managed to lock my shutter speed dial while I was playing with the camera and she was pushing random buttons. (She is 18 Months old.)

For the life of me I cannot figure out how to get that dial unlocked. I have tried every button combination I can think of.

I did RTFM, and this is all I found.

Focus/Exposure Lock

as of right now I am stuck at 1/50th.

 

[Paul2660]

Try a long press on the Fn2 button. Should lock and unlock shutter speed.
Page 70 or 71 in manual.

Paul C

 

[ron787]

What date did you order?

I did on June 20th.

Hi, I'd placed the order on Aug 7th, a month go today. I'll give customer service a call tomorrow and see if they have an ETA.

Not sure what Fuji's business plan consists of, but marketing 101 dictates that if you sell a lot of a product you should make a lot. The concept of creating desire by limiting the availability of a product—any product—just ends up pissing people off.

As per a prior post, I had been considering the Hasselblad H6D 100c—in the event that GFX100 did not arrive in a timely fashion— but the reviews have been disappointing and several users have claimed that there are issues with reliability, making the Hasselblad a virtual no go for a distant shoot. And Phase One exceeds the economic requirements. That doesn't leave a lot of options in the MF arena, unless I can negotiate the use of a GFX50s, or a FF S1R, both of which are accessible to me, and either one could perform the required task, considering the media that the images are destined for.

 

[PeterA]

My order was due in late July and I picked mine up a couple of weeks ago in late August - dealers can't keep up with demand down here in Oz -haven't had any issues with sharpness with any lens - if anything the opposite - I've had to use the inbuilt soften skin function shooting portraits.

 

[Boinger]

Hi, I'd placed the order on Aug 7th, a month go today. I'll give customer service a call tomorrow and see if they have an ETA.

Not sure what Fuji's business plan consists of, but marketing 101 dictates that if you sell a lot of a product you should make a lot. The concept of creating desire by limiting the availability of a product—any product—just ends up pissing people off.

As per a prior post, I had been considering the Hasselblad H6D 100c—in the event that GFX100 did not arrive in a timely fashion— but the reviews have been disappointing and several users have claimed that there are issues with reliability, making the Hasselblad a virtual no go for a distant shoot. And Phase One exceeds the economic requirements. That doesn't leave a lot of options in the MF arena, unless I can negotiate the use of a GFX50s, or a FF S1R, both of which are accessible to me, and either one could perform the required task, considering the media that the images are destined for.

The initial reports I read that fuji received 3x the amount of orders they expected to get for the year.

Plus when you combine it with the fact that they had to repair the lock mechanism on the vertical grip that caused a lot of delays.

I had a H6d-100c no longer do. The gfx 50s is pretty good but the 100 is definitely much better.

 

[Boinger]

Try a long press on the Fn2 button. Should lock and unlock shutter speed.
Page 70 or 71 in manual.

Paul C

Thanks tried that and it worked!

 

[GrahamWelland]

Not sure what Fuji's business plan consists of, but marketing 101 dictates that if you sell a lot of a product you should make a lot. The concept of creating desire by limiting the availability of a product—any product—just ends up pissing people off.

Hmm, well you just described the very successful Leica model ... and as frustrating as it can be as a buyer it works very very well.

Full disclosure, I just got my Leica Q2 from my smaller dealer (Capture Integration) in WAY less time than I would have got it from a major dealer. Ditto had I ordered a GFX100 ... so I’ll offer that up as an alternative approach vs using B&H or Adorama who have huge numbers of back orders. Just sayin’

 

[ron787]

Hmm, well you just described the very successful Leica model ... and as frustrating as it can be as a buyer it works very very well.

Full disclosure, I just got my Leica Q2 from my smaller dealer (Capture Integration) in WAY less time than I would have got it from a major dealer. Ditto had I ordered a GFX100 ... so I’ll offer that up as an alternative approach vs using B&H or Adorama who have huge numbers of back orders. Just sayin’

From your claim of, "very successful Leica model," I must assume that you are privy to their current financial statement? Every business owner knows that unless product is moving out of the door, there is no cash coming back in through that door. Creating pent-up demand may be fine for a large conglomerate like Fuji, whose cash flow comes from a spider's web of entities, but it does not bode well for small businesses, unless they have a bevy of loyal followers.
Leica, on the other hand, has a cult following, and the most devout of those followers buy the red dot regardless of whether it is competitive with the rest of industry. To wit, there are adherents whom are convinced that the soon to be announced SL2 will represent nirvana—which may or may not come to pass—and they will likely justify its purchase on the basis of simplicity, aesthetics and so on, even if it does not offer the latest and greatest features. So, for Leica, the "pent of demand model" may actually work, but the future is uncertain, given that they have helped to create their own competition. I will admit that, up until recent times, Leica glass has been superlative, and it still is, but the competition is catching up with warp speed and they may loose their edge.

I must thank you, however, for your "local store" suggestion. Unfortunately, there are no dealers in my vicinity, and I must rely upon the large out of state resellers. Small, out of state, dealers do not offer the same level of return service provided by the larger entities and in these times of uncertain QC, the ability to return an item without the inevitable hassle of negotiation, is an important benefit.

Addendum: I just spoke with Adorama and was told that they have a backlog of 60 orders for the GFX100 ... wow! It's hard to believe that there are so many people willing to shell out 10K for a camera body. Of course, a portion of those pending orders may come from all parts of the world. But I had no idea that there were so many MF shooters, or perhaps it's just the novelty of owning the latest and greatest. It would be interesting to see a representation of the actual worldwide distribution of users. And, once again, they have no ETA for fulfillment.

 

[JeRuFo]

Leica has a legacy to uphold, they not only think about today's sales, but also about their past. Like Rolls Royce, they make a high end item and they refuse to ramp up production. That way they ensure the exclusivity of their product. If you have a quality product that is a good business model. If you double your profit margin you can lose half your clients and still save money.

Sure the SL isn't the latest and greatest anymore, it is 5 years old. But in it's first year it was very well received and there are still plenty out there being used every day. With the new smaller lens line taking shape (a sign of commitment from Leica) along with other l-mount systems launching and the good 47 megapixel sensor from the Q2 on the shelf it will be expensive, but it will be current again.

I'm not surprised by the demand for the GFX100 and am surprised that Fuji is seeing that their (and your) business model is one of high volume and small profits.

 

[ron787]

Leica has a legacy to uphold, they not only think about today's sales, but also about their past. Like Rolls Royce, they make a high end item and they refuse to ramp up production. That way they ensure the exclusivity of their product. If you have a quality product that is a good business model. If you double your profit margin you can lose half your clients and still save money. Have you seen the new Ghost? There has been obvious cost-cutting with less labor intensive wood, same for the new Bentley. Not sure that exclusivity breeds profit.
Sure the SL isn't the latest and greatest anymore, it is 5 years old. But in it's first year it was very well received and there are still plenty out there being used every day. With the new smaller lens line taking shape (a sign of commitment from Leica) along with other l-mount systems launching and the good 47 megapixel sensor from the Q2 on the shelf it will be expensive, but it will be current again. But probably not a trendsetter]
I'm not surprised by the demand for the GFX100 and am surprised that Fuji is seeing that their (and your) business model is one of high volume and small profits.

"The profit is likely in the glass and other accessories but, who knows how much profit there is in, for that matter, any camera. And since the profit is very likely in the lenses and other accessories, there is an incentive to produce a high volume of bodies to use them with.

 

[JeRuFo]

Wherever it is, after more than a century I'm sure they have plenty of statistics to fine-tune their business model.

 

[ron787]

Wherever it is, after more than a century I'm sure they have plenty of statistics to fine-tune their business model.

Not sure whom you are referring to? If RR and Bentley, my guess is that exclusivity wasn't working, ergo, the split of the two marks and the sale to, or takeover by BMW and Volkswagen. If Leica, they've had their financial issues over the years as well, but perhaps you are correct, and they've set their goals on a solid path ... only time will tell. And as for the Fuji keiretsu, they appear to be following the same high volume production format of the other Japanese camera manufacturers, although the "high volume" concept seems to have eluded their GFX100 production line. But camera and lens production is but a tiny part of their portfolio.

 

[JeRuFo]

All three seem to be doing just fine at the moment. The business side doesn't really interest me. The only thing I need to know is that a company is able to develop and maintain a product line that I buy into. On what product they make their profit and if it's enough is for their owners/investors to judge.

 

[ron787]

All three seem to be doing just fine at the moment. The business side doesn't really interest me. And yet that is the side that dictates whether or not the product line will be sustainable. The only thing I need to know is that a company is able to develop and maintain a product line that I buy into. And that will be determined by profitability. On what product they make their profit and if it's enough is for their owners/investors to judge.

That is a fair assessment, assuming a given company decides to produce a loss leader that is supported economically by their other, more profitable products.

 

[cjb]

That is a fair assessment, assuming a given company decides to produce a loss leader that is supported economically by their other, more profitable products.

No need to pull a fire alarm with red type.

 

[ron787]

No need to pull a fire alarm with red type.

No fire alarm intended. Red seemed like the best color to allow the type to standout from the existing paragraph. Sorry if you'd found it offensively intense.

 

[Shashin]

Not sure what Fuji's business plan consists of, but marketing 101 dictates that if you sell a lot of a product you should make a lot. The concept of creating desire by limiting the availability of a product—any product—just ends up pissing people off.

Well, I would not put put too much stock onto entry level college courses, especially in marketing. Cameras have limited demand. The more specialized the camera, the less demand. Naturally, estimating demand can be difficult. So supply can be a problem when demand is greater than anticipated.

The Fuji model has been pretty consistent for a long time. They make high-quality cameras a little out of mainstream. Not in based on a high-demand model like Sony, but one on catering to a small group of photographers looking for something a little different.

I suspect their margins are pretty thin. While I am sure they do not mind a hit, I suspect a lot of their strategy is building a reliable customer base and targeting limited but profitable product runs with good estimates on how long stocks will last. Their current model upgrade cycle seems to support that hypothesis.

Profit is not the only motive as their camera division was not really the profit driver. Now, with so little coming from the film business, their CEO seems to be keeping the camera division to reflect their roots. There my also be benefits with brand identification. As long as their division stays in the black, I am sure the corporate HQ will support it. Given the size of the division, they have been surprisingly innovative, which is why they have been able to stay afloat in a shrinking camera market.

 

[ron787]

Well, I would not put put too much stock onto entry level college courses, especially in marketing. Cameras have limited demand. The more specialized the camera, the less demand. Naturally, estimating demand can be difficult. So supply can be a problem when demand is greater than anticipated.

The Fuji model has been pretty consistent for a long time. They make high-quality cameras a little out of mainstream. Not in based on a high-demand model like Sony, but one on catering to a small group of photographers looking for something a little different.

I suspect their margins are pretty thin. While I am sure they do not mind a hit, I suspect a lot of their strategy is building a reliable customer base and targeting limited but profitable product runs with good estimates on how long stocks will last. Their current model upgrade cycle seems to support that hypothesis.

Profit is not the only motive as their camera division was not really the profit driver. Now, with so little coming from the film business, their CEO seems to be keeping the camera division to reflect their roots. There my also be benefits with brand identification. As long as their division stays in the black, I am sure the corporate HQ will support it. Given the size of the division, they have been surprisingly innovative, which is why they have been able to stay afloat in a shrinking camera market.

Whether entry or doctoral level, the concept remains the same, sir. A business cannot survive without cashflow, whatever the source. If you're unable to supply your product, your customers will look elsewhere, unless, yours is a unique product. Fuji has just such a product. But if you had read my post you would have come across the notation that their camera division is just a tiny part of their keiretsu and, as such, they are likely not dependent upon it as a profit generator. But I gather from reading between the lines that you have some sort of relationship with the Fuji Corp. that engenders a personal bias, shall we say?

And as for estimating demand, that is the basis of Demand Analysis, a concept that students of marketing are well, or should be well versed in. It's not an exact science, but it's better than a guesstimate.

In closing, remember, communication is the key to success for professionals and businessman alike, and it is no different for a business. If you're widget factory is experiencing supply/manufacturing issues, notify your customers, while providing a reasonable estimate of availability. This is but one simple method of creating the loyal customer base that you speak of.

 

[Shashin]

Whether entry or doctoral level, the concept remains the same, sir. A business cannot survive without cashflow, whatever the source. If you're unable to supply your product, your customers will look elsewhere, unless, yours is a unique product. Fuji has just such a product. But if you had read my post you would have come across the notation that their camera division is just a tiny part of their keiretsu and, as such, they are likely not dependent upon it as a profit generator. But I gather from reading between the lines that you have some sort of relationship with the Fuji Corp, a personal bias, shall we say?

I have no relationship with Fujifilm, beyond owning a couple of their cameras. But perhaps you can stick with the issue under consideration rather than attacking the messenger

I do, however, have experience with the camera industry, particularly with the Japanese camera industry. Drumming up business through scarcity is not a thing. Other point that seems to be missing from your analysis is the elasticity of the product in economic terms. Over producing cameras in the hopes of having more stock will generate more sales is a really bad idea--it is pretty much a small market with little or no growth, if not contracting. I am sure Fuji took their best guess at demand for what is a luxury good. And there is a lot of risk and expense in camera production.

And that brings us to cash flow. Overproducing a product can hinder cash flow. If you pour so much of your capital into producing too many products that don't sell, that will be a big problem. Your economic analysis seems based on every product being a hit and companies should just have huge product runs. Those are rare in the consumer camera market. Betting on outliers is financially irresponsible. And while the Fuji camera division is small, running at a loss will not insure its future nor the livelihood of its employees.

I am sorry you are frustrated in not being able to get your camera when you wanted it. Personally, I would be happy about the success of Fuji products because that is going to be reinvested in order to grow their offerings and keep the system developing.

 

[Knorp]

here we go again ... :banghead: