The Bokeh video team visited Fujifilm’s Taiwa Factory in the city of Sendai in the north of Japan, and brought back an insider’s view from the factory.
Before entering the lens assembly area, all visitors entering were required to wear protective gear and go through several anti-dust machines, to make sure no dust would be brought from the outside.
Lok looks very fashionable here, just saying.
An excited face behind the mask.
Happy kid in a candy shop.
The factory is serious about the anti-dust procedures, even the papers they use within the lens assembly area are special-made.
Production line for the new 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens
Front element of the XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
We are surprised to see that most of the lens assembly procedures are handled manually.
Worker is gluing the new 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens’ component.
It takes 220 minutes in average to assembly a 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens, from start to end.
Worker has to ensure all lens components are good to go for the next assembly step.
Double checking the semi-assembled lens.
The good old method – using toothbrush to remove dust from the lens body.
The assembly is mostly finished. This production line can produce average 400 lens per day.
Check sheet.
We casually bumped in some semi-assembled X100T cameras.
Look at these half naked X100T cuties!
A component of the XF 35mm f/2 lens is getting ready to be cured under UV light.
The UV curable photopolymer adhesive will then be set under room temperture.
Experienced staff is working on the X-Pro2 circuitry.
The assembly is almost completed but something is still missing – the signature leather finish.
Worker is carefully applying the leather finish onto the body.
The leather finish – Before and after.
Pressure is applied to make sure the leather finish is well affixed to the camera body.
Cameras are ready to be sent out for the final check.
Factory manager showed us the internal of the X-T1.
Semi-assembled X-T1 cameras are waiting to be assembled with the top plates.
Top plate of a X-T1 camera.
Assembling the X-T1 dials.
‘Made in Japan’ mark engraved on the lens by the laser machine.
A special ‘X 5th Anniversary’ mark.
All products will be sent to the checking area where 10% of the products will be picked and checked by experienced QC controllers manually.
Experienced QC controller can tell the problem from any grinding noise.
Watch the Fujifilm factory tour now: