The bottom line in any sales consultation is the bottom line…*
In this respect the new graphite
Fujifilm X-Pro2 camera with the matching graphite 23mm f:2 lens have somewhat more of a bottom than the same model camera in black with a black lens. About $ 415 more. In both cases the combo is going to set you back over $ 3000.
While these are the prices that have come straight off the regular CE catalogue - it is worthwhile doing a daily check of any specials that are going or promotions coming in the future. And when the Fujifilm people decide to have a little fit of the cashbacks you can benefit substantially…though it must be said that you cannot expect a hot selling item to hit the cash back list quickly.
Can you spend that kind of money? Can you look at it spread over the next few years and see the benefit? I can see that benefit…because with Fujifilm the value of the devices continues long after other manufacturers have abandoned their products. You see, Fujifilm has perfected the art of ‘kaizen’.
It may sound a little like advertising department puffery or the sort of doublespeak beloved of universities , but the definition of ‘kaizen’ seems to be that of continuous development. An industrial firm keeps on applying itself to the design and operation of their products even after it leaves their hands. This may not be believable if they are producing water pumps or concrete walls, but if the products are complex computer-controlled cameras, then there is a considerable amount of down-stream good that can be done.
Note that ‘kaizen’ is entirely different from recalling a product and plunging it into a bucket of sand to prevent it catching fire. We won’t mention names but you may have to ring us on the land line in the future…
I’ve done a good 8 or 9 firmware updates on various Fujifilm products I own and have lost my fear of the process - it is simple enough if you follow their instructions and the benefits it offers can be considerable - in one case a camera jumped an entire generation with the firmware update and started to get colours and performance that the newest cameras of the time had. All for free. I could not have been more delighted.
This means that the X-Pro 2 price that looms over your credit card statement becomes a lot less frightening and a lot more do-able when you consider the fact that the camera will go for years and get better as it does. I’m finding my X-Pro1 is returning better results now that one I first got it ( Admittedly I have learned to drive the thing… ) and I’m going to get more time out of it still. Every day I use it it becomes cheaper and every so often Tokyo issues another update and away we go with something new.
So…hop down to the shop and see whether you fancy the black or the graphite.
* The Bottom Line is London Transport's little secret...
