If there’s one thing CineD’s really good for, it’s behind-the-scenes factory tours, particularly from Fuji. Having been first rumoured way back at the beginning of 2021, officially announced last year and finally now shipping worldwide, the Fujifilm XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 R LM OIS WR is an interesting-looking lens. What’s even more interesting, though, is seeing how it’s made and the processes that go into it. In the video above, Johnnie Behiri from CineD goes to visit Fujifilm at their Taiwa factory in Sendai, Japan to do exactly that, see how it’s made. It’s a fairly short video, clocking in at around four and a half minutes, but it covers a lot of detail and gives us an insight into how the gear we use comes together and the things that all need to come together to make it happen.
The video goes through a bunch of the processes involved in creating the lens, including the focus group assembly, optical image stabilisation assembly, the zoom helicoid assembly, joining all the preassembled components together, then making the focus adjustments and fitting everything into its final enclosure, cleaning it and giving it a tripod foot.
Seeing factory tours always gets me excited like a little kid. Getting to see something we don’t normally get to have a look at and finding out new information that hasn’t previously been public knowledge is just a fun feeling. For example, did you know that there are 480 parts in each XF 150-600mm lens? Seeing the custom fixtures, jigs and tools they use that are created for a specific purpose for a specific part of the assembly process is also always a fascinating thing to me. So, have a watch and enjoy and be sure to check out CineD for more about the visit to Fuji’s factory. [via CineD]
