Is Fujifilm a Declining Photography Company?

I'm planning to buy a Fujifilm model camera for around $300. However my dad says that Fujifilm has been on a decline and recommends that I consider a Nikon or Canon model instead. Otherwise I'm happy with the camera I picked for the price. Is Fujifilm really that bad of a camera company now compared to its competitors?

Don't listen to your dad… Fujifilm makes excellent cameras.

Fujifilm is still a good company. I wouldn't buy one, but that is beside the point.

Kodak, Vivitar, and GE (along with other brands that also make TVs and appliances) should be avoided though.

They were the first to put an LED in a camera viewfinder and developed a system of open-aperture metering for M42.

They took a major hit in the late 70s/early 80s with a range of bayonet mount SLRs which while not exactly bad (apart from the STX-1) were hampered by a rare lens mount - the cost of its development was never really covered by sales and they had to pull out of the 35mm market.

They produced a number of fairly nice medium format cameras and got their fingers burned (like everybody else) in the APS fiasco.

Their fortunes seem to've revived somewhat with an excellent range of compact and bridge cameras, though, and the new X-1 pro has all the hallmarks of a world-beater.

Their high-end cameras are OK. Their compact cameras I dislike. I had a S2950 and it was one of the worst cameras I ever owned. I had it about 2 months before I got rid of it.

But your experience may be different than mine, however from my experience, if you are not buying a "X" series camera, then avoid Fuji.

And why do they still call themselves FujiFilm? Even so much as putting that on their digital cameras?

Actually, no.

Fujifilm makes great quality cameras, especially their bridge cameras.

They are also steppinginto the realm of high end enthusiast equipment such as the X100 model or X-1 Pro which are high performing DSLR sized sensor cameras clad in magnesium alloy.

also, fujifilm's lenses for the X-1 pro are extremely high performing and have been given just as high marks than comparable Leica lenses