Fuji Photo Film co. ltd. Fujica 35-ML

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Going from an unknown camera name to one of the most recognisable names in the camera world. This is the Fujifilm Fujica 35-ML.

I have gone over the basics of the company’s history in my Fuji Lamp post, but I will go over Fuji Photo Film co. ltd.’s history.

The name Fujifilm started in 1934, when the company became Fuji Photo Film co. ltd. And focused on making film and photo paper. Then by the 1960s the company introduced the Fujica camera series and went into the camera business (Kaninsky).

Fujifilm 120film. Image Source:
https://holdings.fujifilm.com/special/90th/img/history/1934_photo_02.webp

The company is actually a spin off from Dainippon Celluloid Co., Ltd (this company was created when many Japanese film companies decided to join and form one company in 1919 when the celluloid market began to crash, Eckman 2016). Dainippon Celluloid Co., Ltd saw the potential of making money from producing celluloid and film in Japan instead of importing it from Europe and the USA in 1933. Then in 1934 they sold film and photo paper and in 1936 made products for x-ray machines and other independent products that expanded sales and “…accelerated operations with an eye toward future growth and development, including expanding the Ashigara factory to meet growing demand for motion picture films, constructing the Odawara factory to manufacture chemicals as raw materials and establishing a laboratory for research into photographic emulsions and natural colour photography...” (Fujifilm).

Fujifilm’s investment in refining their colour film really made them a force to be reckoned with (Noda 2026) due to the fact that they “…are known for their accurate colour reproduction and fine grain, and have been a favourite among both amateur and professional photographers. Throughout the second half of the 20th Century, Fujifilm competed furiously with Kodak…” (Analogue Wonderland 2026).

Their dedication to film and analogue photography has made them trusted within in the film community even during the rise of digital age (Analogue Wonderland 2026). Their first colour film was released in 1949 and their first motion picture colour film was released in 1951 (Fujifilm).

Fujifilm Color Film. Image Source:
https://holdings.fujifilm.com/special/90th/img/history/1945_photo_01.webp

But before that Fujifilm ventured into the camera world in 1940, when they opened up an optical glass factory where the iconic Fujinon lenses were made. But it wasn’t until 1948 that they released their first camera, the Fujica Six AI (Fujifilm). Just a side note, the name Fujica is short for Fuji camera (John William Ishii 2025).

Fujica Six AI. Image Source:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7845/32848622008_d71cc54286_m_d.jpg

The Six AI was a folding 120film camera (Fujifilm Square 2025), which according to Camera-wiki, was part of the Six I series, that had six variants and models.

And now I will try to speed through the many years of Fujifilm, similar to Ricoh in my Ricohflex IIII and Nikon the Nikon S01 post.

In 1952, when armature photography lead to an increase in camera sales, Fujifilm released its popular Neopan film (Fujifilm), which is still their bestselling series as Analogue Wonderland (2026) points out that despite the domination of digital cameras, in 2017 Fujifilm released Neopan 100 Acros II, which “…was met with enthusiasm by the analogue photography community. The film was praised for its fine grain, sharpness, and tonal range, and many photographers were thrilled to have a new high-quality black and white film option.”

The 1950s was also when Fujifilm went international and opened offices in the USA and Brazil in 1958. This era also saw the creation of Fujic, “…the first electronic computer manufactured in Japan for the fast, precise design of optical lenses. Beyond its use within the company, the product also responded to computing needs from the Japan Meteorological Agency and local universities, attracting significant attention...” (Fujifilm).

Due to their strict quality control, Fujifilm won the Deming Application Prize in 1956. Then throughout the 1960s, Fujifilm, launched their Fujicolor films, that had colour film calibration. And in the 1960s, the company expanded their products, which included Super 8mm products, such as the Fujica Single 8, expansion on their colour film labs, starting a new company, Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. (now known as FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.). This was a joint venture with the UK company Rank Xerox Limited, to create Japan’s first printer, the Fuji Xerox 914 (Fujifilm).

Fujica Single 8. Image Source:
https://coimages.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/150/990/medium_a006936b.jpg

Fuji Xerox 914. Image Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b7/Xerox_914.jpg

Then there was also the entrance into the world of magnetic memory used in tapes, pressure sensitive paper, PS plates and microscopic equipment. This era also saw the opening of sale offices in the USA, Germany and Dusseldorf, as well as an increase in productivity after consolidating their sales team and head office (Fujifilm). 

Then by the 1970s, released more colour film to fit with their growing technology, as well as new 35mm lightweight autofocus cameras such as the Fujica GP and the ST series. This decade also saw the diverse fields that Fujifilm went into. Such as endoscopes, more printers/photocopiers as well as calculators and watches and more medical equipment. They also built bigger factories and a new factory to keep up with overseas demands (Fujifilm). 

Fujica GP. Image Source:
https://inwfile.com/s-cc/z2721a.jpg

Fujica ST605. Image Source:
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/H4LhgjMPzWZ75iEo5dyqvh.jpg

Then in the 1980s came the focus on being the best there is. Starting with their new digital x-ray imaging system (a world first), the Quicksnap, the world’s first disposable camera and the first fully digital camera, the FujiX DS-1P (Fujifilm).

Fujica Quicksnap. Image Source:
https://64.media.tumblr.com/b2dd4f97939bde65b352a7de23450dcc/tumblr_inline_nlavx2ifxm1tn54md.png

Fujica FujiX DS-1P. Image Source:
https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/images/prototypes/fujixds1p/Only%20Fujix%20DS-1P%20camera%20left%20at%20display%20in%20the%20JCII%20Camera%20Museum,%20Tokyo%20(%C2%A9%20Impress%20Corporation&JCII%20Camera%20Museum).jpg

The DS-1P used a semiconductor memory card, that could hold 10 images. Despite this, this camera “…showcased the transformative potential of digital photography…” (Fujifilm 2026) and Fujifilm’s embrace of digital cameras is the reason why their competitors couldn’t keep up, because they didn’t just make digital cameras, they reinvented it. As Noda (2026) writes: “…Instead of relying solely on film, the company leveraged its expertise in optics, sensors, and colour science to develop mirrorless cameras and digital imaging systems, ensuring long-term relevance while many competitors struggled.”

This decade also saw Fujifilm sponsor both the Soccer world cup and the Olympics, as well as a joint venture with Philip A. Hunt Chemical Corporation to manufacture photoresist to improve LCD colour filters (Fujifilm).

The 1990s saw the introduction of the Fujichrome Valvia film, the first Instax camera, the Instax Mini 10 and “…the FinePix 700, a megapixel digital camera that significantly advanced performance through higher image quality and made digital photography more accessible…” (Fujifilm).

Velvia 50 Film. Image Source:
https://asset.fujifilm.com/www/us/files/2020-04/cb1931fd6c4c8f5907bb5449891868c3/film-velvia50.png

FujiFilm Instax Mini 10. Image Source:
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4406973366_5461b3ffeb.jpg

Fujifilm Finepix 700. Image Source:
https://media.karousell.com/media/photos/products/2025/10/27/_fujifilm_finepix_700150_ccd36_1761583135_ea25aa43_progressive

Of course Fujifilm ventured into other markets, such as creating the first digital Minilab, better printers, medical equipment and ATOMM technology used in magnetic tapes. The 1990s was also the time that Kodak sued Fujifilm in 1995. Kodak alleged that the film market in Japan was closed, but Fujifilm proved otherwise and won the lawsuit (Fujifilm).

Between 2000-2009, Fujifilm became the manufacturer that was responsible for 50% of office machines and even made their USA counterpart a consolidated subsidiary.

This was also the time where Fujifilm faced a decline in sales regarding photography. But through analysis, business strategies and merging of different branches, Fujifilm focused on growth and maintaining their standing within the photography scene. While doing this they also, oddly enough went into the pharmaceutical business! (Fujifilm).

2010-2019 saw Fujifilm go into bio-tech, sensor film, more improved printers, magnetic computer storage systems, a promise to contribute to a sustainable future and their new camera series, the X series! (Fujifilm).

Fujifilm X100. Image Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Fujifilm_X100_001.jpg

 

In 2020s, Fujifilm is still focusing on sustainability. They also expanded their printer business, advanced medical equipment, created the Cocodesk to help workers stay safe during the pandemic, as well as helping find a vaccine (Fujifilm).

Fujifilm Cocodesk. Image Source:
https://holdings.fujifilm.com/special/90th/img/history/2020_photo_03.webp

And at present:

“Fujifilm remains relevant by successfully balancing heritage, innovation, and social responsibility. The brand honours the traditions of photography while embracing modern technology, sustainability, and creative expression. Its ability to continuously adapt—while staying true to its core values—has made Fujifilm one of the most respected and forward-thinking brands in the imaging industry…” (Noda 2026).

And:

“In addition to its film products, Fujifilm has also invested in the preservation of film as an art form. The company has sponsored exhibitions and events celebrating the work of analogue photographers, and has even opened its own film lab to help preserve and digitize old film negatives. The company's efforts have helped to ensure that film photography remains a viable and thriving art form, even in the face of digital technology. Fujifilm's commitment to quality and innovation has been a driving force behind the company's success in the photography industry. The company has a strong focus on research and development, and has invested heavily in developing new technologies that improve the performance of its products. For example, the company's Super CCD sensor technology was a major breakthrough in digital photography, and helped to establish Fujifilm as a leader in the industry. In addition to its film and digital photography products, Fujifilm has also branched out into other areas of the photography industry. The company produces a range of accessories, including lenses, flash units, and other photography equipment. Fujifilm has also entered the consumer camera market, producing a range of compact cameras that are popular with amateur photographers…” (Analogue Wonderland 2026).

Also considering Fujifilm’s GFX camera series, that can take up to 400 mil mega pixels with advance colour replication (Fujifilm 2026), I think it is safe to say that Fujifilm isn’t going anywhere anytime soon!

Fujifilm GFX series. Image Source:
https://asset.fujifilm.com/www/za/files/2023-09/be7fdf24144a3f8aa421a48cd424e1a1/hiro_01_sp.jpg

Now for the main event. Let’s talk about the camera at hand, the Fujica 35-ML. It is a rangefinder camera with “…a parallax correction…” (Dale 2016). It weighs approximately 651g (Eckman 2016) and its size is 3.3 x 5 x 2.6 inches. It is made mostly from metal.

Released in 1958, this camera was based off of the 35M, released a year prior and according to Ryal (2018), was the first Fujifilm camera to have a lens-shutter. Other than that there isn’t much information out there. And the only difference between the 35M and the 35-ML “…being a linked shutter and aperture LVS scale…” (Eckman 2016). There was also a 35-ML that was an f/2 model (Camera-wiki) and the manual also hints at a f/1.9 model. This camera stopped production sometime after 1959 (Halgand 2022).

Fujica 35M. Image Source:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51609231234_232a616e6d.jpg

Similar to the Instamatic 33, the 35-ML could be considered a popular camera that was part of a line of other popular cameras and seemed to have just blended into the background and was never really recorded by Fujifilm, which as Eckman (2016) points out: “…I find it strange that a successful company like Fuji did not achieve greater success making cameras back then.”

But other than that, the 35-ML is a wonderful camera. It looks and feels simplistic, but almost everything that you would find on every other camera has been added on and works in a new and unique way that I haven’t seen on any other camera!

Fujica 35-ML advertisement. Image Source:
https://mikeeckman.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/FujicaAd.jpg

Now let’s have a closer look at the Fujica 35-ML. Starting with the front.

The lens-

The lens is a fixed Fujinon 2.8 with a focal length of 45mm, which according to Eckman (2016) is also a 5-element coated lens (please see my SX-70 post for more information on that). According to the manual, it could possibly a 6-element coated lens.

Now the Fujinon just refers to a lens made by Fujifilm, similar to the Nikkor (Nikon S01 and L19) made by Nikon, and similar to Nikon’s Nikkor, the Fujinon lens isn’t just one type of lens, but many different types (Roesch 2025).

The lens is very impressive, with Potter (2026) writing that “…is nice and sharp, a characteristic of pretty much every Fuji lens it seems. It is essentially a small view camera lens, threaded into a leaf shutter.”

There is also some screw thread, which is used for filters and a lens hood.

Page 10 from the Manual.

Now time to look at the side of the lens-

Here is the terminal of a flash or an electronic flash, basically the PC flash connector.

Then above that is the flash mount sync lever.

This is used to set the flash sync of the camera to correspond to the type of flash being used. There are two flash sync settings. One is X or X-sync, which stands for xenon sync (Wikipedia). This setting is used when the user uses an electronic flash.

Then there is the setting M or M-sync, which stands for medium (Wikipedia), and is used when the flash uses a bulb (sort of like the Flash holder or Instamatic Flash gun used on the Instamatic 50).

And next to that is the self-timer lever, which sets the camera to go off in about 8-12 seconds.

Now for the top of the lens-

There one can find the light value selector ring, with the values of 2-18. These numbers can also be found underneath the lens.

This ring also changes the f/stop value of the camera and is used to adjust the aperture to the light value. The aperture settings can be seen in the little window with the f symbol. The camera has seven f/stop settings: 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 and 22. The aperture petals are behind the shutter leaves. 

Now this system is the only downside to the camera because it doesn’t give full control to the user when selecting the f/stop settings. This is because, as mentioned, the light value ring is connected to the f/stop dial. 

And to use it is also a bit complicated, so to explain it here is an excerpt from the manual:

Page 7 of the Manual.

Then we have the outer ring that controls the shutter speed and is shown in the window with the sec symbol. The speeds that can be set is: B, that keeps the shutter open for as long as the shutter release is held down, then we have 1, ½, ¼, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250 and 1/500 second.

And this ring is also coupled to the f/stop and the light value settings. But all three of these settings are connected to the shutter. According to the manual this is to help keep the lighting constant when a light value is selected.

Let me try and explain how this works, so when the shutter speed is on B, a light value is selected. Then when the shutter speed is selected, the f/stop setting changes to make sure that the light value stays the same. You see, because the shutter speeds all let light in at different speeds, the light value would change.

So Fujifilm fixed this by making the aperture change with the speed change so that the same amount of light can enter the camera on any shutter speed setting. What ends up happening is that since a faster speed allows less light in, the aperture (f/stop) is set to the largest opening to let in as much light as possible. On slower speed settings the aperture is set to smaller openings to let less light in due to the shutter being open for a longer period of time, letting more light in.

Now what if you reach the widest/smallest opening of the f/stop and the shutter speed can still be turned up or down? Well in that case one can still turn the shutter speed dial and this will turn the light value ring to accommodate the speed and light that the film will be exposed to. If it is on the widest setting, 2.8, and the speed is increased it will automatically increase the light value setting. On the smallest setting, 22, and the speed is reduced further, it will decrease the light value.

Then above the lens-

Here is the viewfinder on the right and the rangefinder window on the left. And this coupling, is similar to the Vokar I, as in both are viewed through the viewfinder window.

And also like the Vokar I, the rangefinder is a small “patch” that shows a reflected image of what the viewfinder is looking at. And to make sure that the image is focused, the user focuses the lens so that the patch and the viewfinder image align. The only difference between the Vokar I’s rangefinder patch and the 35-ML’s is that the 35-ML is a bright orange square.  

Page 9 of the Manual.

 

The inner workings of the viewfinder and rangefinder. 
Image Source:
https://mikeeckman.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/FujicaTopPlate-512x288.jpg

Then on either side of the front is where the strap would go.

On top-

Here one can find the cold shoe plate. And on this shoe plate there is a symbol (the circle with a line through it), this is (according to the Instagram user gpprocamerastore 2024), is the focal plane mark. This mark takes the form of the Greek letter Phi and “…is primarily used to indicate the position of the sensor/film inside the camera body. The position of the sensor/film is then used to determine the focal plane of your camera, where light rays coming from the subject going through your lens converge into a sharp image…” (Yang 2023).

Basically this symbol is used and aligned with the subject to make sure that the user gets the best and sharper focused images. And it appears that the focal plane mark on this camera is right above the rangefinder window.

And next to that is the distance scale, which shows the focal range values, as well as some indicators to show the best f/stop settings. The focal ranges are 2.5-20 feet and infinity.

Above that is the shutter release button, where also the remote shutter release socket thread can be found.

The camera has a Fuji Synchro MXL Leaf shutter (Eckman 2016) made by the Citizen Watch Company (John William Ishii 2025) and also uses an EV exposure system (Camera-wiki).

The EV system is basically:

“In photography, exposure value (EV) is a number that represents a combination of a camera's shutter speed and f-number, such that all combinations that yield the same exposure have the same EV (for any fixed scene luminance). Exposure value is also used to indicate an interval on the photographic exposure scale, with a difference of 1 EV corresponding to a standard power-of-2 exposure step, commonly referred to as a stop…” (Wikipedia).

Then lastly is the black film or exposure counter. Which like the Argus A, A2B and Kodak 35RF, is connected to one frame sprocket.

Bottom-

Here is the tripod socket.

Next to that is the film advance lever or single stroke advance lever. Interesting that it is on the bottom of the camera. According to Halgand (2022), this is “…to leave a body cover as flat as possible…” 

To be honest, I prefer this over the cameras that have them on top. Not only do you not have to pull away from the camera to pull the lever, but you can comfortably place your pointer finger on the shutter release and your thumb on the lever and leave it in that position. Which makes taking consecutive pictures a breeze.

And on the film advance lever is the film and ASA wheel, which like the Kodak 35RF, is just there to remind the user which film they are using.

Then where the lever arm bends, is the rewinding button, which is pressed to loosen the advance film spool and film sprocket to help rewind the film. And unlike the Argus A, A2B and Kodak 35RF, this button doesn’t have to be held in.

Then on the side-

Here is one of two examples of how Fuji took something that is on most cameras, but put their own unique spin to it. That being the film rewinding crank, that is on the side instead of on top of the camera.

Underneath that is the rear cover lock. This holds the film compartment cover in place. It is released by pulling the pull tab out.  

Speaking of which, the back-

Is the film compartment cover.

Above that is the viewfinder.

Next to that is the second piece that makes this camera unique, the focusing knob.

Instead of focusing by turning the lens, the user uses the knob, or in other words:

“…Instead of a traditional collar around the lens, the focus of the camera was changed by the photographer’s right thumb on the back plate of the camera…” (Eckman 2016).

This, like the advance lever, is better than a normal camera. The thumb wheel is in a comfortable position to be used when looking through the viewfinder and there is no possibility of your hand obscuring the viewfinder.

Then there is the film compartment-

It is a standard compartment and is loaded like any other camera.

This camera uses 35mm/135 film, which means that it will have a negative size of 24 x 36mm.

To learn how film works, please see my 200 Color Plus post.

And that is that. The 35-ML is an easy to use camera, with a complicated aperture and shutter speed setting, but once you understand and get the hang of it, it becomes simple.

This camera is a brilliant example of Fujifilm engineering and shows why Fujifilm is still around today and a force to be reckoned with! And I would highly recommend this camera to anyone who is thinking of going into film photography. Not only does it look cool, but it is very user friendly, and the rangefinder is a bonus. 

My only complaint: the viewfinder isn’t in line with the lens! But at least the focal plane mark and the rangefinder window compensates for this little problem.

But other than that, I really like this camera, it looks cool and sleek, and it is just small enough that it doesn’t take up too much space.

What do you think? Do you think that the Sinpo PQ-3, the Praktica Sport AF or the Sounex YN9000 is a better staring off point? Or maybe the Olympus 30? Or should we just keep going with digital? Let me know in the comments.

As always, thank you for making it to the end and I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did researching it.

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List of sources:

Analogue History. 2026. FujiFilm's Analogue History. https://analoguewonderland.co.uk/pages/fujifilm-history?srsltid=AfmBOorbSECw_AOkMSg5_58UQkDZ_GIDQ_jMXxKw7iEECU_dw7BUowx2

Camera-wiki. Fujica 35-ML. https://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Fujica_35-ML#:~:text=The%20Fujica%2035%2DML%20is,2%20lens%20were%20also%20sold

Camera-wiki. Fujica Six. https://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Fujica_Six

Dale, H. 2016. Fujica 35-ML. http://www.aheadworld.org/2016/03/30/fujica-35-ml/

Eckman, M. 2016. Fujica 35-ML (1958). https://mikeeckman.com/2016/11/fujica-35-ml-1958/

Fujifilm. 2026. The Evolution of Imaging. https://sponsorcontent.cnn.com/edition/2021/fujifilm/imaging-solutions/

Fujifilm. Fujifilm’s 90-Year History. https://holdings.fujifilm.com/special/90th/en/history/

Fujifilm Square. 2025. PHOTO HISTORY MUSEUM ～ History of Photography — more than 190 years ～. https://fujifilmsquare.jp/en/guide/museum_detail.html#03

Gpprocamerastore. 2024. What’s the Focal Plane Mark, and why does it matter? https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDCUu0KIXst/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Halgand, S. 2022. Fujica 35-ML. https://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/camera-1457-Fujica_35-ML.html

John William Ishii. 2025. Fujica 35-ML. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqLZAwtmkdo&t=48s

Kanisky, M. History of Fujifilm: Shaping the World of Photography. https://aboutphotography.blog/blog/history-of-fujifilm

Mike. Fujica 35-ML manual. https://cameramanuals.org/fuji_pdf/fujica_35-ml.pdf

Noda, M. 2026. Fujifilm: 92 Years of Innovation and Vision. https://avcstore.com/blogs/blogs/fujifilm-92-years-of-innovation-and-vision?srsltid=AfmBOoo1e4GmW9poYGCV8AJJiSypATtEnm6jZGR-78fO2ExmgRl9wFhm

Potter, J. 2026. A pretty little camera, Fujica 35-ML. https://retina.mrjonathanpotter.com/film-cameras/2023/a-pretty-little-camera-fujica-35-ml/

Roesch, R. 2025. My Top 5 Favorite Fujinon Lenses. https://fujixweekly.com/2025/12/30/my-top-5-favorite-fujinon-lenses/

Ryal, C. 2018. Fujica 35-ML. https://nishigawakobo.com/fujica-35-ml/?srsltid=AfmBOopTyf6xdcp00LPVa9n7vdjxV0U5c72a6FvmBmRGfQHdvAhTGAkh

Wikipedia. Exposure value. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_value#:~:text=In%20photography%2C%20exposure%20value%20(EV,referred%20to%20as%20a%20stop.

Wikipedia. Flash synchronization. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_synchronization

Yang, Z. 2023. The Forgotten Symbol on Your Camera. https://fstoppers.com/originals/forgotten-symbol-your-camera-633202