Fujifilm Announces Photographer’s Professional Services Program

What is the Fujifilm Professional Services Program?

Fujifilm has finally joined other camera brands in offering a “service club” for professional photographers.

This tier of service offers a little more than the standard Fujifilm warranties. Benefits of being a part of the Fujifilm Professional Services Program include:

• One-year extended warranty for new gear purchased & registered while you’re a member.
• Two free “check & clean” services; 50% off any “checks & cleans” beyond that.
• 30% off expedited repair services.
• Fast two-day turnaround for most repairs (two business days).
• Access to loaner equipment.
• Dedicated phone & email support channels.

Eligibility & Price

Anyone who has registered at least $3,000 worth of Fujifilm photography equipment is eligible to join this program. You’ve been registering your new equipment, right?! I hope so. There are more benefits to it than this!

However, this doesn’t automatically enter you into the program. Once you’re eligible, you’ll need to pay $399 per year of membership.

If you enroll before September 30th, 2020, you can get your first year for an introductory price of $199.

Is the Fujifilm Professional Services Program Worth it?

When considering how much this program costs – normally $399 per year – that comes down to about $33 per month. Not terribly expensive, but it may end up being like that obscure insurance program you’ve been paying into for decades but have never once used. When you finally do need it, is it worth it?

Serious professionals who own shelves of Fujifilm gear, which they use every day, will likely see a benefit to this program. With all of that equipment and heavy use, the cost-benefit of belonging to the Fujifilm Professional Services Program is without a doubt worth it.

But what about for the rest of us? Those who own anywhere from one to three bodies and a handful of lenses? Who may use them for casual shooting a few times a week and maybe some big trips several times per year?

Analyzing the cost-benefit

I for one would have a hard time justifying this simply based on my experience with the equipment already.

The one-year warranty that comes with all new equipment is going to cover most of the bugs & kinks you’ll encounter for that new equipment. In three years of ownership and moderate to heavy use, I’ve never had to send anything in for cleaning or repair – except for my new X-T4. After just a couple of weeks of ownership, a small piece of lint worked itself inside the sensor, below the infrared filter. The result of a manufacturing flaw, this was covered by warranty.

I probably could/should have sent my other equipment in for periodic cleanings & checks, but I’ve never had to.

The other benefits – the extended warranty, the deal on checks & cleans, discount on repairs, loaner program, and faster turnaround – wouldn’t have been applicable to me at all during my years of Fujifilm ownership and use in some fairly nasty conditions. Had they offered this program from the beginning, and I was a member, I would have spent $1,200 for a couple of elective checks & cleans.

I’m a big fan of certain types of insurance, like travel insurance for one, which I’ve had to use a number of times due to the nature of travel. But this? This is one of those “insurance programs” that just doesn’t seem worth it.

Unless, again, you own shelves of gear that get used & abused on a daily basis.

While this program seems cool and exclusive, would you use it?

For more information about the Fujifilm Professional Services Program, and to check your eligibility, head over to the FPS page at Fujifilm.

What do you think of the program?