Magnum Photos has embarked on an ambitious project to digitize its extensive Paris color library archive, unlocking a treasure trove of unseen images spanning from the 1950s to the early 2000s.
Teaming up with Fujifilm and MPP (Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographie – Heritage and Photography Library of Paris), this initiative is set to breathe new life into a collection of approximately 650,000 color slides, many of which have remained untouched for decades.
At the heart of this digitization effort is the Fujifilm GFX 100 II medium format digital camera. It’s an interesting choice, considering specialist systems from the likes of Phase One are often the go-to for archival digitization due to their high resolution and optical superiority. But Magnum’s decision to use the GFX speaks to its remarkable versatility.
Typically favored for portraiture, documentary work, and now even wildlife photography, the GFX is now proving itself to be a powerful tool for preserving photographic history.
Pierre Mohamed-Petit, Magnum’s digital production manager, highlights the significance of the project. "I’m hoping to see and rediscover iconic moments of history that made Magnum what Magnum is known for around the world".
In a newly released video, embedded below, the team states how color photography reveals details that black-and-white simply cannot. The footage also shows us that Magnum is using the Fujinon GF 63mm lens and a longer telephoto (possibly the GF 250mm), choices that suggest a balance between sharpness and natural rendering.
Fujifilm’s involvement goes beyond just supplying the equipment, however. "This new collaborative series with Magnum Photos is key to our mission," says Kunio Aoyama, general manager of Fujifilm Europe.
"By using our GFX technology to digitize Magnum’s color library archive, we feel that we are helping to record a moment of history before it is lost – both the history of the countries we will be visiting with our Fujikina global events and the history of photography itself".
ABOVE: Watch the Magnum Presents: A World in Color video
Classified by country, theme, and personality, the archive serves as a time capsule from the era when the press was transitioning into color photography. The goal isn’t just preservation, it’s about making these images accessible to the public through monthly releases, starting with Czechia.
The first selection, unveiled on March 17, spotlights key moments in the country’s history, including the Soviet invasion of 1968 and the Velvet Revolution of 1989. These color images will complement the well-known black-and-white work of photographers like Josef Koudelka, offering an alternative perspective on these historic events.
From March 22–23, Magnum travels to Prague for the latest Fujikina, marking the beginning of a series of European showcases. Alongside the digitization, Magnum and Fujifilm are collaborating on these Fujikina events, which will feature newly uncovered archive images alongside original slide sheets. They’ll also include a contemporary response by a Magnum photographer who will create a new series of ten images using the latest GFX camera, inspired by the archive.
"We can bridge the past and the new, where you get new ideas and the motivation to create something new," one of the Magnum team members says in the video.
With new images rolling out each month and an expanding focus that will soon include the United States, this initiative is more than just a digitization effort. It’s a reinvigoration of Magnum’s legacy in color and with Fujifilm’s GFX system at the helm, it’s proving that high-resolution medium format cameras can be just as vital in preserving history as they are in capturing it today.
You might also like
Check out our guides to the best Fujifilm cameras and the best GF lenses.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
