{"id":287325,"date":"2024-08-30T04:09:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T04:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/?post_type=story&p=287325"},"modified":"2026-07-03T11:22:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T11:22:31","slug":"digitising-eight-million-plant-and-fungal-specimensat-the-royal-botanic-gardens-kew","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/global\/stories\/digitising-eight-million-plant-and-fungal-specimensat-the-royal-botanic-gardens-kew\/","title":{"rendered":"Digitising eight million plant and fungal specimensat the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is home to one of the world\u2019s largest collections of plant and fungal samples, with over eight million specimens from around the world residing there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though in-person access to Kew\u2019s Herbarium and Fungarium is made freely available to researchers, it\u2019s accepted that the global scientific community would derive untold benefits from these resources being even more accessible. That is why the team at RBG Kew has taken on the colossal task of digitising their entire collection using FUJIFILM GFX100S<\/a> and FUJINON GF63mmF2.8 R WR<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are currently embarking on our most ambitious project to date \u2013 to complete the digitisation of over eight million plant and fungi specimens,\u201d explains Marie-H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Weech, lead digitisation operations manager at RBG Kew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese specimens underpin research into our greatest global challenges. Making all our images and specimens freely available online will allow people to access them from all over the world, accelerating research.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image 2024 \u00a9 Fujifilm
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An issue of scale<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Digitising eight million items has presented difficulties of an entirely new magnitude, explains Marie-H\u00e9l\u00e8ne. \u201cIt has been a massive logistical operation,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the outset of the digitisation project, RBG Kew has had to recruit, train and supervise a sizeable team \u2013 including digitisation officers, quality assurance officers, operations, support and curation staff, team leaders and data managers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe did not close the Herbarium or Fungarium to researchers and visitors,\u201d Marie-H\u00e9l\u00e8ne continues. \u201cHowever, this led to challenges in finding space for over 40 imaging workstations \u2013 around the building.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image 2024 \u00a9 Fujifilm
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FUJIFILM GFX100S<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Requiring an imaging solution that offers extreme accuracy alongside ease of use within a scalable workflow, the team at RBG Kew gravitated towards the FUJIFILM GFX System<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur standard-size specimen sheets are being photographed with GFX100S cameras and the GF63mmF2.8 R WR lens,\u201d explains imaging support officer Jonny Davies. \u201cThe cameras have been mounted to lightboxes: partially encased imaging stations typically lit with Kaiser RB 555 AS LED lighting units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe produce images for scientific research; therefore, high accuracy and resolution were two immovable factors,\u201d he points out. \u201cThe GFX100S contains a 100-megapixel large format sensor. The physical size of this sensor maximises the detail in the image, meaning when researchers use these photos, the resolution enables them to really interrogate the texture and intricate structure of the plant parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnother factor was logistics,\u201d Jonny adds. \u201cThe imaging takes place in-situ across the Herbarium and Fungarium rather than in a controlled studio environment. The challenges, whether they be limitation of space or impact on the work of other colleagues at Kew, are partly mitigated by the small form factor of the GFX100S.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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