35mm Velvia 50 is back and very expensive!

[mshchem]

Continentalphoto.com has Velvia 50 36exp for $25/roll

I've a little concern about these guys. Map their address looks sketchy.???

 

[mshchem]

Shop Online

downtowncamera.com

These folks in Canada are showing Velvia 100. Is this stuff old stock? Is Velvia 100 still available outside of the US?

 

[Roger Cole]

Groan....I took a look at B&H as I knew the Fuji line was in hiatus and was awaiting the update to see if Fuji came back at all. I did see the Provia 35mm was about $10 cheaper. As a Velvia 50 user exclusively since it was first released I've migrated toward returning back to the 60's and using Ektachrome E-100 in both 120 & 4x5. Too bad, I loved Velvia 50.

Today's Ektachrome bears no resemblance at all to the 1960s era Ektachrome. I prefer it to Provia and don't get along at all with Velvia which is too over saturated for my tastes. Of the three still available I prefer Ektachrome. YMMV though and you probably won't like Ektachrome much if you want the super saturated look of Velvia. But it's still WAY better than what you shot in the 60s. The "Ektachrome blues" have been gone since the E4 days.

 

[Paul Manuell]

Reminds me of the joke. Guy goes into a shop and sees the price of a spade and says "I could buy that spade at half that price in the shop over the road". The shopkeeper replies: " Why don't you buy it there then? He replies: "They're out of stock and the shopkeeper says: " Well I'll give you a promise. When we're out of stock we'll charge half price as well"

pentaxuser

 

[Nitroplait]

Just found it in Japan for $24 shipped so not sure why all retailers in the US are charging so much.

In Japan, Fujifilm Acros II is half that of EU prices. I wonder if it is shipped from Harman UK to Japan and then back into EU?

 

[Trail Images]

Today's Ektachrome bears no resemblance at all to the 1960s era Ektachrome.

Fully understood. I was only meaning I'd not used Ektachrome since the 1960's. After using back to back usage of Ektachrome & Provia I too prefer the E-100 to the Provia. My first impression reminded me a bit of the old Astia look. Provia always seemed a bit too blue/cyan for my tastes.

 

[Huss]

I've a little concern about these guys. Map their address looks sketchy.???

Yelp review:

Stay away from Continental Photo. This isnt B&H..more like walmart. With worse service. I ordered film from Continental, they said it shipped, USPS then returned the package to Continental because the address was "insufficient". Given Google Maps has integration/confirmation on address typed in for shipping I find this hard to believe. They are dishonest and scammy. I contacted Customer Service and they could not have been more rude. Never again. Waiting to recoup my losses...

Google reviews are more positive, but the company at that address is called Freedom Supply...

 

[pentaxuser]

In Japan, Fujifilm Acros II is half that of EU prices. I wonder if it is shipped from Harman UK to Japan and then back into EU?

Interesting questions but ones I fear we are never going to get the real answers on

pentaxuser

 

[Sirius Glass]

Matt Velvia 100 is illegal in the USA due to a chemical within it. Only Velvia 50 is OK.

Based on what? I have some in my freezer that was given to me by a friend.

 

[MattKing]

I had forgotten that Fuji was forced to discontinue sale of Velvia 100 in the USA because it includes trace amounts of a chemical that is now banned by the EPA - for commercial sale or processing.
If you already have the film, and are processing it yourself, it doesn't look like you are in breach, and the trace level of the banned constituent is probably not of concern healthwise, in the quantities involved with individual use.
It probably is illegal though for a commercial lab to process the film.
Canada has its own environmental standards that are enforced under statute and regulation. We don't have the same rules as the USA, but we often come to the same conclusions as the USA authorities, and end up with similar bans. I'm guessing that that hasn't happened with Velvia 100.

 

[mshchem]

I worked in Engineering for a ginormous American appliance company. Canada and the US were in sync on Montreal Protocol regarding ozone depleting compounds, (for appliances it was R-11, R-12 and HCFC-141b). Later issues with things like food contact grades of plastics and paint, Canada was ahead of US federal mandates. We switched from polycarbonate to (Eastman) polyester in part to satisfy Canada. California and Massachusetts in the US and the EU effectively set a lot of the standards. If you want to sell in these places you meet their requirements.

I would like to see Ektachrome be able to stay at $20/roll. I love the stuff.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Matt Velvia 100 is illegal in the USA due to a chemical within it. Only Velvia 50 is OK.

Based on what? I have some in my freezer that was given to me by a friend.

I had forgotten that Fuji was forced to discontinue sale of Velvia 100 in the USA because it includes trace amounts of a chemical that is now banned by the EPA - for commercial sale or processing.
If you already have the film, and are processing it yourself, it doesn't look like you are in breach, and the trace level of the banned constituent is probably not of concern healthwise, in the quantities involved with individual use.
It probably is illegal though for a commercial lab to process the film.
Canada has its own environmental standards that are enforced under statute and regulation. We don't have the same rules as the USA, but we often come to the same conclusions as the USA authorities, and end up with similar bans. I'm guessing that that hasn't happened with Velvia 100.

I missed that completely because I stopped shooting slides. I should dig the rolls out of my freezer and sell them here.

 

[eli griggs]

Speak of the devil, I went out today, looking for whatever caught my eye, a nice drive during the autumn golden hours, but no joy, and packing out my kit, I happened to take a look at my always cold kept films and sitting in one bag of five roll cartons of 120, an unopened box of Velvia 50, 2019 date.

I knew I had some loose rolls amongst my ready to go bags of films, 120 and 135-36, but after following this post, I was genuinely surprised and happy to find this option just waiting for the day I need it.

For me now, there is only the question of loading what I have in an A12 back or an A16 4x4cm back, making it 'last' that much more?

Any chance Kodak will take this Fuji film and make new stock of it under the Yellow Lable?

 

[DREW WILEY]

Unless someone has inside knowledge of what Fuji is charging their distributors, how can all the blame be placed on them? Once it's out of their hands, it's no different from scalpers selling diminishing supply event tickets for whatever they think they can get away with.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Based on what? I have some in my freezer that was given to me by a friend.

Are you sure he was still your friend?

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Speak of the devil, I went out today, looking for whatever caught my eye, a nice drive during the autumn golden hours, but no joy, and packing out my kit, I happened to take a look at my always cold kept films and sitting in one bag of five roll cartons of 120, an unopened bag of Velvia 50, 2019 date.

I knew I had some loose rolls amongst my ready to go bags of films, 120 and 135-36, but after following this post, I was genuinely surprised and happy to find this option just waiting for the day I need it.

For me now, there is only the question of loading what I have in an A12 back or an A16 4x4cm back, making it 'last' that much more?

Any chance Kodak will take this Fuji film and make new stock of it under the Yellow Lable?

That would be ironic. It was Velvia that killed Kodachrome when pros switched over to it when it originally came out. I can't imagine Kodak would take the chance of Velvia now killing their new Ektachrome or Ektar.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Unless someone has inside knowledge of what Fuji is charging their distributors, how can all the blame be placed on them? Once it's out of their hands, it's no different from scalpers selling diminishing supply event tickets for whatever they think they can get away with.

More interestingly, I'd like to know what US Eastman Kodak charges British Kodak Alaris?

 

[eli griggs]

That would be ironic. It was Velvia that killed Kodachrome when pros switched over to it when it originally came out. I can't imagine Kodak would take the chance of Velvia now killing their new Ektachrome or Ektar.

Well, one aspect of being the last 'one' standing is a link between Fuji and Kodak has been established in the form of Fuji/Kodak 200 colour negative film, so Kodak might go ahead and pick up this film to augment the still empty hole Kodachrome left in their line, which also included Ektachromes.

Ektachromes had, the advantage of one - two hour processing for studios that needed their images asap, in order to catch or confirm mistakes and well made photographic work.


Back when digital was just begining to emurge as a commercial competitor for analog films, a morning shoot could break for lunch and see the results of that work after desert.

I do no expect such quick labs to be resurrected in cities across the World, but it does explain, in part, why Kodak ran both lines of slides at that past era.

Having the chance to continuing to amass the best of the best, of your formal competitor, like gold coins just dropped on the ground, is unique and too good an opportunity with which to grow your line with proven popular winners is a no brainer.

IMO.

 

[MattKing]

That would be ironic. It was Velvia that killed Kodachrome when pros switched over to it when it originally came out. I can't imagine Kodak would take the chance of Velvia now killing their new Ektachrome or Ektar.

It wasn't Velvia that killed Kodachrome.
It was home video.
A huge percentage of the film that ran through the Kodachrome lines was movie film.
And the Kodachrome lines needed high volumes to be profitable.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

We, one aspect of being the last 'one' standing is a link between Fuji and Kodak has been established in the form of Fuji/Kodak 200 colour negative film, so Kodak might go ahead and pick up this film to augment the still empty hole Kodachrome left in their line.

Having the chance to continuing to amass the best of the best your formal competitor, like ke gold coins just dropped on the ground is unique and too good an opportunity to grow your line with proven popular winners is a no brainer.

IMO.

I hope you're right because I love Velvia 50 and will miss it when Fuji drops it.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

It wasn't Velvia that killed Kodachrome.
It was home video.
A huge percentage of the film that ran through the Kodachrome lines was movie film.
And the Kodachrome lines needed high volumes to be profitable.

I should have clarified that it killed it for pros who shot for magazines like Outdoor Photographer and other publications

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Also, Kodachrome had a special process unlike the simpler E6 one used for Velvia, Ektachrome, etc that people switched to.

 

[jtk]

"Home video" is an antique concept. Your plumber and your accountant use the cell phones for everything, just ask them. "Home video" is an Ozzie and Harriet leftover.

 

[DREW WILEY]

One of the factors which spelled the doom of Kodachrome was when Kodak spun off the K14 processing to Kodalux, which was not part of Kodak itself, but a new independent company; and the quality of processing suddenly became dicey. I started getting back scratched film.
Lots of people were complaining.

Velvia wasn't on the horizon yet, but early Fuichrome 50, which already had sparkling contrast, clean greens and vivid purples, which Ektachrome 64 did not. The Fuji 50 look evolved into both the Provia and Velvia series. Astia was the lower contrast, best balanced tweak, but not as popular.

 

[lxdude]

One of the factors which spelled the doom of Kodachrome was when Kodak spun off the K14 processing to Kodalux, which was not part of Kodak itself, but a new independent company; and the quality of processing suddenly became dicey. I started getting back scratched film.
Lots of people were complaining.

Yes! I was so mad. Occasional purple skies and greenish clouds had me pretty fed up, and after I saw crud embedded in the emulsion that was it for Kodalux. I used an independent lab and got much better results.
Kodak management sure had a talent for doing stupid things.