Acros 100 in peril?

[pentaxuser]

What do you mean “only iso 100 film”??

Iso100 is the perfect speed for daylight shooting.

Iso 400 in daylight/sunlight is such a waste. Poorer image quality combined to 1/1000@f16 is not something good.

It depends on where your daylight is. If you live above latitude 55N then less than 400 can be a problem for all except a few weeks of the year in summer and then only the odd 1-2 days at a time for almost all of the rest of the year. From mid Oct to mid Mar there may be no days at all when 100 is sufficient.

pentaxuser

 

[Adrian Bacon]

Thank you. I had not seen this before.

Now that it looks like they’re getting the smaller capacity stuff worked out, I’d expect to see more emulsions come back as long as they can do it within that smaller capacity. I suspect that TMAX p3200 went through something similar, and Kodak has stated multiple times that they’re actively looking for opportunities to bring emulsions back where it makes sense to do so. They’re not leaving, they just needed a couple beats to step back and retool so they can match the market size.

 

[Svenedin]

It depends on where your daylight is. If you live above latitude 55N then less than 400 can be a problem for all except a few weeks of the year in summer and then only the odd 1-2 days at a time for almost all of the rest of the year. From mid Oct to mid Mar there may be no days at all when 100 is sufficient.

pentaxuser

Absolutely agree. I find ISO 100 too slow in the UK for much of the year. It’s very restrictive to be shooting with lenses wide open and worrying about camera shake from low shutter speeds.

 

[warden]

Now that it looks like they’re getting the smaller capacity stuff worked out, I’d expect to see more emulsions come back as long as they can do it within that smaller capacity. I suspect that TMAX p3200 went through something similar, and Kodak has stated multiple times that they’re actively looking for opportunities to bring emulsions back where it makes sense to do so. They’re not leaving, they just needed a couple beats to step back and retool so they can match the market size.

I'm hoping for the best with Kodak. They're talented, make fine products and are investing in their film business in uncertain times while their finances are apparently quite fragile. I respect that. I would be so happy to be able to purchase Plus-X again, and if their other reintroductions work out well at smaller volumes perhaps I can one day.

It's a shame about Acros, but I hope Fuji can stay in the game somehow, although at this point they may be satisfied putting their investment dollars elsewhere; I can certainly understand that given the many profitable options that they have. Downsizing film production profitably may not be as attractive for them as it is for Kodak.

 

[faberryman]

Absolutely agree. I find ISO 100 too slow in the UK for much of the year. It’s very restrictive to be shooting with lenses wide open and worrying about camera shake from low shutter speeds.

There is only a two stop difference between ISO 100 and 400. Are you on the edge with ISO 400 as well?

 

[NedL]

Absolutely agree. I find ISO 100 too slow in the UK for much of the year. It’s very restrictive to be shooting with lenses wide open and worrying about camera shake from low shutter speeds.

On the other hand, if your camera has limited shutter speeds, then 400 film can restrict you to stopping down a lot. I use ISO 100 and 125 more than anything else.
As in everything, one size doesn't fit all and to each their own

 

[Jon Buffington]

It reads like a blogger blogging about another blogger, then making some guesses and proclaiming them correct. "We now know FujiFilm's reason." Oh really?

I agree But thought might be food for fodder so to speak. Of course this whole thread is all speculation. I hesitated to post it but did. Very un-verifiable at the least.

 

[Peter Schrager]

On the other hand, if your camera has limited shutter speeds, then 400 film can restrict you to stopping down a lot. I use ISO 100 and 125 more than anything else.
As in everything, one size doesn't fit all and to each their own

Get a new camera!!

 

[NedL]

Get a new camera!!

Ha! I don't even USE a shutter on the one I got from you...the lens cap is just fine I think my calotypes are around ISO 0.02 or so!

( BTW I had a wonderful time with that camera in Norway last summer, thanks! -- it was perfect for travel )

 

[perkeleellinen]

There is only a two stop difference between ISO 100 and 400. Are you on the edge with ISO 400 as well?

Yes, often. The nature of British light is very inconsistent. Those full sun days with hard shadows I estimate we get about a dozen per year and often the full sun will shift to heavy cloud in a couple of hours. It's normal to have summer exposures of 1/125 at f5.6 with 400 film. I've often been tricked by the sun into loading 100 film and then we get three weeks of iron-grey cloud and I'm down to 1/30 at f2.8

 

[Svenedin]

There is only a two stop difference between ISO 100 and 400. Are you on the edge with ISO 400 as well?

Those 2 stops make all the difference. I’m not that steady so 1/60s is a bit dicey

 

[Svenedin]

On the other hand, if your camera has limited shutter speeds, then 400 film can restrict you to stopping down a lot. I use ISO 100 and 125 more than anything else.
As in everything, one size doesn't fit all and to each their own

Yes that's very true. There is no one size fits all. I was on a trip in North of the UK a few weeks ago. I could not hand hold ISO 100 outdoors even at around noon. Admittedly it was a very dull, horrible day. ISO 400 would have made the shots possible. On the other hand, I am regularly in Gibraltar for work. This is much further South, 15 miles from the North African coast. There I could happily use ISO 100 film even at dusk and in the Winter. I think there is a difference between those who would load a film of appropriate speed for the conditions and expose the whole roll in a short space of time (which could easily work in the UK) and those who tend to have a film in a camera for a while (in which case ISO 100 is too inflexible for unpredictable conditions). I also agree about cameras with limited shutter speeds and having a film that is too fast in bright conditions (could use a ND filter I suppose but a slower film makes more sense). I used to be a great lover of ISO 25 Agfa film when I was in my late teens. Goodness knows how I got away with it but I had to carry a tripod everywhere and my shots all show the lens was permanently wide open. The introduction of a film with speed, fine grain and nice tonality (TMax 400) was a prayer answered.

 

[pentaxuser]

It would seem that those who have experienced poor light for weeks or months on end have little or no way of conveying it to those for whom such poor light never arises. Just take it from us that less than 400 in a range of circumstances such as the need for high shutter speed and/or reasonable Dof makes it more difficult to take OK pictures.

pentaxuser

 

[Helinophoto]

What's to guess? They have been consistently reducing the number of films they offer for years. The only guessing is which one is next, which I suspect it is based on demand, not some irrational reason.

Well, you are right, sort of....

The point is that with every film they kill, they "ensure that Fuji will always support film"....which is an oxymoron and an insult

 

[Helinophoto]

maybe ... fuji is a giant company, maybe parts of their film division is in a slump ?
for DECADES kodak got rid of products that didn't meet a certain sales magin
maybe that is what is happening with some of their films, and they plan on keeping
some of them in production and cancelling others. companies do this all the time,
and over the years fuji has done this as well. i used to use one of their films
called fuji press something or other. great film, but they discontinuted it because
it didn't meet sales expectations .. im not saying this is what is going on
but having been in retail an provided services for customers since i was 12 or 13
i know from personal experience, if someone doesnt' want something don't offer it.

You are right about this.

But in this case, I am 100% certain that, for the past 10 years or so, we've seen Fuji slowly pulling out of the film business, for good.
If/when they now cancel Acros, there are no more B/W films from them, Acros is actually a pretty popular film and I would bet it is more popular than the color-options, apart from Velvia maybe (not sure anymore about color).

Had they cut the offerings in half AND offered something new, then sure, but they are simply slowly and steadily just cancelling their whole film-division.

This is also ok by itself, but they aren't really a honest bunch when it comes down to it....since we've all seen the "Continuing to support film" messages as they have slashed and diced their film-lineups for years ^^

 

[Helinophoto]

But there isn't demand for the film. If there were, Fuji wouldn't be discontinuing it.

What you're seeing now is panic-buying. I did the same when Fuji discontinued FP-100C. Bought 20+ packs that are still sitting in my fridge.

Jim B.

A film can be popular and in demand, in great demand actually.
But as long as these sales are still 5-10% of the original sales in the hay-day's they will loose money on it.

As far as commitment concerned, if Fuji was indeed committed to film, they would scale down the production and facilities, to a level where it was economically viable, but I suppose such a revenue, although greatly successful, like Ilford, will be too small for a huge behemoth like Fuji.

And that sucks, I wish these companies could sell their formulas, equipment and licenses to other producers like Ilford, Adox and/or others, instead of throwing this technology in the bin-basket. (look at Polaroid for a great example on to trash knowledge).

 

[RattyMouse]

Well, you are right, sort of....

The point is that with every film they kill, they "ensure that Fuji will always support film"....which is an oxymoron and an insult

Yes, very insulting and dishonest.

 

[removed account4]

You are right about this.

But in this case, I am 100% certain that, for the past 10 years or so, we've seen Fuji slowly pulling out of the film business, for good.
If/when they now cancel Acros, there are no more B/W films from them, Acros is actually a pretty popular film and I would bet it is more popular than the color-options, apart from Velvia maybe (not sure anymore about color).

Had they cut the offerings in half AND offered something new, then sure, but they are simply slowly and steadily just cancelling their whole film-division.

This is also ok by itself, but they aren't really a honest bunch when it comes down to it....since we've all seen the "Continuing to support film" messages as they have slashed and diced their film-lineups for years ^^

oh well, . business is business .. what can you do ?
my suggestion is to find another film and enjoy it, if it goes ( repeat ) if the format is orphaned find another one &c
and if the manufacturers stop altogether or photo supplies cost too much, learn to do wet plate or dry plate, dig neg/cyanotypes &c. its
really not as hard as it seems. lots of ways to get your photo-fix

http://www.drivingessentials.com/Whips.php

 

[Helinophoto]

You know i really liked acros. It was cheap at one time and made nice photographs...but it's still only a 100 speed film more like 80.
I'll take TMY400 any day and shoot it in all formats. Adios Acros!

Have you ever shot it at 400 and developed it for 10 minutes in HC-110 B?
I just started doing this for portraits (making sure to put skin-tones at zone 6, for a 400 ISO film) and it works wonderfully, the contrast is not overly harsch and the resulting images are great. (I have only scanned them for now, negatives seem a bit thicker than normal, but nothing biggie).

 

[Helinophoto]

I have ordered 25 rolls of 120 and 20 rolls of 35mm from Fotoimpex, as far as I know, they still have it in stock.
- It's actually 1/3'rd of the price of me ordering it from B&H.

I still have a bunch of 400 in 120 and 35mm, 1600 in 35mm and 50-70 rolls of Acros in 120 and 35mm.

Need to shoot that 1600 and 400 though....those don't keep too well.

Acros will keep into my olden days I assume, so I'm good now.

If Acros does get slashed (we will probably know within April), then it was the last purchase from Fuji, I have no interest in their color-options (I have already stocked up on 160ns and 400H, as well as Velvia).

 

[Helinophoto]

oh well, . business is business .. what can you do ?
my suggestion is to find another film and enjoy it, if it goes ( repeat ) if the format is orphaned find another one &c
and if the manufacturers stop altogether or photo supplies cost too much, learn to do wet plate or dry plate, dig neg/cyanotypes &c. its
really not as hard as it seems. lots of ways to get your photo-fix
http://www.drivingessentials.com/Whips.php

True, I want to try wetplate with large-format, but if I was to order the collodium and related chems, I will probably find myself interrogated by the anti-terror police pretty quick =D

I already have my prioritized list:
Neopan 400 -> TriX -> Ilford HP5
Plus-x -> Acros -> Ilford FP4 -> Foma 100 -> Adox CHS 100 -> Delta 100.

 

[Ai Print]

I use it sparingly in 120 for long exposure work when reciprocity failure could cause problems but that is about it, so it is a special use film for me. I checked my freezer last week and had about 230 rolls so I ordered another 100 before B&H ran out.

I figure I can swing another 100 when some checks come in. I’ll be set with that.

 

[AgX]

What are the chances that some other film manufacturer (Ilford or even Kodak) picks up some of the discontinued emulsions and 'revives' them? Probably a dumb question, but l've always wondered.

Reason for discontinuation may have been a technical one: emulsions are made out of many elements, it may be that one crucial element is no longer available and the manufacturer does not consider it economically to redesign that emulsion.
So a "take-over" manufacturer would have to face the same issue.

Another aspect is that a emulsion must fit the making and coating facilities of a manufacturer.

 

[removed account4]

True, I want to try wetplate with large-format, but if I was to order the collodium and related chems, I will probably find myself interrogated by the anti-terror police pretty quick =D

I already have my prioritized list:
Neopan 400 -> TriX -> Ilford HP5
Plus-x -> Acros -> Ilford FP4 -> Foma 100 -> Adox CHS 100 -> Delta 100.

 

[NB23]

Another reason could be that they disliked the font used for Acros on the packaging and they realized that it would be too costly to change it so they stopped production.

Or maybe they had to order a new batch of plastic containers and that’s what ate their profits.

Hey, we can speculate and this is the internet, right?

Reason for discontinuation may have been a technical one: emulsions are made out of many elements, it may be that one crucial element is no longer available and the manufacturer does not consider it economically to redesign that emulsion.
So a "take-over" manufacturer would have to face the same issue.

Another aspect is that a emulsion must fit the making and coating facilities of a manufacturer.