Anyone have info on Fuji's E6 future or position?

[benjiboy]

I haven't used Kodak slide film for over twenty years, I used to prefer the Agfa Pro slide films, and in the last ten years or so I've used Fuji Pro slide films, it's probably my fault that Kodak have ceased production of them

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Any idea why only the 35mm version of these would be slightly less sensitive to light?

Steve.

Not so much less sensitive to light, but the smaller format puts the squeeze on a scene that is bedevilled by tonal / contrast extremes. In the MF and LF formats, the tonal range is spread out and you actually can get away with some situations (but not universally so!) with contrast on the margin when it would (and does) absolutely balse up in the small format. I am not deriding nor advocating a mass shift from 35mm — I wouldn't do that myself: I printed fine art photographs to the Ilfochrome process for more than 16 years and problems with contrast in scenes that just had to be shot at the time were the bane of life. The point is more care and variation is required exposing Velvia in 35mm, even though care must also be exercised in MF and LF whenever contrast of the scene is known to exceed the range of the film, only in 35mm the tipping point will be more obvious and potentially ruinous. If you must shoot a contrasty scene, move up in the format. Extensive variables in separate metering methodology in MF and LF can also greatly assist over onboard 35mm metering. The basic premise of Velvia is that it will deliver the best imaging in the target light conditions it was designed for. It's your own fault if you shoot it in adverse conditions and cannot see a darned thing for swatches of black.

 

[Stephen Schoof]

All 3 Velvias are very different and you should do a side-by-side comparison of all 3 if possible. In fact, you should also compare 50 pushed to 100 to the actual 100-speed Velvias - you may find you prefer it in some situations (I do).

That said, Velvia 50 is essentially the original Velvia introduced in 1990 and IMO by far the best for nature and landscapes. Here's a thread with more details of my experiences:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

As far as its continued availability, Fuji has become notoriously hard to figure out. I'd guess Velvia 50 would be the last to go, since it was reintroduced due to demand over the 100's, but who knows.

 

[DREW WILEY]

The whole idea of a "best" film is BS. One man's medicine is another man's poison. Depends on what
you are shooting, how you intend to print it, and what look you like. Fuji had the bases pretty well
covered until they discontinued Astia, the best balanced and least contrasty of their chrome films.
It was perhaps the most cooperative from a printing standpoint, but didn't sell all that well because
it didn't look as snappy on a lightbox. E100G Kodak is the only other analogous chrome film, and now
it's been disc too. But I too have had to make Cibachromes from Velvia, and it wasn't a very forgiving combination!

 

[nightbringer]

While we are on the topic, has anyone heard anything out of Japan regarding Astia? Some say that it's still in production, some say it's finished and whatever is out on store shelves is all that's left ...
I have stocked up on it but I'd like to ensure that it is still readily available before possibly stocking up on more and filling my freezer full of Astia ...

 

[tnabbott]

While we are on the topic, has anyone heard anything out of Japan regarding Astia? Some say that it's still in production, some say it's finished and whatever is out on store shelves is all that's left ...
I have stocked up on it but I'd like to ensure that it is still readily available before possibly stocking up on more and filling my freezer full of Astia ...

I have been told that it is still in production.

 

[bishy]

While we are on the topic, has anyone heard anything out of Japan regarding Astia? Some say that it's still in production, some say it's finished and whatever is out on store shelves is all that's left ...
I have stocked up on it but I'd like to ensure that it is still readily available before possibly stocking up on more and filling my freezer full of Astia ...

Astia 100F in 35mm has ended production, a year or so ago now. All other formats remain for now, info taken from Fuji's Japan website.

I hope that helps.


Without wishing to stir the pot so to speak! I have a feeling quailty and consistent E6 processing will be harder to find, which concerns me more in the here and now. With Kodak ending it's reversal line up, i'm guessing Fuji will now have a extended E6 stay for now. I do hope Kodak reversal customers switch to Fujichrome, once the remaining Ektachrome films are shot.

Over the next 18 months, i will be flat out shooting as much Velvia 50 and Provia 100F i can afford, as i'm really not confident i will get the chance in later years. I dearly hope i'm wrong on that.

 

[Lamar]

Yeah, I’ve been on a C-41 binge over the last 9 months, ever since I discovered the Rollei Digibase chemicals. I actually shot some reversal (E100G) for the first time in months in January and developed it about a week before Kodak's announcement. I had forgotten how much better E6 looks and how much easier it is to color balance, of course I only scan (can I say that here???). I'm now officially binge shooting E6.... at least until I can't find more E6 chemicals. I only have part of one Kodak kit left.

 

[brianentz]

I just can't believe Fuji isn't doing Astia in 35mm. 120 and 4x5 only. Astia was my fav.

 

[guyjr]

Wow - I did not realize Fuji was still manufacturing 220 format E-6 film at all - I thought it had all been discontinued last year. It certainly does not appear to be available here in the U.S., although it can be ordered direct from Japan as mentioned earlier in the thread (for a very steep price unfortunately).

I just placed my annual film order last night (before the big B&H holiday). I was very glad to see they had new stocks of Astia in 120 format (it had been listed as "discontinued" on their site last year as well). Gonna be a fun summer with the Fuji 6 bath 5L kit.

 

[jerrybro]

...Fuji 6 bath 5L kit.

Where do you get that from?

 

[ektachrome]

In the UK, AG Photographic

 

[benjiboy]

Whatever Fuji say about their commitments to E6 films, don't bet your children's college funds on it.

 

[Steve Smith]

don't bet your children's college funds on it.

My children's what?


Steve.

 

[guyjr]

In the UK, AG Photographic

Yep... I ordered two kits from them last April, took about a month to arrive in the U.S. So far I'm a bit more than half-way through the first kit, and still getting consistent quality (second kit is still sealed). Should be ramping up and finishing off the first one soon though.

 

[madgardener]

I got a reply back from Fuji North America today from an email, and according to them.... "At this time, we have no immediate plans to discontinue our E-6 line" I love the way they hedge things, "At this time", and "Immediate"

lol

 

[jesterthejedi]

They still make and sell instant films too, they might far outlast Kodak and Polaroid producing film.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

I got a reply back from Fuji North America today from an email, and according to them.... "At this time, we have no immediate plans to discontinue our E-6 line" I love the way they hedge things, "At this time", and "Immediate"

lol

So why are you, and the rest, speculating?

 

[Brian C. Miller]

So why are you, and the rest, speculating?

Because they may have plans to discontinue E6 next year. That's why. What are their plans when movie distribution goes digital? At some point they will turn off the electricity and scrap the factories.

We don't use paint here. We use a product that is manufactured based on a high level of technology. The process is based on a huge amount of film being consumed. I was just looking through some of my slides. I am going to miss that Kodak film. How long will Fuji produce it? I have no idea.

I have plans for the weekend. These plans involve film, one exposure at a time.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

"They may have plans to discontinue E6 next year..." is still speculation and scaremongering. So what if E6 goes? Use C41. Or transition to digital. Or leave photography altogether. As unpallatable as it sounds, we do have a choice. Unless Fuji Film has released a verifiable statement there is no point in crystal ball gazing, certainlly not on a global scale.

 

[madgardener]

I really like E-6, I love the color saturation and the way the pictures jump out. Even when scanned, they just somehow just look better than C-41. As far as my earlier post, I was simply commenting on how they cover themselves with word choices. When I told my wife what the email said, she gave this translation: Nobody has told us down here in customer service anything.

 

[CGW]

"They may have plans to discontinue E6 next year..." is still speculation and scaremongering. So what if E6 goes? Use C41. Or transition to digital. Or leave photography altogether. As unpallatable as it sounds, we do have a choice. Unless Fuji Film has released a verifiable statement there is no point in crystal ball gazing, certainlly not on a global scale.

Fuji Canada keeps telling lab-owner friends that Fuji E-6 chemistry doesn't have a future and that E-6 film materials aren't selling in encouraging amounts. No dates, no press releases but also no assurance they're ignoring demand for a nearly-dead product. Have projects for spring/summer/fall where I plan to shoot mostly 120 E-6--can't see the upside to hoarding it, especially if reliable processing starts to slip any further. Sorry but the clock's ticking--deny it all you like.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Martians will invade within the next six months and confiscate all our film cameras. Panic now while
you still have time!

 

[Brian C. Miller]

Or transition to digital.

HAH! Like digital can compete. Did you read Tim Parkin's test of the IQ180 back vs 8x10 film? I did. His results were in line with personal tests I made last year. Last year, when the IQ180 back came out, I did a stitching test to see if 80Mp stitched could equal or surpass a 1935 Wollensak lens at f/45. Guess which lost? So no, digital doesn't compete. Tests are tests, results are results. End of that story.

Or leave photography altogether.

Once upon a time, I was down for a few months due to a disc bulge in my back. I couldn't stand not being able to photograph, and finally I went and painfully crawled around on the floor and set up my Pentax 6x7. I photographed a door knob. Yep! Making photographs is something I just gotta do.

As unpallatable as it sounds, we do have a choice. Unless Fuji Film has released a verifiable statement there is no point in crystal ball gazing, certainlly not on a global scale.

For some of us, choice means buying Wrattan filters 98 blue, 99 green, 90 red (Yes, PE, I've been reading!) and making three exposures for every one that I now make. It does NOT mean sitting on my hind end staring at the wall, or any equivalent.

 

[CGW]

Martians will invade within the next six months and confiscate all our film cameras. Panic now while
you still have time!

Start a pool. Winner nails the date Fuji kills E-6 chemistry and/or E-6 film, like MAD magazine's contest to predict the date of Mamie Eisenhower's death. Sell t-shirts with the Velvia logo sprouting a balloon saying "I'm still kickin'". Do it.