APUG Appeal - Please send a 'Thank you!' to Fuji

[FrankB]

We've had a few really lousy pieces of news over the last few months. First Agfa go under, then Nikon pull almost completely out of the film camera market and now Konica Minolta are doing the same and will be dropping their film and paper lines too. With Kodak's CEO announcing publicly that "film is gone", times have been better for traditional photography and the doom-sayers have been out buying megaphones!

Well, we've finally had some really good news (as reported on this (there was a url link here which no longer exists)) in that Fuji have issued a Dead Link Removed confirming their commitment to silver halide photography.

This is great news for traditional photography as a whole! However, I think it would be worth showing Fuji that their decision is appreciated and that there are traditional photographers out there who are active, vocal and who care very much. This is a great chance for traditional photographers to take positive action to reinforce a decision by one of the industry's biggest players.

I'm therefore asking that each APUG member send an email to Fuji thanking them for their continued support of our craft. These can be as plain and simple or as elaborate and heartfelt as you like. Even if you yourself do not use any Fuji products, lend a hand and support your friends and fellow APUGgers who do.

I spoke a lady from Fuji UK this morning who was surprised and quite touched that anyone actually cared enough about the press release to phone up. Apparently the press / magazine reaction has ranged from the indifferent to bordering on the derisive. I explained that there were probably quite a few of use that would like to send messages of thanks and support and she gave me the following email address professional@fuji.co.uk She also said that she would forward any emails to the head office in Tokyo.

Thanks for reading this. Please lend your support.

All the best,

FrankB

 

[André E.C.]

Not me, I don`t have nothing to ask or thanks to Fuji or anyone else, after all, I pay a price for the products and that`s my thanks to the manufacturer.
Aren`t we overeacting here?


Cheers

André

 

[Bob F.]

Well, that didn't take long did it...

<Sigh>

 

[alien]

I send an email. I think it is a good thing to show them some response!

 

[mono]

I send an email. I think it is a good thing to show them some response!

That`s my opinion, too!

I buy Acros, but I think I can give some more support.

PS: Just did so!

 

[Magnus W]

I'm going to send a real honest-to-gosh analog thank you note.
Stamp and all.

I think a few thousand real cards make a greater impact than a few megabytes of e-mails.

-- MW

 

[kjsphoto]

Email just sent. I use Acros exclusively for all my MF shoots and I just wanted to thank them for continuing to support us so we can continue to do what we love.

I hope oen day they will sell Acros in LF in non quickload! Now that would be awesome.

Thanks for the email address...

 

[FrankB]

For those who wish to follow Magnus' lead, the Fuji global site is Dead Link Removed. You should be able to find a link to your regional division from there.

Many thanks

FrankB

 

[avandesande]

Who knows? Send them your product requests and recommend j&c as a distributer. Maybe next year they will be cutting up ULF for us!

 

[Andy K]

Email sent.

Andre, we have to let these companies know we are out here.

 

[abeku]

I'm going to send a real honest-to-gosh analog thank you note.
Stamp and all.

I think a few thousand real cards make a greater impact than a few megabytes of e-mails.

-- MW

I'll do the same, Magnus! I'll make a postcard tonight from one the Neopan negatives I got and send it to them this weekend.

 

[colrehogan]

Email just sent. I use Acros exclusively for all my MF shoots and I just wanted to thank them for continuing to support us so we can continue to do what we love.

I hope oen day they will sell Acros in LF in non quickload! Now that would be awesome.

Thanks for the email address...

Kevin,
They do. See this site:
Dead Link Removed

 

[Curt]

If I were to thank Fuji, which is stupid, I would sent it to Japan and not through the UK branch of the company to be forwarded.

 

[FrankB]

Curt,

If you have a general-purpose email address for the head office in Japan could you post it here please? The UK address was the only really suitable one I could find.

Thanks,

Frank

 

[Andy K]

Curt, there is an old adage, which I will paraphrase here, 'If you have nothing good to say about something, then say nothing.'

 

[Ben Taylor]

Aren`t we overeacting here?

I personally think writing to Fuji to show support is a good idea, when Ilford re-affirmed their commitment to us we (quite rightly) showed them our support and they responded by involving this community is some of their product decisions.

Fuji's statement is extremely positive, and most encouraging. In these days of digital doom and gloom surely an announcement such as this is deserving of a few words of encouragement from us (as well as supporting them by buying their products)? Imagine how bitterly some people would be complaining if their announcement had been in the same vein as Konica Minolta's.

 

[jd callow]

They have also decided to be a sponsor of the APUG Conference. They know we exist, they are supporting us and they made an announcement that they will continue to support film. All the while, major players are dropping out right and left, many for 'sound' business reasons. I do think it is in order and worth the effort to send a thank you.

I know i'm thankful.

 

[TimVermont]

I support the idea of letting Fuji know we are out here. Not to mention I'd like them to do a special cut of Acros in 13x18 or 5x7 once a year or so. Here is the main office information:

Mr. Shigetaka Komori
President and CEO
Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
26-30 Nishiazabu 2-chome,
Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8620
JAPAN

 

[FrankB]

Thanks for that, Tim! Much appreciated.

 

[Carol]

A nice positive thread Frank. I have sent an email to Fuji and hope many others from around the globe will do the same. Sure is better than complaining about what we've lost.

 

[BWGirl]

Frank! Thanks so much for this! I've sent my email! Mr. Callow has hit it on the head!

For our "naysayers" ... I feel bad for you that your Moms led you to believe that the world revolved around you when she called you 'son'. When a business makes a commitment to an organization like APUG... and to all the people out there who do not know about us yet, but who also shoot film... the least we can do is offer our appreciation. It's a small gesture to be sure... but sometimes the smallest gestures mean the most. I hope you both will reconsider.

 

[photomc]

Jeanette, that about sums it up!!

Thanks Frank...Good job

 

[Rob Skeoch]

It took two minutes to say thank you. It's not that hard.... I might try it again someday. Sure beats begging later.
-Rob Skeoch

 

[Rombo]

I have just send mail to Fuji UK. I really like Neopan films. Not to mention that Acros is my favourite film.


A little wish: I hope that Fuji will someday launch Neopan 1600 in 120 format.

 

[Buster6X6]

Email sent
I hope they will consider having a distributor for LF film in Noth America like J&C.
Long live ACROS in all sizes!

Greg