Fuji 200/Kodak Gold

[Huss]

Apparently the Fuji 200 available now is no longer the Fuji C200 of past (which I loved). It supposedly is Kodak Gold repackaged.
I'm looking at my new Fuji 200 cartons, and they say "Made in Japan".

So, does that mean that Kodak is shipping film stock to Japan from the US, for Fuji to re-package?
I'm not sure what the margins are here, but they both sell for pretty much the same $29.99 3/36.
Which would seem that Kodak would be making more money if they sold it as a Kodak product, than selling it to Fuji to be resold.

Thoughts?

 

[madNbad]

Maybe Kodak is getting something from Fuji in return?

 

[blee1996]

I heard the "new" fuji 200 (rebranded Kodak 200) is only for the US market? Other markets might be different...

 

[koraks]

I'm looking at my new Fuji 200 cartons, and they say "Made in Japan".

Maybe your film is from before the Kodak deal and you still got the genuine product.
Should be pretty easy to determine because they have substantially different color balance.

I heard the "new" fuji 200 (rebranded Kodak 200) is only for the US market? Other markets might be different...

Where'd you hear this? Doesn't make much sense to me, to be honest.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Or the whole rumor about the source of new Fuji 200 might be wrong...

 

[Alex Benjamin]

So, does that mean that Kodak is shipping film stock to Japan from the US, for Fuji to re-package?

I heard the "new" fuji 200 (rebranded Kodak 200) is only for the US market? Other markets might be different...

It is made for the North America market. It's also written "Made in the USA" on the box.

Good video about it here:

 

[blee1996]

I must have read from some forum, so totally unverified.
The official response from the company was quoted here:

Film Friday: Is the 'new' Fujifilm 200 film just rebranded Kodak Gold 200? Is sure looks like it

An eagle-eyed Redditor has pointed out that Fujifilm's 'new' Fujicolor 200 film stock has very similar color characteristics as Kodak's Gold 200 color negative film, suggesting the recent release might well be white-labeled Kodak film.

www.dpreview.com

 

[gone]

Fuji is putting Kodak Gold film in their branded canisters??? I'd have to see it to believe it, that just sounds too far fetched.

 

[BrianShaw]

I must have read from some forum, so totally unverified.
The official response from the company was quoted here:

Film Friday: Is the 'new' Fujifilm 200 film just rebranded Kodak Gold 200? Is sure looks like it

An eagle-eyed Redditor has pointed out that Fujifilm's 'new' Fujicolor 200 film stock has very similar color characteristics as Kodak's Gold 200 color negative film, suggesting the recent release might well be white-labeled Kodak film.

www.dpreview.com

Unless I missed the update, it appears that they have not been able to get the films processed… since January. Hopefully @Huss can process comparisons quicker!

 

[koraks]

Fuji is putting Kodak Gold film in their branded canisters?

Apparently, yes. I'm not all that surprised, either. To me this looks like Fuji has at least temporarily and perhaps indefinitely ceased producing color negative film. I don't believe this is just a US thing, either. It would make little sense in a market that's struggling to keep up with demand to delegate production for one continent to a business partner that's known to face capacity issues as well, thereby effectively forcing said partner to sell no to its other customers. The only way this adds up is if Fuji ceased production of at least c200 (do they still make Superia 400, or are they selling stock until they're out?) and merely wants for some reason to prolong its presence in the color negative segment for a while by rebadging Kodak product.
The interesting question IMO is why Fuji doesn't just ax the whole color negative business altogether and instead remains present in this segment. Maybe they just see an opportunity to make some money out of it, or maybe there's a strategic reason behind it, such as the manufacturing stop being more of a pause, with a planned return after some product re-engineering or whathaveyou.

Anyway, that's all just speculation on my behalf, pretty much just as speculative as the allegation that this would be limited to the US market.
Btw, note that Fuji color negative has been out of stock here in Europe for quite a while now with no new supplies reaching the market at all. I only see some remaining stocks being sold off as well as long expired product in an isolated case. If no film from Japan reaches either Europe or the US, would that mean the Japanese all shoot it themselves? That would be rich.

 

[Huss]

It is made for the North America market. It's also written "Made in the USA" on the box.

Mine says Made in Japan. And the expiration date is 2024 so this is the latest stuff.

 

[madNbad]

It'll be interesting to see the edge markings. I sure it's marked Fuji but let us know if Kodak shows up.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Mine says Made in Japan. And the expiration date is 2024 so this is the latest stuff.

Interesting. Photo on B&H site clearly reads "Made in the USA"...

What tells me it's made for the North American market is the fact it's written in English, French and Spanish. Strangely enough, I haven't seen it in Montreal.

 

[Mackinaw]

It'll be interesting to see the edge markings. I sure it's marked Fuji but let us know if Kodak shows up.

A local chain store in Michigan (Meijer) sells Fuji 200 for $19.00 for three 36 exp rolls. I bought a three-pack back about a month back that I processed myself. Edge markings say Fuji. The boxes all say Made in Japan with an expiration date of 7/2024. It's nice film. I just bought another six rolls today.

Jim B.

 

[Paul Howell]

I bought Fuji 100 made in Japan imported by Freestyle, last I looked no longer listed. If folks can navigate the Japanese version of eBay or Amazon they might find out if Fuji is still selling made in Japan in Japan.

 

[MattKing]

It could very well be film coated in the USA (Kodak) and finished/confectioned in USA (for one batch) and Japan (for another batch).

 

[Paul Howell]

I just looked at Amazon Japan, only a few rolls of Fuji on the market, most 27 exposure Fuji 200 and not much left.

 

[Minolta93]

Is it possible they've started production already? That would explain the Made in Japan labels.

 

[Huss]

A local chain store in Michigan (Meijer) sells Fuji 200 for $19.00 for three 36 exp rolls. I bought a three-pack back about a month back that I processed myself. Edge markings say Fuji. The boxes all say Made in Japan with an expiration date of 7/2024. It's nice film. I just bought another six rolls today.

Jim B.

Wow, that is a great price! 33% LESS than B&H and in stock!
Great tip for people in Michigan.

 

[wblynch]

Will it have the familiar Fuji edge striping?

 

[Arcadia4]

Supplies of Superia xtra 400 have been on sale in europe since early 22 with exp. 24 on so fujifilm has recommenced coating in japan which was paused in the pandemic.

It looks like this has now been extended to 200 and the kodak deal was a stopgap. An easy way to tell is if the cassette printing is landscape it's confectioned by kodak whereas fujifilm prints the film cassette details portrait.

That doesn't entirely rule out kodak producing the master rolls but seems unlikely to make commercial sense for conversion in japan for export back to US.

In all probably good news for supply.

 

[cmacd123]

if any distributor hires Kodak (or anyone else for that matter) to make film for them. they would provide the Artwork for the cassettes, along with the Pantone numbers to match the ink colour. The edge printing MIGHT give a hint ar where the product was produced if you look closely for things like the serial Number for each roll. (Kodak and Fuji both use one, but put it in different places)

 

[foc]

There was a thread on this here.

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/new-fujifilm-fujicolor-200.188982/

I remember asking a few times did anyone have an image of the edge markings on a negative strip of the Kodak/Fuji film but none were shown.

 

[Arcadia4]

Supplies of Superia xtra 400 have been on sale in europe since early 22 with exp. 24 on so fujifilm has recommenced coating in japan which was paused in the pandemic.

It looks like this has now been extended to 200 and the kodak deal was a stopgap. An easy way to tell is if the cassette printing is landscape it's confectioned by kodak whereas fujifilm prints the film cassette details portrait.

That doesn't entirely rule out kodak producing the master rolls but seems unlikely to make commercial sense for conversion in japan for export back to US.

In all probably good news for supply.

Japan produced on the left , and US (Kodak) produced on the right. Note Cartridge printing orientation. (surprised they went to the effort to take a new product shot), but does show attention to detail.

Fujifilm US has now removed the 'large' picture of the Kodak style packaging from their web. No change to datasheet yet.

 

[Huss]

Japan produced on the left , and US (Kodak) produced on the right. Note Cartridge printing orientation. (surprised they went to the effort to take a new product shot), but does show attention to detail.

Fujifilm US has now removed the 'large' picture of the Kodak style packaging from their web. No change to datasheet yet.

View attachment 315013

Very interesting! Which means that all I have ever used is c200 not Gold. And the story of c200 being no longer produced seems to be in error.