Fuji and Oriental BW Paper

I was in Tokyo this week and I did not miss the chance to peek into the main Yodobashi film store. To my great surprise they have a huge stock of Fuji black and white paper, which I did not even know it existed. Does anybody have any information on it? I grabbed a box of VC FB just to try it out, but I could not find any information on it in English. Is it any good?
Also, next to it there was a shelf of Oriental paper - not the new seagull in the white box, but in a blue box labeled only "oriental" - again I could not find any info (only on the "new" one, which they also had) does anybody have any pointers?
The assortment at Yodobashi was quite interesting, the even had a shelf of fuji color paper which I did not know (not crystal archive) and all the RA4 chemistry available off the shelf, and seemingly throw-away cameras preloaded with film go quite strong since I found them everywhere!

The VC FB paper you mention is Oriental. Fuji only has RC.

The blue boxed oriental is slightly cheaper but not sure what the difference is. I live here and used Fuji before the 100% price hike and before they started pulling them off shelves one at a time. Never oriental as it as always more expensive.

We can order ilford from the UK at half the price of Fuji inclusive shipping where current prices stand.
Japan is a weird market now.

But you are right - the selection is still somewhat impressive but had you come 5 years ago, you would have been drooling...

One use cameras are still big yes.

Hope you had fun!

Ben

I hope the blue box makes its way back to the US market. When I first started using Seagull it was in a blue box, the current graphics are a bit dull in comparison.

The packet of fuji paper I got says "fujibrom medium weight" so I assumed it was FB... will see when I open it in the darkroom

Oriental changed the FB VC paper recently. The new (and current) version is curling like crazy when dry and it is a pain to make it flat. I used Oriental FB VC paper for years and only got this issue with the last box I bought. It is so annoying that I strongly consider to switch back to Ilford.

Fuji did make a paper fiber base called Rembrant - I liked it very much but really expensive to get from Japan... I suspect this is the product you are seeing.

Dali said:

Oriental changed the FB VC paper recently. The new (and current) version is curling like crazy when dry and it is a pain to make it flat. I used Oriental FB VC paper for years and only got this issue with the last box I bought. It is so annoying that I strongly consider to switch back to Ilford.

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Uh-oh. The VC has been one of my standard papers for years now.

Bob Carnie said:

Fuji did make a paper fiber base called Rembrant - I liked it very much but really expensive to get from Japan... I suspect this is the product you are seeing.

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No - this is long gone I am afraid, Fuji only makes RC paper for the last 3-4 years at least since I do darkroom work.

I still have a box of 18x22 Rembrant paper and 2 partially used rolls of 110cm x 20meters. This is a truly fantastic paper and despite their age, still work good. I got them on local auctions here.

Good luck with your Fuji paper! It isn't bad at all I just think its not worth the price and I don't want to support them any longer since they are pulling out of analogue one step at a time.

Ben

Oriental has been a mere ghost of itself, qualitatively, ever since Bromide G graded disappeared.

Oriental G 4 in Nova Lith was a killer paper, favourite of Anton Corjbin

twelvetone12 said:

The packet of fuji paper I got says "fujibrom medium weight" so I assumed it was FB... will see when I open it in the darkroom

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'medium weight' usually means RC base