Fuji and the earthquake

[Photo Engineer]

Friends;

I have gotten a few PMs and E-Mails asking me "what about Fuji in view of the nuclear accident and earthquake"?

I obviously cannot answer. I have no inside information. I can say this:

Ashigara, the location of the Fuji plant is South West of Tokyo. It is outside the present contamination area. OTOH, the quake itself would have probably ruined production from the time of the original quake until the end of all aftershocks unless the coating machines were built to withstand this magnitude of a quake and as reduced by the distance from the epicenter.

We can also consider that power and water may be limited for the short term, but we know nothing about the long term implications for Fuji. They may be back up and running by now for all we know.

Film is hyper sensitive to all radiation. If there is any present, they will have to introduce draconian methods at the Fuji plant in Ashigara to eliminate the problem.

Kodak had to introduce radiation protection in the 40s and 50s just due to the testing of nuclear weapons in the US and Pacific oceans. Radiation has a far reach even if it is near or below allowed limits. This equipment is still in place at Kodak Park, but has not been in operation in recent years AFAIK. If they have been maintained, and if Kodak were to see any problem, it would be just a matter of turning a few switches and the scrubbers would be reactivated.

The bottom line is this. I have been told that Fuji film and paper users should stock up on film as a "just in case" provision to tide them through to the summer months. This is just a suggestion from sources. We know nothing for sure, but we do want to help our APUG friends.

PE

 

[Colin Corneau]

Keep in mind even if the production were completely unaffected by the earthquake, tsunami or radiation...transportation and distribution are affected by all of this. Roads and ports, as well as interior transportation on the island, are slowed or blocked.

 

[CGW]

I really can't believe this thread. You might think less about yourselves and more about donating a few $ to the Red Cross or Habitat for Humanity Japan.

(http://www.habitatjp.org/WH/hfhj_e.html).

 

[Photo Engineer]

CGW;

That is truly an insult IMHO. AAMOF, my wife and I have made a substantial donation as we did for the victims in Haiti! The other people who have posted may have as well and you don't know it. So, please keep this on a professional level and omit the attacks.

PE

 

[ndrs]

CGW,
I don't think that caring about people of Japan and stocking up are mutually exclusive. I've both donated and ordered film. What's wrong with this?

 

[pentaxuser]

We will soon know how bad some people think the situation is and hope that panic spreads when we see e-bay sellers hike the price with "no more Fuji for the next 2 years so buy now".

There might be difficulties for a period but if a few panic and hoard by buying their usage over the next 2 years in the next two weeks then indeed there will be problems.

pentaxuser

 

[vpwphoto]

Agreed... We have a Subaru plant here in Lafayette, of course we are shocked with the tragedy, but also concerned because the engines are supplied from Japan. The sooner Japan can produce goods again, the better for all concerned in each and every way. (As long as the global economic structure exists)

 

[holmburgers]

I really can't believe this thread. You might think less about yourselves and more about donating a few $ to the Red Cross or Habitat for Humanity Japan.

(http://www.habitatjp.org/WH/hfhj_e.html).

This comment is very short-sighted and has an unpleasant tinge of "upholding the moral highground". Good for you...

I've donated, FWIW.

 

[Bob-D659]

CGW, The earthquake/etc/etc hasn't stopped one large company in Japan from flying in staff from the US for a training session next week. A company does what it has to do to survive, for example, if Nikon ignored all it's other production facilities world wide to concentrate on the plant in Sendai they wouldn't survive three months.

PS, why are you assuming they didn't donate to someone, and if you read the projects at your link, the majority are not in Japan.

 

[Photo Engineer]

You know, I'm a Kodak retiree and here I am suggesting the purchase of Fuji products in case of any shortage.

Well, the point is that these purchases will give profit to Fuji to help them recover and to pay their people to help them recover. So, upon reflection this is an indirect plea for donations in a certain sense coming from a person who loves Japan, has lived there, and knows many people there!

Lets not divert this thread any more! Please.

PE

 

[CGW]

Friends;

I have gotten a few PMs and E-Mails asking me "what about Fuji in view of the nuclear accident and earthquake"?

I obviously cannot answer. I have no inside information.

Might have been better to have stopped there, PE.

 

[bobwysiwyg]

Gee, sounds like someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. :confused:

 

[CGW]

Not that I need to say this, but I have already donated to Japan relief via the Red Cross. And in any case one thing has nothing to do with the other. This thread was about the availability of Fuji products, in a photography forum. I don't need to be preached to by some pompous morality coach.

The hypocrisy and self-justification isn't obvious, I guess. OK. Japan's just a place where stuff I like comes from. No more for awhile maybe? Bummer.

 

[nickrapak]

CGW, by putting on a holier-than-thou attitude, you are acting no better than those that think that this disaster was cosmic retribution for WWII. I agree that the situation is tragic, and that those that are able to should make a donation, but I also think that it important for people to remain informed about the status of products that may influence their livelihood.

Yes, I am concerned about people in Japan, but I am also concerned about the American autoworkers who are now on idle time since they can't make cars, the electronics manufacturers and retailers that are at a practical standstill, and the American families that will probably be facing a 50% increase in prices (at least temporarily) once products start flowing from Japan again.

 

[holmburgers]

Look, I don't think anyone feels that way ("Japan's just a place where stuff I like comes from") That's what you think we feel like and I find that more offensive than having a pretty normal conversation about the availability of Fuji films. I think that if this conversation had taken place the day it happened, maybe it could be criticized as insensitive, but to simply discuss the current state of things is in no way disprectful to the Japanese people, in my opinion.

I don't know why you have take it upon yourself to "teach us all a lesson", or whatever, but that's certainly what it seems like.

Sorry PE that your thread has been hijacked.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Japan is a place where I lived for a while. It is a place where many friends live, especially at Chiba University which is nearer the earthquake being on the north edge of Tokyo Bay. I have great concern for them. I also have a number of friends and peers that I know from Fuji and Konishiroku. So, it is not a place where stuff I like comes from. It is a place where friends are in trouble and whom I have tried to help. I think I said the rest of my motivation in post #11. It is indirect help for Fuji and a heads up for my friends on APUG of a potential problem.

I don't need criticism for this in any way I can see and comments to the contrary are totally off the mark!

PE

 

[2F/2F]

The radiation should not hurt Fuji products at all (and it will probably not even hurt the people who live near the plant). Other results of the earthquake will. Financial for sure, infrastructural, etc. As a former nuclear plant worker, all of the fear and misinformation about the nuclear accident is really driving me crazy! Even the worst nuclear accidents in history have caused far less damage and loss of life than conventional power plant accidents have over the years. My friend's kid's school, in Sherman Oaks, CA, has actually stopped having recess because of it! It's ignorant and ridiculous, especially for autistic kids, who need to get their ya yas out physically in order to balance themselves.

If you really want to reduce your exposure to radiation, the best way is to move to the boonies, be nocturnal, and never have any medical procedures involving it performed on you. Exposure from the accident in Japan is very, very low on the list of radiation hazards that we face.

 

[sandholm]

I don't need criticism for this in any way I can see and comments to the contrary are totally off the mark!

PE

@PE Thanks for your insight, 99.9999% of the people here appreciate it.

@CGW Grow up, I have donate money to Japan (even if i am on there terrorist list because I dont like them go whaling) but I am also concern how this could affect products which I use. Lighten up man, the faster Fuji can get there plants working the faster the Japanese government gets money from export fees which they can use and people dont loose there jobs.

 

[sandholm]

Even the worst nuclear accidents in history have caused far less damage and loss of life than conventional power plant accidents have over the years.

of course, but there are also plenty more conventional power plants then nuclear. Dut dont say that it can go horrible wrong, look at Chernobyl and how that actually effected the world.... or the Three mile incident that could have gone really really bad but more or less pure luck made it to a miner incident.

cheers

 

[bobwysiwyg]

Couldn't agree more. I heard a disturbing comment on a news report today. It seems some manufacturing concerns are looking to move certain parts fabrication elsewhere. If that happens, I doubt it will ever move back to Japan and that would be very bad for an already troubled economy.

 

[Kevin Kehler]

My friend's kid's school, in Sherman Oaks, CA, has actually stopped having recess because of it!

It was in the paper a couple of days ago that parts of the US have run out of potassium iodine due to people stocking up (my parents who live on the West Coast of Canada say there are signs in malls advertising who still has supplies). There is more radiation from taking a cross-country plane trip than from Japan right now! The x-ray I got last week gave me more radiation than the majority of people in Japan have experienced so far. Does this mean the situation is not critical and we should not do all we can to help? Of course not but neither does mass hysteria help.

PE, thanks for the information. While I do not normally shoot Fuji products, anything that hurts or is perceived to hurt film is not good. Once the hoarding starts, people put down the film and pick up the digital. Where this could really hurt is if Bollywood decides their film supply (mainly Fuji) is in danger and switches to digital production; that could influence Hollywood to decrease film in favor of digital movie production at a faster rate than they currently are.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Bollywood, if they switch, would go to Kodak for film products. They are not set up yet for digital and the switch is expensive.

PE

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

It is truly shocking to observe the spiteful comments posted here. CGW and Michael R 1974: what are you trying to prove?

This thread was started honourably by PE, a very long-serving and very respected APUG member. The points he raised are salient, valid and compassionate. If some of you are going to enjoy launching thinly-veiled attacks on members you might want to reconsider your presence here. There are no "morality coaches" here (it's bloody rude of you to dream up that term). Remember APUG is not for personal attacks. Stick to the original thrust of the thread.

 

[Ray Rogers]

Dispite Disasters, the show called "Life" must go on.

Some people, while good of heart, will probably show no emotion,
others will cry.

I think that's ok.

Emotions run high... the first day I moved here, I attended a funeral...
Someone yelled at, cursed then repeatedly hit the dead man!
Then they had a feast and drank lots of Beer.

Wow.

People grieve differently.

 

[Kevin Kehler]

Bollywood, if they switch, would go to Kodak for film products. They are not set up yet for digital and the switch is expensive.

PE

Would Kodak be able to increase production to accommodate that number of movies in a short time frame? If you are used to using product A and can no longer get A (at any cost), you have to use product X or go out of business. My point was not that all studios would switch but some might just out of necessity to keep the weekly productions going and would not switch back after making such an expensive business decision.