Fuji discontinues ASTIA 100F (135-36) and Neopan 1600

[jun]

Unfortunately there is a notice from Fuji that they are going to discontinue ASTIA 100F (135-36 only) and Neopan 1600.

Fuji also comment that 120, 220 and sheet film ASTIA 100F are continued to be available.
Also they say that because of the shirking silver halide film market, it is necessary to revise their film lineup to maintain film production into the future.

Well, to my understanding, film sales for still pictures are at least shrunk to about 1/10 of the hayday of film.

I speculate that among C-41 / E-6 / 135 / 120 films, 120 format C-41 films has the least decrease (in percentage)　in sales but I may be wrong.

See the link below (Japanese):

http://fujifilm.jp/information/articlead_0066.html

 

[perkeleellinen]

Poor translation:

http://translate.google.com/transla...lm.jp/information/articlead_0066.html&act=url

 

[railwayman3]

Hmmmm...the only color reversal film which I really liked and which was still available....

I guess I'm now returning to where I started photography as a schoolboy....Ilford B&W.

 

[edp]

135 gone but 220 still available?

Who would have predicted that.

 

[frobozz]

OOOOOoooooof. Astia was my nearest replacement for E100GX. Now I got nuthin'.

Duncan

 

[edp]

E100G and a 81B filter.

 

[holmburgers]

good enough reason for me to switch to MF

 

[perkeleellinen]

good enough reason for me to switch to MF

Cutting Reala in 35mm (in the UK) drove me to MF.

 

[holmburgers]

Isn't it true that Astia is the most neutral, realistic palette of Fuji's? Why then wouldn't they get rid of Provia, and then you've got Astia and Velvia 100. Or is Velvia 100 much more saturated than Provia?

Either way, it's sad, we're left with garrish films. EPP has been dropped, 400NC has been dropped (though by all accounts Portra 400 is great); what left do we have for pleasant, non-exaggerated color?

 

[hpulley]

We already knew about Neopan 1600, this just means the last 1600 135-36 packs in the warehouse are now gone. They are suggesting Neopan 400 as the replacement for it and Provia 100F as the replacement for Astia 100F.

As it happens I'm looking at buying a RB67 Pro S this afternoon.

Anyone else find it funny they still call 120/220 film ブローニー or Brownie?

 

[benjiboy]

Fuji UK don't list Astia for sale on their website in any size, I think what's discontinued depends in what country you live in, there seems to be no coordinated policy Worldwide (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[hpulley]

Fuji UK don't list Astia for sale on their website in any size, I think what's discontinued depends in what country you live in, there seems to be no coordinated policy Worldwide

Well, except that if its discontinued in Japan it seems they no longer manufacture it so it isn't available anywhere. Foreign market discontinuations are usually followed by domestic ones.

 

[frobozz]

E100G and a 81B filter.

Sure, but then I need a bunch of sizes of filters, and lose some light through the filter, etc. Sure was easier to just load a roll of film.

Duncan

 

[benjiboy]

Cutting Reala in 35mm (in the UK) drove me to MF.

There's still plenty of 135 Reala on 7 day shop and Amazon UK,.

 

[perkeleellinen]

There's still plenty of 135 Reala on 7 day shop and Amazon UK,.

Yes, I know, I've got a bit stashed away also. But it is an endangered species in 35mm.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Isn't it true that Astia is the most neutral, realistic palette of Fuji's? Why then wouldn't they get rid of Provia, and then you've got Astia and Velvia 100. Or is Velvia 100 much more saturated than Provia?

Either way, it's sad, we're left with garrish films. EPP has been dropped, 400NC has been dropped (though by all accounts Portra 400 is great); what left do we have for pleasant, non-exaggerated color?

The films are only "garish" if you do not prudently temper the palette by shooting in the appropriate light the film was designed for. It's not rocket science.

Velvia 50, 100F and 100 are all enriched palettes (100 being particularly troublesome) compared to that of Provia, which is very useful in contrasty lighting when the Velvias would cause their predictable mischief.

 

[holmburgers]

Well perhaps garish was an overstatement, but I think you know what I mean.

Luckily I have about 10 rolls in ye ole' freezer, RIP.

 

[lxdude]

The films are only "garish" if you do not prudently temper the palette by shooting in the appropriate light the film was designed for. It's not rocket science.

Velvia 50, 100F and 100 are all enriched palettes (100 being particularly troublesome) compared to that of Provia, which is very useful in contrasty lighting when the Velvias would cause their predictable mischief.

Yes, I only use Velvia in overcast.

But if there's no Astia, it has to be one of the others in the light Astia was designed for.

 

[SWphoto]

Doing a search for "Astia discontinued" shows some interesting history, with threads going back at least to 2002 that Astia has been discontinued. Sounds like it really may have died this time. BTW, B&H shows Astia 4x5 as "discontinued"; others show it as out of stock/not available (but Glazers in Seattle will sell a box of 10 sheets for $45-50 (!)- that's perhaps the truest sign it's discontinued . Perhaps the whole family is disappearing?

 

[Kisatchie]

Well, I just ordered 30 rolls from Adorama. Guess I'll have to eat all the ice cream in the freezer so the film will fit.

 

[2F/2F]

Isn't it true that Astia is the most neutral, realistic palette of Fuji's? Why then wouldn't they get rid of Provia, and then you've got Astia and Velvia 100. Or is Velvia 100 much more saturated than Provia?

Either way, it's sad, we're left with garrish films. EPP has been dropped, 400NC has been dropped (though by all accounts Portra 400 is great); what left do we have for pleasant, non-exaggerated color?

It is subdued, like Fuji's S films and Kodak's NC films. Provia is more realistic IMO. So is Reala, for that matter. T64 is more realistic than either. Most people like Astia (and almost every film) because it isn't realistic; they just don't realize it.

The word I got on Reala was that it is made and ships only once a year from Japan. Therefore, people in other countries often think it is discontinued when the stock for that year sells out. I've thought that Reala was discontinued in the U.S.A. and brought back at least twice before being given this information by Freestyle.

It makes sense to me that it is going away in 135 format. I don't think that most people who shoot transparency films nowadays are doing it to have some slides to project. I think that most who bother with them are using larger formats and scanning.

 

[jalbert]

Astia 100F has always been a niche film and not overly popular in this era where bold, saturated colors are viewed as a requirement for most color images. I suspect many more emulsions are going to be discontinued in 35mm over the next few years. It is the most expensive format to manufacture.

 

[frobozz]

Just ordered my 30 rolls from Adorama too! Way cheaper in the 5-pack in case that wasn't obvious to anyone else who goes there. My freezer hasn't had room for ice cream for a while...

Duncan

 

[ssloansjca]

I ordered some from Freestyle which has 5 packs on clearance.

 

[frobozz]

Weird- Freestyle has those 5-packs under their "Hot Deals" page but the price is essentially the same as Adorama's normal price (unless that Adorama price is also a sale price and they just aren't telling us that.) Oh well, nobody will have it for any price soon.

Duncan