Fuji Film Price Hike

[revdocjim]

Well, it's true. The rumored 25% price increase for Fuji film is happening. I was the Yodobashi Camera film shop in Shinjuku yesterday and they already had the more expensive film with the redesigned box on the shelves for several types of film and were selling off their remaining old stock at the lower prices. I picked up a 5-pack of Velvia 50. It was priced at something like 2800 yen and the newer Velvia 50 was 3200 or 3400... Of course there is nothing actually new about it other than the price and the design of the packaging. So sad! I'm glad I stocked up on HP5+ and Arista when I was back in the U.S., but I still prefer Fuji reversal for landscape work so I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet. Apparently Fuji's price increases in the U.S. will be about 20% and won't take effect until July of this year.

 

[Dr Croubie]

Well, if it's the choice between expensive or unavailable, I know which one i'd choose...

*wanders off to stock up on old stuff*

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Yes.

Extinction is far more expensive in the long run to the successful practice of film photography than a 20-25% price hike.

And for obvious reasons, that doesn't mean everyone should simply adjust by using 20-25% less film. It's fine to complain. Just don't shoot yourself in the foot first, then complain later that it's hard to walk straight.

Ken

 

[noacronym]

Advertising.

 

[JLP]

The price increase already took effect in the US. I had a mix of Acros and Neopan 400 in my basket at B&H and when i came back to check out Acros had already a new higher price. Neopan 400 was still at the old price so that's what i bought. Acros will be there a little longer, Neopan 400 not so much.

 

[noacronym]

I don't see any Neopan 400 except for 35mm. None in 120? It's all called Neopan Across, not either/or.

 

[StoneNYC]

I don't see any Neopan 400 except for 35mm. None in 120? It's all called Neopan Across, not either/or.

It's long gone in 120


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[StoneNYC]

The price increase already took effect in the US. I had a mix of Acros and Neopan 400 in my basket at B&H and when i came back to check out Acros had already a new higher price. Neopan 400 was still at the old price so that's what i bought. Acros will be there a little longer, Neopan 400 not so much.

Yea, I "bought" over the Passover holiday before the increase but the actual sale wouldn't take affect till after Passover and I knew that would be after the price increase, thankfully they kept the prices at the old price for my order...

I knew the increase was supposed to happen April 1st so I bought just before but forgot about Passover and how B&H is totally Jewish... Which is the dumbest thing since my GF is very Jewish and I still forget that B&H follows the same schedule she does haha


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[noacronym]

So if 19.00 American for a 5 pack is the new price what was the old?

 

[Roger Cole]

I'm shooting up some slide film while I still can, but I have the freezer pretty well stocked already (mostly with Kodak since I missed out on stocking up on Astia) and I only shoot E6 in 35mm, so I can project it. In MF and LF I shoot B&W or color neg, and while I like Acros I can live just fine without it. In fact I could live just fine with only Ilford for B&W and Kodak for C41, for as long as the latter lasts.

Bottom line is, if it's worth it to you, use it. If it isn't, use something else. But Acros used to be about the least expensive name brand B&W film around (in 35mm and 120, paradoxically already one of the most expensive in 4x5) so I guess it's probably closer to comparable now.

 

[StoneNYC]

I'm shooting up some slide film while I still can, but I have the freezer pretty well stocked already (mostly with Kodak since I missed out on stocking up on Astia) and I only shoot E6 in 35mm, so I can project it. In MF and LF I shoot B&W or color neg, and while I like Acros I can live just fine without it. In fact I could live just fine with only Ilford for B&W and Kodak for C41, for as long as the latter lasts.

Bottom line is, if it's worth it to you, use it. If it isn't, use something else. But Acros used to be about the least expensive name brand B&W film around (in 35mm and 120, paradoxically already one of the most expensive in 4x5) so I guess it's probably closer to comparable now.

If they could make a PanF2 that had the 2 minute reciprocity failure of Acros (or FP5 hehe) I wouldn't need anything but Ilford, but no one seems to be able to match it... That's the only reason I shoot it besides the price.


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Roger Cole]

There is that, granted. TMX and TMY are pretty good WRT reciprocity failure too but they're not Acros. I think the suggestion that TMY is slower than TMX in long exposures has been refuted, at least until they get VERY long. TMY-2 might actually lead to shorter exposures than Acros though I'm far from sure of that, and that doesn't address the need to figure the compensation nor the impact on contrast.

 

[polyglot]

So if 19.00 American for a 5 pack is the new price what was the old?

It was $2.89/roll until late last year, then $3.40, and now about $4.

 

[polyglot]

There is that, granted. TMX and TMY are pretty good WRT reciprocity failure too but they're not Acros. I think the suggestion that TMY is slower than TMX in long exposures has been refuted, at least until they get VERY long. TMY-2 might actually lead to shorter exposures than Acros though I'm far from sure of that, and that doesn't address the need to figure the compensation nor the impact on contrast.

While Acros holds up better than TMY2, the exposure duration for TMY2 at EI400 will always (for exposures shorter than one night) be shorter than for Acros. But you'll get less contrast-increase from the Acros.

 

[revdocjim]

When it comes to monochrome, I have probably shot more Tri-X than anything else but have also had great results with HP5+, Fomapan and most recently Arista. But I have to be honest with you, when developed in Fuji Super Prodol all of these films look better, and Fuji Acros and Presto are absolutely brilliant! I spent the last 6 months in the U.S. struggling with developers since I couldn't get my hands on Super Prodol. I tried D-76, Ilfosol 3 and HC-110. After lots of experimentation with agitation methods the results started getting better, but with Super Prodol I have never had to struggle like that. Now I'm back in Tokyo and ran my first roll thru Super Prodol the other night and remembered why I love it so much! And the amazing thing is that with Acros and Presto it only requires 4.25 minutes!

 

[Roger Cole]

To put it in perspective I went to B&H's web site and sorted film listings to 120 film, black and white negative, speeds 100 and 125, then sorted to display least expensive to most expensive. Acros is still the least expensive at $3.89. Next is Delta 100 at $4.19, FP4+ at $4.25, Fomapan 100 (!) at $4.29, and most expensive is TMX at $4.50. Considering what a good film Acros is and the unique reciprocity failure characteristics, it's still a small bargain, but "small" in the sense that all these films are close enough in price, for most of us anyway, for price not to be much of a deciding factor. Use the one that you prefer.

I put the exclamation mark by the Foma because I'm surprised to see it more expensive than every other film except TMX. Of course it's available in the US from Freestyle in their house brand Arista EDU Ultra for $3.09, so I at least would never pay $4.29 for it just because the box said Foma.

 

[Roger Cole]

While Acros holds up better than TMY2, the exposure duration for TMY2 at EI400 will always (for exposures shorter than one night) be shorter than for Acros. But you'll get less contrast-increase from the Acros.

I suspected as much. Thanks for the confirmation. But Acros does provide not only the lack of contrast increase but simplicity - just meter and shoot out to two minutes, and add 1/2 stop for 2 minutes up to 1000 seconds (16 2/3 minutes.)

 

[rolleiman]

I too have been surprised at the hike in Fuji prices. I've bought some Agfa Precisa 100asa tranny to try out, which is more reasonably priced, not completed a roll yet so can't comment on it. It seems that smaller "niche" companies are re-launching films from Rollei, Agfa etc. Interesting trend, could it be a "life-saver" for film enthusiasts?......Good to know at least some companies appreciate there are plenty of film users still around.

 

[Roger Cole]

Precisa is made by Fuji, unless there is soneone else in Japan making slide film. I have some in my fridge and it's marked "made in Japan." I bought it based on a rumor it was Astia but now word is its more like an amateur version of Provia. I haven't shot any of mine yet.

 

[benjiboy]

Fuji just about have the monoply on film especially for reversal films, they are just pressing their advantage, because their first duty is to make the maximum profit their shareholders not to make their products cheap their customers.

 

[Roger Cole]

The only monopolies they have are reversal film and instant, which are a pretty small part of total film sales but if you want those and you want new and fresh, it'll be Fuji. I just bought another ten rolls of in date E100G for the freezer but of course when it's gone it's gone.

 

[perkeleellinen]

Precisa is made by Fuji, unless there is soneone else in Japan making slide film. I have some in my fridge and it's marked "made in Japan." I bought it based on a rumor it was Astia but now word is its more like an amateur version of Provia. I haven't shot any of mine yet.

I've read it is Sensia, which I always thought was closer to Astia than Provia.

 

[Roger Cole]

I never shot any Sensia so I don't have experience with it, but if it's closer to Astia than Provia I'll be happy with it. It might be similar to my dwindling supplies of frozen E100G then, except with the Fuji palette.

 

[rolleiman]

Precisa is made by Fuji, unless there is soneone else in Japan making slide film. I have some in my fridge and it's marked "made in Japan." I bought it based on a rumor it was Astia but now word is its more like an amateur version of Provia. I haven't shot any of mine yet.

Are you certain it's made by Fuji?...on my packet it states the origin as being "AgfaPhoto Holding GmbH" produced under license from Agfa-Gavaert, which, I believe was the original Agfa film manufacturing company. It also states "produced for and distributed by Lupus Imaging & Media", another German company. The rest of the info on the film packet is all in German, giving the impression Germany is the source.

 

[AgX]

AgfaPhoto is a designation used sparcely by Agfa since the late 90's or so to indicate their Consumer Branch.
However it was not used as brand.

When Agfa sold off that department in 2004 the new entity and its holding company got the name AgfaPhoto.

The life of that production company was only for some months, then it went mysteriously bancrupt. The holding company still exists.
They (or Lupus) sold off remnants out of the film stock (either manufactured by Agfa or Agfaphoto). The AgfaPhoto APX is out of that stock. When their colour film stock ended they rebranded films from other manufacturers.

AgfaPhoto of today is not a manufacturer. Furthermore they license the name AgfaPhoto for different kind of photo-related products.

Agfa (Agfa-Gevaert N.V.) which is still alive and huge and still owner of the brandname AgfaPhoto started a legal case against that rebranding with their name but lost the case.
(This is what "produced under license from Agfa-Gevaert" hints at.)



AgfaPhoto Holding and Lupus Imaging are branding resp. distributing companies, not manufacturers in the proper sense.
Those films may have been converted and packed in Germany, by other companies.