Fuji film ......

[RobertV]

This is what left (for Europe) of the Fuji film program:

(Photokina 2010 Köln)

E-6 is very heavy under pressure but also their B&W program.

 

[perkeleellinen]

No 35mm Reala for any of Europe now? Nor Astia. Hmm, very sad. But perhaps a little more alarming, no Neopan 1600? I noticed recently, that Neo1600 didn't feature on Fuji UK's website, but decided not to make a thread about it as these things get whipped up.

 

[CGW]

What surprises me is that Fuji still makes so many consumer c-41 films, especially since the once-ubiquitous Superia line is borderline scarce around Toronto and pro Fuji products are both pricey and even harder hard to find. Now that cheap c-41 processing has nearly vanished, why bother? In my area, pro labs have mostly dropped C-41/b&w/E6 processing--a few persist but with high prices and slow service. I'm guessing there will be only a few Fuji pro c-41 and E6 emulsions on the chart next year. Kodak seems to be following suit. We'll still have film but don't expect today's selection.

 

[AgX]

But perhaps a little more alarming, no Neopan 1600?

Still listed in Japan.
(and Germany...)

 

[hrst]

So, according to this, Superia 800 and Superia 1600 are not discontinued, as reported? This is good news if it's true.

 

[perkeleellinen]

There was a report that they were discontinued?

 

[Ihmemies]

There's a neverending steam of Fuji discontinuing/not discontinuing film x. I decided to shoot simply what's available in shops and care only when some film REALLY runs out.

Anyways, I was going to order 10-20 rolls of Neopan 1600 next week.. and I probably will, altough not having more of it available would be a sad day :I

 

[RobertV]

I will get a list from Fuji BeNeLux next week which films are phased out and when. But Neopan 1600 will disappear.

 

[perkeleellinen]

But Neopan 1600 will disappear.

Ugh. By the end of this year, I don't think any of the materials I was using in January will still be for sale. Time to get experimenting with Delta 3200, then.

 

[RobertV]

Time to get experimenting with Delta 3200, then

Well I think Ilford will have the same problem as with Neopan 1600. If I look in our ordering over some years Neopan 1600 is even less sold as Efke 25, Rollei Pan 25, Ortho 25.

It's clear for everybody Delta 3200 and Pan F+ will be not their best selling products too.

But for a relative big manufacturer as Fuji is less demand stopping to produce Neopan 1600, environmental problems for Neopan 400 120 roll film. No consumer market left for the Sensia (E6) and special films like Tungsten T64. No market enough for a 160S and 160C so it will be 160NS.

You can wait for the other big manufacturers when they reach their limit. On the other hand maybe a small market for more specialized companies like Rollei-Maco and Adox/Impex. However I doubt if Gevaert, Efke, Foma or Filmotec are able to make real high speed films (iso 1600 or more).
In the past (before 2001) Foma had their T800 film but it was discontinued due to a lack of demand. Speaking of Foma, they have investigated the market for B&W positive (like Scala) 120 roll film.

So several possibilities are open.

 

[MaximusM3]

Ugh. By the end of this year, I don't think any of the materials I was using in January will still be for sale. Time to get experimenting with Delta 3200, then.

Steve,

..or shoot Tri-X @3200..stand develop in Rodinal or standard in DDX.

This is Tri-X @ 6400 actually, stand developed in Rodinal 1:100 for two hours. There is nothing that Tri-X can't do.

image link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leicaman/5034487285/

 

[perkeleellinen]

Maximus - thanks for the idea, probably worth a try and your shot looks good. I actually shot a roll of Tri-X at 400 for the 1st time in ages recently and looking at the prints I noticed how similar the grain looked to Neo1600. For what it's worth, it's the grain rather than the speed I'm most interested in. Sadly, the film world does seem to be moving toward fine grain, I suppose that's where the big sales are.

 

[MaximusM3]

Maximus - thanks for the idea, probably worth a try and your shot looks good. I actually shot a roll of Tri-X at 400 for the 1st time in ages recently and looking at the prints I noticed how similar the grain looked to Neo1600. For what it's worth, it's the grain rather than the speed I'm most interested in. Sadly, the film world does seem to be moving toward fine grain, I suppose that's where the big sales are.

Hey Steve,

I love Neo1600 and 400 but Tri-X is my staple. I love grain and Tri-X + Rodinal gives me all I need 99% of the times. Yes, sad about the "no grain" way of things. I don't get it but hey, to each his own as always.

Max

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Robert,

ILFORD Photo / HARMAN will not have a 'problem' with DELTA 3200 or PAN F Plus : We will continue to coat all the films, in all the formats that we currently make. We are totally committed to having and maintaining the widest range of monochrome photo products, Film / Paper / Accessories and Chemistry
from any manufacturer.

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[AgX]

Meanwhile you have the choice out of more modern high-resolution films including corresponding developers.

 

[Ian Grant]

A comment about film availability world wide, I've seen Ilford B&W film in every single shop that sells B&W film (and often paper as well) that I've visited, usually there's a little Fuji too, surprisingly now often Foma as well but hardly ever Kodak (outside Europe & North America). That's in parts of Europe, Asia and South America.

Fuji have never had a particularly large stake in the B&W market in the areas I've lived in or visited, in fact they didn't import B&W films into the UK for quite a time, it was no secret that some were being made for them by another manufacturer at one point (the 1600 & chromogenic films).

Ian

 

[R gould]

as regards black and white film I don,t see too much of a problem, at least in Europe, Ilford is everywhere,which I am happy about, and Foma seems to be growing its market share,Most analogue photographers I know working in black and white use Ilford, Fuji was always big in colour, but never did that much in Black/white, even the C41 film they had was,I believe, rebadged ilford,Richard

 

[clayne]

as regards black and white film I don,t see too much of a problem, at least in Europe, Ilford is everywhere,which I am happy about, and Foma seems to be growing its market share,Most analogue photographers I know working in black and white use Ilford, Fuji was always big in colour, but never did that much in Black/white, even the C41 film they had was,I believe, rebadged ilford,Richard

Neopan 100, 400, and 1600 have always been reasonably used. You might not use them but others definitely do. They have been and still are producing beautiful black and white emulsions. Try them sometime.

 

[clayne]

Also, to the people recommending pushing tri-x: while a nice look it it's own right you definitely won't have the shadow detail of 1600PR.

And 6400iso only works with strong highlights. It's not really even close to 6400 speed - it's curve shifting.

 

[Ian Grant]

Unfortunately Fuji don't produce that full range, Neopan 400 was discontinued in 120.

Ian

 

[clayne]

Still easily available in this other secret format: 135.

 

[MaximusM3]

Also, to the people recommending pushing tri-x: while a nice look it it's own right you definitely won't have the shadow detail of 1600PR.

And 6400iso only works with strong highlights. It's not really even close to 6400 speed - it's curve shifting.

Hmmm..not sure about that. 1600PR is at best ISO800 and it pushes ok to 1600. I bet that if we do a same scene comparison with Tri-X pushed two stops or 1600PR pushed one, (essentially both @1600) shadow detail differences would be negligible and I would likely give the edge to Tri-X. Different tonalities of course. Nothing is close to 6400 speed so it's just a matter of how far one can push and whether the results are worth it and or satisfactory. In that regard, there aren't many choices outside of stand developed Tri-X, in my opinion of course.

 

[Thingy]

Neopan 100, 400, and 1600 have always been reasonably used. You might not use them but others definitely do. They have been and still are producing beautiful black and white emulsions. Try them sometime.

I am a regular user of Quickload Acros (Neopan 100) which is an excellent film with a wide latitude both for shadow & highlights, though I shall now be forced to use their 5x4 sheet film. The only other b&w film I really like is Delta 100 which I now use instead of FP4.

 

[AbbeyFoto]

We know we are living on a knife edge. We will chase film from whoever can deliver. Choices may fall, but for me, still there is enough options.

Chris

 

[clayne]

Now be forced? I thought QLs were toast a while ago.