Fuji not supplying OEM film any more?

[ajuk]

According to the Firstcall catalogue their Tudor range of films is being discontinued as Fuji have decided to stop all "private label" films, is this true seems suicidal to me and a real shame since I love being able to get Fuji C200 (or maybe Superia 200, I'm not sure if Fuji still make two 200 speed emulations anymore) from a place called Poundland here in the UK for the pricey some of one pound. It's the cheapest price by far I've been able to get a semi decent emultion for that price for years, and I fear I'm digressing.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Suicidal? What do you mean? I imagine it was no longer profitable....

 

[railwayman3]

Tudor is/was one of the large consumer photo-processing services in the UK, who, like many others such as Bonusprint, Truprint, Lloyds, Boots, etc., supplied their own private-label films. Clearly consumer demand for analog "D&P" is much reduced, so it is not surprising that some of these private-label films have vanished from the scene.

(I don't have the current Firstcall printed catalogue, but I cannot find any statement on their website that Tudor is discontinued?)

Whatever the position with Tudor, it doesn't follow that Fuji have ceased all private-label manufacture. I would like to see see definitive confirmation direct from Fuji before another set of "discontinuation" rumours is started.

 

[AgX]

As far as I know there never was a press release by Fuji saying that they are converting their films for private-labels.
Thus I don't expect a statement on a discontinuation of such practise.

 

[Brac]

If it's true, I wonder who will make the colour films for Agfa Photo (Lupus Imaging & Media) in future?.

 

[AgX]

We then still would have Kodak with their private-label supply.

 

[Paul Howell]

Kodak has stopped selling private lable B&W, wounder if they will sell private lable color? Now that the oprhaned rolls of Konica, Agfa and Ferrina are gone and only Kodak and Fuji marketing color film, at least in the US, I dont know if they see any reason to sell private label. The last Lucky I have seen was in Walmart disposable cameras, but have seen rolls of Lucky in several years.

 

[ath]

[...]wounder if they will sell private lable color?[...]

They do since several years at least in Germany.

 

[AgX]

The last Lucky I have seen was in Walmart disposable cameras, but have seen rolls of Lucky in several years.

Lucky ceased production of colour Film last year.

 

[Brac]

What about the Lomography people - they are supposed to have secured their own production - perhaps they have got access to the Lucky colour facilities? There is also a 35mm colour film called Sunny emanating from China in 100 & 200 ISO speeds. The box & canister is quite different from Lucky so it's not clear who makes that. Even more intriguing, I recently came across a 35mm colour print film with the strange name of My Heart. It can be got from sellers in China on ebay, but it's not necessarily made there. I purchased three rolls but not yet used them. The film offers 27 exposures, 200 ISO and surprisingly is not DX coded. Everything on the box is in English but no manufacturer or country of origin is given. Again the canister differs from those used by Sunny & Lucky so maybe there is yet another mystery manufacturer? Maybe it emanates from the rumoured facility in North Korea? Some N.Korean products apparently find their way to the Chinese market. I just hope the film is frame numbered! But I don't suppose any of these people, whoever they are, will be stepping in Fuji's shoes to supply private label films!

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

As far as I know Sunny film is Ferrania master rolls spooled and finished in China by this company: http://www.chinacsky.com/product/88612/Sunny_135_color_film_100.htm
My Heart might be Fuji stock. After development, look at the edge markings on the negative. That should give an indication of its origin.

 

[AgX]

The signing (markings at the rebate) is done during the conversion from a masterroll (or an intermediate) to the final format. And then in case of re-branding typically not with a hint at the original manufacturer.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

AgX
You are right. I was taking my conclusions from Agfaphoto Vista Plus 200 which has the code CA24 on the rebate. That seems to be a Fuji code as Superia 200 is CA23.
Saying that, I had re-branded film that was difficult to identify as there was no manufacturer code, just as you said above.

 

[AgX]

I guess you are right: I did not think of a certain manufacturer related code.

 

[cmacd123]

Ferrania stoped film production a while ago now. So if they were the supplier, the sorce will have to change.

The look at the edge printing trick will work sometimes, I used to us it to decide if cheap depertment store colour film was fuji or Konica. As others have said, it only works if the original factory did the conversion from master rolls. If a small firm does not have the right packaging equipment the film may have no edge markings, or unique edge marking no mater how made the stock they are converting.

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

huatianfu industrial development co., ltd. of shantou is a high-tech enterprise in guangdong province, which is engaged in the scientific research and production of information recording materials and other matching products, and we have right to import and export.

we aim to build up the number 1 information recording material industrial park, develop sustainable strategies, and have a positive impact on markets, as well as on society as a whole. we develop from a processing semi-finished product company to an independent developing and manufacture company. apart from administration departments, we set up a research centre, a fine chemical factory, an integrative processing factory and a pharmacy chemical factory. currently we possess properties including a piece of land of 57,600sqm, a factory of 55,482sqm, green space of 15,000sqm and total assets of over 370 million rmb.

we have a complete range of specification products include graphic arts film, pcb film, digital photographic color paper, fuji display material for digital printer, industrial x-ray film and chemical for graphic art film. our products are widely used in electronics industry, printing industry, printing & dyeing industries and commodity industry. we have unique advantages and characteristics from long term hard working.

technology advantage:
we introduce ferrania technologies s.p.a.'s advantage technology and formula, our products are capable to replace the import goods, and come up to the international standards of similar products. graphic art film and pcb film would fill the market gap of china. the technical staffs cover 45% of total number of our employees. we have 16 inventions and utility model patents, and awarded by guangdong science and technology department as "guangdong high-tech enterprise". engineering development center was found in 2005 which provide the conditions for business innovation.

rewards since 2004:
1. passed iso9001:2000 international quality management system authentication;
2. awarded as "reliable and credible enterprise" by shantou industrial and commercial bureau;
3. awarded as "golden customer" by shantou branch of bank of communications;
4. credit ratings as "level aa" by industrial and commercial bank of china;
5. "a enterprise" by shantou customs.

market advantage:
we entered the market over 10 years ago and have built up strong relationships with our customers in every province in china, as well as we have 168 long-term customers. even so, the supply of the market is unable to meet the demands of clients for information recording materials.

cost leadership:
currently there are only six professional factories producing information recording materials in the world. there are only four factories out of six producing pcb recording film, and we are one of the four. our cost has been relatively low and quality has been good. there is much more space for improvement.

we aim to build the number 1 chinese information recording materials industrial park, and plan to invest 2 billion rmb in the next 10 years in order to make total output value of over 6 billion rmb. we welcome people from all circles to contact us for business.
Company Authentication
City: Shantou
Province/State: Guangdong
Country/Region: China (Mainland)
Number of Employees: 101 - 500 People
Year Established: 2004
Main Markets:
Boss: Mr. Lianhua Du
Business Type Manufacturer, Distributor/Wholesaler

 

[madgardener]

Wonder what their film is like since they are using Ferrenia technology.

 

[Brac]

As far as I know Sunny film is Ferrania master rolls spooled and finished in China by this company: http://www.chinacsky.com/product/88612/Sunny_135_color_film_100.htm
My Heart might be Fuji stock. After development, look at the edge markings on the negative. That should give an indication of its origin.

I think you are right about the Sunny film. Since my previous post, I've dug about a bit more and read that Ferrania had licensed their film technology to the people who own the "Sunny" brand. So in theory, when the Ferrania master rolls run out, Sunny could continue making films to the Ferrania specification. That assumes they have a coating facility or access to one, or maybe they are already doing this - I have no idea. The films are currently still available on ebay, so it will be interesting to see if they continue to be.

As to the strangely named "My Heart" film, again I came across a reference to this being made in China but no information as to the actual manufacturer.

 

[cmacd123]

OK you guys, the thread made me buy 5 rolls of "sunny 100".

Film is packed in a canister that looks similar to what Ferannia used to use, but I have not had a chance to do a side by side comparison. Cassette is crimped, and has the brand information in at least three colour lithography. (Blue with Orange and White) The DX barcode is labled 013954. The Emulsion surface has a sheen that looks similar to the sheen on "lomography 110 film".
The back of the film looks about as dark as Plux-X pan so they are using some sort of Anti-hallo in the undercoat. The film seems fairly translucent.

The box is in english only (no Chinese characters) and assures that "You can get ideal process results by using C-41 process liquid" The Expiry date and emulsion number are in the form of a sticker - expiry 2014/06 emulsion 2014/04. Color is spelt the American way with no "u"

Claims to be made by Hua Tian Fu Photo Materials Co. Ltd of Shantou City

Will probably be several months before I get around to shooting a roll and sending it off to be processed, (I mostly only do B&W at home)

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

....

Claims to be made by Hua Tian Fu Photo Materials Co. Ltd of Shantou City

....

Maybe the same company that makes the Shantou ERA 100 b&w film. I love that stuff. I shoot a load of it.


UC Berkeley campus YashicaT4Super Shantou ERA100 D-76-90perStock 6min45sec 20C 2010-12 VSmac 9000 Scan-101211-0007 by rich8155 (Richard Sintchak)

 

[pdeeh]

Shantou ERA 100 b&w film. I shoot a load of it

From where are you getting it? (I find it impossible to track down) Or have a you a lot of freezer stock?

 

[railwayman3]

Going back to the start of the thread....has anyone any definitive confirmation (preferably from Fuji) that they are no longer making any private label film. Or is this yet another rumour based on "something heard somewhere"?

 

[Sal Santamaura]

...has anyone any definitive confirmation (preferably from Fuji)...

There are still four months left in the year for others to enter, but you've already got a good chance of winning the "most hilarious post of 2013" contest.

Definitive confirmation from Fuji about anything???

 

[railwayman3]

There are still four months left in the year for others to enter, but you've already got a good chance of winning the "most hilarious post of 2013" contest.

Definitive confirmation from Fuji about anything???

I think, in that case, the award isn't due to me....it should be given to the O.P. who started speculation based on something in the Freestyle catalogue, resulting in three pages of postings nothing to do with the original issue.

As I said, yet another rumour based on "something read somewhere".....

 

[Roger Cole]

OP said nothing about Freestyle. The comment was about Firstcall. Zim not sure what that is but since the OP is in the UK and I'm not is guess it is something there.