Fujifilm 400

Nitroplait · Mar 28, 2023

@pentaxuser Those two examples from @Huss are very interesting.

If we agree that Fujifilm at least for a period sourced 200 ISO color film from Kodak and changed the product name from C200 to 200.

...And agree that the published data sheet of the then new 200 was virtually identical to that of Kodak Gold 200.

Then given the evidence from @Huss, Fujifilm has now taken back production to Japan but maintain the new name Fujifilm 200!

Does that mean the Data sheet is now updated to reflect that Fujifilm 200 is a real Fujifilm and not a Kodak film?

A few additional observations:
@Huss expiry dates are not exactly recent.
I bought C200 (Made in Japan) from the last batch available in my country (Expiry date 2024.03).
The Fujifilm 200 (Made in USA) that succeeded it had(Expiry date 02/2004 and was in typical slightly larger Kodak cardboard box and plastic container.

The current Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400 (Made in Japan) which I am hoarding from my local shops have expiry date 2025.06 - and is almost a year fresher than Huss' samples.
That leaves me confused.

@Huss The film in those boxes, are they in the usual Fujifilm plastic container or other indication that it comes from another source than the US made Fujifilm branded products?

aw614 · Mar 28, 2023

I bought a similar Fuji C200 pack last spring of 2022, and it also had the usual plastic container and made in Japan. The flip side is a few months later I bought two single rolls at Target and it appeared to be the made in the USA Fuji 200 and it has a different plastic container than the C200 I bought.

pentaxuser · Mar 28, 2023

Some good points made in #51 and #52 which require us to raise some doubts as to what is going on exactly

pentaxuser

Arcadia4 · Mar 28, 2023

A few thoughts-
First the news on fujifilm 400 is about new stock thats coming soon, not stock you can buy now, so shots of packs bought recently dont tell us alot. This potentially affects the US only, although in the case of 200 that also filtered through to europe a few months later.

The difference is also clearly visible on the front of the new packaging with the film canister shot losing all reference to ‘fujicolor’. Its worth noting (for the rest of us) that 3- roll packs featured are unique to the north America market.

The optimistic explanation is that fujifilm are trying to keep up with demand which exceeds their kanagawa capacity and so are dual sourcing supply with kodak. So by removing the ‘fujicolor‘ designation you can sell a kodak or a fuji generic 400 speed colour product which meets certain basic parameters and the average user wont mind and it keeps product on the shelf/ meets existing contracts. This could be a temporary or as needed arrangement.

The alternative is that they intend to source an increasing portion of future colour neg product via kodak as they have more profitable use for their coating line and so its a longer term outsourcing shift and inexorable exit of japan coated colour films.

The fact that theres still japan produced 200 around at the moment perhaps favours the first theory but only time will tell as both could run in parallel a while. (web info is that the last fuji japan coated version in 200 is dated exp 2024-09 so if anyone has any dated later do share) .

Huss · Mar 28, 2023

The Fujifilm 200 and 400 that is marked Made In Japan w 2024 expiry date was bought in 2022. I buy a lot at a time which is why I still have some.

To me Made in Japan means made in Japan. Which means Fuji makes it. Fuji had no problem selling Fuji 200 with Made in the USA on it, when it was made in the USA, by Kodak. So why would they now label their film Made in Japan if it is made in the USA?

I think that some people are trying to ignore what is right in front of them, and instead concoct some kind of mystery.

cmacd123 · Mar 28, 2023

one should rember that the listing on B&H Photo's site That apperently started this thread included this package shoto showing "Made in USA" and distribution by FUJIFILM North America Corp.

Fuji Film fans will also note the "CH" designation. and the writing in the three languages used in the NAFTA area. (English, French and Spanish)

cmacd123 · Mar 28, 2023

Also the Single roll version shows as "CUSMA" qualified, indicating it is North American Production.

rickylc · Mar 28, 2023

if it ends up being $5.99/roll, I frankly don't care who makes it.

Minolta93 · Mar 28, 2023

cmacd123 said:
Also the Single roll version shows as "CUSMA" qualified, indicating it is North American Production.
View attachment 334133

Please tell me that $5.99 isn't a mistake.

Huss · Mar 28, 2023

rickylc said:
if it ends up being $5.99/roll, I frankly don't care who makes it.

No kidding

cmacd123 · Mar 28, 2023

it is 5.99 as long as you can't add it to your cart. was it not only a couple of years ago when a 3 pack was 9.95 US?

Huss · Mar 29, 2023

I bet you it’s a mis-print and they forgot the 1 before the 5.
look at their price for the 3 pack

twelvetone12 · Mar 29, 2023

Well today Fuji posted an announcement that they are temporarily stopping supply of color film in Japan:
https://www.fujifilm.com/ffis/ja/news/126

March 29, 2023

Notice and Apology Concerning Domestic Supply of "Color Negative Film 135 Size" and "Reversal Film 135 and 120 Size
Dear customers

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued patronage of Fujifilm products.

Due to the shortage of raw materials, it is difficult to supply enough color negative film 135 size and reversal film 135 size and 120 size, so we will temporarily stop accepting domestic orders for these products from today. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our customers.
We will announce on our website when we will resume accepting orders.

We will continue to take measures to ensure a stable supply of products as soon as possible. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

It seems to be limited to Japan and I hope it is really temporarily.

pentaxuser · Mar 29, 2023

The waters are getting murkier again It's a bit like the old Flash Gordon episodes when just as you thought it was becoming clearer the scriptwriters released the next episode

pentaxuser

Huss · Mar 29, 2023

And this people, is why you stock up when it is available. Don't buy one or two rolls. Buy 30+...

brbo · Mar 29, 2023

Huss said:
And this people, is why you stock up when it is available. Don't buy one or two rolls. Buy 30+...

And this is exactly what manufacturers don't want.

Huss · Mar 29, 2023

brbo said:
And this is exactly what manufacturers don't want.

Why? I use it up. Mfgs want sales.

MattKing · Mar 29, 2023

The various participants in the supply chain would much prefer that you buy one roll of film a month than 12 rolls of film at the beginning of each year.
Given how much film you appear to use Huss, I'm guessing that they aren't worrying about that with you.

Huss · Mar 29, 2023

MattKing said:
The various participants in the supply chain would much prefer that you buy one roll of film a month than 12 rolls of film at the beginning of each year.
Given how much film you appear to use Huss, I'm guessing that they aren't worrying about that with you.

I am showing them there is incredible demand, and they need to ramp up production!

"Yoshi-san, every time we ship a batch of C200, it sells out in a day"
"Kenji-san - call Zeke at Kodak and ask him to relabel their Colorplus - no-one will notice"

Nitroplait · Mar 30, 2023

Huss said:
And this people, is why you stock up when it is available. Don't buy one or two rolls. Buy 30+...

These days in Japan, most places, physical and online, will limit your purchase of color film to one(1) roll!
I am going to Tokyo next month, and my usual habit of preordering film for convenience store pick-up won't do this time.
Luckily I don't have a problem stocking-up in my home country, as I visit my local lab on a almost weekly basis - so I add to my stash whenever possible, but I have specifically hoped the preorder route would have been possible this time, so I could avoid security scanning through possible newly installed CT scanners on the route to Japan.

I find it very strange that I don't have problems buying Japanese made Superia X-TRA 400 where I live, but Fujifilm have to throw the towel in the ring for Japan.
That is very unusual for a Japanese company, as they normally tend to favour their home market.

Nitroplait · Mar 30, 2023

Huss said:
"Kenji-san - call Zeke at Kodak and ask him to relabel their Colorplus - no-one will notice"

:-D
Yes, it is very likely few if any would have noticed if it wasn't for the "Made in USA" and Kodak styled data-sheet.

LeoniD · Mar 30, 2023

twelvetone12 said:
stopping supply

For me it reads more like they are stopping to accept new orders until they fulfill the old ones

As for the 5.99 price, since Fuji most likely bought a master-roll, which is technically not considered a consumer imaging product, Alaris could not dictate their price. For me a much more interesting question is why Kodak refuses to provide any information on Colorplus. No datasheets, no mentions on Alaris website, nothing

Agulliver · Mar 31, 2023

Nitroplait said:
I find it very strange that I don't have problems buying Japanese made Superia X-TRA 400 where I live, but Fujifilm have to throw the towel in the ring for Japan.
That is very unusual for a Japanese company, as they normally tend to favour their home market.

They have not thrown in the towel. To use another sporting analogy, they're calling for a time-out.

brbo · Mar 31, 2023

Nitroplait said:
I find it very strange that I don't have problems buying Japanese made Superia X-TRA 400 where I live, but Fujifilm have to throw the towel in the ring for Japan.
That is very unusual for a Japanese company, as they normally tend to favour their home market.

That doesn't mean that 99% folks can buy Superia X-Tra 400 when we want.

But maybe you can tell us where you are buying it so we can spoil that experience of "endless, uninterrupted" supply of this film for you

pentaxuser · Mar 31, 2023

Agulliver said:
They have not thrown in the towel. To use another sporting analogy, they're calling for a time-out.

Maybe but doesn't the poster who used this phrase pose a good question to which we have no obvious answer, namely why do this in its home market which it usually favours

pentaxuser

Fujifilm 400

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