Fujifilm discusses the future of film

[RattyMouse]

Fujifilm discontinued another film and then talks about the future.

http://www.thephoblographer.com/201...60-discusses-the-future-of-film/#.V50nMlT3anM

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Right.

See: http://ffis.fujifilm.co.jp/information/articlein_0054.html
Google translate: https://translate.google.co.uk/tran...mation/articlein_0054.html&edit-text=&act=url

 

[bvy]

The list of current offerings addresses a question I had earlier, as I noticed B&H stopped carrying the 36 frame Superia's. It says they will be "reintroduced" Aug. 1 -- whatever that means.

Also, I didn't think their 200 speed consumer color negative film was a Superia. Wonder if that's a branding change or just a typo.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Also, I didn't think their 200 speed consumer color negative film was a Superia.

I don't know about your US market, but Fuji makes or made 2 colour negative films at ISO 200 available on the UK market: C200 and Superia 200.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Two words: Kodak Portra. Before the latest generation of Portras arrived on the market, the folk I know who shoot LF C41 neg, particularly in the UK, tended to choose the Fuji 160 stock. Now almost all of them tend to go for the Kodak stocks. I've worked with people who are/ were extensive users of Pro 160NS & it'd be hard to find a more uninteresting 'technically correct' material - it can look startlingly bland, even 'digital'. The killer feature of the Kodak C41s is that they are unafraid of having distinct characteristics across their range & more importantly, you can get 3/4 of them in all formats. In comparison, Fuji's C41 range is a disorganised, bloated mess, with the concomitant manufacturing inefficiencies that suggests. Why they decided to dump Superia 400 in 120 is a question I'll never know an answer to - especially as it was a much more interesting film than the 'pro' 400H. For what it's worth, I'd rather see Superia 200 in 120 & sheets, in place of 160NS. There also seems to be an unwillingness on Fuji's part to actually ask their customers about their views on their products & the prices they'd be willing to pay to keep them being manufactured.

 

[bvy]

I don't know about your US market, but Fuji makes or made 2 colour negative films at ISO 200 available on the UK market: C200 and Superia 200.

Interesting. I'll be interested to see how it's branded after being "reintroduced."

 

[Prest_400]

In comparison, Fuji's C41 range is a disorganised, bloated mess, with the concomitant manufacturing inefficiencies that suggests. Why they decided to dump Superia 400 in 120 is a question I'll never know an answer to - especially as it was a much more interesting film than the 'pro' 400H. For what it's worth, I'd rather see Superia 200 in 120 & sheets, in place of 160NS. There also seems to be an unwillingness on Fuji's part to actually ask their customers about their views on their products & the prices they'd be willing to pay to keep them being manufactured.

Indeed. Some markets carry some formats of some film and others do not have it. 160NS has been for a long time (since 160C and S were discontinued) in a limbo state. Available in 120, 220! and sheet in Japan. Europe it had some presence. US gone... In such a connected world it grabs a strange perception when some of us do know or not about the state. BTW, 160NS in 220 is something very interesting as it still held a 2x120 price and is still available fresh. I am debating whether to get a pack to freeze... When I prefer to know the portras.
Kodak has Ektar and the Portras, ditto. Fuji does have order in the E6 line thankfully. Some order in the Fuji C41 line up please!

Superia 400 in 120 was a strange child, as it is perceived as consumer film but priced the same as the pro 400H. 400H is all the rage for the Wedding crowd and airy look with even more appreciation than Kodak's line up. Your suggestion of a 120 superia 200 is interesting, as it seems to be a more balanced film; and if they were able to keep it a notch down in price (Superia 200 is quite cheap!) it'd be interesting. There's lomo (Kodak private label?) as the most affordable film option.

BTW, Both Kodak (COlor plus) and Fuji (C200) lowest class films and some market brands (Proplus, Profoto, Industrial) are unlisted in their sites.

 

[RattyMouse]

Two words: Kodak Portra. Before the latest generation of Portras arrived on the market, the folk I know who shoot LF C41 neg, particularly in the UK, tended to choose the Fuji 160 stock. Now almost all of them tend to go for the Kodak stocks. I've worked with people who are/ were extensive users of Pro 160NS & it'd be hard to find a more uninteresting 'technically correct' material - it can look startlingly bland, even 'digital'. The killer feature of the Kodak C41s is that they are unafraid of having distinct characteristics across their range & more importantly, you can get 3/4 of them in all formats. In comparison, Fuji's C41 range is a disorganised, bloated mess, with the concomitant manufacturing inefficiencies that suggests. Why they decided to dump Superia 400 in 120 is a question I'll never know an answer to - especially as it was a much more interesting film than the 'pro' 400H. For what it's worth, I'd rather see Superia 200 in 120 & sheets, in place of 160NS. There also seems to be an unwillingness on Fuji's part to actually ask their customers about their views on their products & the prices they'd be willing to pay to keep them being manufactured.

I love the color of Fujifilm's C-41 pro films. I have always chosen 160NS and 400H over Portra. The color is just soooo much better.

 

[mshchem]

I've always shot Portra for C41 with great results, sad to see the Fuji offering go. I've always loved the Fuji Provia E-6 films. I try to buy a few rolls every month or so to keep the machines going. This fall I plan to shoot some 8 x10 Portra and make some color contact prints.
With the end of Cibachrome the only reversal I do is 2 1/4 square slides for fun.
It's so sad to see this stuff go. Digital is amazing but it doesn't look like film.
Best Regards Mike

 

[redstarjedi]

Did i read that correctly? After August 1st they will reintroduce superia 800 in 36 exp? I've only seen it in 24 exp in the united states. I really want superia 800 in 36 exp again.

 

[Wallendo]

I don't quite understand Fuji's marketing. They manufacture a large variety of films sold only in the Japanese market. Are the needs and wants of Japanese film photographers that different from the rest of the world?

 

[mooseontheloose]

I don't quite understand Fuji's marketing. They manufacture a large variety of films sold only in the Japanese market. Are the needs and wants of Japanese film photographers that different from the rest of the world?

And chemicals and paper too.

The cynic in me would say that Fuji only really cares about the Japanese market - which is not something limited to only that manufacturer.

 

[dreamingartemis]

I don't quite understand Fuji's marketing. They manufacture a large variety of films sold only in the Japanese market. Are the needs and wants of Japanese film photographers that different from the rest of the world?

No, they are just narrow minded little twerts

 

[mehguy]

An interesting read. The fact that they tried to make 35mm cater to the younger generation is quite interesting. But I don't think it would have worked... If they did something like the 35mm polaroid instant film it might have taken off...

 

[Diapositivo]

And chemicals and paper too.

The cynic in me would say that Fuji only really cares about the Japanese market - which is not something limited to only that manufacturer.

Fujifilm is a firm. I'm sure Jack Daniels produces more kinds of whiskey (or whatever they are) for the US market than for the export. Your national market is the market you know, and is the market which preferentially buys your products. For foreign markets, you have to find one or more distributors who will take some risk more (currency fluctuations, time of delivery, preservation problems during transport). I am not surprised that Fujifilm sells more kinds of products at home. Complaints should be addressed to the US importer, or to the US consumer. Fujifilm certainly would like to sell everything everywhere.

 

[StoneNYC]

I don't quite understand Fuji's marketing. They manufacture a large variety of films sold only in the Japanese market. Are the needs and wants of Japanese film photographers that different from the rest of the world?

Yes, Fuji Velvia50 is WAY more popular in Japan as the over-saturation is more popular there than here.

And as someone else mentioned, currency fluctuations etc can be tedious. But really, it just doesn't sell here.

I may have mentioned this, but I do a group buy for 4x5 and 8x10 Velvia50 sheet film for the US, and I can tell you first hand the demand numbers are TINY.

 

[DREW WILEY]

When it comes to printmaking, Velvia is not a particularly cooperative film. You need mild lighting ratios. More a "gotta have the saturation"
concept - and that market has already gone digi, or more precisely, gone right overboard into hypersaturation ad nauseum. Otherwise, I found Fuji
color neg sheet films to be excellent and predictable. Can't speak for the amateur versions. It's just that I like Kodak color neg even better for
my personal applications, and their options in this niche are now better than ever. But it's sad that they discontinued chrome film, right when they were at their peak with E100G. Most of the problems I've had with Fuji were with the inflexibility of Fujifilm USA.

 

[Helinophoto]

I always find it funny (tragic) that with ever discontinuation, they still managed to state "Fujifilm continues to support blablablabla for professional and amateur photographers"

In 35mm there are no 100ISO color-options at all any more, in 120, it's the 160ns, which I use and like (more than the Portra really) and the 400H and that's it.
(There was Fujicolor 100, or Fuji Industrial 100 in 35mm but that is all axed now, in silence).

If they want to cater to the young and hip(sters), they need to start making 160ns in 35mm, maybe they did and axed that already.

Frankly, I am not sure how to relate to Fuji anymore, the 160ns is being placed on the chopping-board, better start stocking up, because I fear it will get the axe in 120 before 2016 is over. I think they have a secret plan to be completely out of the whole film-thing by 2020, only time will tell.

 

[RattyMouse]

I always find it funny (tragic) that with ever discontinuation, they still managed to state "Fujifilm continues to support blablablabla for professional and amateur photographers"

In 35mm there are no 100ISO color-options at all any more, in 120, it's the 160ns, which I use and like (more than the Portra really) and the 400H and that's it.
(There was Fujicolor 100, or Fuji Industrial 100 in 35mm but that is all axed now, in silence).

If they want to cater to the young and hip(sters), they need to start making 160ns in 35mm, maybe they did and axed that already.

Frankly, I am not sure how to relate to Fuji anymore, the 160ns is being placed on the chopping-board, better start stocking up, because I fear it will get the axe in 120 before 2016 is over. I think they have a secret plan to be completely out of the whole film-thing by 2020, only time will tell.

In the US, we have no 160NS in any format so 120 shooters get 400H and nothing else for color from Fujifilm. It's truly miserable.

160NS disappeared from China just as I left the country in 2015. I dont know why they make the stuff and not sell it world wide! It's a really great film.

You are right, it's really hard to relate to Fujifilm these days.

 

[trondsi]

I don't think it is hard to understand at all. Film used to be massively popular, but sales have dwindled to a small fraction of what it once was. They are cutting back because they have to, all the while they don't want to lose their remaining film customers. It's depressing to see, but all we can do is buy film (and maybe send them emails saying how much we appreciate the remaining film they do sell).

As to iso 100 color film: They do have iso 100 color reversal film (Provia, Velvia), but maybe these don't work for everyone. I am mentioning this because I want more people to buy it; slide film is the most threatened kind of film, and I love the stuff

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

When Provia isn't available I switch to Rollei. Happy with that and it's slightly warmer than the sterile stalwart offered by Fuji-san.

Be aware that Fujifilm is also heavily involved in genomic science, among a swag of traditional and electronic disciplines. It is far removed from its "just film and cameras" footprint so many people think of, or today, imagine. It is quite a powerhouse in science and medicine.

 

[Diapositivo]

I don't think it is hard to understand at all. Film used to be massively popular, but sales have dwindled to a small fraction of what it once was. They are cutting back because they have to, all the while they don't want to lose their remaining film customers. It's depressing to see, but all we can do is buy film (and maybe send them emails saying how much we appreciate the remaining film they do sell).

As to iso 100 color film: They do have iso 100 color reversal film (Provia, Velvia), but maybe these don't work for everyone. I am mentioning this because I want more people to buy it; slide film is the most threatened kind of film, and I love the stuff

I understand, yet Fujifilm attitude seems to be different from other players in the field.
While Kodak, Jobo, Ferrania are making new investments, betting on the resurgence of film photography (not to previous heights, but higher than present troughs) Fujifilm seems to be on "fear mode", when, in fact, nobody is positioned like them to profit from a rebirth of film photography.

I agree that, Fujifilm being a large conglomerate where photography is nowadays a small albeit profitable part of the barn, it must not be easy for those in the photographic department to compete for new capital investment with the other ventures.

 

[trondsi]

I tried Rollei's slide film, and sadly I did not get along with it. So it's not for me. This is all subjective opinion of course, but I certainly do hope that Fujifilm continues to make slide film. If they stop I would probably switch to Kodak color negative film (and hope that Kodak starts up with new slide film, although this may be a long shot).

 

[StoneNYC]

Photpgraphers have short memories, a few years ago everyone in this forum was "Kodak doesn't care about customers only Fuji and Ilford does".

Now it's "Kodak and Ilford are making new investments, Fuji doesn't care".

Guys, it's a business, you can't be passionate about your film and make it just because it's good if no one is buying it and keep the price low or you become EFKE ...

Yea their building collapsed because they didn't have the funds to maintain the building.

It has nothing to do with caring or not caring, it's about the bottom line. All companies are like that.

Buy and shoot more of the stuff and then it won't be discontinued.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I doubt any of us really know what's going on inside a huge hierarchical corporation like Fuji. There are a lot of personalities, variables, and egos in
play.