Fujifilm Kills Two More Films

Jaf-Photo · Mar 10, 2014

Interesting discussion on pros vs entusiasts (let's not call ourselves amateurs).

Pros do get an undeserved amount of criticism.

Mostly, I think it's based on envy from enthusiasts who would like to be pros. But couldn't or wouldn't make it.

Today, everyone thinks they're photographers and don't appreciate the skill that is required.

Even if a lot of pro work may seem derivative, it actually takes a lot of skill to deliver the shots that the client wants. They don't have the luxury to shoot whatever they like however they like.

i think the pros keep photography alive as an respected artform, even if they can't always produce art.

vpwphoto · Mar 11, 2014

^^^ Folks may not know how many art-directors call the shots. I have been hemmed in.
My personal story is I was sent off to a number of states with marching orders to photograph a project. I came back, was recognized by another AD, I was asked who worked with you on this. I responded that I was on my own. I was referred to another AD for similar project where I was hemmed in by and AD asking me to do the same spontaneous work.. ... where the AD had no clue on how to get spontaneous work. Anyway... that's my story.

Anyway... why am I at APUG? I still use film for some personal projects. I also use it now and then on commercial work when the opportunity presents it'self.
I also like the old cameras.. "clocks for seeing " as Barthes referred to them. I actually think my salvation may be making portraits on 8x10 film. I dunno... pixel pushing calling.

Hatchetman · Mar 11, 2014

PKM-25 said:
Beautiful work in NG on Transylvannia Hay Country, thanks for the reminder....

Do you know what film that is? I agree, beautiful. If Provia, I need to rethink my opinion of it. Or get a better handle on filters.

Jaf-Photo · Mar 11, 2014

vpwphoto said:
^^^ Folks may not know how many art-directors call the shots. I have been hemmed in.
My personal story is I was sent off to a number of states with marching orders to photograph a project. I came back, was recognized by another AD, I was asked who worked with you on this. I responded that I was on my own. I was referred to another AD for similar project where I was hemmed in by and AD asking me to do the same spontaneous work.. ... where the AD had no clue on how to get spontaneous work. Anyway... that's my story.

Anyway... why am I at APUG? I still use film for some personal projects. I also use it now and then on commercial work when the opportunity presents it'self.
I also like the old cameras.. "clocks for seeing " as Barthes referred to them. I actually think my salvation may be making portraits on 8x10 film. I dunno... pixel pushing calling.

Excellent point! And I know for a fact that Art Directors are also hemmed in by their principals. Only rarely is there room for truly free or imaginative work in a commercial setting.

As an enthusiast I am completely free to shoot bokeh studies, or anything else that pleases me but would seem pointless to an audience.

PKM-25 · Mar 11, 2014

Hatchetman said:
Do you know what film that is? I agree, beautiful. If Provia, I need to rethink my opinion of it. Or get a better handle on filters.

It's possible it is Provia if she is using a newer Rollei with modern coatings. Either way, it is likely filtered a tad warm via a filter or natural light, I would be doing the same with Provia. Also consider the light, light is everything in a photograph, it is likely the second biggest oversight I see in enthusiast work that is lacking, the first being composition and third being exposure...

An example would be you don't take Provia to NYC with all the blue, steel and grey buildings and expect the same warm bounce as Paris.

Jaf-Photo · Mar 11, 2014

PKM-25 said:
It's possible it is Provia if she is using a newer Rollei with modern coatings. Either way, it is likely filtered a tad warm via a filter or natural light, I would be doing the same with Provia. Also consider the light, light is everything in a photograph, it is likely the second biggest oversight I see in enthusiast work that is lacking, the first being composition and third being exposure...

An example would be you don't take Provia to NYC with all the blue, steel and grey buildings and expect the same warm bounce as Paris.

I've had nothing but good results with Provia. It has natural, yet vibrant colours. It works in sunshine or overcast conditions.

Mind you, I don't develop it myself but I use a pro lab that does it absolutely perfect.

vpwphoto · Mar 11, 2014

Hatchetman said:
Do you know what film that is? I agree, beautiful. If Provia, I need to rethink my opinion of it. Or get a better handle on filters.

I communicate with her... I'll ask or not.. she is really about the image and is not what appears to me to be a tech head, she lives in a war torn part of the world, I think more often is inclined to use what is available.

Last I asked her about equipment that seemed to be the last thing she wants to discuss about her images....

^^^ also before you go on about tones and what film she uses... all the work you have seen of hers is "offset and digitally printed" and thus someone at a pixel editor has had their hand in it...

Hatchetman · Mar 11, 2014

vpwphoto said:
^^^ also before you go on about tones and what film she uses... all the work you have seen of hers is "offset and digitally printed" and thus someone at a pixel editor has had their hand in it...

Sure, but something about it strikes me as film. Don't hassle her, but if you do find out I'd be interested. After a couple of years of exclusively B&W I would like to work in color a bit. I have 35mm and MF projectors. Would like to shoot E6 if possible, but they keep taking away my films!

vpwphoto · Mar 11, 2014

Hatchetman said:
Sure, but something about it strikes me as film. Don't hassle her, but if you do find out I'd be interested. After a couple of years of exclusively B&W I would like to work in color a bit. I have 35mm and MF projectors. Would like to shoot E6 if possible, but they keep taking away my films!

You didn't read closely.. no doubt it is film. I know that!
And I know she uses E-6 films (120) in a Rollie.

I "e-know" her through a mutual client we have both worked with/for.
I have seen a photo/snap of her sitting at a table with Salgado and others looking at prints.
I am hardly worthy to bother her and am happy to "know" her, and perhaps meet over a stack of prints for coffee one day if ever.

Jaf-Photo · Mar 11, 2014

Make sure to invite Salgado too, and maybe Meyerowitz. And me of course

On a more serious note, some photographers are quite happy to talk about their equipment and technique. Others are very unhappy to do so.

I also think it's a bit of a side-track to try to use the same gear as some famous photographer, because you could never truly emulate their style that way. (If I use Tri-X, it still won't ever look like Corbijn or Salgado.)

The best thing we can do is to find our own gear and then focus on taking photos we like.

Hatchetman · Mar 11, 2014

I know you know that.

Whatever it is, it looks good to me and I am curious what film it is, that's all.

RattyMouse · Mar 11, 2014

Hatchetman said:
I know you know that.

Whatever it is, it looks good to me and I am curious what film it is, that's all.

Well, if it is E-6 that she's shooting, as stated above, then that narrows it down considerably!

Photo Engineer · Mar 11, 2014

Well, expect E6 to go next. The market is drying up out there for these films.

Just call me Chicken Little, but it is true.

PE

Ken Nadvornick · Mar 11, 2014

Again, go Ferrania. It's rapidly converging down to the last best long-term hope. At least that we are aware of publicly. And I hope they don't stumble.

But they might...

Ken

Nuff · Mar 11, 2014

In the mean time I will shoot as much E6 as possible. But even my pro lab's machine is getting dusty... since the throughput has slowed down considerably.

Trail Images · Mar 11, 2014

In the mean time I will shoot as much E6 as possible.

Me too.......that's all I've used for well over 20+ years, and most of that was Velvia 50....

Poisson Du Jour · Mar 11, 2014

Trail Images said:
Me too.......that's all I've used for well over 20+ years, and most of that was Velvia 50....

A mirror image...

RattyMouse · Mar 12, 2014

I get the feeling that E-6 is doing well here in China. Cost to process is not bad and even the film is not horribly expensive. I hope that somehow we can hang onto the last few types of E-6 film.

Trail Images · Mar 12, 2014

Cost to process is not bad and even the film is not horribly expensive.

Do you have access to buying in date Velvia 50 in 4x5? Just curious with all the various eBay vendors selling it, yet it is long gone now from every place except what appears to be possibly a very few Asian locales. I'm not even sure if this is true or if Fuji stopped the production entirely on that product.

RattyMouse · Mar 12, 2014

Trail Images said:
Do you have access to buying in date Velvia 50 in 4x5? Just curious with all the various eBay vendors selling it, yet it is long gone now from every place except what appears to be possibly a very few Asian locales. I'm not even sure if this is true or if Fuji stopped the production entirely on that product.

I have no idea about sheet film as I have no cameras for that type. I'll have a look next time I'm in the shop.

Jaf-Photo · Mar 12, 2014

You can buy Velvia 50 sheet film from a couple of vendors in Germany for about $120 per 20. They deliver by courier so it's quite fast.

Photo Engineer · Mar 12, 2014

If the German vendors use DSL, they have been quite unreliable here delivering damaged goods and closing many routes.

PE

Trail Images · Mar 12, 2014

Germany for about $120 per 20

Thank you for this information.

Nuff · Mar 12, 2014

Trail Images said:
Do you have access to buying in date Velvia 50 in 4x5? Just curious with all the various eBay vendors selling it, yet it is long gone now from every place except what appears to be possibly a very few Asian locales. I'm not even sure if this is true or if Fuji stopped the production entirely on that product.

It is still sold in Japan, go to store and pick it up.
http://www.yodobashi.com/富士フイルム-FUJ...ルム-ベルビア-CUTサイズ-4X5-20枚/pd/100000001001704233/

You can even see that it has the new label as well, so it doesn't look like it will be discontinued anytime soon. I assume it's sold in China and other asian countries.

It's available on the chinese ebay too...
http://s.taobao.com/search?q=velvia....index&search_type=mall&ssid=s5-e&commend=all

Both in the new and old label (shorter expiry dates). The old label is significantly cheaper at around US$53 per box of 20. The new label is around US$81, same price as in Japan. But if you want to get it from there, you will need to find a middleman to ship it to you and they usually take 10% + shipping fees.

Trail Images · Mar 12, 2014

Both in the new and old label (shorter expiry dates). The old label is significantly cheaper at around US$53 per box of 20. The new label is around US$81, same price as in Japan. But if you want to get it from there, you will need to find a middleman to ship it to you and they usually take 10% + shipping fees.

Nuff, thank you for this information. If the product does not appear to be discontinued at this point, it is simply baffling and beyond logic that it is not offered out of the present territories where it is being sold. But then again, logic has not been real high on the list when it has been the on again off again history with Velvia 50. Too bad as it was always their original flagship product.

Fujifilm Kills Two More Films

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