INSTAX- A Smash Hit for Film!

[RattyMouse]

Fujifilm's recent financial report shines a spotlight on their INSTAX film product. Fuji reports that up to 5 million cameras will be sold this year along. Previous years have shown annual sales of INSTAX cameras around 4 to 4.5 million cameras.

It's good to see such a success from a film product and I hope that it keeps Fuji's interest in all their film products alive.



And on a secondary note, Kodak's 3rd quarter report had this sole sentence on film:

"For the third quarter in a row, film recorded a profitable quarter on an Operational EBITDA before corporate cost basis."

Good news all around.

 

[Trail Images]

Good to hear, thanks for sharing this link.

 

[darkosaric]

Also other instax cameras are being sold in Lomography shop, not millions, but anyhow.

 

[Prof_Pixel]

Let's not forget that the Instax system is based on the Kodak Instant film technology.

 

[darkosaric]

Let's not forget that the Instax system is based on the Kodak Instant film technology.

Just a proof that good product needs also smart company who knows how to sell.

 

[kb3lms]

Good for Fuji.

Even if they did rip it off from Kodak.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

But on the other hand, if they hadn't ripped it off by now it would likely be sleeping with Kodachrome and da' fishes...

Ken

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Good to see my recent and first purchase of FB-100C helped with Fuji's numbers
If they had their PA145 priced normally it could help with sales even more.

 

[gone]

But in the beginning, Kodak ripped off Pola.....oh, never mind. Thing is, they got caught.

https://library.ryerson.ca/asc/2013/08/kodak-versus-polaroid-the-battle-for-instant-photography-2/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeopyhjX9vY&feature=youtu.be

 

[skorpiius]

They really should have brought out a B&W instax film and kept the Fp-3000b or -100b.

 

[RattyMouse]

They really should have brought out a B&W instax film and kept the Fp-3000b or -100b.

B & W INSTAX seems like such a no brainer. I really worry about Fujifilm to pass up such an opportunity. I wonder if the technology prevents it somehow. Probably not but maybe.

 

[Jeff Bradford]

The problem is that the Instax color film is better than the FP100c. None of it is as good as the real Polaroid film was.

 

[Prof_Pixel]

But in the beginning, Kodak ripped off Pola.....oh, never mind. Thing is, they got caught.

They only thing 'ripped of' from Polaroid, was the concept of 'instant photography' - the chemistry involved was completely different.

 

[AgX]

Let's not forget that the Instax system is based on the Kodak Instant film technology.

The roots of all those diffusion system are located in Europe though...

 

[darkosaric]

They really should have brought out a B&W instax film and kept the Fp-3000b or -100b.

Instax B&W (especially wide) is my dream !
Lack of B&W instax films is what keeps me buying Impossible films.

 

[Prof_Pixel]

B & W INSTAX seems like such a no brainer. I really worry about Fujifilm to pass up such an opportunity. I wonder if the technology prevents it somehow. Probably not but maybe.

I suppose they could 'simply' replace the cyan, magenta and yellow dye developers with a black dye developer using the existing coating process. However, it wouldn't be any easier to manufacturer and would probably be more expensive since the black dye developer would probably be a low volume raw material. Would people be wiling to pay more for a B&W product? I doubt it.

 

[RattyMouse]

I suppose they could 'simply' replace the cyan, magenta and yellow dye developers with a black dye developer using the existing coating process. However, it wouldn't be any easier to manufacturer and would probably be more expensive since the black dye developer would probably be a low volume raw material. Would people be wiling to pay more for a B&W product? I doubt it.

Did your market research indicate that Fujifilm would sell 20 million instant cameras in the past five years??

 

[Prof_Pixel]

Did your market research indicate that Fujifilm would sell 20 million instant cameras in the past five years??

I spent 7 years working on the Kodak instant system; I'm not at all surprised with those consumer sales - especially since it's the only real 'instant print game in town'.

As for the B&W material, I still don't see a consumer market for it, but you don't have to make a business case with me - try making it with Fujifilm.

 

[Lee Rust]

Instax film is a tribute to Kodak's original design concept and to Fuji's perseverance in marketing and refining the product for decades. Instax cameras are another matter, though. I would love to see an Instax Wide film back for LF cameras.

 

[Prof_Pixel]

The top of the line Kodak instant cameras were folding models made in Stuttgart, Germany and were VERY nice.

 

[hoffy]

I asked my 10 year old daughter what she wanted for Christmas today. She said a Polaroid, which immediately translated to me as an Instax...... The kids love them because it gives them a print. Novel hey!

 

[Prest_400]

Instax film is a tribute to Kodak's original design concept and to Fuji's perseverance in marketing and refining the product for decades. Instax cameras are another matter, though. I would love to see an Instax Wide film back for LF cameras.

I know my GW690III predates Instax for a few years, but otherwise they could have implemented modular backs in those. In the line of what NPC did aftermarket.

Fuji could use its favourable position to give a push to Peel Apart film. For sure it's a quite different product, not as nice for laymen I guess (magic appearing in your face), but it's from the family and with a little love it would be better. Perhaps adapt a INSTAX 300 (another desire by many) with more manual control or something similar. I know I'm not properly accounting for the difference of the formats... Been googling for a photo of an instax frame aside a Peel apart print and haven't found it.

 

[Xmas]

Good for Fuji.

Even if they did rip it off from Kodak.

It might be licenced or expired patent one would not compromise current patents...

 

[Prof_Pixel]

Good for Fuji.

Even if they did rip it off from Kodak.

It was part of a patent swap between Fuji and Kodak.

 

[Lench]

Glad to hear those figures! Just wish I could easily get into 3d printing and design an instax/instax wide back for my RZ (for now fp100c will have to do!)

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