Interesting news about Fujicolor Pro

[jamesgignac]

Personally I'm amazed at this thread and read through it firstly because I love some of the films in question, and secondly this is such a long piece I chain-writing I just have to get my opinion on the board.

I plan to continue shooting with film until I can no longer do so - although I'd be very upset if MF disappears as I'm very new to it and am loving it immensely.

I've only been 'back' to photography for a couple of years - I shot with a lovely Minolta 35mm about 8 years ago when I was in school and studying photography - I spent about a year and a half of late-night/early morning photo-taking followed by late morning - end of evening printing in the school darkroom each and every day. I've only VERY recently decided to pursue photography professionally and am just beginning to get my name out in my small community of London, Ontario, Canada.

One of the main motivating factors for venturing into a career in photography was the discovery in the popular media of so many interesting-looking cameras. I live with a girl who is a fashion-nut and we would frequently watch television shows & documentaries where I would see these glorious-looking pieces of equipment being negotiated by some clever lady or fellow (usually clad in black) hanging out in the shadows of magazine shoots. It was a little while later that I realized that many of them were shooting with digital backs...but not all of them...and in fact almost all of them (when I started looking into it) shoot digital as a 'back up' to ensure they have something to work with though they usually print from their colour reversal films.

And then I found this place
Nothing much to say about that - you all can look around at this community - it's stupendous!

In the end: I love the process of film...and I can't give it up now that I've started doing it for a living. It all seems like a dream come true at this point and I can't even imagine it coming to an end because of a lack of materials. If that ends up happening I say we all pitch in and bring film back to life from the ground up - I'll be glad to sweep the factory floors

Contributors, thanks to you all once again, and I hope I can keep the knowledge alive from this lonely outpost!

p.s. - Scott Sheppard: You can certainly count on me to keep buying film - I'm currently shooting about 3-4 rolls per week (and that's simply in portfolio-development, I have several jobs coming up where I plan to blow through plenty of my growing stockpile)

 

[marylandphoto]

Fujifilm USA has to do no such thing, We as photographers are very lucky that these fine companies make film at all. If you are doing a project and need film then BUY IT and don't relay on others to stock what you need. If you need film then BUY IT NOW - Nothing lasts forever !!

Do you think that P&G will tell you when they don't have a certain kind of TIDE any more ? HELL NO !!

If people are upset about what Fuji has decided to make or not make then thats a bummer but don't keep bitching about it here online, GO SHOOT SOME FILM !!!

It seams to me that all the people bitching here online about what Fuji & Kodak has discontinued don't really soot any volume anyway so...

This is starting to sound like a bad country song.... My film left and took the cow and the kids as well... COME ON PEOPLE !!

The only way you are going to get the attention of these manufactures of FILM is with your $$.

Now everybody put your MONEY together and buy say $150,000 worth of ONE kind of film and they will make it for you NOW ~~

Remember... its all about the BLOODY MONEY !! - Welcome to Capitalism !

Scott

The question is not what Fuji HAS to do, but what they SHOULD do. We, the customers buying the film, should be better informed than this.

 

[Ektagraphic]

Don't plan on calling Fuji USA....They are clueless about everything.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

If you are doing a project and need film then BUY IT...
If you need film then BUY IT NOW - Nothing lasts forever !!
Do you think that P&G will tell you when they don't have a certain kind of TIDE any more ? HELL NO !!
...but don't keep bitching about it here online, GO SHOOT SOME FILM !!!
...all the people bitching here online about what Fuji & Kodak has discontinued don't really soot any volume anyway so...
...COME ON PEOPLE !!
Now everybody put your MONEY together and buy say $150,000 worth of ONE kind of film and they will make it for you NOW...
Remember... its all about the BLOODY MONEY !! - Welcome to Capitalism !

Scott,

I would respectfully ask that you please stop screaming at me. I realize that you are frustrated. So are many of us who do not scream back at you.

And also please stop inferring that I am somehow ignorant of what is going on in the film industry. We all understand how a capitalist economy works. Really, we do.

And please don't make the rather presumptuous demand that I and others come up with a quick $150,000 to purchase film. I can't possibly use 35,000 rolls of 135 before the expiration date. Or even 17,500 rolls. Can you?

Tell you what. How about you start us off with the initial $149,500, and I'll contribute the next $500? (Yeah - I didn't think so.) It's always very easy for someone to spend OPM.

But at the very least, please stop screaming. It does not lend itself to constructive solutions to the problems at hand, and more importantly, it simply does not reflect well...

Thank you,
Ken

P.S. I already do purchase as much film as I can use. And I've never owned a digital camera in my life. This is not my fault, Scott.

 

[Scott_Sheppard]

Hey Dereck:

Scott Sheppard: You can certainly count on me to keep buying film - I'm currently shooting about 3-4 rolls per week (and that's simply in portfolio-development, I have several jobs coming up where I plan to blow through plenty of my growing stockpile)

This is what we have to do, Everything is driven by MONEY !!

We are o-so romantic about film and how our favorite emulsion should last forever...

Well guess what:

I miss Disease Free Sex, Delaware Punch, Leaded Gas, 4x5 Kodachrome and a lot of other stuff... Guess what - LIFE GOES ON !!

So Dereck, We are doing what we can to shoot what we love and buy film NOW...

Remember... nothing lasts forever !!

and Dereck, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT !!!

Scott

 

[fLOVE]

Fujifilm USA has to do no such thing, We as photographers are very lucky that these fine companies make film at all. If you are doing a project and need film then BUY IT and don't relay on others to stock what you need. If you need film then BUY IT NOW - Nothing lasts forever !!

Do you think that P&G will tell you when they don't have a certain kind of TIDE any more ? HELL NO !!

If people are upset about what Fuji has decided to make or not make then thats a bummer but don't keep bitching about it here online, GO SHOOT SOME FILM !!!

It seams to me that all the people bitching here online about what Fuji & Kodak has discontinued don't really soot any volume anyway so...

This is starting to sound like a bad country song.... My film left and took the cow and the kids as well... COME ON PEOPLE !!

The only way you are going to get the attention of these manufactures of FILM is with your $$.

Now everybody put your MONEY together and buy say $150,000 worth of ONE kind of film and they will make it for you NOW ~~

Remember... its all about the BLOODY MONEY !! - Welcome to Capitalism !

Scott

Not saying they HAVE to keep making a film, just be honest and upfront when they make changes. It's not special treatment, it's just common customer service, when people provide poor service customers will go elsewhere, especially if they were lead to believe something like this wasn't something they would do.

Another reason I liked Fuji was for their public commitment with the APUG partnership, sponsorship on your show etc, but this without anything formal is just bad sport.

 

[clayne]

Fujifilm USA has to do no such thing, We as photographers are very lucky that these fine companies make film at all. If you are doing a project and need film then BUY IT and don't relay on others to stock what you need. If you need film then BUY IT NOW - Nothing lasts forever !!

Do you think that P&G will tell you when they don't have a certain kind of TIDE any more ? HELL NO !!

If people are upset about what Fuji has decided to make or not make then thats a bummer but don't keep bitching about it here online, GO SHOOT SOME FILM !!!

It seams to me that all the people bitching here online about what Fuji & Kodak has discontinued don't really soot any volume anyway so...

This is starting to sound like a bad country song.... My film left and took the cow and the kids as well... COME ON PEOPLE !!

The only way you are going to get the attention of these manufactures of FILM is with your $$.

Now everybody put your MONEY together and buy say $150,000 worth of ONE kind of film and they will make it for you NOW ~~

Remember... its all about the BLOODY MONEY !! - Welcome to Capitalism !

Scott

Right. So will you call Fujifilm out on any of this on your show?

 

[Scott_Sheppard]

Right. So will you call Fujifilm out on any of this on your show?

I am 100% behind Fuji, Kodak and everybody else that makes FILM.

There is nothing to call out, Fujifilm USA send out a bulletin to their dealers and their labs, these are the people that deal direct with the customers. It is the Dealers and Labs the deal with the public. Why would any company tell there customers, HEY we are discontinuing "THIS" product so why don't you just go buy something else from our competitors. NO ONE does this, GM, APPLE, DELL... no one. This is not a drug company telling you they just stopped making your medicine, so you can go DIE now ~~ this is film. We will all survive.

Just remember this. The people on the ground working in this industry every day HATE when they get their product cut from some upper level bean counter.

We have had Eastman Kodak on the program many time talking about these topics and we will also have Fujifilm USA on as well in good time.

We are very lucky photographers to have any quality film to buy in these trying DIGITAL times.

Lets all be happy... ok

Thanks

Scott

 

[lilserenity]

I have been buying, as much as I can afford. But the buck stops when it comes to buying more essential things that film, such as food and the rent to keep the roof over my head.

I like a lot of people am not rich, I wouldn't earn $150,000 gross in about 4 years -- so unfortunately for a lot of us amateurs, buying a 20 pack of Portra 160NC is a big chunk of money.

People have the right to be disgrutled when something they like goes away, talking about it is what people do; but that doesn't mean they're not shooting in between the gaps of conversation on here.

The likely answer is not that people are just talking about shooting film, but they are, and what they can afford, is not enough to keep the lines they use running.

I for one won't be artificially propping up what is sadly a shrinking market by putting myself into large amounts of debt to have a stockpile of colour film I wouldn't have a hope in hell of shooting before it expires, and I shoot a lot of film. The accumulating goods to prop up an industry which has underlying problems is a big reason we're economically in this mess globally at the moment, and the reason for many an economic collapse in the past.

Also, please don't use caps -- we're all adults here, we don't need shouting at. I know there's frustration but there are ways to put that across.

I remember what one of my girl friends once told me, Assumptions (you think you know what's coming dontcha!) are the mother of all ...ups. Don't assume I don't shoot any real volume because I've complained bitterly in this thread about the awful communication Fuji has had over this issue; that's rather presumptuous to say the least -- particularly seeing as the past year and a half I have dedicated myself to a project which has seen me shoot about £700 worth of film so far. That might not be near $150,000 but it's a lot of money to the kind of folk like me who drive 15 year old cars and have to sit down month on month to tot up the outgoings to pay the electric.

We'll do what we can. And we'll take it from there.

Vicky

 

[fLOVE]

I am 100% behind Fuji, Kodak and everybody else that makes FILM.

There is nothing to call out, Fujifilm USA send out a bulletin to their dealers and their labs, these are the people that deal direct with the customers. It is the Dealers and Labs the deal with the public. Why would any company tell there customers, HEY we are discontinuing "THIS" product so why don't you just go buy something else from our competitors. NO ONE does this, GM, APPLE, DELL... no one.
Scott

Kodak does.

Kodachrome and with the 320 Tri-X, they have made statements, gone on your program, and reassured us by saying 'this' is going away, 'that' is still available as an alternative. They tell us their own brand films for an alternative, Ektachrome and Tri-X 400.....if I go into B&H to find out 800Z is no more, they'll just say 'here's some Portra 800' and if I want some large format color neg, 'here's some Ektar'.

Without letting us know of anything that's viable is close to what we lose, or if anything else is in the works, the stores will likely recommend Kodak products for several rather than other Fuji products. By not giving us at least a little reassurance, they're gonna lose more business.

...And why would we want to settle into other Fuji films if this is how they're gonna go about it? I don't want to settle into a new Fuji film and hear it get cut as well.

 

[sepiareverb]

It seams to me that all the people bitching here online about what Fuji & Kodak has discontinued don't really soot any volume anyway so...

No hue & cry after this presumption about how much people shoot? I'm hurt.

 

[F80p]

This thread has grown into a sort of pessimistic view on future of film. Please go out and shoot more rather than posting posts here. Or go out and preach to convert more and more digital people as i am doing right now!!!

 

[benjiboy]

After Fuji recent protestations about their commitment to film, I feel like I've been stabbed in the back.

 

[2F/2F]

Please don't bitch at me to go shoot more film. I already shoot too much as it is! I have unexposed, exposed, unproofed, unprinted, etc. film coming out of my ears! I don't consider it a ton of film, but I just wish EVERYONE shot about this much.

 

[Ektagraphic]

I do now

 

[nsouto]

Bingo. I've never shot so much film. Even considering getting some bulk E6 now!

 

[B&Wpositive]

Status of Reala?

So, is Reala impacted by this or not? I heard something, but I don't know if it was official.

 

[perkeleellinen]

On Reala: no discontinuance notice from Fuji Japan, check here:

http://www.japanexposures.com/2010/02/26/fujifilm-to-reorganize-film-lineup

Fuji UK are no longer importing 35mm Reala. 120 Reala is a big seller in the UK and will still be imported.

Each national Fuji (UK, US, Germany, etc) is essentially a distribution centre and decides which films to order from Japan. There's a minimum order and if sales drop below that minimum, the film may get cut.

That is what I've learned regarding Reala from these pages, lilserenity's post was especially informative:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[benjiboy]

It would seem to me that for 35mm users who are lovers of Reala and Pro 160 S it would be a good time to get some M/F gear.

 

[ajuk]

It's a shame to see 160s go, but I always use Portra 160nc, that stuff is just excellent.

Do Fuji still make film compacts in Japan?

 

[benjiboy]

It's a shame to see 160s go, but I always use Portra 160nc, that stuff is just excellent.

160s is only going in 35mm and as you write Kodak Portra 160NC is a very fine portrait film, but unfortunately Kodak don't make anything like Fuji Reala that's sharp , produces saturated colour, and accurate skin tones at the same time, and don't tell me Ektar because although its a wonderful film, is sharp , saturated and fine grained, even Kodak don't recommend it for portraits.

 

[Tim Gray]

160s is only going in 35mm and as you write Kodak Portra 160NC is a very fine portrait film, but unfortunately Kodak don't make anything like Fuji Reala that's sharp , produces saturated colour, and accurate skin tones at the same time, and don't tell me Ektar because although its a wonderful film, is sharp , saturated and fine grained, even Kodak don't recommend it for portraits.

What about 160VC? I find it sharp, saturated, and great skin tones. But I guess it's lacking in one of those departments for you.

While I do find Ektar gives pretty good skin tones, I tend not to use it for people pictures for other reasons.

 

[perkeleellinen]

It would seem to me that for 35mm users who are lovers of Reala and Pro 160 S it would be a good time to get some M/F gear.

I did seriously consider this. What's making me hesitant is the future of RA4 paper - without it I won't shoot colour.

As for Reala replacements: I thought I'd try 160VC, Superia 200 and maybe Gold 200.

 

[benjiboy]

What about 160VC? I find it sharp, saturated, and great skin tones. But I guess it's lacking in one of those departments for you.

While I do find Ektar gives pretty good skin tones, I tend not to use it for people pictures for other reasons.

I like Kodak 160 VC Tim but I find that even though it is more saturated than 160NC and has more contrast it still has the same pastel colour pallet, I find Reala unique in that it gives punchy colour and gentle skin tones at the same time.

 

[Tim Gray]

I like Kodak 160 VC Tim but I find that even though it is more saturated than 160NC and has more contrast it still has the same pastel colour pallet, I find Reala unique in that it gives punchy colour and gentle skin tones at the same time.

Ahh makes sense.