Photokina 2012: Fuji Neopan 400 is back

Henning Serger · Nov 28, 2012

Hello Sander,

sandermarijn said:
True for continental Europe as far as I know. Fortunately I had enough stock to bridge the gap.

It's my favourite film and I'm sooo happy to see its return. Less happy with the pricing (paid 3.80 euros in June 2011 vs. 5.60 euros today), but I won't complain about that, unless I should want to complain about the world economy as a whole- rather a pointless act.

well, Fujifilm has to face two severe problems concerning costs and pricing:
1. The rising costs for raw materials and energy.
2. The exchange rate: The Japanese Yen increased by about 60% compared to the Euro during the last five years.
If we consider these factors, it is obvious that the price with the new production must be significantly higher.

sandermarijn said:
Thanks a lot to you Henning for providing us with so much accurate information on this and on other subjects. In the absence of manufacturers letting us know what they're up to (talking Fuji and Kodak, not Ilford, obviously), people in the know like you are a joy to have around.

Thank you very much! I try to do my very best to give all of you the most accurate information.

Best regards,
Henning

cmacd123 · Jan 16, 2013

Still wondering if it is back or Gone...

Just for fun I ordered some Neopan 400 from Both Freestyle and B&H.

The roll I just got from Freestyle was emuslion 281 006 with a 7/2014 expiry.
The film I got from B&H was Emuslion 281 003 with a 10/2013 date
late last year I got some pro packs with emulsion 281-005 and a 5/2014 date
Prior to that I got some emusion 281 002 with a 07/2013 date

Note the common batch number of 281. Anyone seen a fresher batch?

Brac · Jan 23, 2013

cmacd123 said:
Note the common batch number of 281. Anyone seen a fresher batch?

No, the rolls I received this week (from a seller in Hong Kong, as the price was good) are 281004 and with expiry dates of 2014.01 and 2014.02

Russ - SVP · Jan 24, 2013

Best 400 speed B/W film ever made.

Henning Serger · Feb 5, 2013

cmacd123 said:
Still wondering if it is back or Gone...

Well, I've explained it several times here in the thread. O.k., one last time again....

The facts are:

- the film was re-introduced at Photokina 2012
- I got this information at the Fujifilm booth also directly from the responsible Product-& Key Account Manager, Photo Imaging Products
- at Photokina the film was presented both in the showcase at the booth, and in the film flyer / brochures there
- that was visible for all visitors at the booth
- at Photokina the major film distributors also have received direct information from Fujifilm, that Neopan 400 (135) will be available again in autumn 2012.
- this film has not been available in many major markets, and since last autumn it is there available again.

cmacd123 said:
Note the common batch number of 281. Anyone seen a fresher batch?

In Germany last December Neopan 400 with batch number 281 007, expiry date 2014 / 10 has been sold.

Best regards,
Henning

Richard S. (rich815) · Feb 5, 2013

Henning Serger said:
Well, I've explained it several times here in the thread. O.k., one last time again....

The facts are:

- the film was re-introduced at Photokina 2012
- I got this information at the Fujifilm booth also directly from the responsible Product-& Key Account Manager, Photo Imaging Products
- at Photokina the film was presented both in the showcase at the booth, and in the film flyer / brochures there
- that was visible for all visitors at the booth
- at Photokina the major film distributors also have received direct information from Fujifilm, that Neopan 400 (135) will be available again in autumn 2012.
- this film has not been available in many major markets, and since last autumn it is there available again.

In Germany last December Neopan 400 with batch number 281 007, expiry date 2014 / 10 has been sold.

Best regards,
Henning

With all due respect Henning the internet is littered with people who spoke to Kodak and Fuji reps at trade shows through the years, getting information, which later proved inaccurate or simply impossible to prove one way or the other. Appreciate you sharing but if your source is a Fuji person at a Fuji booth I'm not 100% convinced.

Henning Serger · Feb 5, 2013

rich815 said:
With all due respect Henning the internet is littered with people who spoke to Kodak and Fuji reps at trade shows through the years, getting information, which later proved inaccurate or simply impossible to prove one way or the other. Appreciate you sharing but if your source is a Fuji person at a Fuji booth I'm not 100% convinced.

The film was displayed at the booth.
The film was not available in many major markets for a long time. For example in Germany. That is not a small market, it is the fourth biggest market worldwide.
Now the film is available again in all these markets. You can buy it. What is more needed?

Best regards,
Henning

Richard S. (rich815) · Feb 5, 2013

Agfa APX was available from MANY places for a long time after it was discontinued. So was Plus-X. As was Neopan 400 in 120 before anyone heard it was in essence "gone". Again, thank you for sharing the info and I'm not questioning your veracity in what was told to you. In my experience it's far from proof. Especially for Fuji who unfortunately is notorious for misinformation and inaccuracy of information, on their websites and from what people hear from Fuji reps and distributors. This could be existing stock from a huge run last done. Who knows? I hope not, I really do. I'm a huge Fuji backer, love Acros and Neopan 400 and even have stocks of bulk Presto 400 and Super Presto 1600 in my freezer, and Neopan 400 in 120. And I own a Fuji GA645, a GA645zi, a Fuji GW690III and a Klass-S. I just learned over the years to not depend on anything heard from them even from supposedly reliable sources...

AgX · Feb 5, 2013

Agfa APX (100) never left the market to come back again. It just stayed on.
Fuji Neopan 400 was off the market for some time. It makes no sense to me to have a film already produced to hide it in a warehouse to re-indroduce it as a fake new-production-start.

Richard S. (rich815) · Jul 20, 2013

Quote Originally Posted by Henning Serger:

Well, I've explained it several times here in the thread. O.k., one last time again....

The facts are:

- the film was re-introduced at Photokina 2012
- I got this information at the Fujifilm booth also directly from the responsible Product-& Key Account Manager, Photo Imaging Products
- at Photokina the film was presented both in the showcase at the booth, and in the film flyer / brochures there
- that was visible for all visitors at the booth
- at Photokina the major film distributors also have received direct information from Fujifilm, that Neopan 400 (135) will be available again in autumn 2012.
- this film has not been available in many major markets, and since last autumn it is there available again.

In Germany last December Neopan 400 with batch number 281 007, expiry date 2014 / 10 has been sold.

Best regards,
Henning

rich815 said:
With all due respect Henning the internet is littered with people who spoke to Kodak and Fuji reps at trade shows through the years, getting information, which later proved inaccurate or simply impossible to prove one way or the other. Appreciate you sharing but if your source is a Fuji person at a Fuji booth I'm not 100% convinced.

A rare case where I HATE being right. At least it sounds like it from the recent news and buzz...

Richard S. (rich815) · Jul 20, 2013

rich815 said:
Agfa APX was available from MANY places for a long time after it was discontinued. So was Plus-X. As was Neopan 400 in 120 before anyone heard it was in essence "gone". Again, thank you for sharing the info and I'm not questioning your veracity in what was told to you. In my experience it's far from proof. Especially for Fuji who unfortunately is notorious for misinformation and inaccuracy of information, on their websites and from what people hear from Fuji reps and distributors. This could be existing stock from a huge run last done. Who knows? I hope not, I really do. I'm a huge Fuji backer, love Acros and Neopan 400 and even have stocks of bulk Presto 400 and Super Presto 1600 in my freezer, and Neopan 400 in 120. And I own a Fuji GA645, a GA645zi, a Fuji GW690III and a Klass-S. I just learned over the years to not depend on anything heard from them even from supposedly reliable sources...

Just bought another 50 rolls of Neopan 400 for my freezer. Adding to my other hoarded personal supply of Neopan 400, 1600 and even SS....yet I'm still depressed after Freestyle's announcement.....

RattyMouse · Jul 21, 2013

rich815 said:
Quote Originally Posted by Henning Serger:

Well, I've explained it several times here in the thread. O.k., one last time again....

The facts are:

- the film was re-introduced at Photokina 2012
- I got this information at the Fujifilm booth also directly from the responsible Product-& Key Account Manager, Photo Imaging Products
- at Photokina the film was presented both in the showcase at the booth, and in the film flyer / brochures there
- that was visible for all visitors at the booth
- at Photokina the major film distributors also have received direct information from Fujifilm, that Neopan 400 (135) will be available again in autumn 2012.
- this film has not been available in many major markets, and since last autumn it is there available again.

In Germany last December Neopan 400 with batch number 281 007, expiry date 2014 / 10 has been sold.

Best regards,
Henning

A rare case where I HATE being right. At least it sounds like it from the recent news and buzz...

How can you be considered right when Neopan 400 WAS re-introduced? That's a fact. It was. I have fresh Neopan 400 right now with 2014 a expiration date.

It is a travesty that Fujifilm re-introduced this film only to have it canceled 9 months later.

perkeleellinen · Jul 21, 2013

Same story with Pro 800Z

cmacd123 · Jul 21, 2013

Em 281 seems to have been a large batch. I have seen 281003 up to 281007 while previous batches only went to 003

And apparently 281 was also the last batch.

Photokina 2012: Fuji Neopan 400 is back

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