Provia 400X really discontinued in 35mm ?

ericdan · Mar 7, 2014

I live in Tokyo and Provia 400X is available in every camera and electronics store. Is this only discontinued outside of Japan?
When I google for it, I keep on seeing that Fujifilm discontinued it back in the summer of 2013. Would there still be this much stock around?

AgX · Mar 7, 2014

It is still listed by Fuji as 120x1, 135x1 and 135x5. At least at their homemarket.

Listed by Fuji in Germany in 120 and 135 too.

AgX · Mar 7, 2014

Discontinuation is a ambiguous term anyway. It may be that they stopped manufacture long ago, then stopped offering it at some foreign markets, still offering it in Japan, then short before end of stock release a discontinuation statement.

adelorenzo · Mar 7, 2014

Provia 400X film was discontinued in all formats, the announcement came out in mid-2013. What you are seeing is likely just remaining supplies being solid off.

http://petapixel.com/2013/07/20/fuj...eopan-400-bw-film-and-provia-400x-slide-film/

Ken Nadvornick · Mar 7, 2014

Just a guess, but IF it really were not discontinued (meaning no longer being manufactured) in the Japanese market, wouldn't it have been in the best interests of some of the larger non-Japanese film retailers (Freestyle, B&H, etc. in the USA, and others outside the USA) to do the self-importing gray market thing? They do this now, and have done it in the past, with many other items they sell. Equipment as well as film.

But I don't see any Provia 400-X listed as an imported item by any of them. Maybe they know the real story?

Ken

GarageBoy · Mar 7, 2014

I can't get any from the big 2 in NYC anymore

Lamar · Mar 7, 2014

I'm surprised there's not more stock still left based on what the prices went to. I liked 400X but not for what they started asking for it...... I think I saw it up to $16 US a roll. Too much for me, even if it was the only ISO 400 E6 game in town.

Dr Croubie · Mar 7, 2014

Ken Nadvornick said:
wouldn't it have been in the best interests of some of the larger non-Japanese film retailers (Freestyle, B&H, etc. in the USA, and others outside the USA) to do the self-importing gray market thing?

Yeah, but they (at least, B+H) seem to have an aversion to doing it with Fuji film. The new velvia 50 in 4x5 has been out in Japan for nearly a year (I know because I've got a packet in the new style straight from Japan), but B+H still don't carry it.
Also, they don't have any other imported velvia, there is velvia 100/120 in single and 5-roll packs listed as 'imported' and discontinued and out of stock, the only velvia they've got in stock is 'usa'.

More than likely they've been leant on by the local usa fuji distributor, to the effect that if they source stuff grey market direct from Japan, then the distributor will stop selling them the rest of the line including all of Fuji's nice digital cameras which are quite popular and carry a decent markup.
I know that's happened before with other brands of things, and it's not worth risking the big-ticket items to save a few rolls of the low-volume films...

Ken Nadvornick · Mar 7, 2014

Dr Croubie said:
...and it's not worth risking the big-ticket items to save a few rolls of the low-volume films...

Yeah. That's a pretty logical take on it. Can't say as I would disagree. I do miss the 35mm. It was my airshow fly-by film in my motorized Nikon F2. Provia 100F just doesn't cut it for those high-speed passes on overcast days.

Ken

RattyMouse · Mar 7, 2014

I can still easily by Kodak Ektachrome at the film shops I buy from. There are hundreds of rolls of this film still around in the store and this was discontinued loooong ago.

Roger Cole · Mar 7, 2014

As mentioned above, it was announed mid 2013. A wonderful film I've been buying up as I could. It's expensive stuff so I just get a few rolls at a time for the freezer. I like to shoot it in 35mm for projection. Great slides, great film for shade or overcast days. I prefer the color and contrast for most scenes to Provia 100 as it's not quite as contrasty or saturated and looks more real to me with less tendency to blow out highlights. In that sense it was almost my replacement for E100G, which had been my replacement for Astia, with the benefit of two stops more speed albeit the cost of more (but not bad for a 400 slide film) grain. Sigh.

I'm not sure how well a slide film this fast will keep even frozen, though. I'd think at least a couple of years past date, probably more. I can probably afford to buy up all I'll want to use this year and next. After that - well it's either give up slides in all but good light, push 100 two stops, get some of that 200 from Germany and push it, or maybe shoot B&W slides for dr5.

Hatchetman · Mar 7, 2014

Projecting slides has turned into a rich man's game. Between film and processing you are probably in $25.

Roger Cole · Mar 7, 2014

Something like that. Doesn't seem like a "rich man's game" though. It's certainly for the truly poverty stricken though, I agree.

RattyMouse · Mar 7, 2014

Hatchetman said:
Projecting slides has turned into a rich man's game. Between film and processing you are probably in $25.

Not in China. $5 a roll of Provia, $5 a roll developed. This is really slide film country.

Athiril · Mar 7, 2014

Over here, local stock has been abour $40+ AUD for a single 35mm roll for a long time.

RattyMouse said:
I can still easily by Kodak Ektachrome at the film shops I buy from. There are hundreds of rolls of this film still around in the store and this was discontinued loooong ago.

Yeah I'm ordering E100G in 120 every 2 weeks or so from China atm.

Roger Cole said:
I'm not sure how well a slide film this fast will keep even frozen, though.

Small modification to first dev should remove the light base fogging that would develop over decades frozen. Should be if I can do this to very bad fogging from very old EPN stored in a cupboard, shouldn't be too hard.

ericdan · Mar 7, 2014

I guess I should start stockpiling it then while they still sell it everywhere. It's about 44USD for a five pack here.

lxdude · Mar 7, 2014

adelorenzo said:
Provia 400X film was discontinued in all formats, the announcement came out in mid-2013. What you are seeing is likely just remaining supplies being solid off.

http://petapixel.com/2013/07/20/fuj...eopan-400-bw-film-and-provia-400x-slide-film/

That is from Fujifilm North America, which is known. The question now is if it is completely out of production, or only discontinued some places.

destroya · Mar 7, 2014

just developed 2 120 rolls of provia 400 today. only cost me about $2 per roll or so. do it yourself and the cost drops and if there is a mess up i only have myself to blame. yes the cost per roll is not cheap but i bought 5 120 pro packs with a 3/15 ex date about 6 weeks ago for $40 us each. this is about the same cost as velvia 50. if you look you can find it kinda cheap.

Roger Cole · Mar 7, 2014

Hum, I've ordered "Agfa Precisa" (in quotes because it's really Provia 100, I'm pretty sure) from Hong Kong for entirely minor shipping costs. Wonder if I could get Provia 400X cheaper from Asia? I'm paying about $17 a roll for it from the remaining suppliers here. I can get it cheaper but then shipping is more so the best deals are still turning out to be around $17-$18 per roll. $8.95 per roll plus shipping (which is $4.50 for the first roll, 0.50 each additional so I wait until I have four rolls or more) from Dwayne's, puts the cost at about $26 per roll. I also get a photo CD of (not the best, but ok for reference) scans for another $4.95 but that's definitely optional for projection.

Roger Cole · Mar 7, 2014

destroya said:
just developed 2 120 rolls of provia 400 today. only cost me about $2 per roll or so. do it yourself and the cost drops and if there is a mess up i only have myself to blame. yes the cost per roll is not cheap but i bought 5 120 pro packs with a 3/15 ex date about 6 weeks ago for $40 us each. this is about the same cost as velvia 50. if you look you can find it kinda cheap.

I've done E6 before and have a Jobo. The only reason I DON'T is...well, two reasons, one I'd seldom get around to it. I currently have a backlog of 29 rolls, yes twenty nine rolls, of black and white (22 120s and 7 35mm) to develop, stashed in the "exposed" section of my film fridge. The other reason is that I have no way of scanning them short of sending them off for expensive individual scans. It's just convenient to send off a batch and get it all at once.

Athiril · Mar 8, 2014

You can get it from Asia, pm if you want details about it.

ericdan · Mar 8, 2014

Athiril said:
You can get it from Asia, pm if you want details about it.

Well, in live in Tokyo myself. That's why I was starting the thread. It doesn't feel like it's going away here anytime soon.

Athiril · Mar 8, 2014

ericdan said:
Well, in live in Tokyo myself. That's why I was starting the thread. It doesn't feel like it's going away here anytime soon.

I mean a way to source it easily for people who don't live in Japan, or China,

Roger Cole · Mar 8, 2014

I can still get it in the US if I shop around, but it's expensive. It might also be available from Asia even after it isn't here - or, dare one hope, was only discontinued here? I'll PM you.

Shootar401 · Mar 16, 2014

I've pushed Rollei CR200 with so-so results, it's not Provia 400, but it works when you're in a jam.

Provia 400X really discontinued in 35mm ?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency