The former Fujichrome. Did you use it?

[TerryM]

I'm interested to hear from anyone who used Fujifilm's former Fujichrome films -- which was Fuji's equivalent to Kodachrome. What is your opinion of the specific Stocks you used, and how do you think they compared to Kodachrome?

 

[Edtog]

35mm Fujichrome 100RDP? If so then I always preferred the skins tones compared to Kodachrome.

 

[benjiboy]

I prefer all the current Fuji professional range of slide films to Kodachrome, and I can have them processed in two hours .

 

[Ian Grant]

35mm Fujichrome 100RDP? If so then I always preferred the skins tones compared to Kodachrome.

Fuji had an early transparency film that was closer to Kodachrome in terms of the process, as did Ilford.

Ian

 

[Casey Kidwell]

I used the early RDP and the 50 speed non-professional they had. I can't remember what it was called. I also used EPN about as much and preferred them all to Kodachrome when I was after more predictable results. I used to shoot a lot of product and artwork and they seemed to behave better. I liked the Kodachrome for it's saturation and contrast and used it for the fun stuff until Velvia 50 came along and pretty much switched to it because of difficulties I had with K14 processing. I worked at a lab at the time and could at least check the E6 plots before putting my film in the machine. Honestly, I just wish I could have good R printing from any of these great films whether it be ciba or fuji super. Makes me pretty freaking sad.

 

[pgomena]

I used a lot of RDP in 35mm at photo school, and for about 15 years after that in studio tabletop and location work. Fuji films had a bit more zip and saturation than Kodak for a lot of the work we did. We generally avoided it for skin tones before the advent of Astia, and even that tended to be a bit magenta. We used Kodak E100X for models shots showing skin tones. I was never a fan of Velvia. I prefer the look of Astia for landscape work. The Fuji 64Tungsten was fabulous stuff. I don't shoot chromes any more. Any color work I do these days is on Kodak negative film. Haven't used Kodachrome in 20 years, but it was my mainstay before that. E-6 was good, fast, local.

Peter Gomena

 

[Stephen Schoof]

I used Fujichrome 50 for a year or two. It had more saturated color than Kodachrome 64 but was softer and a little grainier. Definitely grainier than K25. Velvia solved both those problems, and I liked the colors, so I never went back to F50 or Kodachrome.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I used a lot of RTP for personal work. I liked the colors a lot. When you pushed or pulled the film, the colors stayed pretty neutral without colors shifting. I rarely used it for my pro work because the colors were too amped up. Fuji Chrome had a "Japanesy" look. I used Kodak's EPP for jobs. I've used Velvia once and I liked it. I think it could be the closest thing to Kodachrome. But there's not substitute for Kodachrome

 

[nickrapak]

Are you talking about the E-4 compatible Fujichrome, or the non-integrated coupler Fujichrome? I've never used either, but I think you'll have a hard time finding people that remember the non-integrated coupler one, as (IIRC) it was only sold where there were Fuji labs nearby (mostly Japan), and it was discontinued in thee 1960s.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I'm not that old! All the Fujichrome I used are E6 films.

 

[TerryM]

Are you talking about the E-4 compatible Fujichrome, or the non-integrated coupler Fujichrome? I've never used either, but I think you'll have a hard time finding people that remember the non-integrated coupler one, as (IIRC) it was only sold where there were Fuji labs nearby (mostly Japan), and it was discontinued in thee 1960s.

Yes I was talking about the non-integrated coupler Fujichrome -- like Kodachrome. I didn't know it was discontinued that long ago. I thought it was discontinued in the 1980s. Did it use the K-12 developing process, or did they have their own Fuji process?

 

[Ian Grant]

There's not much about it in the books I have but I know that when I began using Fuji films around the early 1970's the Fujichrome was E3/4 compatible. I guess I can look at some adverts and new product in BJP Almanacs from the 50's & 60's to get the exact date of the switch. It's going to be after Kodak's switch from E2 to E3.

Fuji's original process was launched in 1948 the same year as Ilford Color D (reversal), both used their own unique processes which were based on similar principles to Kodachrome.

The switch from the early product to a compatible process took place at a time when companies were being investigated by Governments for "Monopolising" the process. I have part of a 1960's UK Government report somewhere that looked at Ilford's monopoly over Ilford Colour processing, and Kodak came under similar scrutiny in the US over Kodachrome, the outcome in both countries was rulings against the manufacturers. A major problem was the processes for Kodachrome, and Ilford & Fuji's films were to complex for small scale laboratories and needed considerable investment.

Only the US market had sufficient volumes to warrant private labs investing in the Kodachrome process, to compete against Kodak's own facilities. Ilford ceased manufacture of Colour films and as we know Fuji switched to making films compatible with Kodak's other colour processes.

Put in that light if Fuji wanted to expand it's export market it too would have to sell a film that no longer used a unique complex process.

Ian

 

[AgX]

I'm interested to hear from anyone who used Fujifilm's former Fujichrome films -- which was Fuji's equivalent to Kodachrome.

The actual Kodachrome equivalents made by Fuji were called Fujicolor.
They were made from `48 untill `63.


A lot of manufacturers aside of Kodak made non-substantial colour films.
The last of those productions ended 1977.

 

[TerryM]

Thanks for all this great info! Do you know if Fujicolor used the Godowsky / Mannes Kodachrome process -- i. e. Red, Blue & then Green Layer development?

 

[TerryM]

... Honestly, I just wish I could have good R printing from any of these great films whether it be ciba or fuji super. Makes me pretty freaking sad.

Casey, Harman told me a while back that Elevator Photography in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is a great Ilfochrome lab. Here is their address and phone number:
Elevator Photography, 105 Vanderhoof Ave, East York, ON;
PHONE: 1-416-406-3131

You can check the ILFORD Imaging Switzerland Website to find a lab list.