Astia 120 is discontinued

The sky is falling! 🙂

Seriously, I wouldn't worry just cause they posted it. Could easily mean they are about to put out an updated version.
 
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So how many films has Fuji discontinued in the past year now ... I've lost track.

Three or four ... or more? 😕
 
What a prophet of doom you turned out to be.

Any other predictions we'd rather not hear about? 😛
 
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This sounds a bit scary. I do hope Fuji will bring a replacement, though I do not know what are the chances. But if Astia is gone the only "replacement" is E100G ... 🙁
 
Astia 120 is not yet discontinued hereabouts - on the other hand, 220 has been discontinued here for more than two years. That local Fuji reps can discontinue distribution on their own behalf always makes it hard to figure out if and where a film has vanished. This could be a discontinuation at B&H or Fuji US, or indeed merely a poorly worded notice that they temporarily ran out of stock.

I have very strong doubts about the fate of Astia after 35mm has gone the way of the Dodo - it would be quite a surprise if they'd ever cast it again. But I rather expect the final sale of the larger formats to last for a few more months or even years. At any rate, hereabouts they just re-listed Astia 4x5 sheet boxed (to replace Quickloads), which does not look as if Fujifilm Germany expected to run out of stock within weeks.
 
What a profit of doom you turned out to be.

Any other predictions we'd rather not hear about? 😛

I predict that in the future, Chinese B&W film and Caffenol development will be the norm. I don't see scanning though, not sure if that'll survive at all 🙁
 
It would be nice to see something new from Fuji but I don`t see a market large enough for producing a new 120 portrait color-slide film ...
 
Surely it's not a big market. And of course Portra crashed Astia. I just meant yet I don't think Fuji wants to leave that market... We will know soon... Maybe they'll replace it with slide film, or maybe they'll go the "all gets scanned, here's this new negative" road... If they were just quitting, "period", I'd be surprised, but yes, anything can happen... Kodak has been hitting hard for a very long time... But I think this is not Fuji 120 color film's death...

Cheers,

Juan
 
Surely it's not a big market. And of course Portra crashed Astia. I just meant yet I don't think Fuji wants to leave that market... We will know soon... Maybe they'll replace it with slide film, or maybe they'll go the "all gets scanned, here's this new negative" road... If they were just quitting, "period", I'd be surprised, but yes, anything can happen... Kodak has been hitting hard for a very long time... But I think this is not Fuji 120 color film's death...

Cheers,

Juan

where have you been, Juan? 😉

Fujifilm already told us what they're replacing Astia with on 15th December last year in this official statement. The replacement for Astia 100F is ..... Provia 100F !!!
 
Taken from the Japanese language wiki page for Fujifilm (link here):

2009年1月6日の読売新聞によると、写真フィルム部門の売上高は会社全体の売上高の5%にも満たないという。

Translation: According to a Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper article dated January 6th, 2009, sales of film products comprised less than 5% of Fujifilm's total sales.

That was two years ago. No doubt its even less now. I get the feeling that Fujifilm is still in the film game out of love, rather than the money!

Fuji_Blimp.jpg

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Seriously, are people still using FujiFilm? It's time to move on...
 
I've been busy with B&W... 🙂

I guess the last time I bought from Fuji, that new product was called "S3Pro", so you're right: even then they were digital already, and looks like I am living just inside memories from a distant past that won't be back...

So, Kodak! If not, B&W film only! If not, digital! I'm ready for the years to come no matter what they bring...

Cheers,

Juan
 
Right now, there is no official word on the Fujifilm Japan website that Astia 120 has been discontinued. They had the opportunity to axe it together with Astia 135 just a couple of weeks ago, which they didn't do. On the contrary, their December press release stresses the point that Astia sales in 120/220 and sheet film will continue. This does make sense in a way when you consider that the classic professional applications of this film (portrait and fashion) are not typically shot on 135 film. Of course, it could be only because they have a lot of stock left in these formats that has to be sold off. Anyhow, my best guess is that reports of Astias demise in 120 being imminent here are ... well, exaggerated.
John
 
Do you mean you think it will be Fuji's last 120 portraiture slide film?

There is little doubt about that. It is debatable whether there is a genuine need for any slide film in formats other than 35mm, where there still is a niche for projection, and even more debatable whether we need different film types any more. With direct print from slide processes gone except for Ilfochrome (a tiny niche of its own), all non-projection applications of slide film now have an intermediate level of scanning, which pretty much does away with the need for a variety of emulsions of different contrast and saturation. Tradition and personal habit aside, there is no compelling reason why there should be more medium and large format slide film sold than Ilfochrome print material - and even the traditionalists don't really need five different types any more.

I'd be very surprised if Fuji do not reduce their slide film choice to Provia and Velvia 50 rather soon now, echoing the similar move Kodak has already done. I regret it as I'd rather have seen Velvia and Astia, which I consider superior, but the latter never had a big market share...
 
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