Fuji Considering Bringing back B/W FILM

Thanks.
We are already discussing that topic for quite a time in the film sub forum. John Sypal of "Tokyocamerastyle" was the first who reported about that story and posted a picture of the original article on his instagram account:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Blp0d2InYcb/?taken-by=tokyocamerastyle


To the article of John Aldred:
"Fujifilm has spent the last few years systematically killing off all their film."
That is of course not true in such a generalisation. Fujifilm is offering lots of different film types. And their instax is by fare the most popular film of all in the market. They are selling more than 40 million packs of it p.a. It is a mass volume product.
Sad that lots of bloggers are going for click-bait by posting lies or too strong simplifications.

"But it’s very interesting that Fujifilm seems to actually be listening and taking the feedback seriously. So, if you want your favourite Fujifilm black & whites back, let them know. Say it loud and proud!"
I completey agree here!
And I've already done that and contacted Fujifilm in my country. The more that customers get in contact with them, the better.

By the way:
Fujifilm North America seems to get more and more active in promoting and selling their film:
1. They've just introduced complete new 3-film packs of Superia 400. New packaging units with new design.
I think you only invest in new packagings if you want to serve a market in the long term.
http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/film/35mm_print/superia_xtra_400/index.html

2. Fujifilm NA has opened a Fufilm Wonder Shop in NYC. There they offer not only all the instax stuff, but also
- all their conventional films
- in-house film processing (even with rebates if you bring in several films at once)
- workshops for film photography
- they promote film use intensively and daily via their instagram account:
https://www.instagram.com/fujifilm_profilm/?hl=de
They organise also competitions in which you can win free films.

Cheers, Jan
 
What bugs me is then Instax pushed as film.
The only film I know is one I could use in film camera and then use it as film.
Instax gives no film, but tiny and crappy, glossy, dull print. And actual film is tossed into garbage.
Yes, I'm thankful to Fuji for been able to walk into Shoppers Drugmart anywhere and buy one type and only of c-41 so-so film. Just like I could get Kodak one and only OK C-41 film in Walmart.
But somehow better Kodak film at Walmart is three times cheaper than Fuji film in GTA Shoppers.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
What bugs me is then Instax pushed as film.
Click to expand...


I agree with you. Instax is always held up as the shining example of a film that is growing year after year. While I agree that it is indeed a "film", and there are a great many members here who use it too, its not really what I think of when I click on a thread about "film". Instax does have its own sub-forum I think? Its almost as if we're being covertly persuaded to overlook their other discontinuances because, hey look, Instax is selling great!
 
Ko.Fe. said:
What bugs me is then Instax pushed as film.
The only film I know is one I could use in film camera and then use it as film.
Instax gives no film, but tiny and crappy, glossy, dull print. And actual film is tossed into garbage.
Click to expand...

But fact is that Instax and Polaroid are films. All have a negative film base in it, which is produced like other negative film. On the same coating lines.
That keeps for example the coating line at Inoviscoat in Germany running. Only because of the increasing instant film volume they can economically survive and are also capable of producing other products, like e.g. the Bergger Pancro 400 film, or the Lomography Tourqouis film.
And instax makes it possible for Fujifilm to keep their film factory in Tokyo running. And also produce the standard films.
Foma needs X-ray film and paper to run their coating line at sustainable capacity. Agfa, Belgium, needs X-Ray too (they need also PCB films to survive).

Ilford needs BW paper.
Kodak needs movie film production.
So in the end, almost no one in the industry can survive with only producing standard film in the current market situation.
Therefore I am very thankful for all the other products - instant film, X-Ray, PCB, paper etc. - because they support standard film production.
We should open our eyes for the real market situation: All silver-halide products are more or less in one ecosystem.

Cheers, Jan
 
Now that I think about, I've never used any Fuji b/w film. Some casual color film on the 90's but mostly stuck on Kodak b/w, color and slide and Ilford/Agfa for b/w. Somehow, never had any incentive for using/looking for Fuji. I try other films now and again for various reasons (price, special image quality, buzz, etc.) but somehow Fuji never where specially cheap or saw anything that could pull me out of my way to try them. Never a conscious thing.

That said,it is always good to have more options and seems like lots of people like them so kudos for them.

Regards

Marcelo
 
Hate to be the one to spoil the party, but I really wouldn't get my hopes up about this. The language supposedly used by Fujifilm as reported in the Japanese language article here sounds to me much more like an attempt to soften the criticism Fujifilm is receiving domestically than anything else.

「あくまで検討を開始しただけ」

If I heard that expression at my office, I'd rate the chance of anything actually coming out of it at 5-10% or less.
 
thanks for the infor jon. It seemed that way to me as well, judging from Fuji trend.


Best regards

Marcelo
 
For a long time Fujifilm Neopan 400 was my favorite 35mm film. When I heard it was being discontinued I scrounged everywhere and stocked up. I still have a fair amount of bulk rolls and factory pre-loads in my fridge and freezer, but I'd be very happy if they started making it again.
 
It would be great if Fuji could revive production of their films - I loved Neopan 400 and only discovered their 1600 offering when it had already ended...both were utterly fantastic by every metric I use film for (sharpness, grain, tones).

I don't shoot a lot of slow B&W film but their Acros 100 is noteworthy for having almost no reciprocity failure...that's impressive all on its own.

Fingers crossed. I'd shoot 400 or 1600 very regularly.
 
ACullen said:
I’d love to try Neopan 400 or 1600, as I’ve no idea what they offer over HP5 orTri-X.
Click to expand...

Different contrast profile...and grain. ilford Delta 3200 is quite a bit more gritty looking...Neopan 1600 to me seems a lot smoother. I consider Neopan 1600 a less sensitive Kodak 3200.
 
Neopan 400 is nice. Still got a brick of it in the freezer and hesitate opening it.
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