Fuji Discontinues Velvia 100 in U.S.

At $25 a roll, reversal film cannot conceivably have a future. Especially with the narrow exposure envelope, blown shots are all too common to the less-than-expert shooter and raise the cost per image to absurd levels.
 

Poor Ken Rockwell, though... :D

KR’s digital tweaks to produce highly oversaturated colors make real Velvia almost appear to be a B&W film.

If the EPA ever discovers UV light penetrates our atmosphere, then we’re really in trouble.
 
if you read the details, this only relates to Velvia 100, not 50 or Provia. Hopefully Fuji wakes up and brings back Velvia 50 in 4x5 to North America again. But maybe it's only in Japan because they are working off frozen master rolls done years ago and have not produced any new masters in years. Who knows? Hopefully Provia is still available for a long time going forward.

I expect, like I have seen over the last 48 hours, that retailers are going to stick it to slide film buyers/hoarders who panic and start buying in bulk over the next few weeks with jacked up prices. Hopefully they come down. For the film I buy B&H is now the most expensive film seller. 4x5 HP5 is 20% more expensive than my local shop for some reason. every few weeks they raise prices.

I keep hoping that this hobby I enjoy can stay affordable, but it is what it is. Just keep shooting and enjoy the moment
 
I had just tried a couple rolls of Astia, and rather liked it, just before they discontinued it.
 
Some good news: Despite Larry's admonition, I just called Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kansas. They reassured me that they will continue to process Velvia 100. And for anyone using Fuji color processing mailers, Dwayne's is the company that actually does the processing.
As an aside, anyone who is looking for a good lab should consider Dwayne's. Ever since the demise of Kodachrome (sniff), my Fuji film has gone to them via Fuji mailers. Processing has always been faultless, and very prompt.
 
My M9–P has saved me a lot money since I bought it 9 years ago. But I have to credit a single roll of Velvia, my first, in 2008 as the beginning of my first late step up in photography. Couldn’t say its cost, $AUD 36.00, was not part of it.
 
Second on the Dwayne's recommendation.

I'm not sure what happened to B&H in the last year or so but they don't get my film business anymore (and as a consequence, no filters, memory cards or other miscellaneous high profit items).

Not only did they stop selling single rolls of 120 Kodak and Fuji, Film Photography Project and Freestyle are generally 10-20% lower on most films even without free shipping.
 
Man I used to complain when provia 400x was $16.95 a roll - rvp50 is $26.95 a roll at adorama.

Ouch - e6 is going to be a "treat" for me from now on
 
Some good news: Despite Larry's admonition, I just called Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kansas. They reassured me that they will continue to process Velvia 100. And for anyone using Fuji color processing mailers, Dwayne's is the company that actually does the processing.
As an aside, anyone who is looking for a good lab should consider Dwayne's. Ever since the demise of Kodachrome (sniff), my Fuji film has gone to them via Fuji mailers. Processing has always been faultless, and very prompt.

Sorry, I meant don’t give the EPA any ideas about shutting down processing, not Dwaynes, when I said “them”. Also good to hear that they are doing a nice job for you.
 
I'm looking forward to trying Kodak E100 film on my planned leaf-peeping trip in October.

Chris

You should probably try some before you devote an entire foliage trip to it to be sure you like it. Not everyone does. Or, at least, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. YMMV
 
Second on the Dwayne's recommendation.

I'm not sure what happened to B&H in the last year or so but they don't get my film business anymore (and as a consequence, no filters, memory cards or other miscellaneous high profit items).

Not only did they stop selling single rolls of 120 Kodak and Fuji, Film Photography Project and Freestyle are generally 10-20% lower on most films even without free shipping.

Single rolls ? I remember when B&H sold Ilford 120 in 50 roll boxes...those were the days.
 
No worries

No worries

You should probably try some before you devote an entire foliage trip to it to be sure you like it. Not everyone does. Or, at least, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. YMMV

It's actually just a fall vacation; I just call it my Annual Columbus Day Weekend Leaf Peeping Trip.
As always photography will be one small part of the activities planned.

E100 looks pretty good from what I've seen. If not there's always next year...

Chris
 
I haven't tried E100, but I now intend to. The reality is that our options are shrinking; we will have to adapt our shooting, and our seeing, to what's available.
 
An odd remark today at the end of the email sent out to people on the mailing list for Speed Graphic, a well-known photographic equipment supplier in the UK:

"Lastly, we heard from a reliable source that Fujifilm have already made their final roll of film. So much for being the 'last man standing' in film manufacturing! It's likely that stock in Europe and then the USA will dry up first, leaving Fuji just serving the home market. They already have Japan-only films in their catalogue."

I'm surprised that it hasn't been mentioned anywhere else if it really is true.
 
An odd remark today at the end of the email sent out to people on the mailing list for Speed Graphic, a well-known photographic equipment supplier in the UK:

"Lastly, we heard from a reliable source that Fujifilm have already made their final roll of film. So much for being the 'last man standing' in film manufacturing! It's likely that stock in Europe and then the USA will dry up first, leaving Fuji just serving the home market. They already have Japan-only films in their catalogue."

I'm surprised that it hasn't been mentioned anywhere else if it really is true.
Conveniently, such claims always lack any actual source or name of the contact.

I have to say posts such as the above do **** me no end. Not because they might be right. Or wrong. But because they are, quite simply, unhelpful. They don't help the manufacturer sell product (in the long run, at least). They don't help photographers using film: they cause uncertainty about supply and logistic problems from panic buying.

I'm all in favour of sharing relevant information about film photography. But (and I'm speaking generally here, not just to the quoted member, above) if you can't cite a name, or a source document from a manufacturer or other stakeholder in the sales/distribution process—only some "he said she said" "reliable source"—kindly do those of us who love to shoot film a favour, and STFU. I can't speak for your planet, but in the one I live on, "reliable sources" have a name.
 
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