Skiff
Well-known
All of them except Acros are still around. And that new packaging design was six years ago. Quite a long time. Due to my sources problems with the availability of raw materials caused the end of Acros.
Prest_400
Multiformat
Quite interesting and unsettling. It does show the sourcing issue that Mirko from Adox Fotoimpex put an emphasis in. However, supposedly B&W film is just simpler to manufacture than color film, so it's not a good sign for the latter...
HHPhoto
Well-known
The film manufacturers themselves meanwhile have a positive view on the future of film. As explained here several times, we did a rff member meeting at last Photokina, and we've talked to all the manufacturers. And all have said that demand for film is increasing again. In some markets more, in some less. But the general positive trend is obvious.
Cheers, Jan
HHPhoto
Well-known
Getting the right raw materials is always a challenge for film manufacturers. Ilford's Simon Galley over at apug also reported about that. And ADOX CEO M. Böddecker has explained that they have finished the R&D for Polywarmtone two times. The paper was ready to get to the market. But then raw materials were not available anymore and they had to start R&D again. He said more than 120 different ingredients are in this paper.
Cheers, Jan
brbo
Well-known
Fuji officially stated not enough demand as the reason for discontinuation.
And then it "was said (on the internets, of course with no source)" that Fuji would LOVE to bring back Acros 100, but can't because they can't source all the raw components for production.
Now, you have to decide which story you want to believe...
Filter Factor
Established
Perhaps, but consider the effort, the optimism and the greatly-expanded presence of film products at Fujifilm's space at the most recent Photokina. For the first time in recent memory, the space devoted to film has been enlarged to the point of occupying the majority of Fujifilm's booth there. A "sea change", if you will. Fujifilm's new marketing efforts, their workshops, their tie-ins to Instagram and other social media, their new minilab machines, their new website https:/www.ishootfujifilm.com and last but not least the artwork, the brochures and the posters all point to more than just a "copy and paste" effort. Several rff members were present at Photokina and we all came away impressed with the newly redoubled focus on film culture at Fujifilm.
Cheers, Robert
Yesterday, Fujifilm officially announced (in Japanese) a 30% price increase at minimum to be effective from June and the discontinuation of Superia Venus 800.
http://ffis.fujifilm.co.jp/information/articlein_0090.html
http://ffis.fujifilm.co.jp/information/articlein_0090.html
maddoc
... likes film again.
Last year here in Nagoya in one shop I got a roll of Fujifilm Superia400 135-27 for free every time I brought a roll of C41 film for developing and small prints. I was told this was a campaign and they wanted to get rid of the film.
Imagesfromobjects
Member
I don't know if this has been posted, but here's the official press release from Fuji:
https://www.fujifilm.com/news/n190225.html
"[...] Fujifilm will continue to study the market demand, and make adjustments to product assortment as dictated by our customers and market conditions."
Dunno what else, if anything has been officially said.
https://www.fujifilm.com/news/n190225.html
"[...] Fujifilm will continue to study the market demand, and make adjustments to product assortment as dictated by our customers and market conditions."
Dunno what else, if anything has been officially said.
WJJ3
Well-known
Prest_400
Multiformat
So essentially another 30% increase in top of the April 1st. Are they adjusting to match the prices of Kodak, which in Japan are quite high? I can see how this will roll out worldwide eventually.
That's the April 1st increase, which given the recent Japanese post, is not the same one. If I am not wrong, it's two consecutive 30% increases.
I may just hold my own opinion about it, but does not seem like a good sign.
WJJ3
Well-known
Skiff
Well-known
That is just exactly that increase which was announced some weeks ago in English for the non-Japanese, worldwide market.
So nothing new, just the same announcement now in Japanese for the home market.
brbo
Well-known
edit: like Skiff said...
Skiff
Well-known
Here it is said very clear, that it is simply the former worldwide price announcement from some weeks ago:
https://www.dpreview.com/news/3468855795/fujifilm-japan-to-increase-color-film-prices-by-30
Interesting: Fujicolor 100 and Pro 160 NS remain in the film programme.
And here is an official Fujifilm statement that they are evaluating the possibility of a new BW film:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw_L1M4lHIo/
ptpdprinter
Veteran
And yet in the past year Fujifilm has discontinued films and raised prices, so there seems to be a disconnect between what they say and what they do. We are down to no black and white, three transparency and about five color negative choices. I can see them whacking that down a little further as they run out of existing stock to one transparency and three color negative films. It makes sense to rationalize production.
HHPhoto
Well-known
No.
Because you overlook one decisive point: The Photokina was significantly after the discontinuance announcements. And the announcements were made several months after the decisions were made at the headqurter (the decisions were already made in 2017).
Fujifilm told us that they had seen a significant demand change in spring and summer 2018. The positive photokina signals came in September 2018.
After that the more active marketing started.
So it looks like in summer / autumn last year Fujifilm readjusted their strategy. The Fujifilm stuff was very open minded. They explained Fujifilm is like a super huge oil tanker: It takes quite a lot time to fully change direction. We've seen that in the past with instax and their X cameras: They started quite slow and cautious, and increased their efforts step-by-step. It took them years to build their lines up.
It is realistic to expect that their actions concerning the film revival will also take some time and will be step-by-step. With small steps first. And probably later (3-4 years) with first film re-introductions. Remember how late in the game they were with their (now successful) x system.
And concerning the price increase. Kodak has published recently that they made almost 20 million bucks loss last year with their film production. They certainly cannot survive with their current prices. They have to do what is necessary: Set realistic, cost covering prices.
All manufacturers are sitting in the same boat concerning the current market price level: It is too low for a sustainable, profitable operation.
With lots of films Kodak's price increases in the past have been higher than those of Fujifilm.
Cheers, Jan
P.S.: Fujifilm just yesterday published their financial data for their fiscal year. Positive and very successful.
znapper
Well-known
The last nail in the coffin, for me, was when they killed Acros.
The former nails were NP400 and NP1600.
...and Fuji's chronic need to state "Fuji continues to support film",
while they are slashing and dashing their own lineup.
I really love the Fuji-films and I have many rolls, color and B&W in my freezer, that will last me for years. (bought as soon as I got whiff that they would cancel a certain film).
Fuji reala, NP1600, NP400, many Acros-rolls...
But Fuji can stuff all the left-over backing paper up their arse.....they are dead to me.
Instax piece of drivel.....plastic cameras, with plastic lenses, micro, low-resolution formats, designed for millenials?
No thank you.
My advice to anyone that like Fuji films; Get your hands on it now, and stuff it in your freezer, Fuji will be out of the film-business by 2020, there is nothing that indicates otherwise.
The former nails were NP400 and NP1600.
...and Fuji's chronic need to state "Fuji continues to support film",
while they are slashing and dashing their own lineup.
I really love the Fuji-films and I have many rolls, color and B&W in my freezer, that will last me for years. (bought as soon as I got whiff that they would cancel a certain film).
Fuji reala, NP1600, NP400, many Acros-rolls...
But Fuji can stuff all the left-over backing paper up their arse.....they are dead to me.
Instax piece of drivel.....plastic cameras, with plastic lenses, micro, low-resolution formats, designed for millenials?
No thank you.
My advice to anyone that like Fuji films; Get your hands on it now, and stuff it in your freezer, Fuji will be out of the film-business by 2020, there is nothing that indicates otherwise.
Ted Striker
Well-known
Fujifilm should sell their left over backing paper to Kodak, since their paper is of very low quality.
I agree with the rest of your post....Fujifilm is exiting all non Instax film.
Yes, that's correct, that's why I wrote "(in Japanese)". Its just one of multiple price hikes in recent years in the domestic market. Film prices in Japan have gone through the roof over the last few years, so much so that many serious film shooters I know already buy in bulk from overseas because its cheaper.
The more unwelcome surprise this time is that Superia Venus 800 will be discontinued.