ptpdprinter
Veteran
I would think the marketing worked. Announce the discontinuation of Acros and have all existing stock bought up by true believers. Wait to announce Acros II and be hailed a hero by film afficiandos.
Ted Striker
Well-known
Ridiculous. Stranding customers is the WORST thing you can do to them. You clearly don't work with customers who buy your products. Had my company been as foolish as Fujifilm was, we would have lost a ton of business, and have in the past when we had production issues that left them stranded.
The idea that Fujifilm executed some genius marketing plan is beyond ludicrous.
Furthermore, Fujifilm is NOT to be trusted with Acros II. I was a regular shooter of Neopan 400. They exited that film market and left customers high and dry. Then, a short time later, brought the film back and so many resumed shooting it. Guess what? Fujifilm axed the film an even shorter time later and once again, stranded customer.
Only Charlie Brown trusts Fujifilm.
I certainly don't.
HHPhoto
Well-known
Because R&D is an open process. You never know if and when you will have success. There is no guarantee, and film production is extremely difficult.
It is simply honest and trustworthy to be silent until something substantial can be said.
Acros had to be discontinued because some raw materials were not available anymore.
Certainly Fujifilm started R&D on Acros II before the discontuniation announcement. But at that time it was uncertain whether they will be succesful with Acros II in a short time period. And they don't wanted to create high hopes for something which can fail. Then the dissappointment would have been even much higher in the case of failure.
Cheers, Jan
Ted Striker
Well-known
I have been in chemical R & D for now 26 years. There's nothing you can inform me about this process.
The idea that Fujifilm could not predict success making a black and white film, with their 100+ years of experience simply is not plausible.
HHPhoto
Well-known
I have to disagree.
1. The decisive point is that it is not possible to say how long you exactly need.
And saying "we make an Acros II" and then not being able to deliver for two, three or maybe more years would have created another ****storm.
Much much better to be silent instead and concentrating hard on the work.
2. Look at ADOX and their Polywarmtone paper problem: They needed 10 years for it. In the meantime they have finished the work 2x, and then another raw materials were discontinued and they had to start R&D again.
3. Look at Film Ferrania: They have a sever PR problem now because they have said "we are doing it", but R&D is so difficult that there is no product yet. And customers are dissappointed.
No, the way Fuji have done it = "finish the R&D work first, and then announce it" is the best and honest way to do it.
Cheers, Jan
brbo
Well-known
I don't believe that Acros 100 II is a result of multi-year all-out R&D. I bet Acros 100 II will be close to indistinguishable to old Acros and that it didn't take much R&D (if any at all) for Fuji to re-release it.
The official Acros axing press release clearly stated lack of demand (the raw component unavailability excuse came later). Were they lying? Why? And why would they discontinue everything related to BW along with it? Simply because new Acros R&D was a few months behind schedule? Ridiculous. Even more if you consider Fuji statements that followed, first "raw component unavailability", few monts later "looking into possibility to source needed raw components" and finally, again only a few months later "yes, we are bringing it back".
And I don't believe for a second that disco and re-release was Fuji's plan to get rid of old Acros before releasing Acros II. That would be nuts. Ted Strikers of the world with multiple freezers full of Acros will NOT be buying much Acros II anytime soon.
Let's just hope that the initial test sales in Japan are not too bad so the intl. release will follow and we are not witnessing a re-release of we-told-you-there-is-no-demand-for-Neopan-400.
Actually, it might not be that bad an idea to spread some fear that Acros 100 II might be discontinued shorty after re-release. That way maybe the second Acros hoarding run can convince Fuji that demand for Acros is really strong and they make a much bigger second run that will last for many years
The official Acros axing press release clearly stated lack of demand (the raw component unavailability excuse came later). Were they lying? Why? And why would they discontinue everything related to BW along with it? Simply because new Acros R&D was a few months behind schedule? Ridiculous. Even more if you consider Fuji statements that followed, first "raw component unavailability", few monts later "looking into possibility to source needed raw components" and finally, again only a few months later "yes, we are bringing it back".
And I don't believe for a second that disco and re-release was Fuji's plan to get rid of old Acros before releasing Acros II. That would be nuts. Ted Strikers of the world with multiple freezers full of Acros will NOT be buying much Acros II anytime soon.
Let's just hope that the initial test sales in Japan are not too bad so the intl. release will follow and we are not witnessing a re-release of we-told-you-there-is-no-demand-for-Neopan-400.
Actually, it might not be that bad an idea to spread some fear that Acros 100 II might be discontinued shorty after re-release. That way maybe the second Acros hoarding run can convince Fuji that demand for Acros is really strong and they make a much bigger second run that will last for many years
ptpdprinter
Veteran
Calm down. It was tongue in cheek.
brbo
Well-known
If they wouldn't have announced discontinuation they would still be selling original Acros 100 in 2020 with the regular demand. Which would've given them plenty of time if there was more real and extensive R&D needed. And they would still have the possibility to discontinue the film when they are actually out of it (if they established by then that it can no longer be made).
Ted Striker
Well-known
Yes. Exactly. 100% right. There simply was no reason to act the way they did. Even Fujifilm is not that ignorant of normal business practices.
Ted Striker
Well-known
Actually, it might not be that bad an idea to spread some fear that Acros 100 II might be discontinued shorty after re-release. That way maybe the second Acros hoarding run can convince Fuji that demand for Acros is really strong and they make a much bigger second run that will last for many years
As already mentioned, Fujifilm discontinued Neopan 400 once, and then brought it back, and then shortly discontinued it again. Constantly Fujifilm states lack of demand for the reason why they discontinue films.
This whole Acros II situation looks profoundly weird, even for a company as two faced on the future of film as Fujifilm.
SURF
Member
RIP Imacon. Mechanically it was not a great scanner. One can still use the lens taken from it for DSLR scanning.