Petition to get Fuji Neopan 400 back..?

[znapper]

Hi

I'm mostly a lurker here (Own a Leica CL rangefinder from 1973)

I was hoping that people would send their message to Fuji about removing Neopan 400 in 120 format.

Here's the link to the request/complaint form at Fuji Japan:
https://www.fujifilm.com/mail/form.cgi?code=244-59899-54331

It's very quick to fill in (comment, name, country, email).

There is also a link on the same page to the USA site, but I like to go to the source directly if I can.

The film was discontinued after they discovered that the [corrected text]anti static layer on the film base and under the emulsion (not the backing paper) contained perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).[/corrected text] Should be no huge thing to fix, right?

I hope some of you could contribute as well, and spread the word/link.

(Hope this was ok to post here, not wanting to step on any toes or nothing 🙂 ).

 

[Freakscene]

The film was discontinued after they discovered that some material in the backing-paper was non eco friendly (or so their said). Should be no huge thing to fix, right?

No. Films are very complex chemically and contain unexpected components.

Neopan 400 in 120 was discontinued because the anti static layer on the film base and under the emulsion (not the backing paper) contained perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). PFOS was added to Annex B of the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in May 2009 because PFOS is a powerful immunosuppressant and can persist and concentrate in biological systems. I'd have considered avoiding using Neopan 400 120 had I known that the film contained PFOs. Japan passed legislation to take up these new controls in late 2009.

It's not as simple as just reformulating the backing and starting manufacture again. The anti-static backing needs to be matched to the antihalation layer, and its physical texture and propensity to generating static electricity, which also varies between emulsions. Getting this right is difficult, and finding another existing product which is both an anti-static agent and a surfactant (important for the development characteristics of the film) is close to impossible.

Even if after more than 2 years Fuji haven't already decommissioned the machinery and pensioned off or fired the technicians who knew how to make 120 format Neopan 400, it's unlikely that it can be revived, let alone that it will be.

I miss it too, and I used heaps of it in 120, but it's gone. Find something else.

Marty

 

[Rob-F]

Can we get a petition going for Neopan 1600? I'll sign it!

 

[znapper]

Thank you for your clarification.

Well, I am not so sure that it is impossible, after all, they got Velvia 50 fixed and out on the marked again.

I am already researching alternatives, but letting Fuji know that they really need a 400 ISO b/w option can't hurt (unless off course, that they plan to stop the film division all together). 🙂

 

[Freakscene]

I visited Fuji in Japan as soon as I could after the discontinuation was announced and told them that users really needed a 120 medium speed option. They indicated that the film market was too small to support development of a new product.

Marty

 

[helen.HH]

Hell i'd rather have neopan 1600... My ALL time Favorite Film
Day or Night..
If You start a Petition for your 400, i will be Happy to sign it for You

With Kodak & all its Troubles Hope Tmax stays in Existence... 😉

 

[noimmunity]

Here's another vote for reviving Neopan 1600

(and I too wrote Fujifilm about that)

 

[znapper]

Helenhill, you just use the link in my original post and request/complaint directly there, I was not planning to gather things and send it in to Fuji, I am sorry if you misunderstood my post 🙂

 

[Bob Michaels]

I visited Fuji in Japan as soon as I could after the discontinuation was announced and told them that users really needed a 120 medium speed option. They indicated that the film market was too small to support development of a new product.
Marty

Marty points out an inescapable fact that will always trump any petition regardless of the number of signatures.

I shot 120 Neopan 400 for many years and loved it. But I am doing fine with Tri-X now. There are alternatives. I just hope the market for iso 400 b&w film remains large enough so someone makes it.

 

[znapper]

Indeed.

Well, I've tried Tri-x 400 and Hp5+ (in 120) and I kind of like hp5+ the most. Still, it's missing "something".

Maybe Fomapan 400 is closer.....?

I have 100 ISO nailed, which is Acros....and Foma if they ever get their scratch problem solved. But I still struggle with 400 ISO, not competent to get the films to do what I want yet I suppose. 😉
Neopan was such a clean film with deep blacks and brilliant whites, Hp5+ is kind of "muddy" in my opinion.

 

[znapper]

Just wanted to follow up and inform that I did get a reply from Fuji Japan today.

Here's the answer I got from them and even though they state that it is, and is going to continue to be, discontinued, bugging them a little about it is only fair play =) (cool that they did take the time to answer my query though)

Fw: [Contact Tokyo Headquarters]?


yoriko*****@fujif?ilm.co.jp

Add to contacts
To *****

Dear Mr./Ms. ****,

First of all, thank you so much for your inquiry about our films.

We had discontinued the Neopan 400 in 120 format due to the rapid decrease in demands.
And unfortunately now we don't have any plan to produce this film again for same reason.
We are sincerely sorry for this inconvenience.

Thank you so much again for using our films.

Best regards,
Yoriko *****
Fujifilm Corporation
----- ???: ?????????/?????????: 2012/02/13 17:49 -----
2012/02/08 19:46
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webmaster@fujifilm.co.jp
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[Contact Tokyo Headquarters]