Velvia re-released
- Thread starter wintoid
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 15
- Views 1K
Kim Coxon
Moderator
It was discussed here but it is still good news! 😀
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30889
Kim
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30889
Kim
Xmas
Veteran
Kim
Good news indeed, but just as I weaned my self of the yellow brick road to Kansas (Kodak) and on to the Fuj100chrome, which I really like now. I now need to stock up on the 50 when it is available here.
Noel
Good news indeed, but just as I weaned my self of the yellow brick road to Kansas (Kodak) and on to the Fuj100chrome, which I really like now. I now need to stock up on the 50 when it is available here.
Noel
kaiyen
local man of mystery
I just wish Fuji didn't charge so bloody much for their chromes. It's ridiculous. And it's why I'm switching completely to digital, with a dslr, for color once my stock of expired velvia (almost gone) and astia (about 20 rolls) is finished up.
allan
allan
peter_n
Veteran
Still, it is good news. Fuji do seem to be serious about supporting film.
kaiyen
local man of mystery
To the point where many film shooters can't afford it? I guess it's a double-edged sword. I don't think it's a wise marketing strategy on Fuji's part, personally.
allan
allan
lZr
L&M
Good news. The bad news are the kiosks for development the slides....
Most are bloody dead
Most are bloody dead
Xmas
Veteran
IZ
I have to buy process paid mailer & post mine (post 1GBP), with about one weeks turn around.
Noel
I have to buy process paid mailer & post mine (post 1GBP), with about one weeks turn around.
Noel
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
Way back when, chromes ruled not only in number of rolls but in cost effectiveness; it was way more expensive to get colour neg film processed. As the technology (automation, minilabs) improved for C22/41 etc., the gap closed and the lines crossed. With that, less and less chrome was sold, prints were cheap enough that people sighed that they didn't have to pull out their projector and screen to have a family viewing, etc. So chromes became not only less convenient (slide copies to send to ugly Uncle Bob at Christmas in the annual letter just wasn't reasonable) but became more expensive.
So whatever the quality advantage a slide film has over negative, it seems like people don't find the extra cost to be worth it. For commercial/paying work it's a non-issue (as long as we keep the speed/convenience aspects of digital out of the mix), but for amateur work it's more of an issue.
As the majors (Fuji & Kodak) close down chrome processing facilities and independent/affiliates drop off, it becomes a vicious circle.
So it seems to me that if Fuji is committed to film, chrome in particular, they should work very hard to re-engergize the processing capacity for both more convenience and better pricing. Have them give substantial incentives to their processing partners. Have them sell mailers with large discounts for quantities. Make available home darkroom processing kits for FREE with a purchase of x number of rolls. I believe there are enough enthusiasts out there who would try to process themselves given some incentive.
There are all sorts of things Fuji (or anyone, for that matter ... but I won't hold my breath for Kodak!) could do to make this a winner. Look at all the people coming to RFF with the "I was all digital but have come/come back to film..." And if there are that many here, how many are there elsewhere?
FWIW, I don't want this to be a film-digital debate. This is more about marketing, sales, etc. No company makes a committment to launch a product (or re-launch in this case) without some expectation of a return on investment. The ROI might be more goodwill/PR than financial, but still there is a REASON companies do this type of thing.
So whatever the quality advantage a slide film has over negative, it seems like people don't find the extra cost to be worth it. For commercial/paying work it's a non-issue (as long as we keep the speed/convenience aspects of digital out of the mix), but for amateur work it's more of an issue.
As the majors (Fuji & Kodak) close down chrome processing facilities and independent/affiliates drop off, it becomes a vicious circle.
So it seems to me that if Fuji is committed to film, chrome in particular, they should work very hard to re-engergize the processing capacity for both more convenience and better pricing. Have them give substantial incentives to their processing partners. Have them sell mailers with large discounts for quantities. Make available home darkroom processing kits for FREE with a purchase of x number of rolls. I believe there are enough enthusiasts out there who would try to process themselves given some incentive.
There are all sorts of things Fuji (or anyone, for that matter ... but I won't hold my breath for Kodak!) could do to make this a winner. Look at all the people coming to RFF with the "I was all digital but have come/come back to film..." And if there are that many here, how many are there elsewhere?
FWIW, I don't want this to be a film-digital debate. This is more about marketing, sales, etc. No company makes a committment to launch a product (or re-launch in this case) without some expectation of a return on investment. The ROI might be more goodwill/PR than financial, but still there is a REASON companies do this type of thing.
Kim Coxon
Moderator
Perhaps but E6 is much easier to do yourself than C41.
Kim
Kim
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
Exactly. Not sure I understand your comment, but since it is easier than C41 (at least in some respects), all the more reason for Fuji to provide incentives and an easy path to reinvigorate that end of the chain.
I can take my E6 into a local semi-pro lab and get quick turnaround, though their scanning leaves me frustrated. Fuji could address that, too. If Joe Advanced Amateur could walk into a one of at least a few mini-labs in his city/town and get quick turnaround on E-6, with decent scanning as an optional service, then it would change the equation.
And for the very serious hobbyist, a kit that gets you started (chemistry, thermometer, tank, mounting equipment/supplies, etc., ) at a very low price or with good rebate, would maybe be the necessary motivation to "give it a try."
I can take my E6 into a local semi-pro lab and get quick turnaround, though their scanning leaves me frustrated. Fuji could address that, too. If Joe Advanced Amateur could walk into a one of at least a few mini-labs in his city/town and get quick turnaround on E-6, with decent scanning as an optional service, then it would change the equation.
And for the very serious hobbyist, a kit that gets you started (chemistry, thermometer, tank, mounting equipment/supplies, etc., ) at a very low price or with good rebate, would maybe be the necessary motivation to "give it a try."
Kim Coxon
Moderator
I thought you were saying that C41 would last longer than E6 because the labs were dying out. For a long time it was very difficult to get Mono done in the UK apart from a few specialists. The C41 mono changed it slightly but the main reason it has survived is because of the ability to process at home. I used to do all my own E6 but unless I do 6 or preferably a dozen rolls at a time, economy means it is easier to send it away. That is now beginning to alter. It won't help the Kodachrome fans but I suspect that E6 will dwindle and labs will reduce but it will be kept alive in the short term by home processing.
Kim
Kim
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
Current trends DO mean E6 will die out before C41. This is one reason the re-release of Velvia 50 or the release of any new E6 film is unusual. The business case for it must be based on the professional market, because I don't think the amateur market would support such a massive investment. Just my opinion, of course.
So, I wasn't very clear; what I was really proposing or musing about was that if Fuji is serious about chrome in general, it needs to do more than just maintain the status quo with regard to marketing and finishing.
As far as Kodachrome goes, home processing is not really practical, from what I understand. (For references, see the Kodachrome threads on APUG, particularly the comments of Photo Engineer, a retired Kodak engineer who knows Kodachrome intimately and developed patents on some of the emulsion elements.) Were it not so ...
So, I wasn't very clear; what I was really proposing or musing about was that if Fuji is serious about chrome in general, it needs to do more than just maintain the status quo with regard to marketing and finishing.
As far as Kodachrome goes, home processing is not really practical, from what I understand. (For references, see the Kodachrome threads on APUG, particularly the comments of Photo Engineer, a retired Kodak engineer who knows Kodachrome intimately and developed patents on some of the emulsion elements.) Were it not so ...
lZr
L&M
Kit for self development of C6? What a brilliant idea...? But what should I do with my Jobo?:bang:
kully
Happy Snapper
I'm not so pessimistic about the death of E-6 film, sure there are no slide processing facilities that I can drop my film off at near where I live. But dlab7.com, MetroLabs in Brum and Peak Imaging all have good rates for slide processing and I get the transparencies back in a few days time.
The Process paid mailers, even in bulk work out to be twice as expensive as sending off to dlab7 (for example).
The Process paid mailers, even in bulk work out to be twice as expensive as sending off to dlab7 (for example).
Toby
On the alert
The tricky thing for pro's at the moment is that most magazines and newspapers in the UK are trying to cut their budgets. The Daily Telegraph has announced big cuts in its picture desk and day rates for photographers haven't gone up in ten years. Film and developing costs were traditionally added to your invoice, the cost of expensive digital equipment and hours spent behind the computer has been placed firmly on the shoulders of the photographer 😡 . In this background I can't see film keeping a toehold in these markets because it's not about quality or feel it's about cost. However, I did go to a trade show last friday an talked to a nice lady from Linhof Studio, who distribute Bergger film. I asked her pointedly if they were selling any film and she replied that because Bergger film has a lot of silver in it and lends itself to alternative processes it had seen steady growth over the last few years, mainly in the fine art market. Fuji were also there and their film stand was doing very brisk business amongst students. So at least at the moment film's future is as a fine art niche product - velvia lends itself well to this type of work. So filmshooters aren't photographers anymore we're fine artists. I'm going out to buy a beret and some extra strong french cigarettes 😀 .
