Fuji Neopan 400CN --- an Ilford connection

<p>The August 2003 issue of <i>Black & White Photography</i> has a

small piece on Fuji's new C-41 Neopan 400CN (which will not be

released in the US, from what I've heard) which indicates that it was

designed with help from Ilford and is based on, but different from,

XP-2. It goes on to say that there is a possibility that the

Fujifilm/Ilford collaboration will continue in the future.</p>

Yes, I have heard of the news but I was wondering when will the film be release???? Right here in Japan I do not have a single idea when this new film will be in the market. Am very eager to try out this new film.

 

Yes, it is a colaboration between two huge companies, I think it will be different from XP-2. Just cant wait to get hold of a roll to try out. Another new medium to be explore..

 

BTW Fuji and K**** are dead rivals, that is why Fuji did the collboration with Ilford. Maybe it is a marketing tactic to increase Ilford and Fuji market(??) . Just a wild guess.

According to the article the new film will be available in the UK "this summer", so if it isn't available yet it will be soon. The article also says that 400CN is manufactured in Europe.

 

I find it interesting that Ilford would help Fuji create a competitor to XP-2... seems slightly odd.

my guess is:

one of the 2 will be producing what's left of the production need for the demand.

just different packaging & maybe color support (base)

That's a good bet!

Fuji is a major maker of store-brand films that "compete" with their other films in mass market venues.I just can't see Ilford ever seriously challenging Fuji in any market, either. That Fuji chose not to sell this material on the N. American market says much about their faith in the market for chromogenic films. With the capabilities and sheer numbers of commercial digital scan/print machines expanding, there's not much reason to use chromogenics aside from cheap c-41 processing and access to a b&w darkroom. I love XP2 and will continue to shoot it for its "look," but who needs Kodak's chromogenics when grayscale printing is available on a Fuji Frontier?

I would say that a good reason to use Kodak's C-41 B&W films is that they give good results on minilabs and the results are vastly superior than digitally desaturated color negative film. The difference in grain and sharpness is enormous.

 

What is astonishing to me is that there are so many traditional black and white films available. The C-41 ones seem to be much easier to process and scan. I've got T-Max 100 degatives which show absurd grain when scanned.

Ilkka Nissila Wrote

 

> What is astonishing to me is that there are so many traditional

> black and white films available.

 

Thank Goodness!

 

> The C-41 ones seem to be much easier to process and scan.

 

I've used a few Chromogenic films, and always been disappointed with the results. I guess that I like punchy prints with good contrast, even when I go up the recomended Grade to print them myself they always appear too soft. I suppose if I was to scan them then they should produce better results, but I'm staying away from the demon digital until the longevity question is sorted out. :> Now there's a whole nother post :>

 

Regards

 

Tony

Here is a scan of the announcement.<div></div>

Tom

A buddy of mine in Britain, sent me ten rolls of the Fuji Neopan 400CN. After burning a couple of them, I tend to agree with the written reviews. It is almost identical to Ilfords XP-2. Perhaps slightly better in tonality. But basically the same. Nothing can compare to the traditional Neopan 400 and Delta 400, in their speed class though.

 

QLP