Fuji stops black and white... :(

so sad... across was my favourite film recently... :(

 

 

Japan's Fujifilm to end sales of black-and-white photo film due to falling demand | The Japan Times

I'm afraid we're way past the dead-canary-in-the-coal-mine point. :oops:

 

Fuji bravely stuck it out for a lot longer than most.

 

Ironically some of the last ones still standing are based on the often-primitive factories of the old second world....

I'm afraid we're way past the dead-canary-in-the-coal-mine point. :oops:

 

Fuji bravely stuck it out for a lot longer than most.

 

Ironically some of the last ones still standing are based on the often-primitive factories of the old second world....

 

 

I was never a fan but to lose any company supporting us users is a tragic event.

 

Regardless of primative coating machines (probably way superior, regardless of age)... its the improvements in emulsions I appreciate most of todays films. I love the T Grain films for my 120 use. BUT mothers milk was once about grain; wasnt it?

 

Just be happy we have a few really good film companies, which are still improving as we speak.

 

now if we can get better printing papers back from the dead... we'd have the whole enchilada!

It's interesting to me that Fuji has seen a lack of demand while others are making a strong resurgence.

 

I just recently bought my first Acros-10 rolls total in 120. I like it and it does have a unique rendition, but I won't be putting down my Tri-X anytime soon.

 

I could grow to like/make use of the reduced red sensitivity, but I don't think it's worth learning a film that will soon be gone. Of course, the astro guys love it for its wonderful reciprocity characteristics.

 

I have to admit that I didn't realize that Fuji made B&W paper. Ilford has dominated the shelves here since Kodak pulled out of the B&W paper business. There are some other brands, but Ilford seems to have the market cornered here.

"Low demand" huh? That's what happens when you put a 24$ per 3-pack price tag on a 35 mm film. When that's the cheapest option. When not everybody shoots medium format. Don't get me wrong, I love Acros 100. It's my favourite BW film. And I loved Agfaphoto Vista 200, which was also manufactured by fuji, it was my favourite cheap film. And puff, it's also gone. Along with almost every C-41 fuji films.

 

Perhaps when you're a gigantic corporation that makes profit on digital gear and perversion of nature called Instax, you don't care much about a teeny-tiny segment of your production - film. Unlike Ilford, which is 100% film photography-related company. Unlike even Kodak, or what's left of it.

 

It's a pity.

These days it seems that "From Japan" comes with a premium price. I see Hasselblad items from Japan has become very expensive, and most of it is rated so-called "Top Mint" when it's not at all.

BH already stopped it... sad... :confused:

 

I wonder if they are going to reborn it after some time, like Kodak with ektachrome, although they still didn't release anything...

 

film is shrinking more and more... :(:confused:o_O

It's interesting to me that Fuji has seen a lack of demand while others are making a strong resurgence

 

Proof? Curious how you'd quantify "a strong resurgence?" As it stands, that's really a fact-free statement.

Perhaps strong is a stretch, but see the press release for TMZ

 

Kodak Alaris Revives KODAK PROFESSIONAL T-MAX 3200 35mm Film - The Film Photography Project

let's hope they will find a way to keep them... even if they start the line once a year... if there is no great demand... who knows

 

P.S. I am still waiting for the reborn of Ektachrome

P.S. I am still waiting for the reborn of Ektachrome

 

Yeah, here too... :(

Again, what's the big deal with Acros? It's just another Tmax clone with even less density range to save production costs on silver and produce a sterile tone range. Delta 100, tmx 100 and Acros can all roll off the earth for all I care because they are all more similar than different. Seriously...how many middle tones of muddy grey do you need? FP4 smokes smokes Acros...period. Look at the recent examples of FP4 posted here and why are we crying about Acros?

 

Spare me the reciprocity argument. If you can't calculate 50 or 100percent exposure increase then use the calculator on your phone.

 

Kodak and especially Ilford are producing better conventional b/w materials and have commited to the market. Fujifilm produced Acros to leech of the Tmax/ minilab market where big yellow didn't have a sales rep. This should mean more sales for Kodak and Ilford and strengthen their positions.

FP4 smokes smokes Acros...period. Look at the recent examples of FP4 posted here and why are we crying about Acros?

 

Funny enough, I had actually never given FP4+ a thought before I got into large format last year.

 

Plus-X remains one of my favorite films and it's one that I still use in 35mm. I'd overlooked FP4+ in 35mm because of Plus-X, and Tri-X has served 90% or better of my medium format B&W needs(I also use a lot of Tri-X in 35mm).

 

Years ago, I'd tried HP5+ when I needed some film in a hurry and my local source was out of Tri-X and didn't like it then. I've tried it a few times since and still can't warm up to it. I have no doubt that it's a great film, but I've shot so much Tri-X over the years that it just looks "off" to me.

 

LF, though, has made me really love FP4+. Going in, I knew I was going to have to "learn" a new film as Plus-X is out and Tri-X isn't the same. Given the cost of sheet film from any source, it made sense to use something that I could use in roll film also. I'm averse to T-grain films, so that basically left me at Ilford or Foma(realistically probably Arista.edu). FP4+ initially attracted me because of its ASA similarity to Plus-X. Although it has a very different look and feel than Plus-X, I grew to love it as it is and it's now a very "comfortable" film for me.

 

I just wish that I could get there with the $100 box of TXP320 sitting in the freezer. I have some TXP320 in 220-and have shot a bit of it-but I'm still not comfortable enough with it to really seriously shoot sheets. It's amazing how different two films that share a common base name can be.

scott_eaton - maybe you are right... I am not so much in the black&white, I use Acros for several years and what I liked so much is the contrast, the sharpness and the very thin and transparent film beneath... from Ilford I have tried the 50 and the one for C41 and I wasn't impressed... Tmax 100 I also tried once, because it was the only one I found and I think is also very good... but if you say FP4 is better I will have to try it... either way maybe we won't have any choice anyway... but still Acros is very very good film and the reciprocity is great indeed

scott_eaton - maybe you are right... I am not so much in the black&white, I use Acros for several years and what I liked so much is the contrast, the sharpness and the very thin and transparent film beneath... from Ilford I have tried the 50 and the one for C41 and I wasn't impressed... Tmax 100 I also tried once, because it was the only one I found and I think is also very good... but if you say FP4 is better I will have to try it... either way maybe we won't have any choice anyway... but still Acros is very very good film and the reciprocity is great indeed

I didn't know Ilford Pan 50 was unimpressive. XP2 never appealed to me due to ISO400. As for T-max, everything depends on which chemicals you use for development and how exactly you develop. Дело техники :rolleyes:

I like Pan F, but I'm too lazy to shoot it. The latent image keeping ability is terrible-for best results I've found that you'd better shoot the entire roll in a day and then develop it pretty soon after. The last roll I shot was in date and cold stored, but the edge markings were quite faint. BTW, I shot it in one day and developed it the next.

 

That's in contrast with Tri-X, which I've had sit in a camera for a month and not had any issues. Of course, that's a bad idea too-especially in a medium format SLR-but at least the latent image is still there for a while.

When I still had local c41 processing here, I had become a real fan of Ilford XP2.

 

Now I'm back to Tri-X or Ilford HP5, I guess.

as I said - I am not really into the black and white

 

I rarely shoot, once I was very fond of the first Kodak that was for C41 - it was really good, the next generation was awful

 

Than I tried some others and I finally was impressed of the Acros, it is really good film and will be bad to lose it

 

But of corse it depends of quite many things and I admit it is maybe not the best option, if there is 'best' at all - always depends what you need

 

by the way - yesterday I found out that there is even 20 ASA black and white film - Adox

Proof? Curious how you'd quantify "a strong resurgence?" As it stands, that's really a fact-free statement.

 

Odd, this has been pointed out to you before. According to both Kodak and Ilford, films sales have been increasing by about 5% a year the last 4 or 5 years now. Maybe bookmark this post so you don't forget again. The info below was posted over a year ago.

 

“We’re seeing film growth of 5% year-on-year globally,” says Giles Branthwaite, the sales and marketing director at Harman. “Our professional film sales have been increasing over the last two or three years,” confirms Dennis Olbrich, president of Kodak Alaris’ imaging, paper, photo chemicals and film division.

Odd, this has been pointed out to you before. According to both Kodak and Ilford, films sales have been increasing by about 5% a year the last 4 or 5 years now. Maybe bookmark this post so you don't forget again. The info below was posted over a year ago.

 

“We’re seeing film growth of 5% year-on-year globally,” says Giles Branthwaite, the sales and marketing director at Harman. “Our professional film sales have been increasing over the last two or three years,” confirms Dennis Olbrich, president of Kodak Alaris’ imaging, paper, photo chemicals and film division.

 

Innumerate as always...Same tired, meaningless time series argument: 5% above what? Can't supply that? Then snark and condescension are about all you've got going here. Tiresome.

Across was my favourite film recently, over all for its wonderful reciprocity characteristics (I like long exposure).

I will never buy fuji product again (except slide film, untill it will be sold, bit I have a bad feeling....) nor I will recomend to anyone; infortunatly last year my dad bought an X30 base on ny recomnendation :-(

Innumerate as always...Same tired, meaningless time series argument: 5% above what? Can't supply that? Then snark and condescension are about all you've got going here. Tiresome.

 

Pretty easy to grasp. 5% growth year over year. If a company states their growth has been 5% a year for years...you wouldn’t understand? Like I said...this has been pointed out to you numerous times. For some reason, you can’t seem to grasp what everyone else does. As such, it may be best for you to remain silent.

nnumerate as always...Same tired, meaningless time series argument:

 

I guess it's also meaningless when Kodak-when reintroducing a film stock last month-said " “Darkroom photography is making a comeback, and B&W Film sales are clearly on a positive trajectory. "

Pretty easy to grasp. 5% growth year over year. If a company states their growth has been 5% a year for years...you wouldn’t understand? Like I said...this has been pointed out to you numerous times. For some reason, you can’t seem to grasp what everyone else does. As such, it may be best for you to remain silent.

Please...5% above WHAT? That's what makes the much-touted 5% meaningful--or not. Neither Ilford or Kodak is willing to provide those numbers to anyone other than VCs or banks. You're simply being evasive and dismissive because you can't quantify anything. All reminiscent of the magical thinking around APUG when Kodak bellied-up in 2012.

Please...5% above WHAT? That's what makes the much-touted 5% meaningful--or not. Neither Ilford or Kodak is willing to provide those numbers to anyone other than VCs or banks. You're simply being evasive and dismissive because you can't quantify anything. All reminiscent of the magical thinking around APUG when Kodak bellied-up in 2012.