Velvia To Be discontinued

[david_chilvers]

Unless I`ve missed a post I can`t see any mention that in this weeks

AP magazine Fuji made an official announcement that in a years time

Velvia 50 will be stopped. They are bringing out a new 100asa version.

The reason they give is that they can`t source some of the raw

material needed to continue.

[tony_estcourt]

David,

 

When I got my AP on Saturday morning I read the article and considered posting something, then thought I'd better keep the bad news to myself. There has been some discussion on past threads and it would be particularly interesting to see what emulsion Velvia users will slowly move to. Obviously Fuji's Velvia 100 (not F) has a lot riding on it as a stated replacement for the 50. I read somewhere that a similar (Velvia 100 - not F) has been available in Japan for some time, I wonder what it's like?

 

Anyway, after a couple of days to adjust to the news I'm now more positive. Photography is for us to enjoy with nothing to be gained by reacting negatively (excuse the pun). I'm just going to ignore it and choose another film type, stock-piling will just delay the in-evitable so I'll be keen to try the new stuff when it arrives.

 

Velvia 100 F is a good film but in low light (sun-rise and sun-set conditions) it doesn't come close to the 50. Velvia 50 "fails" in a great way, amplifying any subtle colours. I wouldn't mind betting that the new Velvia 100 is a great film on paper (and in the lab) but in real-life is a little too well behaved.

[calvin_lee]

This is old news. See the following links:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BBnu

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BJtC

[michaelkh]

It doesn't really fit the trend, does it:

 

MAJOR PHOTOGRAPHY MANUFACTURER DISCONTINUES POPULAR FILM

( Replaces It With Better One )

[cpj]

No manufacturer discontinues a profitable product line if they have any choice in the

matter. Either Velvia 50 uses 'mercury' or some other environmentally exciting and

politically incorrect component, or people just aren't buying the 50 in sufficient quantity

for it to be contributing to their profit line. (Is it ALL Velvia 50 or just the 120 size that's

being discontinued? What about 35mm?)

 

Personally I like Velvia 50 and use a lot of it because if you are making large prints for

exhibition purposes or for sale, the public expects to see rich colors even though they may

overstate "real life." That's why landscapes shot with a polarizing filter to produce a deep

blue sky sell a lot better than those shot with a "natural" sky.

 

I guess we will just have to "wait and see" but I plan to stock a reasonable amount of it in

the refrigerator before it goes off the market--perhaps 200 rolls or more. Did anybody

hear whether or not a date has been set for discontinuing production????

[rich long]

I read somewhere that the new 100 (not 100F) will be available around June or so, and that 50 production will continue through 2005.

 

Fuji announced the new 100 almost a month ago:

http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/PREventDetailPage.jsp?DBID=NEWS_825274

 

Ken Rockwell has a review of the new 100 on his website. I believe he's reviewing the version that's been available in Japan for a while now. I would post a link, but I get some annoying pop-ups every time I visit that page. Browse at your own risk, I suppose....

[colin_elliott]

As a result of the recent trade reports, I emailed Fuji regarding unanswered questions. e.g. Is this "new" 100 Velvia as sharp as the 50? No advertising that I've read, even on Fuji's own website, discussed this. This week I received a "personal" phone call from Fuji in answer to my query. Now that's service!!! Their answer was "Yes it's at least as sharp as the 50" Will be available by early summer and 50 will just disappear as stocks deplete. He was unable to confirm as to whether this new 100 is the same film stock as the 100 currently being sold in Japan for sometime.

It is anticipated to be available in 35mm, 120 and, thank goodness,220. It will also be available in bulk 35mm.

I look forward to running some of this through my C645 and Zeiss lenses and am still reeling from the "personal" contact. It can't get much better than this. The oscar goes to Fujifilm, Canada!

Colin