Confusing film availability in the U.S.

[tony_duda]

<p>My local photo shop, which is probably one of the most well-stocked shops I've ever been in, always has many boxes of fresh-dated (exp. late in 2012) 35mm films that I thought had been discontinued. They are continually restocking their shelves, as they told me they sell and process tons of film. These include Kodak Gold 100, Elite Chrome Extra Color, Fuji Reala, Superia 200 (not the generic 200 stuff Wal-Mart sells), in both 24 and 36 exp. loads. The weird thing is that these do not appear to be "grey market", but made for the USA. My question...haven't these films been discontinued? They have disappeared from the manufacturer's U.S. web sites. I thought they were gone?</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>None of those as I know of as those are some of the last best sellers. The Elite Chrome Extra though is on the iffy list last time I looked so get as much as you can and freeze it sell it on ebay and retire.... Just kidding about that as I am a bad investment banker.</p>

<p> The Fuji says made in U.S.A.?</p>

[waltflanagan]

<p>Just google them and find out. <br>

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=1095&pqlocale=en_US&_requestid=53589</p>

<p>The page still has Elite Chrome Extra Color. The Kodachrome has a discontinuation notice of course. The same google shows I can buy it at Adorama and Amazon among others. I think you can google the rest.</p>

[john_h.1]

<blockquote>

<p>The page still has Elite Chrome Extra Color.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The page does not Elite Chrome Extra Color but it does have Elite Chrome, a different product. Some EBX stock shows up now and then. There is some right now at the Adorama site that was mentioned. Don't buy from ebay just yet.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Like I said iffy.</p>

[nicholas_rapak]

<p>Gold 100 has not been sold in the US since 12/31/2009, per Kodak. EBX is a limited-market film, but it is still being made. The rumors about Reala only started recently, so there's bound to be a lot of stock still in stores, even if it is discontinued. As for Superia, Wal-mart probably pays to get a separate branding, just like those Wal-Mart branded Superia 400 cans of a few years ago.</p>

[tony_duda]

<p>Larry, no, the Superia 200 does not say 'Made in the USA", but does appear to be packaged for the U.S., as it does not have the different look of the packaging graphics that the film does (did?) for other countries. They do have the generic Fuji 100 that does have that "look". Again, this is very strange, as Superia 200 has been gone for quite a while from Fuji's U.S. site, replaced by the generic 200 that places like Wal-Mart sell. Same with Kodak Gold 100. If I remember correctly, Kodak first discontinued the 36 exp. rolls in the U.S., and later the 24. The film was removed from Kodak's U.S. site, but this place has a lot of it, both 24 and 36 exp., in the carded display box with the yellow and red flowers. I don't remember the exact exp., but it was well in to 2012. I bought some Reala a few months ago, as the rumor was that it may be discontinued. No one was sure, as Fuji hadn't (and still hasn't) bothered to set the record straight. Those rolls were dated 1/2012. The ones I bought a week ago were dated 5/2012, so it seems new stock is being shipped.<br>

On a completely different note, if anyone likes Kodak HD 400 that only seemed to be available at CVS in the U.S., they'd better stock up. I noticed that my local CVS had it on clearance, so I imagine it's being discontinued?</p>

<p> </p>

[waltflanagan]

<p>John, I suggest you reload the page and read it very carefully. The first film is "Kodak Professional Elite Chrome 100 Film". The second film is "Kodak Professional Elite Chrome Extra Color 100 Film." The picture of the box even has the words "Extra Color" on it. If that isn't the film that the original poster mentioned then I don't know what is.</p>

[nicholas_herndon]

<p>I haven't seen fresh Superia 200 outside of gray market imports in a while. Now I'm curious, could you try asking them and see what they say?</p>

[tony_duda]

<p>Sure, Nicholas. I'm supposed to go back in on Saturday to pick-up some IR film that they are processing, so I'll ask.</p>

[andylynn]

<p>Wait, Superia 200 is gone?? WTF. And Reala was announced discontinued but still easy to get. Fuji is so damnably annoying with this stuff. Next time I buy CN film it's going to be Portra.</p>