Fujifilm has announced the discontinuation of two of its professional films

[z_xi]

<p>http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2193030/fujifilm-discontinues-two-professional-films</p>

<p>Fujifilm Professional is putting an end to the production of its Fujichrome Velvia 100F in 35mm, 120 and 4x5 formats, and Velvia 50 in 4x5 and 8x10, <em>BJP</em> has learned. The last shipment of these films will arrive in the UK in December 2012.<br>

Fujifilm tells <em>BJP</em> that its Velvia 50 will continue to be distributed in 35mm and 120 formats.<br>

"Due to decreasing demand globally we have to announce the withdrawal of some formats of Velvia 100F and Velvia 50," says Gabriel Da Costa, product manager for professional film.</p>

[Colin O]

Not something I'm glad to hear, but if they have to slim down the range in order for other films/formats to survive, then OK. You can see how there was a pretty close overlap between Velvia 100F and Velvia 100. At least Velvia 50 is remaining in 135 and 120 formats - it's not a film that I use, but I know it's got a bit of a cult following. Again, it's a pity (though not a surprise) to hear of any films being discontinued.

 

I will be panic-buying if/when they announce the discontinuation of Provia 400X.

[Colin O]

The article is being a bit disingenuous where it says, "only three types of colour reversal films will remain in Fujifilm's range: Provia 100F, Provia 400X and Velvia 100". They have just said that Velvia 50 will remain in 135 and 120 formats; it's supposedly only large format Velvia 50 that is being discontinued.

 

There's also a suggestion in the comments below the article that this might just be a Fujifilm UK thing, i.e. Fujifilm UK deciding to no longer distribute the mentioned films/formats. It does seem unusual that there is no press release on Fujifilm.com about this. Maybe it'll appear in the next day or two.

[daniel_johnson6]

<blockquote>

<p>I will be panic-buying if/when they announce the discontinuation of Provia 400X.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Don't wait! Buy and shoot and buy some more. We have to keep up the demand.</p>

[vince-p]

<p>Where do you get your Provia 400x? It's like over $10 a roll everywhere I look....</p>

[Colin O]

I'm in Ireland, so it won't be much help to you, but I'll take this opportunity to give my favourite Dublin film retailer a little plug. Provia 400X is expensive in Europe too. The best deal I've found, including buying online, is a small family-owned camera store/photo lab in Dublin called John Gunn. It's a friendly operation, and unlike most similar places, they haven't entirely lost faith in film. He buys in bulk and passes on whatever savings there might be. I recommend it if you're in Dublin. I buy there because it's the best deal and also because I want my business to help keep them in business (however naive that might be!)

[Karim Ghantous]

<p>In Australia, I can buy Provia 400X 120 for $7 a roll (box of 5 rolls), post paid from SE Asia. Not bad for a 400 ISO slide film.</p>

[nick_h5]

<p>I just checked FujiFilm's Japan website for a notice on this... none at all.</p>

<p>I gather this is a notice for the UK market only at the present time. Please note that Velvia 100F in all formats, also Velvia 50 5x4 and 8x10 remains in the worldwide market at present time.</p>

<p>I was not surprised to see Velvia 100F disappear from the UK market, it has been a slow seller for a number of years now. WOW Velvia 50 LF was a shock and i cannot believe this film did not sell in the volume needed. I would have guessed Velvia 50 and Provia 100F in sheet form, would be the top seller for Fuji UK in this format.</p>

<p> </p>

[jonathan_c]

<p>The article is badly written and inconsistent with the purported facts, as well as probably only referring to the UK market, though even that may turn out to be completely wrong. The BJP doesn't seem to bother second glancing their own articles when it comes to film photography.<br>

I agree with Nick H, that Velvia 50 would have been popular with larger formats and might cause even more misery for them?<br>

Fuji distribution in the UK has always been a bit of comedy, so these reports just add to the effect.</p>

[paul_dulaney1]

<p>This is a depressing forum to read. It's like a slow death; the oxygen is being depleted! Maybe I need counseling! </p>

[jimmy_s.]

<p>With the rise of video technology over thirty years ago, people were engaged in similar speculations regarding the status of small format movie films like Super 8 and 16mm. The tenor of the discussion was quite similar to this one, in fact. It was gloom and doom all the way.<br /><br />Last time I checked, however, Kodak is <em>still</em> producing Super 8 and 16mm movie film in several different varieties, reversal and color. Ebay sales of movie cameras and projectors in both formats have also remained quite vigorous over the past decade.<br /> Did Kodak not introduce a <em>new</em> E-6 process Super 8 film just last year?<br /><br />Frankly, I think I have a greater chance of dying from a heart attack or stroke than of one day ending up with a closet full of Nikon and Canon 35mm film bodies and no film to put in them.<br /> <br /> Manufacturers obviously need to pare down their line of traditional emulsion based products as 35mm gives way almost completely to the new consumer digital format, but it hardly follows from this that 35mm cannot survive indefinitely as a niche product in exactly the same way that Super 8 has. Granted, the choices aren't as diverse as they once were, though in many ways this is a refreshing development, in so much as it allows one to forego the tendency to indiscriminately vacillate between films rather than concentrate on the art itself. I frankly do not care if there are only one or two types of slide film, as long as they are of good quality and reasonably priced processing remains available at some location accessible to the USPS.<br /><br />Those who like to clamor endlessly about film's imminent demise are, in my view, simply trying to reinforce and rationalize their own yielding to the current widespread preference for digital, a tendency which appears to be driven primarily by the forces of utility and consumption rather than any genuine concern for the aesthetic character of photography or its practice as an art. <br /><br />As for me, I much prefer traditional photo-chemical methods to full-frame digital for anything but casual snap shots. B&W negative films like TMAX appears to exhibit superior tonal characteristics and color transparency film can be projected in such a way as to produce a viewing experience which cannot be compared with that rendered by even the highest quality computer monitor or HD TV.<br /><br />This discussion calls to mind a passage from Nietzsche's <em>Beyond Good and Evil, </em>where he wisely remarks that "One must renounce the <em>bad taste</em> of wishing to agree with many people."<br /><br />I agree.</p>

[Colin O]

Good post D. James.

 

I don't see myself as a glass-is-half-empty kind of person, so I apologise if I contribute to the doom and gloom. I believe C-41 film will be around longer than I will (and I'm only in my 30s). I'm just not confident I can say the same for E-6 film (looking objectively at things like the trend of increasingly fewer labs offering E-6 processing and Kodak discontinuing their E-6 lines), and in particular for my film of choice, Provia 400X. If it gets discontinued, of course there will still be other films, but there won't be any high-speed E-6 film.

[Andrew Garrard]

<p>I'm surprised this isn't in the main news forum. I have a fridge containing a load of 35mm Velvia that's largely unused and some 120 rolls than need developing - I need to buy more. I'm very surprised that they feel it's worth continuing in 35mm (where DSLRs are really getting good at resolution and dynamic range) but not in large format. I need to a) get around to buying that 5x4 camera, and b) stock up on film. Possibly in reverse order.<br />

<br />

That said, I'd missed that they're only talking about 50 and 100F, not plain 100. I've generally shot 50, but if they're really keeping 100 (and that's not a confused report) then I'm a little less panicked.<br />

<br />

Incidentallly, <a href="http://www.fujifilm.eu/uk/news/article/news/fujifilm-announces-film-discontinuations/">here's</a> the story from the horse's mouth.</p>

[Paul Lewis1664881697]

<p>I'm a rabid Provia 400X fan also. I just bought a bunch recently, but I have to get shooting so I can keep buying. It's over for me with E6 if 400X disappears. I shoot everything on that stock.<br>

<br />It's such a versatile film... looks beautiful and fine-grain in daylight, nighttime and long-exposure.</p>

[mike_pallas]

<p>As long as Neopan 400 CA remains available I'll be happy. Don't have any need for transparency now, I feel you need your own film scanner to get the best from it and it's getting very expensive to buy and process. In comparison Tesco processes and scans Neopan 400 CA for £2 per film which is very economical so b/w photography and colour neg is still economically viable. </p>

[lachou]

<p>The problem is Fuji can discontinue the rest of film during a month or two. Especially after their managers see a thread like this one with two pages written by same people. Some of us will have to lump it and lump it we will. Did you ever give your dimes to Nikanon? You see the result now.</p>