Reala prices: Imported vs USA

[walter_strong3]

The folks at B&H list their 36 exposure rolls of Fujicolor Reala at

$2.79/roll for the "Imported" and $4.95/roll for the USA". Gee

fellow photographers, that sure seems like a BIG difference to me.

Has the "USA" version been run through the big X-ray machine down at

John Hopkin's or what? If I buy 20 rolls of the $2.79 film and

traipse off to Russia at the end of the month will I be regretting it

when the prints are delivered? Inquiring minds want to know!!

[thomas_munch]

I always purchase the imported Reala from B&H, and have never had any problems. --tom

[psul_aul]

Sopposedly, the difference is only in who imports the film into the US. The USA version is imported by Fuji USA, the imported version directly by B@H. The film should be the same, as Fuji makes all their film in Japan.

 

I have used both B@H's import version of Reala, and USA Reala from my local camera shop. I have seen no difference.

[think27]

I shoot a good 15 or more rolls per wedding of Reala. I have also used both and see no difference whatsoever. The film is made in Japan from what I understand and therefore the same film.

[rich815]

If available I have always bought imported film from B&H and have never had a problem with a single roll---Fuji, Kodak, color/B&W neg, slide.... That said, this has always been for my hobbyist photography, but if it was for a commercial shoot or a once-in-a-lifetime situation I would only use fresh USA stuff to be on the safest side to help ensure consistency roll to roll.

[eric friedemann]

I have been shooting gray Reala 120 for several years, as Fuji doesn't import Reala 120 and I haven't had a bad roll yet.

[moe_p]

Do you mean Fuji Superia Reala? Bill T points to a difference and doesn't seem to think much of that one.

 

From people's comments about the colours I don't think it suits many cheaper photo labs.

[bill_tuthill]

I reviewed Reala CS-6 versus CS-2 <A HREF="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0015lO">

here</A>

but I think the medium format Reala is more akin to CS-5 than CS-2,

judging by (as yet unscanned) results from my Yashica TLR.

Some people, including Scott Eaton and others, think Reala went downhill between rev 5 and 6. Even if so, it's still a wonderful,

consistent film.

[britt_larson]

Go to B&H's website and click on "Imported" by the product's price. This will explain the difference. The only difference that really is there is that the "USA" film was imported by the film company, then sold to B&H (hence the higher price because of the "middle man"). The "imported" film was directly, well, imported by B&H, eliminating the "middle man" and sending the cheaper price to you. As far as I know, the quality remains the same.