Interesting news about Fujicolor Pro

[perkeleellinen]

- Reala 35mm is no longer imported and is effectively no longer going to be available in the UK
- Pro 800Z - again I quote "35mm is not a very popular line, but I've not heard it will be dropped. 120 has already been dropped." (dropped meaning no longer imported by Fuji UK)

Thanks for the clarification. Seems like the two films I'm interested in may have to be imported from somewhere.

Incidentally, Neopan 1600 is a 35mm only film.

Reala in 120 a big seller. Hmm, I wonder if this is the push I need to buy a medium format camera...

[frdrx]

The rumour/information/gossip on PFOS and Neopan:

http://www.japanexposures.com/2010/0...e-film-lineup/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/neopan/...57623478226823

Thanks.

Perhaps some further clues can be found in the Annex F Questionnaires submitted to the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants. The Japanese say therein that:

The Japanese government acknowledges that there were 3.6 tons of PFOS used in the photo imaging industry in Japan in 2004 and that the use of PFOS was deemed to have been essential.

The Americans filled in the following uses of PFOS in the photo industry:

...

(a) use in coatings for surface tension, static discharge, and adhesion control for analog and digital imaging films, papers, and printing plates, or as a surfactant in mixtures used to process imaging films; and

...

I wonder what they mean by `digital imaging films'. What both parties seem concerned most about, however, are semiconductors.

[Photo Engineer]

Just as 3M still makes "Scotch Guard", Kodak makes film. AFAIK, PFOS is not an essential ingredient. Fuji claims that it is for them. I cannot understand the difference.

PE

[bob100684]

Just as 3M still makes "Scotch Guard", Kodak makes film. AFAIK, PFOS is not an essential ingredient. Fuji claims that it is for them. I cannot understand the difference.

PE

Is PFOS significantly less expensive than other options? Or, did it suddenly become not an option for fujifilm where as Kodak had the foresight to phase it out on their own terms?

[Photo Engineer]

PFOS does not appear to have any extraordinary features over any other surfactant. It certainly would not be less expensive than some that I know of that are much more readily available and these other surfactants AFAIK are more friendly to the environment.

PE

[F80p]

I hope this is just a demand and supply issue (country wise) and they will not kill any product totally.

[AgX]

Vicky,

You misunderstood what I tried to hint at:
Fuji Germany referred to the Tokyo headqarters adapting the film assortment. This could either mean that

-) Tokyo headquarters decide what their foreign subsidaries have to import

or that

-) Tokyo headquarter cancelled those films for all markets.

I went for the worst case and added those two films (Reala in 135 and Neopan 1600 in 120, with doubts on that type 120) to the japanese cancellation list from last month.

[perkeleellinen]

I wonder what the minimum order quantities are for Fuji Japan.

[Matt5791]

What does come out of this: Fuji is the choice for Colour Reversal, Kodak the choice for Colour Negative. Ektar is very popular and Portra outsells the Fuji alternatives (with us anyway) despite the fact it is more expensive. As Fuji limits formats in Reala, the range in Ektar is being expanded......Interesting.

[perkeleellinen]

The Fuji pro shop have just increased their prices on 35mm Reala 10 packs from £23.66 to £33.37 (28% increase). Glad I bought my 20 rolls last week now.