DNP Photo Marketing Launches “CENTURIA Film” Series of Color Negative Film

[Ryuji]

As in my previous post (rather cryptically) my guess is Fuji.

KM has been very serious in improving the image stability of color prints and then color films since mid 1980s. (Konica R&D had been very advanced in organic chemistry and synthesis of all sorts of dye couplers.) Their name Centuria is after the original concept that the image can last for a century. At this point, I'm not sure if the quality and permanence of Lucky color films are proven, and I would not think they would sell such products under the Centuria name. If they could work out the business issues, I think DNP selling films manufactured by Fujifilm would make good sense.

South Ashigara village (南足柄村=minami ashigara mura) is the old name of the place where Fujifilm has its emulsion plants and R&D center. They picked this site in early 1930s because this site was ideal for the plant that required a lot of clean water and clean air. In 1955 it became a town. In 1972 it became a city. It is located in Kanagawa prefecture, next to the city where DNP (ex Konica Minolta) color paper plant is located.

[bob100684]

so has anyone tried this new stuff yet?

[railwayman3]

Is there any connection with "Mitsubishi" film and colour paper?

I bought some Mitsubishi 35mm C-41 in Hong Kong about 10 years ago. It was cheaper than the main brands and gave good results.

I've also seen some professional portraits and wedding photos printed on Mitsubishi paper here in the U.K.

[Aurum]

I suspect like a lot of big Japanese companies, they have many parts and many interests. I always find it interesting, but slightly strange from a Western perspective that a company like Misubishi would encompass Electronics, heavy engineering, Aircraft, and Automotive products, as well as apparently film and paper. Western companies tend to stay more within their sector which could be considered either a strength or a weakness depending on POV.

Bit like Ilford taking over the JCB plant, and knocking out 35mm film under the famous earthmoving brand

[PHOTOTONE]

Is there any connection with "Mitsubishi" film and colour paper?

I bought some Mitsubishi 35mm C-41 in Hong Kong about 10 years ago. It was cheaper than the main brands and gave good results.

I've also seen some professional portraits and wedding photos printed on Mitsubishi paper here in the U.K.

Yes, of course, Mitsubishi made a whole range of photo materials..b/w RC paper, Color paper, and films. The main reason you are not too familiar with them is that they did not do much advertising and marketing (that I am aware of), and their materials were sold direct to studios thru distributors, and not thru a retailer. They "more-or-less" catered to an industrial market.

[mtjade2007]

Konica is a brand far more popular in Asia than in America. I believe DNP acquired Konica Minolta's film coating factories for the reason that they can still make a profit by selling the Konica films in Asia alone. I like Konica films very much. I hope they will sell the films in America soon again.

[FilmIs4Ever]

I suspect like a lot of big Japanese companies, they have many parts and many interests. I always find it interesting, but slightly strange from a Western perspective that a company like Misubishi would encompass Electronics, heavy engineering, Aircraft, and Automotive products, as well as apparently film and paper.

The auto manufacturer Mitsubishi is not the same one that makes/made photographic paper. The reason that the logo is the same is because the name "Mitsubishi" means three triangles.

One thing that the auto manufacturer Mitsubishi *did* do is build the engines in the planes that attacked Pearl Harbor :rolleyes:

[ed110220]

I noticed this film on sale in convenience stores in Japan recently and was interested because I'd never heard of it. Obviously I remember the name Centuria, but not as a brand of DNP. The only clue I could get from the packaging was that it was made in the USA, which rather surprised me.

Could it perhaps be a spin off of 3M? They once made colour film and are a US company. It's only a wild guess though.

[wogster]

I suspect like a lot of big Japanese companies, they have many parts and many interests. I always find it interesting, but slightly strange from a Western perspective that a company like Misubishi would encompass Electronics, heavy engineering, Aircraft, and Automotive products, as well as apparently film and paper. Western companies tend to stay more within their sector which could be considered either a strength or a weakness depending on POV.

Bit like Ilford taking over the JCB plant, and knocking out 35mm film under the famous earthmoving brand

Not really, Asian companies tend to have fingers in a lot of pies, some names though are just common. Take Fuji for example, Fuji is a mountain in Japan, so a lot of Japanese company's have Fuji in the name. It's more like a company making earth moving equipment setting up shop in Ilford, and calling themselves Ilford Earth Movers, there is no connection at all to Ilford Photo. This is common in Europe and the Americas as well, what isn't common is when several of these small companies get large enough to be international in scope, without first being acquired by someone else who merges it with another business, with the name disappearing.

[Lee L]

The reason that the logo is the same is because the name "Mitsubishi" means three triangles.

Mitsubishi means three water chestnuts, which are shown as rhomboids or diamonds, and the name is often translated as "three diamonds" (as opposed to triangles). The logo is also a stylized ship's propeller, and BMW's logo is a stylized airplane propeller.

Lee