Fujifilm Pauses Film Sales in Japan || News
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I recently saw a quote from the latest CEO of Fujifilm and he said their efforts were going to made in their more profitable products and that even their mirrorless camera production is just considered to be a service to their customers, not really something they would miss if it were to go away. If they feel that way about their cameras, imagine how they feel about making film.
I think there's a pretty good chance that "pausing" production is a way for them to stop making film with less anger. If they "unpause" i'll be surprised.
I am not sure that Japanese culture is in that way...
Hi Nico! Here in Bangkok you can easily get Superia 400, Premium 400, Fujicolor 100, and also the slide films are available in 35mm and 120. Fuji Pro 400H in 120 is 9-10 Euros a roll which is very strange since Portra pretty much costs more than double.
Thats really cool to hear, it seems it doesn't make it all the way here so easily.
Uhhh! At which shop? I'm coming in July and want to stock on film before coming back to Europe.
I'm a Japan resident so here is the situation in Japan. Fuji films have virtually disappeared from the major retailers. A few smaller retailers may have a bit of Fuji stock if any at all, usually none. Kodak prices are quite high. For example in 35mm format Kodak Portra 800 and Cinestill 800 are around $40 USD per roll. So, wherever you live in the world enjoy now whatever films you can find/afford.
Hi John, I'm up north in Aomori and totally agree! I was in Tokyo back in February and picked up a few rolls at Yodobashi before I headed over to Lomography for more. I used to think they were expensive but Kodak is insane!
@@RFStarkJapan Hi Ronald, yes it's a sad state now for film consumers in Japan. By the way, I was in Aomori July last year before the big rains, very nice scenery up there!
Thanks for the honest opinions in this video. I live in a city of 75,000 people in northern Japan. We have one camera shop that still deals in film and developing services. He's been a FujiFilm dealer his entire life and he wasn't even aware of this until I showed him the online press release. Now he understands why none of his film orders for the past two months have been fulfilled. My friends and I just bought out every last roll he had and now he has no idea what to do. He still has digital printing services and sales of cameras and accessories but that's not enough. He'll go with Kodak for now, but the prices in Japan are ridiculous! A 5-pack of Kodak Portra400 goes for 18,800 Yen ( about $144 USD) at Yodobashi in Tokyo. I love Fuji color film and like you, my freezer is packed with Fuji Pro400H 120 and all my other favorite emulsions. I guess I'll start thawing some out to keep my color habit satisfied while I continue my journey to the black & white side of the force. Come on Kodak! Now is the time to make your move and regain the lead in color film!
I hope fujifilm don't stop, not because I shoot fujifilm but because will be very bad for those who shoot color film. Having only one player "kodak" it's never good. No competition, no choice for the consumer. At least in black and white it's a bit better. Cheers Nico 👍
I hear ya. I know it’s still Kodak, but I’m gearing up to work with Vision3 500T film….whole reel, roll my own, develop at home, in bulk.
That’ll pretty much be my only color film I’ll use, and I just won’t have to deal with the problems we’re having now…. With availability and ever increasing prices.
@chilecayenne that's the way to go for color film. I only shoot black and white and I buy my film in bulk and develop my self at home too. But the majority of people don't do that. And I know that more players making film the better, more variety of choices.
@@filmlovephotography I shoot a lot of B&W too...likely the majority of my work these days is monochrome whether on film or the M10M.
But yes, for color, I think this is the way to go. I took a recent class on film and developing is pretty easy, once you figure how to roll your film on the spool in the dark.
I'll do ECN-2 developer and while I've not tried to remove remjet yet...the water and baking soda treatment looks to be pretty efficient and works.
Anyway, hope to get enough stock to just not have to worry about it for a long time for color.
I'll also be starting to bulk load and develop my B&W stuff too...I figure I'll start with my current favorite, HP5.
@chilecayenne hp5 it's a great film for pushing but fomapan 400 is a great option. Maybe doesn't let to push like hp5, but at 1600 maximum it's usable. Some people remove the ramjet with alcohol gel before shooting, but I believe it's hard to do.
@@filmlovephotography I've never tried Fomapan. I thought it was more of an European film, and not really as available in the US?
4:15 I feel like this is what happened with Agfa. Agfa is also a big chemical products company and so when they saw the film sales dropping, they pulled out of consumer film, but instead of axing the entire production, they just sold their consumer imaging division. Which didn't go well..
Appreciate you and everything you do for film photography. I personally think your other video was fine as it was. Pause vs Stop, it's just semantics. Either way Fujifilm isn't currently going to be selling in their home market.
The dialog you created was a completely reasonable one based on our collective experience with Fujifilm and how they maintain or sunset their various product lines.
That being said, while I'll cross my fingers, I won't be holding my breath.
I really liked Reala 100. It’s obvious to me Fuji are amidst (the late stages of) an orderly withdrawal from film manufacturing.
I loved the Neopan 1600. Oh man, that was such a beatiful film.
That and Neopan 400 were my go to bulk films back when they existed. Nothing like them, unfortunately
Respect for your honesty and perspective - a minor fumble at most. I stopped buying fujifilm and instead support firms who articulate aspirations for the future and are not so oblivious to their consumers.
Thanks! I also moved to other brands, but still have hopes we one day will see Fuji change course.
You didn't have to apologize for something that is pretty obvious considering their history...
JCH has no problem stating that Fuji has not produced film in years and I have agreed with him for as long. There are no workers in those factories with those machines, etc. Their film division is a handful of people. Fujifilm is an oxymoron. Their excuse of a lack of raw materials is that they haven't purchased any of them. This is a sad attempt at Fuji trying to save face.
I have heard the statement that Fuji no longer has a film production but so far seen no proof from Fuji or any other media. So it could be true, but without any other info its all personal beliefs.
@@NicosPhotographyShow You are correct. People nowadays tend to believe everything somebody writes in social media. They consider somebody an "influencer", and everything he says is considered proven. Should we do this in science, we would be laughed at. I have seen no proof supporting this claim.
I like your experimentation with the backdrops.
Thanks!!
I definitely think Fujifilm has not made new film in some time, but I also think they don't like the idea of letting that division lie completely dormant even if they've shuttered the machines. I think they're keeping their foot in the door either for brand continuity, or maybe just see if maybe the film renaissance has more legs than they might think. I think what we'll have for the foreseeable future is Kodak and Ilford Fuji films. Which is just fine because that supports the real heart of the industry at the moment. Bring on the Fauxdak! And if they continue to sell it for cheaper than Alaris, I'll be buying plenty. :)
We inevitably make preassumptions about Fuji because all they've been doing in recent years regarding film is discontinuing stuff
My guess is this means they will soon stop making film and only selling Kodak stuff and Acros, but let's hope for the best
We need Fuji and I think that, although film is not profitable for them, being a big and successful company that started as a film producer, they could preserve their film production as a legacy
Let's hope they at least maintain their cooperation with Harman and start making Neopan 1600 II, since there's no 1600 ISO film on the market
Thank you for the heads up anyway - everyone can and should decide themselves what they make of it
Exactly!
Thanks for the clarity 😊
You’re welcome 😊
My freezer is full with Pro 160NS and 400H. And two weeks ago I also decided to buy some more Velvia 50 and Provia. All in 120.
I have now 25 rolls of both in stock. So I'll remain shooting Fuji for a while.
By the way, I read it had to do with Japanese legislation. If I product isn't available for some time, you need to publish the kind of message as Fujifilm did.
Fuji is a big company with diverse products. My experience is that especially during the last decade, these big companies go for profit maximization. That means that resources go to the most profitable departments. If this means that the less profitable ones have to shrink or even close, so be it. At the end of the booking year, profits have gone up. Mission achieved for management, and bonuses are high. Don't expect any personal affiliation with film at CEO level. This is simply modern business practice.
Your end of video “drop mic” was expressive…
Was just for fun, mostly.
Fuji are now a digital camera company. The last thing they want is people shooting film using high quality film cameras which is competing with their digital cameras. They're moving out of the film game altogether. Use and support the film only manufacturers like Ilford and Kodak. When the digital camera collapse comes along due to phones and AI they might regret their decision.
Keep shooting film. Keep making art.
I just pray that even if Fuji chose to end production there will be at least some solution found as to how to deal with the knowledge and production facilities they have got. I think they should either sell it to Kodak at let them continue using it or some other Japanese companies like Pentax, who are making a long term investment in analog photography anyway. I really do not want Fuji to become the next Ferrania where people years later desperately try to make it run again. Considering the way the Japanese do business though the chances are very slim.
Probably becoming the next Ferrania will be even more difficult since they often scrap every machine like they did with peel-apart stuff (even with some people interested in buying them)
@@filipecostapt6427 its such a shame
You'd think if all their items are back ordered they would be planning a way to expand their film production. If they do get out of the business I hope someone else buys up their equipment and starts producing their own film.
They don't sell their equipments because they don't want anyone to know their secrets. Much rather, they throw the machines away. This is the reason why no company is able to produce peel type instant film...
@Phillip Banes The past has shown that Fuji is not willing to sell their equipments. The new Polaroid tried to buy their equipments but they much rather keep it in storage then selling it. At Polaroid, you can also see how complex it is to develop new colour film. Only now, after more than 10 years, the film is getting acceptable. Plus the prices are of course very high (small batch, high development costs). Maybe Adox is able to give us new colour film soon(™️)...
@Phillip Banes That is kind of true but the year they have stopped producing FP100c is not that long ago. Back then, also a lot of their film stock has been discontinued. Fuji is a very traditional Japanese company. They probably have decided to abandon colour film in 2010 or so and now they have to follow their plan.
Regarding the Adox Film: They already had a good partner as their Color Mission is very very good. I think, they will be able to come up with something exciting having the old Agfa formulas. It might not be this year or next year but I am certain they will come up with something.
Hey, you don't have to apologize, this stuff is just hard to follow with what we hear. Your videos are great, don't change anything.
Another great video. Unfortunately Fujifilm don't like honest opinion pieces. They need to lift their game and be clear to the customers.
We are just a small community that still shooting film , hopefully your youtube will be seen and notified the fujifilm to continue doing their film business.
I sure wish they see this and start making film like before again, even if at smaller scale.
I stocked up on Superia 400. Up until very recently (before the announcement) you could still find them at Walmart for a little bit less than 25 dollars (tax included) for a 3 pack x 36exp. I would stop weekly at Walmart and grab a couple of 3 packs. So that is how I got stocked. Now there in no way to find them at Walmart no more.
Funny thing is, both the local walmarts in my town still have the pegs for Superia 400 on shelves with the $24.98 price tag.
@@AFluffyMobius go and get some hahahaha. Here in Kansas City, Missouri, I can't find it anymore at any of the Walmarts that I have around.
I would not be surprised if Fujifilm sells there film division to Harman technology. I think it would probably be a good idea if they did. Harman technology seems to be passionate about film :)
It would be great, but Harman is a very small operation in comparison to Fuji and even the machines or recipes could probably not fit the current location or even be made in their machines. Unless they took over a factory in Japan, then maybe.
Harman won't buy them, ever.
When I was a kid my dad ran a cardboard factory. I was brought up on the notion of it taking days to set up a machine then when it ran it would produce miles and miles of product. Then they might not make that type of cardboard for a year or two - if ever.
Film production should be thought of like this. It is a combination of selling from frozen and managing the declining stock and occasionally making runs. But no clear decision is taken not to make a stock again. Just one day it turns out they've lost the skill or the market conditions don't arise again.
So Fujifilm probably doesn't actually know if they have stopped making a stock in many cases. Maybe they will do another run maybe not.
It very well could be like that, after seeing the Smarter Everyday videos of Kodak one can see that making film is not turning on and off switch, it involves a ton of technology and skills.
Hi, do you know somthing about that Alaris is for sale and that Chemicals and paper from the chinice company wont be deliverd?
Br Ronnie, sweden
Not much sadly, seems to be not a great time for Kodak (not Rochester). Will update when I know more.
Maybe if Fuji does go away, Kodak getting even more sales could result in Kodak bringing back/out new films.
This might already be the case, Kodak with E100 did what many thought it wouldnt work, bring back slide film, and not only in 35mm, but 120 and large format.
No it will mean higher prices and fewer options.
@Nico's Photography Show Yes Kodak like it or not is about film and E100 is as good as it gets. Love those Kodak moments
Concur 100% with your thoughts Nico. Like you said, you and everyone else has just seen what Fuji have done for the past 10+ years and are rightly putting two and two together on this. We've all seen this same story before from Fuji. I'm doubtful, but they could buck their own trend from the past decade+ and prove us all wrong by continuing production past these issues and not discontinuing these stocks. There isn't one person here who wouldn't be happy to see that.
Thanks for making this video and correcting the thumbnail of the news video.
As for the Fuji announcement I’m gonna repeat what I heard from a guy working at Fuji who said they’re 100% not discontinuing Superia 400. From where I’m sitting Fuji has optimized their production down to the essentials. Making unique slide films with Provia and Velvia and the basic color negative films Fujicolor 100 and Superia 400 and I think that is what it’s going to be for the future. Because these films are easy to produce and keep the film heritage in the Fujifilm name. I think them selling Kodak film is probably to meet demand and keep up contrast. Which might be the reason they stop sales in Japan, since the Japanese shoot much more Fuji than other counties. Not only because Kodak is much more expansive there.
It's clear to me, the pause is a sales strategy to gauge interest and clear existing stock in Japan. If they make more it's because they legitimately see it will make a profit off doing so.
Fuji haven’t been making film for a while now. I haven’t seen Fuji Provia for a long time. They say they are pausing production but they haven’t said for how long. Could it be for 6 months, 1 year, 2 or 3 years etc? Could be the latter, therefore by then people will have given up on Fuji making film without Fuji having to make an official announcement. After all, if they can’t get the raw materials now, then it’s not going to change anytime soon.
Where I live, there have been shelves full of (very fresh) Provia in both 135 and 120. There was also an announcement that they were having trouble making 120 slide film last year, seems like they bounced back for a while.
Thanks for making both videos. I have come back to photography after being away for a decade. It does feel like Fuji is pulling back from the film market. It’s disappointing, but as you noted, film is a small part of their larger business. I was looking at their quarterly reports earlier this month. I think consumer imaging makes up the smallest revenue stream of their four business groups. I think film is the smallest part of their consumer imaging business after Instax and then digital cameras. At some point they might want to get out of the film business or just license it to someone else who could make more money. Im pretty this is how a lot of beer breweries operate. Schell’s brewery in Minnesota does contract brewing for other breweries from outside the region. (You don’t expect a Hawaiian microbrewery to ship their beer halfway across the Pacific and the to the Midwest so they can sell it in Chicago and Minneapolis, do you?). So it might make sense for Fuji to outsource that film production to other companies with economies of scale. It’s terribly sad. But might be the only way to keep film going.
I just bought a box of 4x5 Provia two days ago from Fujifilm Japan. Expensive, some 20% more than the box I bought in Dec. But still available.
Provia still being available in sheets is great, always liked Provia.
Hollywood made a deal to purchase a certain huge amount of film stock every year from Kodak to prop up Kodak's investment into the manufacture. Fujifilm doesn't have this kind of security therefore the effort to maintain a complicated, expensive, and geopolitically risky set of ingredients for such a small fraction of their business is friction enough for them to wind down or hand over the reins completely to Kodak. And without Hollywood, there would be no serious film photography anymore. Period.
Like you Nico I was a pretty much lifetime (at least professional lifetime) Fuji film user. However i think the writing has been on the wall for a long time - Fujifilm are out of the running. As someone else pointed out, they are only keeping their 'amateur' digital cameras going as a service to their customers - their 'medium format' pro cameras are really all they want to hang onto. It's sad, but I think we have to close the chapter on Fuji emulsions.
Because if they actually stop making/selling film, how can they call themselves “Fujifilm”.
Instax still is considered film, so as long as that is around they still can.
Fuji is a peculiar company and I think this is just a problem of lower margins vs their other units. It would make more sense if they floated the unit and made a spin off as an independent company.
Glad that this will mean more business for Kodak and the independents, who are moving in the opposite direction.
FujiFilm apologises for the temporary inconvenience but promise to avoid problem running out of some raw materials, occurring again in the future, according to their website. It is not the end of film, just a glitch in production. This has no effect on European or American supplies.
If Fujifilm had any decency, which it does not, it would have to dissolve and apologize to all photography enthusiasts, especially those who believed in the company and placed their trust and money in the film for so long.
One is free to leave or not leave the market. But there are certainly ways and means to do so. And to leave in this way, when Fujifilm assured, again and again, that they would be the last to produce film before stopping production, now, with this new news, these vagabonds are exposed.
They should stop all this empty talk and tell their few and ever-fewer customers what they want to do with their business, whether profitable or not, and stop beating around the bush.
As the great Arnold would say, "Sayonara, baby".
I’m wondering if this affects Instax, which they make a profit on.
I hope not, but raw materials might be somewhat similar.
I got about 500 rolls of 135 in the fridge, and somewhere north of 100 rolls of 120. That'll last me a few years. I think Fuji will be gone in a few years. We'll be stuck with Kodak for color and Ilford for BW mostly (sales at scale).
Cronica de una muerte anunciada.
No te equivocaste en el primer video, todos sabemos que ese "pausar" es un eufemismo de "abandonar". Fujifilm es una vieja conocida, ya sabemos todos leer sus noticias.
Una pena que te tengas que ver forzado a pedir disculpas por decir la verdad.
Cool info!!!
Thanks!
Isn’t it crazy how a small news outfit has more credibility than others? Nice retraction
Good to see you differentiating between news and editorializing. You could do both on the same broadcast, but it’s good that time to announce that you’re switching to a personal opinion or show “editorial” on the screen. At least that’s how news broadcasts in the US handle this. Good also to correct yourself. Thanks and best wishes
so basicly they have the same problem than the semi conductor digital industries, they have problem to get enough RAW material to make there mass product, it's different than totaly stop there buisness, Fuji are realy successfull with INSTAX paper and it is consider as an instant silver halide film, like Polaroid that make a huge comeback and try to upgrade to the standard of FujI instax.
Sadly I think the only hope for color film in the future is in the hands of small manufacturers. Kodak and Fuji strike me as dead men walking.
I've used fujifilm from the fujichrome days up to Sensia. But Kodak Ektachrome is still my favourite, if i shoot in colour.
Best grainy slide film was GAF,
What happened to that film ?
Provia is still 15€ when available. Ektachrome costs 25€ a roll in Europe.
@Samu Skogström Ektachrome right from its invention has been a great performer. Fujifilm is OK and are priced about the same here in Australia, but I rarely shoot colour now. And I don't buy film for its price but I do buy film for its quality.
I dont know if i already said this but Screw Fujifilm.
Fujifilms manegement is stupid. They don't want to find raw materials nor want to produce film. Why can Kodak produce films? Film goes up and up in price, Kodak controls the prices and also dictates the demand basically.
Should Fuji leave the film industry, it would mean no more use for color film, unless you are using it for making digital pictures only. I see this not worth the effort. Reason being that Fuji is the only supplier for RA-4 papers and color chemistry for photofinishing industry in Europe. Kodak products in this segment exist only in theory, and are not available for sale for about 3 years now. Should this be the case, why should I purchase Kodak Portra, if digital files are all I can get? For this reason, digital camera would be the way to go. Or in my case, black & white only. All machinery used for making color prints would be junk. Ink jet printing is not a viable substitute for a C-type image. Fortunately, there is no rumors about Fuji withdrawing from this segment, and I undestand this very well. Kodak is not capable of filling this gap, and it would be a disaster for their sales of color negative film. Somebody must continue manufacturing these products for color film photography to continue.
For Fuji film making in Japan, it seems to me that China is the biggest problem here. China-Japan relations are extremely bad at the moment, but Japanese industry is very much dependent on Chinese raw materials in their operations. Kodak does not sell their developers for a year in Japan, because these are made in China, but Chinese communist party does not want to export these products to Japan. In China, everything is politics. There is no good reason from a business perspective to discontinue products that have very high demand. Without reason, withdrawing from this kind of business, without licensing products to some other company interested would be plain stupid. Let´s hope the industry making film will resume after this period of uncertainty in the markets will pass.
Technically film photography will still eventually die out. At least for the mainstream. Unless someone makes new film cameras.
Leica still makes new film cameras, and ricoh/pentax announced new film cameras. Im a film death denier :p
We do have new cameras, not many, but there are real efforts going on to make more. I am hopeful, and if we try and support them we can help.
Film death denier, thats a good one!
Nico, you can't encourage people to hoard film and freeze it, you out of all people should know that about the community
Why not? If film gets bought and used I see no issue. Specially on film stocks that might be hard to get hold of.
@@NicosPhotographyShow yes no problem if the film is abundant, encouraging everyone to run out and grab film to freeze it only creates a state of panic, gouging and scalpers emerge like this.
Why not? It's not like he's encouraging price gouging, just advising against being disappointed
I don’t know if people are thinking about this but, with all the climate hysteria film manufacturing is probably in danger and Fujifilm might be looking ahead and being proactive, so they’re not suddenly hit with a label of being climate unfriendly and losing lots of money being forced to shut down.
I have notices prices skyrocketing , and I have frozen film stocks , what I have. Burgher Panchro in 4x5 and 120 is another hard to get film , again same cause , raw material shortages.
Y ou know what I think? I think you are rage farming and paying your bills.
Finally someone who is saying this; coming from a guy who's company is ripping off customers asking obscene price's hiding behind a non-profit company that in turns transfers fixed camera's to their for-profit organisation.
Do not apologise for anything!
One makes mistakes, but has to learn from them.