Inside info about Velvia 50 from Fuji Film USA

[naturephoto1]

Hi everyone,

Having returned from Photo Plus in NYC on Friday I wanted to fill you in on some information.

I spoke to one of the Fuji USA staff members that I have known for years. I was told that Veliva 50 and the original Velvia are one in the same film. There are/have not been any changes made.

I was told that the information that many of us had obtained was incorrect. That being that certain materials that were used in the original film were no longer available. I was told that it was not that that materials were no longer available, but rather the materials had become quite expensive.

So, as a result, Fuji has brought back the same Velvia made with the same materials but at higher cost due to the increased material cost . The "new" Velvia 50 is supposed be exactly the same film as old and have the same grain, sharpness, color, long exposure characteristics/reciprocity, etc. The film should still be shot at the same speeds as in the past, depending upon your likes with an ISO of 50, 40, or 32. Therefore, there should be no changes or improvements to the film.

So, then we should only see the variability in the emulsion to emulsion batches that we are all accustomed in observing.

Rich

[Dirk Rösler]

So why did a corporate giant like Fujifilm not say so at the first place? All this effort and storytelling to justify a price hike? They are raising film prices periodically, no questions asked. Why is this different? Also the price does not seem that different than before.

[joolsb]

I must say I'm a little bit sceptical about this statement. From my own experience, and that of others I have spoken to, there are definite differences between the old and new emulsions.

[JonathanPerkins]

It doesn't seem to stack up against testing by David Ward:

http://oceansofinstants.blogspot.com/2007/06/king-is-dead-long-live-king.html

David's side by side comparison of old vs new showed loss of the pink cast and a speed change :confused:

[naturephoto1]

I am not arguing that there are any changes. My source was Bruce Mitchell who is now in a different group of Fuji Film USA (now in Florida). But he used to be in charge????? of I believe Professional Services in NJ. These were his comments that were supposed to be what has come down from Fuji, Japan. Color may change a bit from emulsion to emulsion. You may be seeing a difference and it may exist, but this is what I was told as being correct.

Rich

[Ted Harris]

Not to argue either ..... but , I also spent a good amount of time with Fuji during Photo Plus, including discussions of my film tests with Kayce Baker who is (and has been for a number of years) the Professional Film person in the US. We in fact discussed the manufacturing changes and how they would have accounted for the ever so slightly greater magenta saturation I noted when shooting at sunrise. I'd take the word of the person who is still in charge of film, not that of someone else in Fuji.

[Dirk Rösler]

Perhaps the subtleties got Lost in Translation between Tokyo and Florida... wouldn't be the first time :)