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View Full Version : Fuji and Kodak Discontinuing 50 sheet boxes f 4x5



Dan Baumbach
10-Feb-2010, 11:40
I had a rude awakening when I went to B&H's web site to buy some film. It seems that Fuji has discontinued 50 sheet boxes of their 4x5 film. I hear rumors that they're discontinuing Astia 100F too, but it's still available there in 10 sheet boxes.

I looked at Portra in 4x5 and it looks like Kodak is discontinuing their 50 sheet boxes too.

I don't remembering reading anything about it here. Have there been any postings or public announcements about this?

vinny
10-Feb-2010, 11:52
yup.

healyzh
10-Feb-2010, 12:02
Somehow I have a feeling that if one wants to shoot B&W they're better off standardizing on Ilford film.

Steve Gledhill
10-Feb-2010, 12:12
Interesting thought healyzh. Will Ilford be the last man standing?

Drew Wiley
10-Feb-2010, 12:41
I call it monkey-see/monkey-do marketing. Happens in all kind of mfg industries. Instead of bothering to think things out or ask what potential customers want, the
pencilnecks simply mimic the same stupid mistake as their competitor. Thereby they
routinely shoot themselves in the foot instead of getting an easy advantage over their
competition. But in this specific instance, how much of this is merely rumor or the
choice/BS of the individual retailer?

John Bowen
10-Feb-2010, 12:43
Somehow I have a feeling that if one wants to shoot B&W they're better off standardizing on Ilford film.

This thread deals with discontinuance of 50 sheet boxes of 4x5 COLOR film.

Kodak has not discontinued 50 sheet boxes of 4x5 B&W film.

Somehow I have a feeling that if one wants to shoot COLOR they're better off standardizing on something other than Ilford film :eek:

Dan Baumbach
10-Feb-2010, 12:55
I call it monkey-see/monkey-do marketing. Happens in all kind of mfg industries. Instead of bothering to think things out or ask what potential customers want, the
pencilnecks simply mimic the same stupid mistake as their competitor. Thereby they
routinely shoot themselves in the foot instead of getting an easy advantage over their
competition. But in this specific instance, how much of this is merely rumor or the
choice/BS of the individual retailer?

B&H says discontinued. They would just not list it or say out of stock.

healyzh
10-Feb-2010, 12:58
This thread deals with discontinuance of 50 sheet boxes of 4x5 COLOR film.

Kodak has not discontinued 50 sheet boxes of 4x5 B&W film.

Somehow I have a feeling that if one wants to shoot COLOR they're better off standardizing on something other than Ilford film :eek:

Which is why I said B&W film! :)

I don't shoot enough colour film for Kodak discontinuing 50 sheet boxes to be an issue. I bought a box of 10 sheets of Porta last June, I still have 8 sheets left. I guess I should find something to use it up on. :D Now if Kodak would bring out Ektar 100 in 4x5, I'd probably be standing in line to get a pile of it ASAP, and quickly go broke! :D

Songyun
10-Feb-2010, 13:17
It looks like the future of LF film is B&W.

healyzh
10-Feb-2010, 14:05
It looks like the future of LF film is B&W.

Honestly, this is what I feel, and I suspect that the future not only is B&W, but Ilford.

Realistically it doesn't bother me, I started doing LF specifically for B&W. Now I'm finally to the point I hope to start doing my own developing this weekend which will help drive the cost down, and let me shoot more LF.

Drew Wiley
10-Feb-2010, 14:45
Perhaps just a nuisance issue. B&H is dropping all kinds of things in house, but that
hardly makes them extinct. A change in packaging isn't going to end color sheet film.
The bigger problem is going to be the availability of E-6 and C-41 processing; but
enough labs should survive the recession to keep this viable. Haven't printed any Ektar
yet. Still have to unpack most of my RA-4 roller-transport processor and figure it out. But could always test print some Ektars in my drum processor, of course.

David de Gruyl
12-Feb-2010, 07:49
[QUOTE=Drew Wiley;558012]
The bigger problem is going to be the availability of E-6 and C-41 processing;/QUOTE]

There may be a bit of a last man standing thing going on with E-6 processing.

It is fairly easy to send your film out to get it processed at (for example) A&I. I do not have any idea on their long term viability. They did downsize, recently.

C-41 is very easy to get processed locally for me, still. Yes, dip and dunk sheet film processing. Just as easy as 120, actually.

Daniel Stone
12-Feb-2010, 09:29
I don't see any of the Kodak films listed as discontinued that are available in 50 sheet boxes.

astia is a nice film though, but I'm attached to E100G too much, and have a freezer-full of RL EPN :P

-Dan

Andre Noble
13-Feb-2010, 14:07
A&I recently closed their Santa Monica branch and consolidated it to their Hollywood store. They are slowly reducing services and increasing prices.

I can envision a time when even A&I Hollywood brach closes due to decrease demand of services tah cannot be performed by places such as WHCC and Millers.