Color negative sheet film availablity 2010

[Henry Ambrose]

I'm not clear on what is and what is not available in color negative sheet film these days. One N.Y. vendor seems to be not showing any Fuji color negative sheet film, another shows some in stock. I've seen rumors that Fuji USA has dropped all color negative pro films and they don't show any on their website. Fuji Global still shows most films as current products in 35, roll and sheet film. Is Fuji pro color negative gone from the U.S. market? Is there official word on this?

[memorris]

Kodak Ektar was just released in sheets, 4X5 and 8X10 this year. It is my favorite color negative film. Also Freestyle shows stock of Fujicolor Pro 160S in 4X5.

[Henry Ambrose]

Thanks for the heads up, but I can find film right now. I'm wondering more about what happens in the next weeks or months. Is Fuji color neg gone?

[sepiareverb]

Contact Fuji- they'll get back with you.

[Henry Ambrose]

Contact Fuji- they'll get back with you.

FAIL!

Anyone else have any real info?

[coops]

Anyone else have any real info?

Contacting Fuji seems like good real advice to me. Did Fuji not talk to you?

[mrladewig]

Fuji put out a press release earlier this year. It appears they have discontinued their 160 Pro and 800 Pro films leaving only 400H, which is not available in sheets. You'll also see this reflected in their product lines on their US website.

Kodak on the other hand offers Portra 160NC, 160VC and 400NC + Ektar 100 in sheets.

[Oren Grad]

http://www.japanexposures.com/2010/02/26/fujifilm-to-reorganize-film-lineup/

[Acutance]

Could someone recommend a substitute for Fuji Pro 160S in 4x5 ?
Could someone recommend a NYC lab that does a good job with sheet film?

I haven't used sheet film for a few years and am disheartened to see it vanishing.
I understand 35mm disappearing as many amateurs and pros switch to digital, but I do not understand why 120/220 and sheet film is going away. Nearly all hobbyists and many pros cannot afford the extreme costs of digital in medium and large format. The amateurs are what make up the bulk in film sales for medium format and the pros in large format. I could even see phasing out 5x7 and 8x10 and 11x14 as the volume is smaller, but phasing out 120/220 and 4x5 just does not make sense. Anything in a magazine bigger than wallet size is shot on medium format if there is any quality to mind and fold outs on 4x5 or 8x10. Either the magazines are funding some expensive digital purchases or quality standards are dropping like print media revenue.

Sorry for the rant, I just had to vent. :)

[Henry Ambrose]

I imagine that Fuji is re-naming the film - that's what it looks like in Japan. Here, in the U. S. you can't find an answer because no one answers the phone or returns phone calls. As far as I can tell Fuji has done a big re-organization in the U. S. and they must have fired everyone and only the automated phone system is still functioning. 160S was a great film but the company's public relations and response to customers is pathetic. I'm done with them.

[JRFrench]

Support Kodak, they seem more committed to large format. 160NC and 160VC are great films. Combine them with Ektar and thats a lot of colour bases covered.

[Acutance]

I had used Portra 160NC when it first came out and was a little underwhelmed, but hopefully they have tweaked it since then. I'll give it another try along with the 160VC and Ektar. Anyone know who's got a good lab in NYC nowadays that can dip n dunk C41 without mangling the negatives ?

[Daniel Stone]

acutance,

try LTI, I've only heard great things about them from pro's I assist for here in LA. many of whom sent/send their film to them for processing/proofsheets. those that still shoot film that is ;).

not *cheap*, but the quality is worth the price. http://ltiny.com/lti-contact.html

Samy's Camera in Santa Barbara is where I send my film, no problems so far. They have great pricing too. $5/sheet for 8x10 is nice compared to $8-10/sheet here in LA. they use fuji chems if it makes any difference to you.

www.samys805.com/film-processing

they take mail-order, no problem. That's how I send it to them. quick turnaround too :)!

-Dan

[Frank Petronio]

http://www.4photolab.com Edgar Praus in Rochester does a booming mail order business (plus my local film). If you have to mail it, Edgar is the MAN.

[ethics_gradient]

acutance,
Samy's Camera in Santa Barbara is where I send my film, no problems so far. They have great pricing too. $5/sheet for 8x10 is nice compared to $8-10/sheet here in LA. they use fuji chems if it makes any difference to you.

www.samys805.com/film-processing

they take mail-order, no problem. That's how I send it to them. quick turnaround too :)!

-Dan

I sent them my first batch of C-41 4x5 on Monday (from Florida), can't wait to get it back :)

I've been thinking about doing my own C-41 home processing, as I have 200+ sheets of C-41 I picked up on Craigslist and no local lab that does 4x5. For some stuff I don't mind waiting a week or two for mail-out, but other times I'm shooting an event and the relevance of the pictures is a bit more time-sensitive. I've got a Combi-Plan (takes 1.1-1.2L of chemistry for 6 sheets), what developer kit should I look in to to get most economical results, assuming I'm shooting 6-10 sheets a week over the next few months? Would it even be that cost-effective, relative to Samy's low rates?

[Daniel Stone]

I sent them my first batch of C-41 4x5 on Monday (from Florida), can't wait to get it back :)

I've been thinking about doing my own C-41 home processing, as I have 200+ sheets of C-41 I picked up on Craigslist and no local lab that does 4x5. For some stuff I don't mind waiting a week or two for mail-out, but other times I'm shooting an event and the relevance of the pictures is a bit more time-sensitive. I've got a Combi-Plan (takes 1.1-1.2L of chemistry for 6 sheets), what developer kit should I look in to to get most economical results, assuming I'm shooting 6-10 sheets a week over the next few months? Would it even be that cost-effective, relative to Samy's low rates?

ethics:

If you're looking to do c-41 yourself, I'd personally, use the Kodak c-41 chemicals, mostly for archival stability(if your negs are to be kept for any period of time). Lots of people seem to like the blix kits(less steps), but it's been noted MANY times that SEPARATE bleach and fix steps are better for archival stability. I use a Jobo drum on a Unicolor reversing motorbase for when I do c-41(or a friends CPP2 jobo, this being the ideal method for temp. control).

But since you're not doing large batches at a time, but rather, small bits here and there. The chemicals CAN be divided up into smaller containers once mixed, say 500ml containers. I'd personally recommend SINGLE-SHOT on the Developer, bleach can be used 2x, fixer(single-shot), and stabilizer/final-rinse(single shot).

I just use Samy's 1. when I'm too lazy to go out any buy c-41 chems, and, 2. when I have no c-41 chems to be had in the stores around where I live except by special-order :mad:.

Combi-plan:I'd stay away from this method for color work, b/w you can have enough trouble as it is, c-41 is 3:15 for the developer, with NO pre-wet, so you have to be on the ball. Using rotary processing IMO is much easier than having to worry about your tank leaking.

use rotary if you intend to DIY, one of these days I'll get around to ordering more chems. And now that I'm starting to shoot 8x10, the costs go up even further per shot :o.

the easier method with Samy's mail order, or Edgar Praus in NY is to have a FASTER RETURN SHIPPING METHOD.

if you express mail/fedex overnight/ups.... then it gets to them faster, and if you have the same method returning, you get my drift. Just WAY more expensive.

btw, I usually wait until I have 50-100sheets of film(of color, b/w is home-brew chems) so I can use up a full 5ltrs of developer, bleach, fix, stabilizer/final-rinse, etc....

this way I can have batch-->batch consistency, and get it all done in a single afternoon. And enjoy a cool beverage(or 2, maybe 3) while doing so :D.

best of luck!

-Dan

[rco3]

I sent them my first batch of C-41 4x5 on Monday (from Florida), can't wait to get it back :)

I've been thinking about doing my own C-41 home processing, as I have 200+ sheets of C-41 I picked up on Craigslist and no local lab that does 4x5. For some stuff I don't mind waiting a week or two for mail-out, but other times I'm shooting an event and the relevance of the pictures is a bit more time-sensitive. I've got a Combi-Plan (takes 1.1-1.2L of chemistry for 6 sheets), what developer kit should I look in to to get most economical results, assuming I'm shooting 6-10 sheets a week over the next few months? Would it even be that cost-effective, relative to Samy's low rates?

Where in Florida are you? Here in Gainesville, Harmon's/FLAIR does 4x5 in E6 and C41, next day. I've only had 'em do a few sheets of each (less than 20 of each), but they've all been fine. They also stock Fuji in 4x5...

[JRFrench]

c-41 is 3:15 for the developer, with NO pre-wet

I, and others I know that DIY develop all do a pre-wash of c41 film (I sometiems do several), it washes all the dyes and what have you out of the film so they don't contaminate your developer. It also tends reduce/remove the chance of streaking from the developer not taking to the film evenly. Same dev time.

But yeah, from what Ive heard combi-plans are quite ponderous to fill, which won't be good for c-41. I had a slow filling tank and got bad streaking, I had to mod it so I can dump the stuff in in a couple of seconds and then start agitating.

Also, there is information on the web that illustrates that c-41 chems keep for much longer when refrigerated, if thats of any use to anyone.

[cdholden]

I left south FL in late 2005, but when I was there, Dale Labs in Hollywood was where I took my E6 and C41. They were a Q-lab when that meant something.