Fuji Velvia 100 in 4x5

[AtlantaTerry]

Is there still not an option for someone in Japan to ship it to you?

Why don't you folks get together one really large order? That should get some of the purchasing cost down which might partly compensate for the shipping costs.

What I don't understand is why Fuji is shooting themselves in the foot. If the film is still easily available in Japan, it is obviously being made. So why don't they want to ship it to non-domestic customers who are begging for it? That seems just dumb.

[StoneNYC]

Are you sure? I told B&H just a few months ago that Velvia100 was not discontinued just Velvia100F was discontinued and they suddenly were able to order it again, maybe badger is confusing the two types??

And is this discontinued or just no longer importing to the US?

[Christian-NRW]

I think this reoccuring of discontinuation notices gets everybody to panic far too soon.

Please everybody, check B&H again. Not only did they change their own item number, but also the original item number from the manufacturer changed!

Velvia RVP 100 in old package: 16010382
Velvia RVP 100 in new package: 16326157

Now, just check the stores:

B&H
Velvia RVP 100 in old package: 16010382 - DISCONTINUED
Velvia RVP 100 in new package: 16326157 - IN STOCK


ADORAMA
Velvia RVP 100 in old package: 16010382 - DISCONTINUED
Velvia RVP 100 in new package: 16326157 - TEMPRORARILY OUT OF STOCK


Freestyle
Velvia RVP 100 in old package: 16010382 - Item currently in retail store, will ship in 24-48 hours.
Velvia RVP 100 in new package: 16326157 - REDIRECTS TO 16010382, see above

I do not believe that Fuji refreshes the packaging and discontinues the sheet film so early on. Its probably just that the distributor changed the default output of what is said when 16010382 is requested by stock management tools. Those that still relied on requesting the old number now get a discontinuation notice while others either have both versions in their systems or redirect internally, like freestyle does, do have different status depending on the item number or rely on the new item number status only.

Christian

[Brian C. Miller]

Yesterday I dropped into Glazer's Camera. George, their long-time film guy, told me that E6 just isn't moving, and apparently Fuji wants to exit E6. Remember, in the hey-day of film, E6 accounted for 5% or so of total film sales. Kodak dumped its E6 because they couldn't economically produce and sell it; there was just too much material waste.

George told me an interesting tidbit about film sales: only the first-world nations want color film. The rest of the world mainly uses black & white. So while the CEO of Fuji declared that if even there was one photographer shooting film, Fuji would make that film, that person won't be getting a choice of emulsions or size, and it'll be $500 a roll.

[Kodachrome25]

Interesting Christian...

Sounds like Samy's & Badger need to do some verifying with distributor. Otherwise, it becomes yet one more damaging rumor or the sky is falling-fest that those who spend all their time on the Internet racking up post counts live for...

[Deval]

So I called B&H and spoke with a rep from the film photo department. They have a repackaged Fuji Velvia 100 but appears to be the exact same as the old one. The old packaging and SKU has discontinued. They have the new packaging and have heard of no discontinuation of future shipments.

[RANT]I think however, all of us love film photography enough that we hate being at the mercy of Fuji or Kodak. I think there is currently a large enough film revival to keep the movement going, but I second the idea of having a crowdsourced non-proprietary color reversal film that meets or beats current options. I really miss ASTIA 100 for landscape. I think it would be nice to have a grassroots movement showing how much better film is compared to smartphones and what I estimate will be a completely lost generation of photographs. Imagine looking at a 5 megapixel i-phone image 30 years from now and trying to pick out the faces from the pixels. Sigh... convenience for quality... [/RANT]

[NancyP]

The other thing that concerns me is the availability of E6 processing.

[Brian C. Miller]

... I second the idea of having a crowdsourced non-proprietary color reversal film that meets or beats current options.

Here's the basic problem: film is complex to produce. It takes millions of dollars for research to produce a new emulsion. There have been discussions on this on APUG. Take a look at Making Kodak Film site, by Robert Shanebrook. The book is out of print, but there's some good information there. Creating an independent E6 film is far harder than the New55 project.

We are no longer at the mercy of Kodak for E6. Kodak E6 is dead and gone. Fuji is the only game in town, and that's all there is to it. The only alternatives are things like Dufaycolor, or Autochrome, or some pretty funky tri-color cameras.

[Kodachrome25]

Here's the basic problem: film is complex to produce. It takes millions of dollars for research to produce a new emulsion. There have been discussions on this on APUG. Take a look at Making Kodak Film site, by Robert Shanebrook. The book is out of print, but there's some good information there. Creating an independent E6 film is far harder than the New55 project.

We are no longer at the mercy of Kodak for E6. Kodak E6 is dead and gone. Fuji is the only game in town, and that's all there is to it. The only alternatives are things like Dufaycolor, or Autochrome, or some pretty funky tri-color cameras.

I have Bob's book, truly an eye opener that puts you in the shoes of the film maker instead of placing blame on them all the time...

So let's be honest with our selves here, none of us were ever at the "Mercy" of Kodak or Fuji, those companies are at the mercy of a market that has all but vanished. I suspect users of color film who cry foul over what has happened in the world of photography to their chosen medium inflate in their minds to an extraordinary degree the actual numbers who use color film.

I hope it sticks around longer than bets would hedge, but I am a lifelong artist and businessman so I have learned to make sound investments. I have a small investment in medium and large format color film, my exposure to risk is low. Conversely, I have an enormous investment in black and white film and the darkroom, I am 100% positive that will pay off in the long and near term...

[Weihan]

My hidden hope is that some large Chinese conglomerate might buy up the Fuji film production division and go from there. While the higher end digital backs from Phase One are a nice option, most of us who shoot film simply prefer the "look" of film, especially when enlarged. Furthermore, the digital backs will normally set you back more than a new 5-series BMW. Ridiculous prices for something that becomes outdated months later.
There does seem to be a growing pro-film movement in China, so perhaps a deep-pocketed businessman might have a look at Fuji's film division and make them an offer. THAT would be ideal.