Why Fujifilm Survived (& Kodak Didn't)

agentlossing said:
The tables seem to have turned now, since Fujifilm is selling film which is rebadged Kodak film.
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Is Fujifilm pulling out of the film market now? Locally, I can get a wide range of different types and formats of Kodak films off the shelf, and there's not a single Fujifilm one anymore..
 
pvdhaar said:
Is Fujifilm pulling out of the film market now? Locally, I can get a wide range of different types and formats of Kodak films off the shelf, and there's not a single Fujifilm one anymore..
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I think that is the case. They have Acros II which they still produce (I think), and here in Germany we weirdly have Pro400H in 120 left on sale, but I think that is running out. Fuji 200 is Kodak Gold, Superia 400 is discontinued, the new Fuji 400 is likely Ultramax, and so on. The slide films are chronically unavailable and prohibitively expensive. I think they made the decision to kill off film production before the resurgence in recent years. Business decisions at that scale are planned years in advance. Also, the supply chain is drying up for certain chemicals.

All in all I think the FujiFILM name is not warranted any more.
 
lukx said:
I think that is the case. They have Acros II which they still produce (I think), and here in Germany we weirdly have Pro400H in 120 left on sale, but I think that is running out. Fuji 200 is Kodak Gold, Superia 400 is discontinued, the new Fuji 400 is likely Ultramax, and so on. The slide films are chronically unavailable and prohibitively expensive. I think they made the decision to kill off film production before the resurgence in recent years. Business decisions at that scale are planned years in advance. Also, the supply chain is drying up for certain chemicals.

All in all I think the FujiFILM name is not warranted any more.
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Acros II is made in England by Harman Technology (Ilford) and their color neg films are rebadged Kodak products. I suspect that Fuji no longer makes ANY film, except the Instax stuff. Kodak is going to be the last man standing in color film.
 
I did not know what's going on in the Film world. Fuji was my all time favourite in colour films. Kodak was my favourite B&W film. Kodak is still continuing and I remember how I used Kodak chrome and when I look at my older slides during some scanning they are unbelievably unusable for reproduction or digitising. But I'll be glad if ever Kodak wants to do a re-market Kodak chrome as an new improve version. Fuji will never make or continue their iconic films but they want to keep some old Fugi filmlegend as they had. Is that the reason why they employed their analogue film simulations EX. on to the Fuji Xpro-3 ???
 
I'm glad for harmon since once Plus-X went away I have no use for Kodak black and white. I still like Ektar but I really miss Velvia & Reala. Those were the best color stocks of any kind by any company.
 
Whoa! I had no idea Fuji films were being made by Kodak and Harman. You guys just taught me something.
 
OHHH!!! This is something interesting. It is like Sony is collaborated with Hasselblad cameras. just like the Fujinon Lenses had joined the Hasselblad in the past.
I think there is no harm in there as long as there are better results.
 
It's unfortunate since Kodak Gold is so much worse at handling skin tones, especially Asian skin tones (my son is adopted from Vietnam so I am familiar with this difficulty) than Superia or Reala were to my eyes. Thankfully digital means this is no longer the problem it was in the early 2000's but when I recently bought some Kodak Gold in 120, I was reminded of it drastically. I used to love the 3 roll boxes of Superia400 at the supermarket checkout...
 
I've always shot mostly Kodak, but really liked that Fuji Industrial film I use to buy for 130¥ a roll in Shibuya
 
When I worked in the camera repair department at Olympus in Woodbury NY circa 1987
my Japanese trainer Mr. Okabe told me in Japan photographers preferred Kodak film.

Chris
 
I miss Neopan 400. It had the perfect grain structure for my tastes. That said, I haven't developed a roll of film for a decade, and my wife has just asked me to deconstruct the darkroom to repurpose that part of the basement. Sigh. Digital is a marvel, of course. But I miss Fuji.
 
Out to Lunch said:
What is the source of this information?
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It is true. I recently bought a lens from a guy who is the sales representative for all Fuji films here in the Berlin area. I asked him about it, he confirmed to me that the 'new' Fuji 200 and 400 films were rebadged Kodak films. From my own experience I can confirm, I used to like Fuji C200 a lot, but the new 200 film has awful skin tones in most lighting situations, just like Kodak Gold.
 
I concede since you are referring to a reliable source, unlike some RFF posters on this thread. Not that I am overly concerned: when I've used up my stock of Agfa, Fuji, and Kodak 35mm film, I'll have to sell my analog gear since the logistics of developing, scanning, and printing have become a major pain, both in Canada and in Vietnam. Cheers, OtL
 
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