A sad release from Fujifilm indicates that 2018 may be a year of scarcity indeed for analog camera fans – the Japanese firm again plans to reduce its offerings of multi-films packs on the market.
Customers will still be able to buy the high-end Superia Premium films in pack of three as well as the Velvia and Provia as single rolls, only the multipacks will be discontinued.
The multi-pack products on the chopping block include:
– Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400, 24 exposure, packs of 3
– Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400, 36 exposure, packs of 3
– Fujichrome Velvia 50 Professional, 36 exposure, packs of 5
– Fujichrome Velvia 100 Professional, 36 exposure, packs of 5
– Fujichrome Provia 100F Professional, 36 exposure, packs of 5
Other products facing cancellation are:
– Fujicolor Natura 1600, 36 exposure
– Neopan 100 Acros 4×5, 20 piece
– Neopan 100 Acros 8×10, 20 piece
Japan Camera Hunter speculates that the signs of the times are not good, pointing to the cancellation of analog film stocks as indicative that the camera’s production days are numbered, “As well all know from history, killing off packs is a telltale sign that the film is no longer being produced and they will just milk the remaining stock as singles…You nature photographers had better stock up on Velvia while you can.”
Natura multi-packs were discontinued in 2016 so the announcement of its total cancellation is no surprise, writes PetaPixel.
Without the offerings listed above, Fujifilm will have a much-decreased line of slide, negative, and black-and-white film stocks left, including:
- – Fujichrome Velvia 50
- – Fujichrome Velvia 100
- – Fujichrome Provia 100F
- – Fujicolor Superia Venus 800
- – Fujicolor Superia Premium 400
- – Fujicolor 100
- – Fujicolor Pro 400H
- – Fujicolor Pro 160NS
- – Neopan 100 Acros rolls
One bright spot in Fujifilm’s offerings is its Instax Instant film. This division’s recent sales success was not mirrored in Fuji’s traditional film offerings but Instax’s ability to top the sales charts at Amazon, according to PetaPixel, is worthy of note. The publication notes that Instax even bested Fujifilm’s line of digital cameras, an impressive feature or not depending on your view of the digital camera market in the era of smartphones.
