On 11/1/2013 1:32 PM, David Richardson wrote:

> Hello fellow slide photographers,
> It's time we got together and told Fuji to take us seriously. If we were to organize a letter campaign (and for those of you whom can't write in cursive almost) email too to Fuji to help forestall the end of analog transparency film. If these are the last film makers let's buy enough film and write enough mail, make television or print news to raise the cry...
> "Charge us more, but don't kill slide film"

David, it is a noble thought, but I don't think it will make
any difference at all. When last I heard, Fuji admitted that
their entire film unit was operating at a loss, and that
consumer sales were the largest drag on the unit. They
aren't keeping it around until no longer makes them money,
they're keeping it around until it starts costing them a lot
of money. The medium is already on its deathbed. The
question is how long will it last there?

Prices on film are going to go up. But I do not expect them
to go up enough to forestall the demise of the medium. There
just isn't going to be enough volume in E6 sales to keep
those vats and coating machines calibrated and running.

If you want to keep shooting film, I encourage a two-prong
strategy. 1) Stock your freezer with as much E6 film as you
think you will be able to expose before the cost of
processing that film exceeds your projected budget. Like
film, processing will become more expensive near the end of
its availability. 2) Embrace black and white. B&W film is
simpler to make and process. I predict it will be available
(and affordable) longer than color. The detail available in
single-layer, MF3D slides is stunning.

(There is also the third option for those who are thinking
very long-term. Buy an early 20th century 6x13 plate camera
now, and learn to cut and coat your own plates. When those
film users are crying over the death of their medium, you'll
still be making durable transparencies.)

--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us

David Richardson wrote:

>
> It's time we got together and told Fuji to take us seriously. If we
> were to organize a letter campaign (and for those of you whom can't
> write in cursive almost) email too to Fuji to help forestall the end
> of analog transparency film. If these are the last film makers let's
> buy enough film and write enough mail, make television or print news
> to raise the cry...

I was just at Photo Plus Expo 2013. While at the Fujifilm booth with
some folks from the Film Photography Podcast
<http://filmphotographyproject.com/> I managed to score a box of 4x5
and a box of 120 Provia 100F. (I need to see if this will be my
backup film when I run out of Exktachrome E100G.) A couple of the
guys managed to get some 8x10 Fujichrome. There was also some Neopan
available. Although Fujifilm was mostly promoting their Mini Instax
instant film packets and cameras, their full range of film was on
display. About half of their booth was Mini Instax/film, with the
rest split between their X series digital cameras and other digital
products.

(Fujifilm and Kodak alaris were both very generous in donating film to
the Film Photography Podcast give aways. Listen to the podcast for a
chance to win some film and cameras.)

> "Charge us more, but don't kill slide film"

Charging more will kill slide film.

--
Brian Reynolds | "It's just like flying a spaceship.
reynolds@panix.com | You push some buttons and see
http://www.panix.com/~reynolds/ | what happens." -- Zapp Brannigan
NAR# 54438 |