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Subject: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-08-22 17:50:30
From: John Thurston

I recall back in '04 or '05, I shot the last of my Fuji Vlevia 50. I
forget what I burned that last roll on, but I remember being sad that I
had the exposure wrong and got nothing useful from the roll :(

I just left the Fuji web site where Velvia 50 is listed as viable film
in 120 format.

> http://www.fujifilm.com/products/professional_films/color_reversalfilms/velvia_50

Then I visited B&H where one can buy five rolls for $41.
How long has Velvia been back in production?

FWIW, Fuji's web site also lists
Velvia 100 (not 100F)
Provia 100F
Provia 400X
as being made in 120 format.

I thought 400X had been out of production for several years. B&H doesn't
list it. Maybe the film hasn't made it to this side of the Pacific.
Maybe the film hasn't actually been made yet!
--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us

Subject: Re: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-08-22 18:58:52
From: Todd Schlemmer

I love it for pinhole!

http://www.kenrockwell.com/fuji/velvia-50.htm

--
.-. .-. . . . .-. . .
`-. | |-| | |- |\/|
`-' `-' ' ` `-' `-' ' `

Here, take a card

On Tue, Aug 22, 2017 at 4:51 PM, John Thurston juneau3d@thurstons.us [MF3D-group] <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

I recall back in '04 or '05, I shot the last of my Fuji Vlevia 50. I
forget what I burned that last roll on, but I remember being sad that I
had the exposure wrong and got nothing useful from the roll :(

I just left the Fuji web site where Velvia 50 is listed as viable film
in 120 format.
> http://www.fujifilm.com/ products/professional_films/ color_reversalfilms/velvia_50

Then I visited B&H where one can buy five rolls for $41.
How long has Velvia been back in production?

FWIW, Fuji's web site also lists
Velvia 100 (not 100F)
Provia 100F
Provia 400X
as being made in 120 format.

I thought 400X had been out of production for several years. B&H doesn't
list it. Maybe the film hasn't made it to this side of the Pacific.
Maybe the film hasn't actually been made yet!
--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us

Subject: Re: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-08-22 19:29:28
From: iandvaag

Fuji Velvia (rebate code RVP) was discontinued in 2005ish allegedly because of difficulties in obtaining some raw materials needed to manufacture the emulsion. There was a huge public backlash (largely from landscape photographers), so Fuji reformulated Velvia to be made without the hard to obtain raw materials. They called this "new" film Velvia 50 (rebate code RVP50), reintroduced in 2007. Essentially these two films (RVP and RVP 50) behave the same, here is what Fuji had to say on the subject:
" [RVP50 has] Nearly identical in performance to FUJICHROME Velvia for Professionals [RVP], this film was made possible through the development of new production technologies and substitutes for raw materials vital for the manufacture of the current Velvia but now hard to procure. "

The tech sheet for the original Velvia (RVP): https://web.archive.org/web/ 20070927003542/http://www. fujifilmusa.com/JSP/fuji/ epartners/bin/Velvia50AF3- 960E_1.pdf
The tech sheet for the reformulated Velvia 50 (RVP 50): http://www.fujifilmusa.com/ shared/bin/AF3- 0221E2Velvia50PIB.pdf

I'm sorry you went 10 years thinking this film was discontinued. But good news is that it still is available today!

Personally, I prefer the more modern Velvia 100. It has finer grain, slightly less contrast (i.e. slightly more dynamic range), much better reciprocity, same saturation, better archival stability and a full stop more speed! Some people prefer Velvia 50 because it has a slight warming effect to yellows, but honestly to me, Velvia 100's attributes far outweigh this small benefit.

It's very hard to find information, but if you can find a circa 2005 link to Fuji's Japanese webpage about a film, it might be archived on wayback machine, and then you can use google translate, for example this comparison of RVP50, RVP100, and RVP100F (now discontinued).

Unfortunately Fuji's USA consumer website is terrible, and you cannot rely upon it for accurate information about their film offerings. Sadly Provia 400X is definitely still discontinued, and I can't see it coming back. Recently it is widely believed that Fujifilm has axed a number of their 35mm consumer print films, but they have not put out a press statement, it's mostly based on rumours right now. They certainly could work on customer relations.

Anyway, we have three top-of-the-line, fantastic slide films from Fuji (Velvia 50, Velvia 100, and Provia 100F), and all are available in 120 format, so I guess we are pretty lucky. Not to be a pessimist, but shoot them while you still can!

Subject: Re: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-08-22 21:43:13
From: Timo Puhakka2

I still have some Provia 400x, which hasn't expired yet.

Timo

On 22-Aug-17, at 7:51 PM, John Thurston juneau3d@thurstons.us [MF3D-group] wrote:

I recall back in '04 or '05, I shot the last of my Fuji Vlevia 50. I
forget what I burned that last roll on, but I remember being sad that I
had the exposure wrong and got nothing useful from the roll :(

I just left the Fuji web site where Velvia 50 is listed as viable film
in 120 format.
> http://www.fujifilm.com/products/professional_films/color_reversalfilms/velvia_50

Then I visited B&H where one can buy five rolls for $41.
How long has Velvia been back in production?

FWIW, Fuji's web site also lists
Velvia 100 (not 100F)
Provia 100F
Provia 400X
as being made in 120 format.

I thought 400X had been out of production for several years. B&H doesn't
list it. Maybe the film hasn't made it to this side of the Pacific.
Maybe the film hasn't actually been made yet!
--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us

Subject: Re: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-09-06 15:03:01
From: sekharni

And ektachrome is coming back this year in 35mm. No word on 120 production yet. But I've been messaging Kodak to agitate for it

Subject: Re: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-09-08 18:22:40
From: coronet3d

Any responses from Kodak on your suggestion? I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for a Kodachrome revival, which Kodak said they would look into earlier this year.

Steve

Subject: Re: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-10-18 11:59:34
From: lattie_smart

I would be VERY surprised to see what's left of Kodak "reviving" color Kodachrome - a complicated process that was also said to have environmental issues as well.

I could more easily imagine some low-wage and environmentally unconcerned Asian or E. Europe country licensing, or hacking, a similar process. But only if they thought there was enough of a affluent, Western, boutique-user base (ie like with the vinyl record revival).

Subject: Re: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-10-20 17:05:32
From: coronet3d

It's Kodak that said it, not me. These revivals are being driven by filmmakers e.g. Ferrania. I don't think still photographers are their main concern. If labs could've processed Kodachrome using pre-packaged chemicals in a K-lab, the process must not be that complicated.

Steve

Subject: Re: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-10-20 22:06:54
From: Timo Puhakka2

17 steps, but I think there is more since this film has to be spooled with multiple rolls to get the thing through the very long machine (and also to make the chemistry preparation and set up profitable).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-14_process

Timo

On 20-Oct-17, at 7:05 PM, coronet3d@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] wrote:

It's Kodak that said it, not me. These revivals are being driven by filmmakers e.g. Ferrania. I don't think still photographers are their main concern. If labs could've processed Kodachrome using pre-packaged chemicals in a K-lab, the process must not be that complicated.
Steve

Subject: Re: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-10-20 22:51:20
From: JR

Back when I processed Kodachrome it was the K-12 process, and the machine was 26 feet long. Each color had a separate re-exposure lamp and developer. My contribution to the process was a fail-safe re-exposure system. A sensor over each color re-exposure section would detect a lamp burn-out and instantly turn on a backup lamp so that no film was ruined. Pako (where I worked at the time) licensed this system to Kodak who then added it to all of their Kodachrome machines.

John A. Rupkalvis

stereoscope3d@gmail.com

On Fri, Oct 20, 2017 at 9:06 PM, Timo Puhakka2 tpuhakka@ymail.com [MF3D-group] <MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

17 steps, but I think there is more since this film has to be spooled with multiple rolls to get the thing through the very long machine (and also to make the chemistry preparation and set up profitable).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ K-14_process

Timo

On 20-Oct-17, at 7:05 PM, coronet3d@yahoo.com [MF3D-group] wrote:

It's Kodak that said it, not me. These revivals are being driven by filmmakers e.g. Ferrania. I don't think still photographers are their main concern. If labs could've processed Kodachrome using pre-packaged chemicals in a K-lab, the process must not be that complicated.
Steve

Subject: Re: Velvia 50?
Date: 2017-10-21 10:38:58
From: coronet3d

Regardless of the complexity, it's well worth it. I'm dying to use it in my pano cameras. I hope and pray for its return. It they brought it back in 120 or sheet sizes, I'd jump for joy!

Steve