Fuji to discontinue Acros 100 in Quickload format

[Thingy]

Quickload Acros 100 is being discontinued....
link: http://www.fujilab.co.uk/catalog/neopan ... -p-64.html

I'm not really very happy about this. Are Fuji phasing out the production of Acros 100 generally, of which this is the beginning or are they starting to abandon their commitment to non-transparency 5x4 or the QL format?

[Joanna Carter]

I spoke with Russ Gunn of Fuji UK, at Focus, and pressed him on what was happening to Astia 100F, which I use for wide latitude shots where Velvia 100 is too restrictive, as well as for record photography.

Basically, his response was that, if you use Astia and Acros, you are using the two least popular films, and that Fuji UK couldn't justify importing them to satisfy a diminishing market when most of the stock they buy in ends up being sold as short dated for a minimal profit margin.

Apparently, both Astia 100F QL and Acros QL are available in the US, from places like B&H, etc.

Russ told me that Fuji Japan have a minimum order quantity that they are prepared to ship to the UK and that minimum was 500 cases. So I suggested that, surely, they could ship, say, 490 cases of other films and 10 cases of Astia/Acros but he assured me that the minimum was 500 cases of any one product !!!

Next thought was to sugest that Fuji UK should adopt Ilford's model of taking orders via user groups and then manufacture/ship once or twice a year. His reply was that they would not do this in case people ordered stuff and then changed their minds.

Then I suggested that people wanting to order should pay in advance or, at least, pay a deposit. That was yet another problem

So, it would seem that the fly in the ointment is the management of Fuji UK and that Fuji Japan are not planning (to the best of our knowledge) to stop production of either Astia 100F or Acros.

Anyone up for clubbing together to import a couple of cases of Astia?

Or, at least, to offer storage for a few more cases of Acros?

Muttter, mutter, mutter......

[Mike M]

Sad to see any film going but this is the film which costs a little less than £50 inc P+P and is the only Quickload/Readyload B+W film available in the UK, its hardly suprising.
Ilford have also annouced that they are going to increase prices aswell.

[Keith Tapscott]

Quickload Acros 100 is being discontinued....
link: http://www.fujilab.co.uk/catalog/neopan ... -p-64.html

I'm not really very happy about this. Are Fuji phasing out the production of Acros 100 generally, of which this is the beginning or are they starting to abandon their commitment to non-transparency 5x4 or the QL format?

With Kodak ReadyLoads being discontinued due to Polaroid going out of business, I would have thought that Fuji had a good thing going with 4x5 format users. Although I am not particularly fond of Fuji 100 Acros, I feel sorry for those who have made this their regular 4x5 B&W film stock due to the convenience of using QuickLoads.

[Thingy]

Thanks JC (that Joanna not the other JC... ) for establishing the position.

I have been ordering Acros 100 QL from Fuji direct via the link above as it seems to work out slightly cheaper (unless I've done my maths wrong - never my strong subject).

I would be interested in buying a year's supply at a time and paying in advance if others were interested too. I would also be willing to buy a box of Astia 100F to try out, and if I liked it would make a regular order. I am going to have to do this anyway either via UKLFPG or direct from the US. However my fridge is 1/3 full of film already, and I only have one fridge!

[David Rees]

For those that want Acros 100 and Astia 100F in QL form, you might want to investigate this website: http://www.unicircuits.com/shop . They were once called Megaperls, and though I've never used them, I've seen multiple good comments about them on the web. They're in Japan, but the website is in English. No doubt postage and customs will not be trivial, but as a bulk purchase, may still be worthwhile.

I considered buying Acros 100 from them in loose sheet form (I like film holders), but never got around to it once I started using Delta 100.

[Joanna Carter]

For those that want Acros 100 and Astia 100F in QL form, you might want to investigate this website: http://www.unicircuits.com/shop ... No doubt postage and customs will not be trivial, but as a bulk purchase, may still be worthwhile.

I looked at this option and found the prices were the equivalent of £67.75 for Acros 100 QL and £89.95 for Astia 100F.

This compares to £42.22 for Acros 100 and £48.94 for Astia 100F from B&H in New York.

So, if we were to order, I think that B&H would be much better value.

I considered buying Acros 100 from them in loose sheet form (I like film holders), but never got around to it once I started using Delta 100.

I, too, used to use Delta 100; it's a superb film, but the convenience and cleanliness of the Quickload system was just too much of an attraction. I have also come to love the tonal quality and range of Acros.

[Steve Gledhill]

When Tmax Readyloads were discontinued I decided to return to using film holders to be able to continue with Tmax. I've been surprised at how quickly I've got back into using them. Obviously they're nowhere near as convenient as Ready/Qulickloads, and care is required to minimise dust, but holders do give you the freedom of the remaining films - and using holders is much cheaper per sheet. Another benefit is that boxes of film are much smaller by volume per sheet than boxes of Ready/Quickloads making carryon volume much less of a problem. 150 sheets of film in 50-sheet boxes is about the same volume (not shape) as a single box of 20 Readyloads.

Or perhaps I'm just looking to find ways of saying that 5x4 photography isn't over yet!

[Thingy]

When Tmax Readyloads were discontinued I decided to return to using film holders to be able to continue with Tmax. I've been surprised at how quickly I've got back into using them. Obviously they're nowhere near as convenient as Ready/Qulickloads, and care is required to minimise dust, but holders do give you the freedom of the remaining films - and using holders is much cheaper per sheet. Another benefit is that boxes of film are much smaller by volume per sheet than boxes of Ready/Quickloads making carryon volume much less of a problem. 150 sheets of film in 50-sheet boxes is about the same volume (not shape) as a single box of 20 Readyloads.

Or perhaps I'm just looking to find ways of saying that 5x4 photography isn't over yet!

QL is much more convenient when you don't have a darkroom or are travelling abroad. Also the thought to taking 20 double-sided, pre-loaded, 5x4 sheet film holders with me to Norway is too horrid to contemplate!

[Steve Gledhill]

When Tmax Readyloads were discontinued I decided to return to using film holders to be able to continue with Tmax. I've been surprised at how quickly I've got back into using them. Obviously they're nowhere near as convenient as Ready/Qulickloads, and care is required to minimise dust, but holders do give you the freedom of the remaining films - and using holders is much cheaper per sheet. Another benefit is that boxes of film are much smaller by volume per sheet than boxes of Ready/Quickloads making carryon volume much less of a problem. 150 sheets of film in 50-sheet boxes is about the same volume (not shape) as a single box of 20 Readyloads.

Or perhaps I'm just looking to find ways of saying that 5x4 photography isn't over yet!

QL is much more convenient when you don't have a darkroom or are travelling abroad. Also the thought to taking 20 double-sided, pre-loaded, 5x4 sheet film holders with me to Norway is too horrid to contemplate!

As I said, I agree QL/RL are much more convenient. But they're becoming / have become unavailable - which is where you started this thread. So ... what will you do when you go to Norway and they are either finally no longer available or even more prohibitively expensive to import? My response is to say actually it's not really that bad. We just have to go back to the days when there were no Readyloads or Quickloads.

I often travel abroad (flying) with my LF camera. I don't preload my holders - so they can go in my check-in luggage. As I said, boxes of film are tiny compared with RL or QL boxes so are much better for carry-on. I carry a small changing bag/tent (from Calumet) which folds flat in the bottom of a suitcase and load and unload films whenever and wherever I want. It requires you to be organised - but that's about it.

[Thingy]

...It requires you to be organised - but that's about it.

Ah, that might be a problem in my case!

[Joanna Carter]

So ... what will you do when you go to Norway and they are either finally no longer available or even more prohibitively expensive to import? My response is to say actually it's not really that bad. We just have to go back to the days when there were no Readyloads or Quickloads

Unfortunately, it's not just QL vs DDS, Acros is only available in 4x5 QL and Fuji are stopping importing Astia in 4x5 as well.

[Steve Gledhill]

Unfortunately, it's not just QL vs DDS, Acros is only available in 4x5 QL and Fuji are stopping importing Astia in 4x5 as well.

Yes - my comments were really responding to the RL/QL aspect rather than the film emulsion availability. We must hope that Ilford & Kodak & others don't find sheet film becoming unprofitable. If it does then they won't be sentimental about it - they'll stop production of almost any product line that is no longer profitable. Especially now as the world goes pear shaped. Hopefully, as suppliers fall by the wayside then others like Ilford will be able to take up the slack even if not in new products then in additional volume for their existing products. As an ex-Ilford employee I really hope so. I guess over time this becomes the reality of the digital world - reduced choice for us filmees.

[Aender]

For those that want Acros 100 and Astia 100F in QL form, you might want to investigate this website: http://www.unicircuits.com/shop . They were once called Megaperls, and though I've never used them, I've seen multiple good comments about them on the web. They're in Japan, but the website is in English. No doubt postage and customs will not be trivial, but as a bulk purchase, may still be worthwhile.

I considered buying Acros 100 from them in loose sheet form (I like film holders), but never got around to it once I started using Delta 100.

That online store is held by Dirk Rösler, a german guy who is also a LF user. I have dealt with him twice in the past and have only had very good experiences with him. Sure, you'll have to pay import taxes, but he as a person seems very trustworthy to me and was very helpful. He even arranged for a second hand lens to be sent to a member of his family in Germany (in order to avoid customs taxes) and had them send it over to me.

Edit: I just checked the prices of QLs on his website. Looks like the prices are very high at this moment...

[BarryWilkinson]

I have also bought from Dirk in the past, 5x4 Acros sheets. No problems and very quick deliveries. The prices reflect the current poor value of the UKP.

Barry