Fujifilm re-release Acros II b&w film

[Rob MacKillop]

Good news for film users:

https://emulsive.org/articles/news/...m=notifications&utm_campaign=emulsivewebnotif

 

[Brian Moore]

I'll not be buying it. Nor anything else Fuji if I can avoid it. Their ruthless approach to reducing their film emulsions in recent years has proven they're more interested in profit than art. OK, I get that businesses are in business to make money, but some loyalty to the film shooters out here would have been appreciated. In particular I'm annoyed that they ended the production of their Polaroid pack film. They were the only company making it. Gone. And, I have read, they have refused overtures to sell the tooling and machinery to others who might have tried to revive the format. So now they're coming out with a new emulsion. That bodes well for the film shooting community insofar as it heralds Fuji's assessment that there is profit to be made in film again. But Fuji can go down the tubes for all I care. They haven't supported us, so my dollars go to Kodak, Fomapan, Ilford and others who have hung in there and who need our support.

I'll get down off the soapbox now.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks for that, Brian. I'll admit I never give much thought to the companies that produce the film, but after reflecting on your comments I see that I should. You make good points.

My two main films are Ilford Delta 400 and Kodak Portra 160 or 400. I like Ilford a lot, and buy their film directly from them, which costs me a bit more, but not much. I suppose I'm supporting them by doing that. I just like dealing with them.

 

[Pete Askew]

Thanks for the notice, Rob.

I have used Ilford B&W film for my personal work for as long as I can remember and mainly Portra when I shot colour film. I even used Ilford transparency film when they made it and switched to Agfa when they stopped. I have used the odd roll of Velvia as well, but not consistently. I have always used Ilford film for work and tungsten balanced Ektachrome when I used to shoot colour on microscopes and copy stands.

 

[Shaun Haselden]

I also hadn't really considered the Fuji ethic towards their media and its users. In spite of that though the last time I used Acros was back around 2010 and it remained the finest black and white film I had ever encountered. I used it mainly on 120 roll in a Mamiya RB67 and was never less than astounded by it's tonal range. If I ever return to medium format I shall definitely give it another go however I would also consider FP4+ for its huge level of sharpness especially in ID-11 at 1+3 dilution.

 

[Brian Moore]

I also hadn't really considered the Fuji ethic towards their media and its users. In spite of that though the last time I used Acros was back around 2010 and it remained the finest black and white film I had ever encountered. I used it mainly on 120 roll in a Mamiya RB67 and was never less than astounded by it's tonal range. If I ever return to medium format I shall definitely give it another go however I would also consider FP4+ for its huge level of sharpness especially in ID-11 at 1+3 dilution.

Yep. It's good film alright. I've shot with it in the past. Although I'm boycotting Fuji products generally by way of full disclosure there is one line of product that I will continue to buy: Their Instax film. I have a couple of Instax cameras. I don't shoot with them very often. It's probably been a year since I last picked one up. But for Instax film Fuji is the only game in town I believe. (Although I think some is re-branded as Polaroid.) So if I ever want to shoot those cameras again I'll have no choice but to (reluctantly) buy Fuji film.