death of film

The End of Fuji 100c

by EveNSteve

F-You Fuji!

https://www.change.org/p/save-instant-film/u/16328075?tk=0Coo3JdjHsvtwgIOtFPhpmHJX4typsXfOYZl5HOA4U8&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email

Not much more to add….  off to the cape to shoot for a few days. I’m not bringing ANY Fuji material—

Viva la Revolution- Steve

 

Freezing Fuji FP-100C Instant Film

by EveNSteve

By now we have all heard that Fuji is discontinuing this amazing film, FP-100C- right?

 

 

 

 

 

Shit! Shit! Shit!

If you’re like me, and a fan of this material, right now you’re asking, what am I going to do? Well, you could just buy a lot of this film and stick in the refrigerator unopened and get a solid 8-10 years… But here’s a question: can you freeze it?

In fact, contrary to popular belief you can freeze Fuji FP-100C. But how can this be, you ask, without the PODS bursting? Yes, Polaroid PODS burst when frozen, BUT Fuji PODS are constructed of a different material and as such they don’t suffer the same horrible fate.

Here is the test I ran trying it out. I call it The Han Solo Test:

  • On January 13, 2016 I froze two boxes of FP-100C…
  • First I let both boxes get cold in my refrigerator for 48 hours to stabilize and in a vertical orientation so the box is upright… this is very important due to the location of the POD.
  • Then I placed both boxes in my freezer, still in a vertical orientation.
  • On February 27th I took a box down from the freezer and placed it back in my refrigerator again (Yes! Still in a vertical orientation...) and there it rested until this morning March 1st. I allowed it to warm to room temperature for 2 hours prior to running a series of tests shots to test color, exposure and, well, to be perfectly honest to see if it still worked at all! And guess what… all 10 shots were perfect! Not a single issue with burst PODS or uneven development or chemical separation… all perfect!
  • See all the test images below for proof… please note these were just quick iPhone snaps of the pics as they dried on my dining room table.

 

Now, can I guarantee this process will work 100%? Nope… but it did work for me. AND I have another box in the freezer that I will leave for 1 year as a long-term storage test, so look out for that follow up article in January 2017!

In conclusion my thoughts are…. buy a lot of this material and put in your refrigerator using a vertical orientation. Shoot as you normally do- it’s great film and I, for one, am going to enjoy shooting it. Once a box of film gets several years past its expiration date, (and if they have been stored in a vertical orientation in the refrigerator during this time) move them to the freezer using the steps I outlined above. This should give you even more leeway on the life of this film.

Did I mention the vertical orientation? Just checking.

I also plan on running the same test with the same freeze-to-warm process outlined above with some Fuji Instax Wide material this month, so stay tuned…

Viva la Revolution- Steve

UPDATE: please take note that I am not telling you to freeze this film now as there is no reason to do so as the current stock is quite fresh and will live for many years in a refrigerator.  I will do an update in one year so we can have more information on long term storage.

 

 

Farm to Table = Film to Camera

by EveNSteve

Click on the audio button to hear my post on how changing the distribution model for film is key to the sustainable future of analog photography.

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

Film and Journalism Incompatible? Seriously?

by EveNSteve

“The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” – Mark Twain

Film is very much alive! Despite bogus “experiments” like this one:

Click on the audio link below to hear my take on it:

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

PS- I’ve decided to start a new category here on FR just for posts like this…. Numbnuts

 

Side by Side The Movie

by EveNSteve

side-by-side-poster

A must watch! Click on the audio play button to listen to a review and thoughts by yours truly and guest contributor Author Eve O. Schaub.

Film Doesn’t Matter

by EveNSteve

Lately I am seeing far too many images praised, not for their quality, but simply because they are film based. Much as I love film, that pisses me off. I want to see great work get attention- film or digital- whatever!

Favoring film-based images simply because they’re from film strikes me as similar to the mistake that some shooters make when they assume a certain camera brand (did someone say Leica?) magically makes their images superior. Bottom Line… use the tools that help you make your work. Process is important but it’s not all-important especially to a collector or client… in the end people buy what they like.

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

Fuji Stops Motion Picture Film Production

by EveNSteve

As previously announced, Fujifilm has stopped production of the majority of Motion Picture Film products by March, 2013.

http://www.fujifilm.com/news/n130402.html

Kodak of course still makes motion picture film so no worries for now!!!!!*

We all knew this was coming and Fuji has also discontinued many great still films this last year(+) as well- I for one am not happy! Hey Fuji (USA)… if Fuji Japan makes a film why not make it available in our US market as well (I am thinking of the Fuji 160NS in 4×5)…. I’m sick of having to order films from the EU and beyond. At least Kodak Portra 160 and 400 rock and are easy to get here in the US and beyond… check out my reviews here on FR on these two great films.

Portra 160

Portra 400 Many articles….

*“LOS ANEGLES, Feb 21, 2013 —The 2013 Academy Award® best picture nominees include six movies that were shot on Kodak film: Argo, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Django Unchained, Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Les Miserable.

In the 84-year history of Oscar®, no Academy Award®-winning best picture has ever been made without motion picture film.”

Viva la Revolution!