PetaPixel reports that Fujifilm is discontinuing several flavors of their fantastic slide film, Velvia. Luckily, for me anyways, Velvia 50 will still be around in both 120 and 135.

  • http://www.aarongilliland.com/ Aaron Gilliland

    Velveeta pipeline unaffected.

    • yri

       Aw, man! Beat me to the Velveeta joke.

  • ordinal

    Velvia 100 is still going. Not 100F, 100. The good one, allegedly.

    • http://boingboing.net/ Jason Weisberger

      Velvia 100 is also wonderful and extremely close to Velvia 50. I believe, but am happy to be told I am wrong, that the Instagram film frame “RVP 100″ with a frame number implies it is Velvia 100. The “Film” effect that the filter seems to add tho is just the opposite of what you get/look for with slide film like Velvia. You expect super sharp, extremely fine grain and explosive colors like its the circus. The filter is “add grain and wash out like 70s Kodak consumer film.” 

      • ordinal

        I don’t think that I am 100% with you here, but what I meant to say is that Velvia 100 is still on sale and is generally rated as being great. Velvia 100F, which was considered by some an inferior film to both 100 and 50  (I haven’t used any so can’t comment there) is now deceased. And, original Velvia at 50 ISO is still around in 135 and 120, as mentioned in the post.

        I’m not sure what the connection to “filters” is here – I just take pictures on film. I understand that some Fuji digitals have filters that say they approximate the effects of certain films, but I wouldn’t be very convinced there.

        • http://boingboing.net/ Jason Weisberger

          I think we’re talking around each other :) You are 100% correct.

      • Tore Sinding Bekkedal

        RVP 100 looks pretty close to the Instagram effect if you cross-process it (in C41 chemistry)

  • Angryjim

    Velvia 50 is a must for my vintage view master camera. The camera takes 4 tiny pictures on the space of one 35mm frame so the difference in film grain between 50 and 100 is very noticeable. And with kodachrome gone velvia is my next beat for saturated Colors. (actually more saturated i think) Luckily the 35mm is one of the versions that’s continuing. Maybe I should start stockpiling in my freezer for what will surely be the next to go.

  • Tore Sinding Bekkedal

    Film isn’t «getting closer to dead»; there is a significant resurgence in film use amongst enthusiasts who have gotten a taste of «non-snapshot» photography by their access to cheap, high-quality DSLRs.

    They’re simply discontinuing a particular line of film whose strengths are superseded by digital. Velvia 100 remains, Velvia 50 remains. Black-and-white is thriving.

    If you want a high-fidelity reproduction, you really can’t beat a good digital camera nowadays (excepting large format). Someone who shoots on film, does it because of the charming aberrations. The grain, colour tint – the particularities.

    As with many other things (vinyl springs to mind) – as a medium is superseded, the particularities of the previous medium gets viewed with more distance, and some people find they actually find it charming and worth keeping.

  • http://www.commodorecrush.com/ Commodore Crush

    In a related story, I was told that Target stores (at least in my area) are phasing out their photo developing service in a few weeks but I still can’t find any news of it on the interwebs.  I usually take my Lomo film to get developed there because they’re so cheap and fast.  More: 
    http://blog.commodorecrush.com/index.php/2012/07/target-stores-phasing-out-store-photo-developing/  

  • Jen Onymous

     As someone who has many vintage cameras and loves shooting 120, this gives me a sad.  Some of my favorite pix were done on Velvia 50.