Neopan

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The Fujifilm Neopan 100 ACROS B/W film 35mm Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros.jpg
The Fujifilm Neopan 100 ACROS B/W film 35mm
Neopan 100 ACROS II
Maker Fujifilm
Speed 100/21°
Type B&W print
Process Gelatin-silver
Format 135, 120
Exposure
latitude
±2½ stops
ApplicationGeneral purpose, Sports, Daylight
IntroducedNovember 2019
Neopan 400CN
Maker Fujifilm
Speed 400/27°
Type B&W print
Process C-41
Format 135, 120
ApplicationGeneral purpose, chromogenic
Introduced2003
Discontinued2020
Neopan 100 ACROS
Maker Fujifilm
Speed 100/21°
Type B&W print
Process Gelatin-silver
Format 135, 120, Sheet film
Exposure
latitude
±2½ stops
ApplicationGeneral purpose, Sports, Daylight
DiscontinuedOctober 2018 [1]
Neopan SS
Maker Fujifilm
Speed 100/21°
Type B&W print
Process Gelatin-silver
Format 135, 120, Sheet film
ApplicationGeneral purpose
Introduced1952 [2]
Discontinued2011
Fujifilm Neopan 400 black and white film for 35mm cameras Fujifilm Neopan 400.jpg
Fujifilm Neopan 400 black and white film for 35mm cameras
Neopan 400
Maker Fujifilm
Speed 400/27°
Type B&W print
Process Gelatin-silver
Format 135, 120
Exposure
latitude
±2½ stops
ApplicationGeneral purpose, Sports, Low light
Introduced1978 [3]
Discontinued2013 [4]
Picture taken with the Fuji Neopan 400 Belsener Kapelle auf Neopan.jpg
Picture taken with the Fuji Neopan 400
The Fujifilm Neopan 1600 B/W film for 35mm cameras Fujifilm Neopan 1600.jpg
The Fujifilm Neopan 1600 B/W film for 35mm cameras
Neopan 1600
Maker Fujifilm
Speed 1600/33°
Type B&W print
Process Gelatin-silver
Format 135
Exposure
latitude
±2 stops
ApplicationGeneral purpose, Sports, Low light, Night
Discontinued2010

Neopan was originally a family of black-and-white films from Japanese manufacturer Fujifilm for both professional and amateur use. The range now only comprises one film; Neopan ACROS 100 II, a traditional silver halide black and white film re-launched in 2019 and currently sold worldwide.

Contents

Current Films

Neopan ACROS 100 II

After the discontinuation of ACROS in April 2018, just over a year later in June 2019 Fujifilm announced their return to traditional silver halide black and white film with an updated Neopan ACROS 100 II. [5] Film shipments commenced in Japan in November 2019, with global availability expected from Spring 2020. [6]

A reformulated version of Neopan 100 ACROS,“achieving ultra-high image quality with world-class granularity and three-dimensional tone reproduction" to address the loss of some component raw materials that led to the originals withdrawal. This new emulsion appears to differ slightly from the original ACROS with "the gradation of the highlight part [..] designed to be sharper" according to machine translations of the Japanese press release. [7] The film retains the reciprocity characteristics of the original. Formats: 135-36 exp. and 120 single rolls.

The new packaging for 120 format comes with 'Made in UK' labelling and is only available in single rolls compared to Fujifilms normal 5-roll packs leading to speculation about the films origin. Although the emulsion coating is still undertaken at the Kanagawa Factory, Ashigara in Japan, users speculate that conversion and packaging has been outsourced to Harman Technology in the UK. [8] [ self-published source ]

Discontinued Films

Fuji Orthochrome

The first Fuji film for still cameras, not sensitive to green or red light, released in 1936, available only as roll film (120 and others). [9]

Fuji Chrome

Sensitive to blue and green but not red, released in 1936, available only as roll film. [10]

Fuji Neochrome

Sensitive to blue and green/yellow but not red, released in 1936, available only as roll film. [11]

Fuji Neo Panchromatic Film

Sensitive across more of the visible spectrum, released in 1937, available only as roll film. [12]

Fuji 35mm Film SP

SP stood for super panchromatic. It was Fuji's first general-use 35mm (135 size) film, released in 1938. The film required being loaded manually into a 35mm cassette in a darkroom. It had a speed of 40 ISO. [13] [14]

Fuji 35mm Film FP

FP stood for fine grain panchromatic. It was a grain improvement over SP, released in 1940. [15]

Neopan S

Neopan S was a 50 ISO super fine grain film released shortly after Neopan SS, sometime between 1954 and 1958. It was advertised as panchromatic and high speed, with a nitrate base that was dangerous if exposed to heat or flame. [16]

Neopan SS

Neopan SS was a 100 ISO, fine grain, ortho-panchromatic film with a wide exposure latitude introduced as a roll film in 1952 and 35mm in 1953. The film came with a 2.5 times sensitivity increase in comparison to what Fujifilm was currently producing (SP). Over the years, improvements were made to this film. In 1961, Fuji's 35mm films were switched over to preloaded 35mm cassettes, rather than require the photographer to load it themselves in a darkroom. [17] It was sold in Asia and selected markets, parallel import elsewhere. The film was packaged for 35mm, medium format, and sheet film cameras in various sizes and discontinued in 2011. It had similar spectral sensitivity characteristics to Kodak Plus-X 125, discontinued in the same year. [18]

Neopan SSS

Neopan SSS was a 200 ISO film marketed as panchromatic ultra high speed safety film. It was released shortly after Neopan SS, sometime between 1954 and 1958. It was produced until the 1980s, when it was replaced by Neopan 1600. [19]

Neopan F

Neopan F was a 32 ISO ultra fine grain film. It was released shortly after Neopan SS, sometime between 1954 and 1958. It was discontinued in the early 2000s. [20]

Neopan 400 Professional (Presto)

Neopan 400 Professional ('Presto' in Japan) was a high speed, black and white negative film with an ISO speed of 400 for action and press photography. It was produced for 35mm, medium format and 4x5" cameras starting from 1978 [21] and discontinued in 2013. [22]

Neopan 1600 Professional (Super Presto)

Neopan 1600 Professional ('Super Presto' in Japan) was an ultra high speed panchromatic film with E.I. 1600 for sports, journalism, stage shows and low light situations. It offers the same development time as Neopan ACROS 100 and Neopan 400 to enable the films to be processed together. It was produced for 35mm cameras from the 1980s and discontinued in 2009.

Neopan 400CN

Neopan 400CN was an ISO 400 General purpose C-41 process chromogenic B&W film on a triacetate base. Ilford were Fuji’s partners for this film which has therefore similar characteristics to Ilford XP2 plus. Since at least 2018 distribution was limited to the UK only and was discontinued in 2020. Formats: 135, 120. [23]

Neopan ACROS 100

ACROS was an ISO 100 speed professional ortho-panchromatic black-and-white photographic film for portraits, landscape, architectural subjects and product photography. It used fuji color film technology to give high sharpness and fine grain. The film was particularly suited for night and long exposure photography due to its reciprocity characteristics: it does not require adjustments for exposures shorter than 120 seconds, and only requires a ½ stop of compensation for exposures between 120 and 1000 seconds. [24] The film was produced in 135, 120 and Sheet film formats.

ACROS sheet film (4x5" & 8x10") was discontinued in October 2017. [25] ACROS in the remaining 135 and 120 formats was discontinued in April 2018. [1] 120 format was largely sold out by June 2018, whilst 135 format stock remained on sale in most markets until Spring 2019. All Fujifilm black and white photopapers were also discontinued at the same time. The lack of availability of some of the film component raw materials was cited as the reason for its withdrawal.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fujifilm</span> Japanese conglomerate started as photographic film manufacturer

Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, trading as Fujifilm, or simply Fuji, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operating in the realms of photography, optics, office and medical electronics, biotechnology, and chemicals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Velvia</span> Brand of daylight-balanced color reversal film

Velvia is a brand of daylight-balanced color reversal film produced by the Japanese company Fujifilm. The name is a portmanteau of "Velvet Media", a reference to its smooth image structure. The original incarnation of the film was called "Velvia for Professionals", known as RVP, a classification code meaning "Reversal/Velvia/Professional series". It is known for its extremely high level of color saturation and image quality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Instant film</span> Photographic film which develops in minutes

Instant film is a type of photographic film that was introduced by Polaroid Corporation to produce a visible image within minutes or seconds of the photograph's exposure. The film contains the chemicals needed for developing and fixing the photograph, and the camera exposes and initiates the developing process after a photo has been taken.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Technical Pan</span>

Technical Pan is an almost panchromatic black-and-white film that was produced by Kodak. While it can reproduce the visible light spectrum, it leans to the red, and so unfiltered outdoor shots render blues, most notably the sky, with additional darkening and reds with some lightening. It was generally used as a very slow film, rated at EI 25 or even 16, although it could be rated at up to EI 320 with a distinct loss of tonal range and a bunching of shadow and highlight detail. This film has unmatched fine grain, especially when rated at a low speed, and makes excellent enlargements while preserving fine details. Kodak stopped selling it in 2004. It has not been replaced by a film with its characteristics. Although some of its particularities were unique and no emulsion in actual production could replace it, its resolution capabilities were surpassed by another film by ADOX, CMS 20 II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ektachrome</span> Brand name of a Kodak film

Ektachrome is a brand name owned by Kodak for a range of transparency, still and motion picture films previously available in many formats, including 35 mm and sheet sizes to 11 × 14 inch size. Ektachrome has a distinctive look that became familiar to many readers of National Geographic, which used it extensively for color photographs for decades in settings where Kodachrome was too slow. In terms of reciprocity characteristics, Ektachrome is stable at shutter speeds between ten seconds and 1/10,000 of a second.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ektar</span> Brand of negative film from Kodak

Kodak Ektar is a professional color negative film introduced in 2008, designed for nature, outdoors, fashion, and product photography. The film offers ultra-fine grains, ultra-vivid colors, and high saturation, and is available in ISO 100 only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ADOX</span>

The ADOX brand for photographic purposes has been used by three different companies since its original conception over one hundred fifty years ago. ADOX was originally a brand name used by the German company, Fotowerke Dr. C. Schleussner GmbH of Frankfurt am Main, the world's first photographic materials manufacturer. In 1962 the Schleussner family sold its photographic holdings to DuPont, an American company. DuPont used the brand for its subsidiary, Sterling Diagnostic Imaging for X-ray films. In 1999, Sterling was bought by the German company Agfa. Agfa did not use the brand and allowed its registration to lapse in 2003. Fotoimpex of Berlin, Germany, a company founded in 1992 to import photographic films and papers from former eastern Europe immediately registered the brand and today ADOX is a brand of black and white films, photographic papers and photochemistry produced by ADOX Fotowerke GmbH based in Bad Saarow near Berlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Provia</span>

Provia is a brandname for a pair of daylight-balanced color reversal films produced by the Japanese film company Fujifilm. It is currently available in one speed, 100/21°, marketed as Fujichrome Provia 100F Professional [RDP III],. An additional speed of 400/27°, marketed as Fujichrome Provia 400X Professional [RXP], was previously available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Analog photography</span> Non-digital photography that uses film or chemical emulsions

Analog photography, also known as film photography, is a term usually applied to photography that uses chemical processes to capture an image, typically on paper, film or a hard plate. These processes were the only methods available to photographers for more than a century prior to the invention of digital photography, which uses electronic sensors to record images to digital media. Analog electronic photography was sometimes used in the late 20th century but soon died out.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fujifilm Superia</span>

Fujicolor Superia is a Fujifilm brand of daylight balanced colour negative film introduced ca.1998 primarily aimed at the consumer market, but was also sold in a professional 'press' variant. A key feature at launch was the '4th' cyan colour layer designed to provide improved colour reproduction under fluorescent lighting. Its Kodak equivalent is the Kodacolor Gold/Ultramax line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kodak Tri-X</span> Brand of black-and-white photographic film

Tri-X is a black and white photographic film produced by the Eastman Kodak Company. Since 2013 it is distributed by Kodak Alaris which controls the Kodak Professional product line under which it is grouped. The combination of hand-held cameras and high-speed Tri-X film was transformative for photojournalism and for cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kodak T-MAX</span> Family of tabular-grain panchromatic black and white films

Kodak Professional T-MAX Film is a continuous tone, panchromatic, tabular-grain black and white negative film originally developed and manufactured by Eastman Kodak since 1986. It is still manufactured by Eastman Kodak but distributed and marketed by Kodak Alaris, as with other products under Kodak Professional banner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Instax</span> Brand of instant still cameras and films and Smartphone Printers

Instax is a brand of instant still cameras and instant films marketed by Fujifilm.

Fujicolor Pro was a line of professional color negative films from Japanese company Fujifilm introduced in 2004 for weddings, portraits, fashion and commercial photography. It originally comprised four emulsions: Pro 160S, Pro 160C, Pro 400H and Pro 800Z. Its main competitor was Kodak Portra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kodak Portra</span> Family of negative camera film

Kodak Portra is a family of daylight-balanced professional color negative films originally introduced in 1998 made mainly for portrait and wedding applications. They are successors of the professional Vericolor films, which succeeded Ektacolor films earlier. The films are available in three speeds — 160, 400, and 800 ISO — with the 160 and 400 speed formerly available as "natural color" (NC) and "vivid color" (VC) varieties before the 2011 update.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Photographic film</span> Film used by film (analog) cameras

Photographic film is a strip or sheet of transparent film base coated on one side with a gelatin emulsion containing microscopically small light-sensitive silver halide crystals. The sizes and other characteristics of the crystals determine the sensitivity, contrast, and resolution of the film. Film is typically segmented in frames, that give rise to separate photographs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foma Bohemia</span>

Foma Bohemia spol. s.r.o is a photographic company based in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic established in 1921, originally as Fotochema, being renamed in 1995 on privatisation. They are mostly known for their line of black and white films and papers but also produce movie film, X-ray films for medicine and industry and personal dosimetry film along with processing chemicals. They formerly produced aerial and surveillance films.

References

  1. 1 2 "FUJIFILM to Discontinue Acros 100 Film in October 2018". 30 March 2018.
  2. "Translated Fujifilm History".
  3. "Translated Fujifilm Introduction of Neopan 400".
  4. "Fujifilm Discontinues Neopan 400 B&W and Provia 400X Slide Film". PetaPixel. 2013. Retrieved 2015-08-18.
  5. "Brand new film from Fujifilm: NEOPAN 100 ACROS II announced, begins shipping Autumn 2019". 10 June 2019.
  6. "UPDATE: Fujifilm NEOPAN 100 ACROS II shipping November 22nd in 35mm and 120 formats". 13 November 2019.
  7. "FujiFilm Japan Resurrects Neopan with ACROS 100II". 10 June 2019.
  8. "Fujifilm's new Acros 100 II appears to be made in the UK". 22 November 2019.
  9. "Translated Fujifilm History - First Films".
  10. "Translated Fujifilm History - First Films".
  11. "Translated Fujifilm History - First Films".
  12. "Translated Fujifilm History - First Films".
  13. "Translated Fujifilm History - First Films".
  14. "Translated Fujifilm History".
  15. "Translated Fujifilm History - First Films".
  16. "Translated Fujifilm History".
  17. "Translated Fujifilm History".
  18. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-05-17. Retrieved 2018-02-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  19. "Translated Fujifilm History".
  20. "Translated Fujifilm History".
  21. "Translated Fujifilm Introduction of Neopan 400".
  22. "Bad News! Fujifilm Discontinues Neopan 400 and Provia 400X". 20 July 2013.
  23. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. "Fujifilm Neopan 100 Acros Datasheet" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-01-04.
  25. "Fujifilm Killing off More Films in 2018, and Things Look Grim". 27 October 2017.