FUJIFILM to Discontinue Acros 100 Film in October 2018

FUJIFILM to Discontinue Acros 100 Film in October 2018

https://i0.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/fujifilm-acros-RIP-1.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1 1920 1080 James Tocchio James Tocchio https://i0.wp.com/casualphotophile.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/james-square.jpg?fit=96%2C96&ssl=1 March 30, 2018 June 14, 2021

UPDATE : This report has now been officially confirmed by Fujifilm.

Looks like murmurs out of Japan point to some troubling news for Fujifilm shooters (again). It seems that the brand will discontinue Acros 100 film in October of this year. This now encompasses 35mm film and 120 film, adding to the previously-announced discontinuation of their black-and-white paper products.

This information is pulled from translations of Japanese dealer-distributed documents. As of this writing, consumers and US-based distributors haven’t seen any direct announcement from Fuji and my requests for confirmation from Fuji have not yet been answered. That said, this is technically a rumor, but these sources should be reliable and this follows a historically consistent pattern.

This latest film discontinuation extends a trend of Fuji ceasing production of a number of its film products, including the popular Superia 1600, as well as branded emulsions made by Fuji, such as Agfa’s Vista (we wrote about the impact this could have on new shooters).

Fuji Acros is a low-sensitivity orthopanchromatic black-and-white negative film with super fine grain structure and high tonality. It’s long been a favorite amongst die-hard black-and-white shooters, and its demise will surely be felt heavily in the film community.

If you’re a fan of Acros, perhaps now is the time to buy before unscrupulous profit-hounds start selling it on eBay at triple the price? Or just wait for Ferrania to boost production of their amazing P30.

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28 comments

weili3011 March 30, 2018 at 9:43 am

No way!!! One of my favorite films. I printed 16 by 20 using the 35mm Acros negative. That’s how good this film is. Man, this totally ruined my day…

- James Tocchio March 30, 2018 at 10:37 am
  
  Don’t let it ruin your day pal! There are still great fine grain films from Ilford and Ferrania (when they get their production streamlined).
  
  - Arici Pogonici March 31, 2018 at 12:07 am
    
    It is very sad that Acros 100 will not exist anymore. Ever sadder than you imagine.
    But who is this Toccio? Another guy writing here on Casual Photophile with no clue.
    NO, Acros is NOT like The “great fine grain films from Ilford and Ferrania”. The uniqueness of Acros is in his excelent failure reciprocity. But where could a guy putting Ferrania in the same category with Fuji know this.
    
    - James Tocchio March 31, 2018 at 12:14 am
      
      Listen, you’re clearly upset. But that’s really no excuse to be a jerk in my comments section. FYI, I’ve spent years writing about cameras and film and I know all about Acros’ low reciprocity failure. Forgive me for trying to lighten up the previous commenter’s day by suggesting that some other film might satisfy his needs.
      
    - Paul April 3, 2018 at 6:35 pm
      
      James Tocchio is the owner and founder of this site that you are commenting on so I think he may know a thing or two about film stocks.
      
  - weili3011 April 1, 2018 at 2:36 pm
    
    Thank you James. I guess it is time to stock up. I still have one roll of Acros 35mm and one roll of 120. I have two rolls of Ilford delta 100 to try. Anyway, Boston’s winter is melting away and it is time to shoot!!!
    
Andrew March 30, 2018 at 11:22 am

I’m beginning to wish Fuji would come out with it finally, “That’s It, It’s Over! Go Away!” Rather than this sad, awkward roulette of “Who Dies Next!”. We all know they want out so why do they insist on prolonging the pain? It’s tortuous.

- Michael March 30, 2018 at 11:48 am
  
  I’m beginning to suspect that it actually is dead and their “discontinuation” dates depend only on the amount of stock they have.
  
  - James Tocchio March 30, 2018 at 12:43 pm
    
    This is the case according to industry people I’ve talked to. Still a rumor though, until there’s an official statement (don’t hold your breath).
    
    - PIERRE MORRIS March 31, 2018 at 1:40 am
      
      This is not true. I work for FujiFilm. We are still humming along.
      
      - James Tocchio March 31, 2018 at 11:33 am
        
        I would love to talk to you about Fujifilm.
Tsukasa March 30, 2018 at 11:35 am

I have to think this is quite short-sighted on Fuji’s part. Film photography is not going away, exactly the opposite and is building a good head of steam. Fuji of all companies should understand this unless they think everyone is going to switch to Instax.

Michael March 30, 2018 at 11:46 am

First Agfaphoto Vista 200, now Acros 100. My favourite consumer film and BW film… I guess I’ll have to buy a few packs of Acros in 120 format and ask my wife to free up some space in the freezer for me to use.

I really really really hope that Kodak Alaris, or whatever it is called nowadays, won’t treat us the way Fujifilm did.

StephenJ March 30, 2018 at 3:04 pm

Fuji is a huge company and like an oil tanker it will take a lot to get it to alter its course, it seems to have decided that it is not in the film business any more, first the medium format cameras, and then one by one the films, as Michael above says, they have probably shut down the machinery already and are just using up old stock.

I wonder if Fuji are going to vandalise their machines and their emulsion recipes, or is anyone going to be allowed to buy them?

I will look around for some Acros but that is not so urgent, since although I love the film, it is quite expensive… And we have Ilford here in Essex with the FP4/HP5 and others all of which are excellent.

Fortunately I still have around 50 rolls of Agfa Vista in the fridge, here in England “Poundland” was selling 24 shots of Vista for (you guessed it) a pound! An absolute steal.

Joe shoots resurrected cameras March 30, 2018 at 3:51 pm

Gaaaahhh, not again! I’ve only shot a few rolls of the stuff myself but I feel your pain! I shoot mostly Fuji for all my color film and will miss it when it’s gone. Why couldn’t this announcement have been made tomorrow?

Hugo March 30, 2018 at 8:14 pm

I love Fuji films but I have been buying Ilford recently to support them, Fuji will eventually run out of stock and they don’t really care. I feel they made the decision to kill their products long time ago.

Arici Pogonici March 31, 2018 at 12:13 am

The uniqueness (and by uniqueness I mean what the word says = one of a kind) of Acros is in his excellent reciprocity failure. No compensation up to 2 minutes and only half a stop compensation between 2 and 16 minutes.

bodegabayf2 March 31, 2018 at 8:57 am

If true, so sad. I shoot lots of Acros and really love it!

Valdormar Hauslendale March 31, 2018 at 9:44 am

For more years than I can count, Acros 100 is the only 120 film that I have used. I buy boxes and boxes of the stuff. Multiple times a year. I joined the Fuji mirrorless bandwagon then over the past year or so I went back to my trusty old Canon 1DX line with all the glorious glass that canon gives you. Fuji just keeps giving many people like myself more and more reasons to dislike the company’s existence.

Joe Baldwin March 31, 2018 at 11:45 pm

I really liked Acros and it’s fine grain and it’s reciprocity characteristics. But I like Tmax 100 better because it works at box speed with Xtol, and has almost as good reciprocity and grain. That extra stop with a view camera helps in many cases. I was getting the feeling that B&W was starting to build some good momentum with a bright future. Hope this is just a bump in the road.

Nick April 2, 2018 at 4:40 pm

Ug, every year or two Fuji breaks my heart. First it was FP-3000B, then it was FP-100C, and now it’s Acros 100. I should consider myself lucky I never got into Provia 400X or Neopan 400.

- NATO April 2, 2018 at 8:08 pm
  
  Neopan was something special. It was always that or TriX for me for a long time. Then when Fuji decided to discontinue Neopan I moved to Acros, shot nothing but that for over a year… This one really hurts as Acros is hands down my favorite film, tonality, pushability, sharpness, and contrast were nearly unmatched in my opinion. Fuji can no longer be called “Fujifilm.”
  
Elías J. Grayeb April 3, 2018 at 3:47 am

Only 135 format or 120 too?

Glenn Beltz April 5, 2018 at 10:12 pm

Some of my favorite photos over the years have been made with this film. When I found out about the discontinuation, I couldn’t resist ordering a handful rolls (backordered by now, of course, but I’ll eventually get’em). To be honest, I’ve been sticking with ISO 400 b/w films of late for my everyday shooting. But still, losing Acros Neopan is a bummer. Thanks for the article.

Kent April 8, 2018 at 2:01 am

I love this film. Just developed a few rolls yesterday. I’m pretty sure Fuji will scrap everything and not let anyone buy the machines or recipes. Just as they did with pack film. Well, Ferrania’s P30 is a beautiful film and I’d love to see them do well with it.

Ethan Covey April 9, 2018 at 2:55 pm

Interesting that it’s already showing up as “discontinued” (and out of stock) at B&H. Damn shame.

ScottP May 4, 2018 at 2:42 am

It’s May 4, and all formats of Acros are listed as “Discontinued” at Adorama and B&H, and not even listed at Freestyle. Adorama and B&H have no “Let me know when it’s back in stock” option. Some Chinese vendors on eBay are selling it for $15 a roll.

So Fuji was not being entirely truthful about the October termination date.

I bought 35mm, 120 and 4×5 in early April. Ordered more 35 and 120 about a week ago and it was labeled “backordered.” Now I’ve been informed I won’t be getting what I ordered.

Corporations, American or Japanese, are not to be trusted. The honest thing to say in March would have been “Acros production is discontinued. Current retail stocks will not be replaced.” Instead they chose to pretend they would end production in October, for no apparent reason. There is no way that either Fuji or their customers benefited from that lie.

Anyway, Acros appears to be over, 5 months early.

Vitali August 28, 2018 at 1:17 am

Boycott all FUJI< products!!!
Never buying their digicams after this