On April 1, Fujifilm announced changes to its film product pricing in Japan, plus new branding for its disposable film camera. Unfortunately, the news was not an April Fool’s prank, and Japanese analog photographers are already paying higher prices.
As reported by DPReview, Fujifilm’s Japanese press release earlier this week outlines the latest analog Fujifilm news.
The disposable Fujifilm camera is changing from bag-type packaging to a paper box type. It is also getting a new name, going from “Simple Ace, 27 Shots” to “FujiColor, 27 Shots.” The new name and packaging will be rolled out to Japanese stores this month. It will also arrive with more than a new name and box: a higher price. Fujifilm will increase the price of its disposable film camera by about 44%.
There is no word of any corresponding change to the Fujifilm QuickSnap Flash 400 disposable camera in the United States.
Fujifilm will also increase the price of its color negative film and reversal film products in Japan. Color negative film will increase by 21 or 22%, depending on the specific product. Meanwhile, reversal film is hit by an even larger price increase of 31 to 52%.
Taking a quick peek at one Japanese retailer, Fujiya Camera, the situation for analog photographers in Japan is quite challenging. A 36-shot roll of Fujifilm Provia 35mm film is ¥4,680, which is equivalent to just over $32. A 36-shot roll of 35mm Fujifilm Velvia 50 is even pricier, setting photographers back a whopping ¥5,180, or $35.59. Five packs of 120-format Velvia 100 is ￥18,980, or just over $137.
PetaPixel‘s editor-in-chief Jaron Schneider was recently in Japan for the Sigma BF launch event and the CP+ imaging show, and he returned to the United States with an impressive bundle of Fujifilm film, including Provia 100, Velvia 50, and Velvia 100, alongside some Rollei and Oriental Seagull. The bundle cost about $311 and would cost significantly more today than in February.
This same allotment of Fujifilm products, five rolls of Provia 100, three rolls of Velvia 100, and two rolls of Velvia 50, cost $328 today in Japan, more than what Schneider paid for all of the Fujifilm products plus other rolls of film.
Fujifilm says it needs to increase the cost of its film products in Japan to account for higher materials and transportation costs.
“In addition, as the prices of materials and raw materials and transportation costs for photographic films are soaring, we have been striving to absorb costs by improving production efficiency and reducing costs, etc., but since it is difficult to absorb only by corporate efforts, we will revise the prices for some products of photographic films, including [our disposable film camera]. Thank you for your understanding of the situation,” Fujifilm says in a machine-translated statement.
Image credits: Fujifilm. Featured image created using an asset licensed via Depositphotos.
Source link
