Adam Trahan: Fuji Velvia 50

It’s true! I had no idea. I order it through Amazon JP. I can only purchase one roll at a time and I usually have a roll in one of my camera, one waiting to be processed and one in one of my camera bags. I’m a bit nervous as I have mine processed by a local lab. Ease of processing is important to me, I am not a big fan of waiting at the post office to mail packages or waiting a couple of weeks for processing time. But they process it and I’m sure they know what they are doing.

Why is it banned?

Apparently there are chemicals that the EPA do not allow for film. I was made aware from a gentleman responding to a post in a forum group that I invest a little time at.

As with many things, I decided to check out Wikipedia. Seems things are counterintuitive these days. You would think that publicly edited content would be filled with half truths and such but Wikipedia seems to be pretty well grounded in the science and truth of things.

Wikipedia: Velvia

On July 6, 2021, Fujifilm announced the discontinuation of Velvia 100 within the United States, effective immediately. The chemical phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)) (CASRN 68937-41-7), the use of which is banned under the EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), is present in minuscule quantities within the layers of the film. While Fujifilm believes the trace amount is not harmful to the environment, they opted to discontinue the film within the United States in compliance with the regulation. Their statement does not make it clear if the film will continue to be sold in other markets.^[14]

EPA Toxic Control Act (Summary)

TSCA addresses the production, importation, use, and disposal of specific chemicals including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos, radon and lead-based paint.

I’m going to continue to use it however I’m going to be a little more cognizant in washing my hands after loading film or handling the inside of my cameras.

Yikes! It totally makes sense why it’s not sold here. I know that Velvia is the favorite film of a lot of analog photographers, me included. I have been shooting Kodak Ektar more and I think I’ll back off on ordering Velvia so much. But I will now purchase the Velvia 50 if I’m going to buy it. It’s just the most vivid colorful film. The contrasting colors of the desert and sky just speak to me, I love the way desert varnish is rendered.

Fujifilm Velvia 50

Ken Rockwell Fuji Velvia 50

Alex Luyckx Classic Film Review Blog - Fujifilm Fujichrome Velvia

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Photography Basics

My Current Photography Kit

A roll of 135 (35mm) 36 exposures cost between $12 to $20 with Fuji Velvia and Provia imported from Japan up to $90 per roll. I buy Fuji from shops in Japan through order houses like Amazon. Development and scanning locally is a minimum of $25 per roll for developing and scanning with a choice of two styles, Noritsu and Frontier. The film plus the dev/scan makes each press of the shutter release about $2 each for the final digital file. In the last year, Ishoot and have processed about 30+ rolls of film per year. Film is expensive, feeding film cameras is expensive. I’m primarily use the F6 and FE for 135. The Mamiya 645 for 120.

I love the whole process of film photography. I do it for fun. The look and feel of operating a film camera is much more appealing than the in-home process of digital photography.

Earlier this year, I bought a digital SLR, the Nikon D780, it’s a lens junkies DSLR. With a digital camera, pictures are close to perfect each time however, the magic is not there like it is with film. But I do enjoy being able to take a lot of pictures, making adjustments on the fly and previewing the results.

The risk and reward is higher with film. When it all comes together with film, it’s so much more rewarding.

I hope a little film magic shows in the pages of my blog.

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135 film (35mm)

I have been shooting film off and on for fifty years. In the 70’s, all my cameras used 35mm film stills and my motion picture camera used Super 8 film. Then came digital cameras in the 90’s and cell phone cameras in the 2000’s. I still used film cameras yet my film development was almost reduced to zero. The photo industry was changing. One Hour photo shops disappeared. Price Club (Costco) stopped the service. Camera stores started going out of business and the process of photograph storage changed with the advent of home computers and digital storage on memory chips.

In the last couple of years I’ve started shooting film again. It was difficult at first. I wanted to only use Fuji film as my photography friends gad introduced me to Velvia and Provia. Those film stocks contained a chemical that the FDA banned for use in North America. I began to search for a film I loved and I found that almost all film was good. Each type exhibited a different quality and style.

I shoot about 30 rolls of film each year, not a lot but enough to start to understand what I want to do. Because I make my blog for me, I wanted to have a place that I could compare the pictures I was getting.

This page will sample the film and processing an Ill detail my experiences as a amateur photographer.

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C-41 Processing

Essentially there are two types of automated methods of processing C-41 type emulsion. The Noritsu and Frontier processing machines.

The film cartridge is prepared for processing by extracting the start end of the film that has been re-wound in the cartridge. I’ve just become aware of that so I will begin to rewind my film by leaving a small tab of the film exposed so that step can be skipped by the processing lab. The film cartridge is loaded into the processing machine and the film is developed. The film is allowed to dry before scanning.

It’s interesting, I like Fuji film. Fuji produces the Frontier scanner. I prefer Noritsu processing of my film. I’m going to speak with the employees at Strap Film Club and inquire more on the process.

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Cinestill 50D

C-41 Processing

Notes:

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Fuji Daylight and Flash 200 Color Negative Film

C-41 processing

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Kodak Pro Image 100

C-41 Processing

Notes:

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Kodak Ektar 100

C-41 Processing

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Kodak Kodacolor 100

C-41 Processing

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Kodak Portra 160

C-41 Processing

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Kodak Portra 800

C-41 Processing

Notes: Wow, I’m really liking Portra 800 with my Nikkor 50mm f1.8 AIS. Use Portra 800 more. It makes nice pics. I’m going to shoot it more often in the future. Below are a few shots with this combo through the FG.

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E-6 Processing

The E-6 process is the standard chemical development method used to turn color reversal (slide or transparency) film into a direct positive color image. Unlike color negative film (C-41), which requires printing or digital conversion, E-6 produces a finished positive image on the film that can be viewed directly.

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Fuji Velvia 50

E-6 Processing

Notes: I absolutely love Velvia 50 for the intense bright sun. I have to buy all my Fuji film from Amazon. There are chemicals on these films (Provia and Velvia) that are banned in the USA. I still use it. The below left picture is from my F3 and the Nikkor 15mm f3.5 AIS. The below center and right pictures are from the same roll with the Nikkor 35mm f1.4 AIS. Velvia colors rendered in intense bright sun with a Nikon NC filter is just amazing.

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Fuji Velvia 100

E-6 Processing

Notes:

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Provia 100

E-6 Processing

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Kodak E-100

E-6 Processing

Notes: I had my first real full roll of film through my FE2 that almost every photograph made me happy. A roll of nearly all keepers. I’m getting to know E-100 and it’s readily available.

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Flick Film 100

E-6 Processing

Notes: The local film lab guys suggested this film. I told them I liked E-100 and they said try this. I was told this is 35mm movie film re-purposed for film camera usage. I really like the idea of it yet I’m slightly apprehensive of the plastic cartridge it comes in. I’ll check it out soon.

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Black & White Processing

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Ilford Delta 100

Black & White Processing

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Ilford FP4 +

Black & White Processing

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Ilford HP 5 +

Black & White Processing

Notes: This roll of HP five was shot through my F3 and my Nikkor 50mm f1.4 AIS with a Nikon Y52 (yellow) filter. I need more experience with the use of filters. How does a yellow filter affect black and white film? It darkens the sky and increases contrast, that’s what I understand. The time I spend taking pictures is not optimal. Not golden hour, before sunset or blue hour, first light. Nope, I’m out there in the bright blown out AZ sun. I need to get better at intense sunlight photography and really take advantage of blue and golden hour.

I like Ilford for black and white film. I’m starting to shoot more, it’s fun. I’m studying the techniques in shooting it. I don’t do any post production manipulation of any of my photos. They are all straight from dev/scan.

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Ilford XP2 Super 400

C-41 COLOR Processing

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Ilford Delta 3200

Black & White Processing

Notes: Although it’s only one roll that I went through, I’m not a huge fan. But, in the right place, this could be killer for the feels. Definitely dark and moody, the large grain, but detail. I’m going to buy another roll to have on hand, for the desert.