My lab guy gave me a sample roll of the new Velvia 100 yesterday. I had heard it was coming - has anyone tried it or read much about it? I'm assuming it is like Velvia, but only faster (duh) - but some comments I found when searching the net indicate it is supposed to be more saturated yet - sort of like the E100VS or even more...
This is what they say:
New Fujichrome Velvia 100F available mid Summer
Release Date: 13th May 2003
Fujifilm Professional's eagerly awaited Velvia 100F Professional film will be available to UK photographers from August.
Fujichrome Velvia 100F Professional (RPV100F) boasts the world's highest level of colour saturation and colour fidelity in the ISO 100 speed class and will join stablemate Velvia 50 (launched back in 1990), which will remain in the range.
The new higher speed Velvia employs the industry's first Multi-Colour Correction Layer technology in a colour reversal film. It also features new coupler and emulsion technologies.
Velvia 100F's super-fine grain has an RMS granularity of 8, which is equivalent to that of Provia 100F. The result is a film that is ideally suited to a wide range of subjects which demand highly saturated colours and high image quality.
Commercial photographers should be particularly pleased with the results, allowing them to achieve the vibrant colours they are used to from the original ISO 50 Velvia, but at twice the speed.
Graham Rutherford, Fujifilm's Director of Professional Imaging in the UK, endorses Fujifilm's confidence in the silver halide film market: "Traditional film has begun to take on a new credibility in the pro market. Many photographers have now tried digital capture and have realised that there is far more to it than meets the eye.
"Silver halide film has undergone many years of development and the launch of Velvia 100F is a testimony to the advances film has made. The quality and flexibility of such a film should convince many that 'real' film is here to stay for many years to come."
Fujichrome Velvia 100F professional also has excellent push/pull capabilities of up to one f-stop with minimal changes in colour balance and degradation and even up to two f-stops, depending on the subject. It will be available in 35 mm, roll film and sheet sizes. A 5x4 inch QuickLoad version will also be available.
But hey, they have something else in their bag too:
Fujifilm Professional launches new black and white film
Release Date: 21st May 2003
A new black and white chromogenic film from Fujifilm Professional, Fujicolor Neopan 400CN, is about to be launched.
Fujicolor Neopan 400CN is a fast, fine grain black and white film designed for general use, but particularly the wedding and portrait market. As it is a chromogenic film, the dyes that arise during development are formed in exactly the same way as those in colour negative film. This means that both colour and black and white film can be processed through the same chemistry at the same time.
The film offers an unobtrusive grain level and has a wide exposure latitude which allows the user to select the film speed appropriate to the job without any significant loss in quality and without altering the processing times. It is recommended that the film be rated between ISO 100 and ISO 800 to achieve optimum results. However, regardless of the film speed chosen, standard C41 processing is recommended.
As the film is designed with the needs of the social photographer in mind, it produces excellent highlight and shadow detail giving enhanced contrast for optimum black and white print quality. The film produces superb final results when printed on either black and white or colour paper.
Neopan 400CN will be available in the summer 2003 in 35mm and 120 formats.
