25 July 2006
Tokyo,Japan, announced the detail of film price revision effective July 1. Raised prices will be applied to 35mm color print film and reversal film, color reversal roll film (120); color reversal sheet-film and color print film in cartridge (110), reports JPEA International PEN News Weekly.
Prices of color reversal film will be raised 3-10 percent. The manufacturer no longer suggests list prices for color print film (single roll. The price revision is not applicable to One-Time-Use Cameras (OTUC).
Selling price of 35mm print film have dropped significantly for a past few years, and trade watchers are curious to see if the price on the street will promptly reflect the price revision this time, says PEN News Weekly.
"With the shrinking demand, slight price revision upward may not affect film sales. We had good mind to raise prices and are ready to revise our prices upward parallel to Fuji's price revision," comments aTokyo dealer.
In additional news, Fujifilm Imaging is streamlining the lineup of color transparency film. Following the introduction of Fujichrome PROVIA 400 film last April, the TRE BI 400 slide film will be discontinued around July this year. Also disappearing will be some multi-roll packs and long film of PROVIA 100F, VELVIA and VELVIA100F due to markedly decreased demand, reports PEN News Weekly.
Also, it has been announced that, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc., Valhalla, N.Y., USA, will be increasing prices of Color Paper products by 6-8 percent and prices for photographic chemicals will increase by 10-22 percent, depending on product. The company said that it is necessary to raise prices at this time because it is no longer able to absorb the rising cost of raw materials, including silver and oil.
In April 2006, the company issued a statement that it was notifying its customers of a potential price increase. Then, on May 17, Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, announced that it would implement worldwide price increases for photosensitive material products.
The U.S. price increases for Color Paper and photographic chemicals will be effective Aug. 15.