Trolling through the internet this weekend I found a DP Review post saying that the Fujifilm company will discontinue their packs of FP 100C instant film. These are the packs with 10 exposures inside that fit into the Hasselblad, Rollei, Polaroid, and other holders - the 100 series size. They got rid of their production of of the 4 x 5 packs a couple of years ago.
I am saddened, but with no involvement in the HB or 4 x 5 world at present, I cannot say that I will be injured by it. Those people who still take preliminary exposures with their Hasselblad film cameras or proof out other things on other cameras will be stranded eventually. The small newsagents and others who use the Polaroid four-lens cameras to take passport photographs will be hardest hit.
Mind you, they were hard hit even when supplies were readily available - the business of getting a picture with a chemical instant print that satisfies the computer whizz kids of the airport passport controls - and the grey sleeveless minds of the DFAT - was proving pretty fraught. The chart of do's and don'ts was based upon making a robot image of real people and failed badly most of the time. I watch the same job being done in post offices with something that looks like it a Sony specialised system and wonder if the results even come up to the old Polaroid shots.
Well, if you need the FP-100c there will likely be some floating about at the end of production, and as it keeps pretty well, you would be advised to get it while you can. It is unlikely to be reproduced in any usable form in Holland.
Talk to the sales staff at CE and see if there is a schedule for end of supply. And if you need a passport photo remember that the shop has a dedicated little digital system and printer that can turn out a pretty reasonable product to satisfy the unreasonable ideas of DFAT.
Note: This in no way affects the Fujifilm Instax cameras or the film for that. That's a different system entirely, and by the reports we see, is going like Gangbusters for Fujifilm.
For all Fujifilm Cameras available to order and in store please visit our website.
