Fujifilm discontinues PRO 400H film due to lack of raw materials

January 15, 2021January 18, 2021 GaryPageau film, Fujifilm

Fujifilm North America announced the discontinuation of FUJIFILM PRO 400H film in both 35mm and 120 formats. The company said the film is a unique product that is coated with a fourth layer requiring specialized raw materials and chemicals. As the materials for that color layer become more difficult to obtain, the company decided to discontinue the product.

Fujifilm anticipates allocating PRO 400H 120 film through the end of 2021, while 35mm production and sale ceased Jan. 14, 2021. Fujifilm said it will continue to produce and sell its consumer color negative, color reversal and black-and-white film stocks to photographers.

The discontinuation of a film stock isn’t, unfortunately, an unusual happening these days, as film usage continues to decline (despite the popularity among hobbyists). The decline in raw-material availability or a precipitous increase in the cost of key components like silver, however, could possibly accelerate the decline.

Written by GaryPageau

Gary Pageau is principal of InfoCircle LLC, continuing his marketing communications career. InfoCircle LLC is a marketing and communications consulting firm, specializing in business-to-business markets. For nearly 25 years, he was with PMA International, serving most recently as Publisher, Content Development and Strategic Initiatives. His primary responsibilities included overseeing the Association’s editorial department, marketing research unit, education and corporate relations department.