Not an April Fool’s Joke: Fujifilm Superia Gets More Expensive
We want to make it incredibly clear that this piece of news isn’t an April Fool’s Joke: those are coming later today.
“Really, on April Fool’s Day?” is what I said to our Fujifilm reps about the news of the price increase. Following the news of the reintroduction of the Quicksnap waterproof yesterday, there’s more film news. Fujifilm is increasing the price of Superia starting today. The price of their professional films is staying the same. But for what it’s worth, the secret is now officially out. Loads of film photographers have used Superia as a cheap option and because it’s genuinely gorgeous. Like a gentrified neighborhood, the party is over, and prices are going up. In fact, Superia isn’t really the only one going up.
The Price Increase Laid Out on Fujifilm Superia and More
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Material Description |
MSRP |
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QuickSnap |
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QS 135 |
$14.99 |
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QS 135 2PK |
$27.99 |
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QS135 WP800 |
$18.99 |
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Consumer Film |
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135 FUJICOLOR C200 |
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135 SP400X |
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$7.99 |
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135 SUPERIA 400 |
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135 FUJICOLOR 200 |
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135 SUPERIA 400 |
This price increase starts today. As you can see, Fujifilm Superia isn’t the only one going up. A few others are. But in terms of what they look like, they’re all basically Superia. My hope is that Fujifilm brings back Superia in 120 because that stuff was next-level gorgeous.
The Sustainability of the Film Market
Over the years, Fujifilm’s film emulsions have become more expensive. In retrospect, I think that this was a solid move. It’s helped them bring back Acros and even the Quicksnap Waterproof. Maybe now Fujifilm might realize that it can be a very good venue for them. For years, the profit has always been very small compared to the rest of the company. But as we millennials and Gen Z start coming up a bit more, things will change. Our spending habits are going to begin dominating the market. We still find Instax fun. Lots of us who shoot with our phones don’t care about a digital camera. But we adore the film aesthetic. Nothing digital has ever really done that. You can even argue that the X series is still a bit too clinically perfect. Combine that with the sensory romance that vintage cameras give, and you’ve got a winner.
“FUJIFILM North America Corporation has taken a comprehensive review of the photographic film lineup in an effort to reduce fixed costs and improve productivity. With the rising costs of raw materials and logistics, we’ve made the business decision to increase our QuickSnap and consumer film product prices in order to continue providing products to our customers.”
Official statement from Fujifilm on why the price is going up.
So let’s just be honest and transparent about this. The Classic Camera and film market is akin to the classic car market. Not everyone has one. Not everyone cares about the sound of a muscle car’s engine. Similarly, not everyone wants to anticipate what their images will look like. Some folks like shooting a million images like some enjoy doing donuts in a parking lot. But no matter what, everyone has some sort of appreciation for them both. For those of us who haven’t been on Earth as long, we like the idea of using something we didn’t totally grow up with. Our elders have a ton of respect for all the photographers who came before digital.
With all this said, we can’t expect film labs to start popping up everywhere. That’s not going to happen anytime soon. But the marketing of a film lab needs to change as well. That’s where I feel the future of film photography really is. More labs should also become retailers for film. For years, I used Luster Film Lab in the East Village. When I’d drop film off, I’d buy more. Now, I use 37th Ave Photo Lab in Jackson Heights right near 74th street. Unfortunately, this lab doesn’t sell film too.
Fujifilm has the WONDER PHOTO SHOP, which unfortunately closed here in NYC. If film photography is going to continue to thrive, I really think companies should study Lomography, CineStill, and the newer entries. That’s going to be a big part of the future of film photography.
Ultimately, I think the price of the tactile experience of film needs to rise to make it a sustainable business. And if anything, use your old DSLR lenses in a film camera.