Shooting Expired Film: Fuji Industrial 400 ✨ 😍

When this film is gone...there will be tears 😭

In 2015, I followed a film blogger who chronicled her life in Tawain and beyond. I loved her street photography and the unique film stocks she used. One film stock stuck out to me whenever she posted pictures: Fuji Industrial 400.

This obscure and elusive film stock wasn’t widely discussed, which made me even more fascinated. At the time, she was the first and only film photographer I knew who used this film.

The entire box is in Japanese

I scoured the internet for this film but couldn't find a stockist in the United States. I finally reached out to her and asked if this film was discontinued. She mentioned that it was a budget color-negative film produced for the Japanese market and difficult to track down anywhere else.

As I built more rapport with her and consistently shared my love for her Fuji Industrial posts, she said she would send me several rolls if interested. She somehow had a connection and could source this film for me. I couldn't believe she was so kind and willing to do such a thing!

Several weeks later, I received a brick of 10 rolls of Fuji Industrial 400, and I've been in love ever since. This film was sold only in bulk(10 rolls), not individually. Weird, huh? 🤷🏽‍♀️.

I can't even tell you why I love this film or the pictures it produces; I just do. Maybe it’s the magical way the reds and greens pop, and all other tones are gently muted.

Box translated using iPhone translate

Some say it's highly likely a repackaged Superia X-TRA 400; however, they don't look the same when comparing pics of both films.

In the side-by-side photos above, Superia X-TRA 400 is on the left, and Industrial 400 is on the right. Superia looks cooler with less contrast.

Here's another example: Superia X-TRA on the left and Industrial on the right. They do not look the same. The reds and greens of Industrial 400 are more vibrant and have more contrast.

Sure, some variables could make identical films look different—differing expiration dates, lighting conditions, development/scan process, or quality of film storage. But I doubt they would look this different if Industrial were indeed repackaged Superia X-TRA 400.

The box that I recently shot expired on 03/2020. Although I can continue shooting it at box speed, this filmstock performs best when overexposed and shot at 200 or 300 ISO. During this trip to Longwood, I metered for 300 ISO.

Film Characteristics:

Neutral tones with a cool slant

Highly saturated reds and greens

Medium contrast

Fine grain rendering

Great detail

Large exposure latitude

All pictures below were taken with a Nikon F2 shot at 300.

Just a few more shots using Industrial 400 over the years.

Shot on Leica M3 @ box speed

Shot on Leica M3 @ box speed

Shot on Olympus Stylus MJU ii @ box speed

Shot on Nikon F2 shot @ 200

I have only three more rolls left in this film, and I am savoring every roll. 😭

I'm headed to Puerto Rico in March and Hawaii in April, and I’ll bring a roll of Industrial 400 on each trip. So, stay tuned for those pictures!

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Something new I just started 🥳

Everything I post and share with you comes from my heart. I will always keep my publication free because I believe in the power of generosity. If you ever feel inclined, however, you are more than welcome to purchase my next roll of film. I will post pictures from that roll and let everyone know it came from a generous subscriber.

But even if you just “like” and “comment” on my posts, I’ll still have the biggest smile. 😁