Another one bites the dust

I was on the road this weekend, returning on Monday afternoon. I decided that I

should stop and pickup a couple of 5-gallon units of E-6 fixer at Rainier

Photographic as I would be only a couple of miles from their store. Thinking I

was getting really close to 5pm I gave them a call and learned from their

voicemail that they had closed their doors last month. Their recommendation for

photo chemistry turns out to be in the Dallas area! (Southpoint Photoimaging

Supplies) That's a long way from Seattle!

 

A search for other "Kodak Medalist" dealers led me to a PDF on the Kodak site.

It lists only 13 dealers in the whole country, and they still list Rainier.

Scary. Assuming that the other dealers are still in the game, the western US

only has three dealers, one each in LA, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. I guess I'll be

checking out the one in LA, at least they're in my time zone!

 

Maybe I'll have to buy a big freezer and a five-year supply.

 

Van

Wow. I thought they were a pretty big outfit. That's unfortunate.<BR>

Pretty soon all we'll have are superstores like B&H and the Internet. Which is fine and all, but the shipping kills you on anything like chemicals!<BR>

Jed

Well I have to ship anyway so at least the internet super stores allow me to make it just 1 big shipment not a whole bunch of smaller ones and a few 100 mile round trip drives to Nashville.

 

It is ashame though because the price will tend to go up with less stores.

 

Larry

When is film going to go out for good? I don't like the thought of it since I shoot mostly E-6. But, like I heard a digital photographer say, (it made my spine curle) 'we are all going digital. Wheather you go kickin' and screaming' or free and easy.' I am really wondering now, if it isn't worth it to sell the film bodies and go digital now while people still shoot film than when all the film is gone! When there is no film, how much $ can you get out of a 35mm SLR?

I sure do hate to see it go 'cause It's a good way.

JON

Well I have another expression.

"Film will be dying for a thousand years."

As long as people want to buy film, it will be made. People will want to buy it for several reasons. Two reasons are: they have film cameras they like, and film can record a greater scene contrast than digital (except for the high-end $10,000 and up digital backs.)

 

It's not like film cameras are not being made...its just that there are much less of them made than before. Feel proud! We are now a niche!!! We are the few, the proud, the film-user!

Jon,<BR>

Film will be around for a long, long, time. It may get expensive. You may have to send it out to a central lab that processes it all...or do it yourself...but it will be here.<BR>

There are too many enthusiasts that love film, digital has a ways to go to match 4x5 and 8x10 transparencies for the pros who really care (like Rodney Lough Jr., etc), and there are just too many people that love doing B&W darkroom work.<BR><BR>

In fact, if you ask around, University photography classes are at all time high enrollments in many places - these all use B&W film and chemistry, paper, etc.<BR><BR>

I shoot mainly E6 myself, with a little B&W thrown in when I feel like it...not looking to switch anytime soon, although yes, the new digital SLRs are nothing short of amazing. My wife is going to get the A-700 and its high ISO noise is just incredible.<BR><BR>

But there's just nothing like looking at a projected Velvia slide and going ahhhhh....<BR>

Or pulling a true silver print out of the fixer to look at it for the first time. :-)<BR><BR>

Jed

I guess I will be kicking and screaming for the next thousand years... I am reel hard headed... pun intended.

 

Larry

I think that film will always be around, but only black and white. I think colour film is definitely going to die and I would predict within 10 years.

 

I just discovered 8x10 colour negative and I love it, but I realize that I am a witness to the sun setting on this stuff.

Les, the dealer in Las Vegas is Nevada Photo Merchandising. I guess I should have linked that <a href="http://www.kodak.com/eknec/documents/ff/0900688a806602ff/Distributor_Web_List_1-22-07RMSBMR.pdf">Kodak PDF</a> file to start with.</p><p>

 

Van

Jed

 

I know about that 'looking at a projected Velvia slide and going ahhhhh....' Oh how I like film. With digital, you have to keep fooling with the white balance to get a good photograph. But film, Just compose, set exposure, and Shoot and then (when it comes back) Ahhhhhhhhhh.....!

 

And I guess, when the processing gets over $15 per roll, I'll start doing it myself! Maybe I'll be one of those who kicks 'n screems for the next 70 years (I'm 18) and just maybe be one of the 'last' to shoot Velvia Slide Film!

Awesome John! I also love film, and thought I was one of the youngest ones out there(I'm 24).