cutcopy Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Today at my photo store I went to tell them about a mamiya 645 pro i got with2-220 inserts and backs. I asked if they had any film for it but sait it wasdiscontinued.. Is this true, did i just buy the totally wrong insert? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvalois Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Simply cannot be true !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucecahn Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Call Kodak and ask. 800 242 2424, if they didn't lay off that department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charles_hohenstein Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 They just want to sell you 120, or don't want to bother stocking 220. A number of emulsions remain available in 220. Unfortunately, in black and white, the choice is extremely limited. Ilford has really let the 220 users down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arie07 Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 If you go to BHPHOTO or Adorama youll find several emulsions on 220 film. Photo stores got lazy, hire minimum wage teenagers to sell products they know nothing about and the vast majority of photographers do not care for service and look only after cheap fast solutions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randall ellis Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Charles and Leo have the flavor of it pretty well. Your shop don't sell 220 because it doesn't move fast enough for them and they lose money, therefore, they tell you to buy 120 because they still stock it, for now. Use what you want to use and buy mail order if they won't special order it for you. - Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 220 films have been on a steady discontinuation for three years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutcopy Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Thanks guys, its really sad. It wasn't any teenage minimum wager it was some ass manager that couldn't be bothered to give me the time of day. My bud who works at another store just found me 20 rolls of recently expired stock. Im gonna go for that for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebastien_lallement Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 220 film was mainly used by wedding photographers, photoreporters, or professional photographers working without an assistant to reload their film backs. They liked the extra capacity offered by the long 220 rolls. Unfortunately, these photographers have moved en masse to digital. I am afraid 220 film will not last long now... Cheers, Sebastien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kparratt Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Some of what you find here in photo.net is factual, the rest is rumour and conjecture. With the internet facility, it's not difficult to find out what the real score is. Kodak's website > Consumer Products > Pro Photographer/Lab > and on the menu to the left you find most of it: > "Products"http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/features/featuresIndex.jhtml?id=0.2&lc=en They are sorted into Colour Neg, Colour reversal, and Black & White. See for yourself here: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/films/e100g/sizes.jhtml?id=0.2.24.14.13.20.3.16&lc=en That shop keeper either did not know, or did not want YOU to know that 220 can still be had, but he is not going to help you get it. He/she does not want the risk or stocking a carton of the stuff. These shop keepers are adding weight to ignorance, so that eventually the sales of a particular product are so reduced that it is discontinued. They prioritize their personal agenda at our expense. They push there own idea of what a convenient retailing situation would be. An informed, honest retailer would say: "I'm sorry Sir/Ms, it IS available, but I don't have enough call for that product to keep it on the shelf. I can order some for you, but minimum quantities apply and I will need a down payment." ...etc. This is simply customer service as it should be. And it is sound merchandising practice. Use the WWW. It your liberation from ignorance. You can print out the relevant pages, take them to a supplier and ask. "Do you have THIS in stock?" ... "If not, what is the minimum order please?" Take charge of the situation. It is your call. If you can't find something on the internet, come here and ask us. Just now whilst writing this, I went to www.fujifilm.com, and in about 4 clicks found more 220 film: http://www.fujifilm.com/products/professional_films/pro_160s.html Happier? Cheers, Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philippartridge Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 "I am afraid 220 film will not last long now..." Been hearing it for 4-5 years, and the lineup is probably less than it was. Truth be, bhphotovideo currently stock seven print film emulsions and seven also of slide film. With lines like Astia, Velvia, Provia, E100G, NC160, Pro400H I have to say I am very happy with the current choice. Most of these are new in the last 3-4 years and are among the best colour films ever produced. I love 220 in spite of its issues (more prone to light leaks, wind tightness problems, memory tests with the film counter) because it is so travel-friendly (four five packs fits in any daypack and gives 640 exposures in 645, for example) and less roll changes means less dust ingress and more photography opportunities that go uninterrupted by reloads.. In 120, B&H have four web pages of it, I gave up counting. I live in Australia and B&H are the only photo store I need - our local gougers are even more voracious that US counterparts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kparratt Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Philip, I've been out of Australia for years. Can you please post the website for "B&H Australia"? I'll be needing it soon. "Gougers" not wrong. A number of films which I used to buy in Norway, even with 25% sales tax and higher wages, was cheaper than in Australia with lower everything ... except mark-up. Have you seen any EFKE anywhere Downunder? It would save me bringing a load, risking mulitple exposure to x-rays etc etc. Thanks, Kevin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philippartridge Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Hi Kevin, SOrry to mislead you, that's a joke on my part - there is no B&H located here, but film and other equipment is far cheaper to buy from them than locally despite the freight costs; and by a fair margin.. I have not seen any local distributor for Efke sadly, nor can I find any reference on Google for this. Tell the scanner guys it is professional film and show them the Kodak page saying more than five exposures of x-rays will ruin all film, not just 400+ iso - that's what I do, and it mostly works, so good luck to you.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_graff Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Due to dropping sales Kodak only makes 220 NC and VC color films and I believe one B&W. Fuji's selection is not all that great either. Check with apug.org for up to date status. I hear there faster than at the manufacturer's web sites. I know it is fun to blaim some "dumb ass" clerk, but the sorry fact is that 220 availability is dropping. Here and there are caches of film [like on eBay] but they may contain outdated film. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_drew4 Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Yes, availability of 220 film is declining, but that does not mean it NOT available. Authorized Kodak dealers can order film for you if they wish to and many choices in 220 are available in other brands. Yes, choices are dwindling, so if you like something enough, plan on putting extra rolls into your own inventory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary_watson Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Going but not gone--yet. Funny but I always get a bargain price on Mamiya 645 backs when they come with 220 inserts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryn_evans Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 My local pro-lab claims 220 is much more difficult to handle in the darkroom than 120 so theres more risk of there being a cockup. He put me off the idea of getting a 220 back for my bronica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin_lee Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Manufacturers are scaling back on 220 to match consumer demand. If more people started buying it (not likely), production & choices would increase. I have many 220 backs for my cameras and favor them for convenience. But if I eventually have to cut back to using 120 only, it would still be better than not having any decent roll film emulsions at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin_elliott Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I use a vacuum back on my Contax 645 and have never experienced difficulty in getting my favourite emulsions... Velvia 50; Velvia 100, Reala and NPS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kparratt Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 The greatest threat to 220 is pessimistic rumour, some of which has smeared this discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
q.g._de_bakker Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 As if rumour is what decisions to end a product line are based on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aoresteen Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I have 20 rolls of 220 Tri-X in my freezer. I wish Ilford had HP-5 in 220 but they can't spool it themselves anymore and Kodak & Fuji don't want to do it for them. Kodak & Fuji are the only manufacturers who can still spool 220. Ilford's 220 machine was put out of service years ago and the cost to fix it or build a new one is cost prohibitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_douthart Posted March 29, 2007 Share Posted March 29, 2007 I live in NYC and have no trouble finding 220. B&H does have many different kinds of color film in 220. You will find it hard to find 220 in B&W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_willson Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 The new Provia 400X does not come in 220 rolls, even in Japan (where I work). There are no problems getting hold of Velvia or Provia 100F in 220 rolls however. The main issue here is the number of places that are developing roll film continues to decrease. Chris www.travel67.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kram Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 Late to the party but, the bottom line is that there is only ONE black and white emulsion left in 220, Tri-X. Please tell me I'm wrong and lead me to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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