Kodak will discontinue Kodak Readyload

[sandor_a._feher]

According to reliable source Kodak will drop the 4x5 Readload film holder.

[erik_l.]

The holder or the film?

[William Kahn]

And the reliable source would be......?

[tedharris]

Unless your reliable soure is Scott Disabatto, Kodak's Professional Film Product Manager then

it isn't reliabele. AFAIK that is nonesense. But, then who kows these days.

[michael_kadillak13]

I agree with you Ted. I can only surmise that this is the only manifestation of fear that some people can come up with. I do not want to be scared so let's see if I can get everyone to come to my personal bummer party.

 

Next time you are feeling afraid of your favorite emulsion (substitute at your descretion paper, chemistry, etc.) is not going to be around, the best thing that you could possibly do is to PURCHASE SOME and get a good nights sleep. Although it may not look like it has in years past, analog is here to stay.

 

Cheers!

[daniel_smith6]

"Next time you are feeling afraid of your favorite emulsion (substitute at your descretion paper, chemistry, etc.) is not going to be around, the best thing that you could possibly do is to PURCHASE SOME and get a good nights sleep."

 

Many of us did this with Kodak AZO paper. We bought it by the case and used it regularly. EK executives assured us it would be around as it had been for a Century. We purchased all they would make. It made a profit. Not a great one, but a profit year in and year out. A small but dedicated group of AZO users worldwide who used this paper for contact printing large format negatives because it worked better than anything else made.

 

Kodak jerked the rug out from under us. No apologies and no opportunity to make one last large order so we could stock up on the paper we used.

 

Piss on Kodak.

[michael_kadillak13]

I am sorry that you can't see the bigger picture with Kodak Daniel. Being upset with any company for a decision with they made with a product and attempting to penalize them with their remaining product line is a very miopic approach IMHO.

 

But let's be real. If you like any film or paper product you should be buying it in quantities to allow you several years worth of operating elasticity just as a course of normal business. I did this with Azo to the nines and also have done it with TMY and will continue to do so as soon as a replacement silver chloride paper is brought out. I filled a 23 cubic foot freezer and I am thinking about another. The best defense is a good offense.

 

Cheers!

[jerry_kirkwood]

I stopped giving my money to Kodak a few years ago. I'd rather support companies who at least are giving a good imitation of being committed to film, like Fuji and Ilford.

[michael_kadillak13]

I shake my head but if that makes you feel good, go for it. I use the best products I can acquire irrespective to who makes them in an honest effort on my part to make the best prints possible and leave the emotional component for the professional actors in the afternoon soap operas where it belongs.

 

When Kodak announces a dramatic improvement with greatly improved grain structure in their B&W T Max film will you still be on your pillar of principal?

 

John Sexton had more reasons than anyone to be pissed off at Kodak and he found a way to move on and I guarantee that he shoots more Kodak sheet film than just about anyone. Why are you and so many others choking on old news? Get over it and go make some photographs.

 

Onward!

[William Kahn]

Right on, Michael!

[daniel_smith6]

"Why are you and so many others choking on old news?"

 

Once burned, twice shy.

 

Michael, many of us had a nice stockpile of Azo(and Kodabromide and Medalist in the past) but you can't always keep a major stock on hand when the cost of living demands food and fuel and heat. At times we have to make choices. Some of them involve checking with a company to find out what availability of the products will be. EK told a number of us that they had plenty of Azo available and no plans to dump it from the product line. Then less than a month later they cut ALL B&W papers. Caught even Michael A. Smith by surprise and I can only imagine his feelings when EK assurances on the supply (after the announcement) turned out to be lies.

 

When dealing with TheYellowPeril I have learned they are dirtier than a lawyer who wants something. Glad John Sexton is happy with them. Many of us are not. I buy nothing from them any longer. No darkroom supplies, no film, no pixelography media and no plans to in the future. EK as a corporation pisses on their employees, their customer base and their future as a result of how they treat those who would purchase their products or have done so in the past.

 

"When Kodak announces a dramatic improvement with greatly improved grain structure in their B&W T Max film will you still be on your pillar of principal?"

 

With Kodak letting us know that they changed TMax100 with a UV blocking layer so it is unusable for alt processes that expose by UV light, WHO CARES? It is a case of trying to get back people they have pissed on in the past. In this case our money goes elsewhere. Kodak shows no loyalty to those who helped build the company through the years so why would we give any to them? They are worse than WalMart.

[michael_kadillak13]

After reading your post several times Daniel I am more than a bit confused. Over the years that we have communicated you seem to have reached a point for reasons that are unclear where the bitterness literaly bleeds on the page. I contend that it has little to do with the "Yellow Peril" as you refer to them but it is an easy way to manifest your attitude. Over what I am just not sure as I only wish you the best. I am a businessman running my own business that enjoys making photographs and quite honestly given the variables associated with Kodak the best executives in the world would have made the same decision that was made by Mr Perez regarding their paper business. Kodak is a publically traded company with millions of shareholders that have their savings invested in the company. Hard business decisions were made and hopefully the business is better for it. The last batch of Azo was made and it was assumed that given normal purchasing trends it would last several years. But the entire remaining lot was purchased right out from under our collective nose by someone that was willing to put up the cash. Such is life. Instead of being pissed off (which is the easy and lazy response) many people including Michael Smith and myself are working dilligently to find solutions to the reality of the world that we live in to keep the wheels turning with conventional materials. Rewarding companies by purchasing the best photographic materials currently available is a sensible approach. Life is way to short to let this continue to be under your or anyone elses skin.

 

It is never to late to make a change for the better. All things considered, things are exceptionally good in the world of photography and getting better every day.

 

Cheers!