Kodak Film LIVES ON!

[wogears]

<p>Yes, the dire predictions of last week, which followed the hopeful predictions of the previous week, which followed... Have at last been truly l<a href="http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2145203/kodak-phases-digital-businesses-film-alive">aid to rest</a>. For now, anyway. Time to order some more Portra 160.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Just bought a roll of 35mm Portra 160 yesterday. Need something zippier, so we'll see.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Sounds encouraging. Maybe I can sleep now without that recurring "What? No TMX or TMY?" nightmare.</p>

[steve m smith]

<p>Another report here: <a href="http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2145203/kodak-phases-digital-businesses-film-alive">http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/2145203/kodak-phases-digital-businesses-film-alive</a></p>

<p>EDIT: I seem to have posted a link to the same report!</p>

<p>Here is another one: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2012/02/09/business/09reuters-kodak.html?_r=1&hp">http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2012/02/09/business/09reuters-kodak.html?_r=1&hp</a></p>

[richard__]

<p>They probably noticed all Kodak film I bought recently. Fearing the worst, I stocked up a couple of weeks ago.</p>

<p>I couldn't see how easily I was going to live without TMAX. Although I'll have to start testing the current Illford b&w films now just in case Kodak completely dies at the post.</p>

<p>I've already lost my favorites, Kodachrome 25 and Tech Pan much too long ago.</p>

[jens_g.r._benthien]

<p>Excellent news. All the best for Kodak.</p>

<p>Now, if they only would abandon the ink jet printers - it's not their core competence - and focus on film and photographic materials.</p>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>Quote from Les's linked article...</p>

<blockquote>

<p>All people want are these <em>little yellow boxes of film</em>, and that should be their core business, even it means reducing the company's size further."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Heck, I want the larger format film easily attainable both at the retail level and the labs to process it like my grandma did with her Hawkeye Brownie camera back in the early '60's, tack sharp beautiful square pictures.</p>

<p>Don't much care about 35mm if that's what they mean by little yellow boxes of film.</p>

[derek_kennedy]

<p>I agree Tim, it would be great to be able to go to the local lab and easily get sheet film. Heck - even 120! (or 35mm for that matter).</p>

<p>My local lab cant get in any Kodak films due to his supply not well, supplying Kodak films. He doesnt bring in much of anything any more due to lack of sales except for the most part to me (and some times he buys it back to sell to the odd customer looking for a roll or two of b&w).</p>

<p>Sheet film imo is getting a little expensive to buy especially locally but I want to get into shooting 4x5 more this spring so I guess I have to suck it up and pay the piper.</p>

<p>Reading the writing on the wall, I filled my freezer with 35mm, mostly little yellow boxes.</p>

[rossb]

<p> Kodak is in it for the long run and so am I. </p>

[derek_kennedy]

<p>+1 Ross</p>

[Christopher Sperry Photogr]

<p>I'm loading Ektar 100 in my Pentax 67, and shooting straight into the sun to celebrate -- Kodak Film!</p>

[chris_waller]

<p>Hallelujah brothers and sisters! Praise the Lord and load up with a roll of Tri-X! Even though I am primarily an Ilford user I would be very sad to see the Big Yella shut up shop. A young (early 20s) student came into our darkroom the other day and he was extoling the virutes of film, saying that he loves it because when he shoots film and prints from negatives he feels that he's 'really making' something.</p>

[charles_wood]

<p>The analog world has continued to exist along side the digital one. The introduction of the CD format was supposed to kill vinyl. It hasn't. Not only is the CD format fading as online digital downloads take market share, vinyl has staged enough of a comeback that if you look at the specialty/high end audio magazines, they are full of reviews of turntables, arms, tube gear and other exotica.</p>

<p>The same scenario is likely to happen in the digital/film imaging world. Perhaps Kodak needs to rethink the business model it's been using. If collectively there is enough film business in the world to maintain necessary profits but distribution inefficiencies and processing are a sticking point, perhaps it's time for Kodak to open up an online direct sales center, take more of the profit and provide strategically located processing facilities for film shooters who can't find local processors or don't have their own darkrooms.</p>

[Christopher Sperry Photogr]

<blockquote>

<p>strategically located processing facilities for film shooters who can't find local processors or don't have their own darkrooms</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Montana retains a culture that supports film photography, and digital photography. From Glacier NP to Yellowstone NP, photo opportunities abound. The Darkroom of Montana is located in Missoula, and offers darkroom classes, and a public darkroom. How many college students are going to have their own darkroom? These types of services are needed to help keep Black & White film alive. Fresh chemicals, a little help, and a great sense of satisfaction in producing your own enlargement. You can later return to use the public darkroom for a fee. I believe that many young people want this experience. It's a niche, but so viable.</p>

<p>http://darkroomofmontana.com/services/classes</p>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>Wonder how toxic those chemicals are to dispose of and whether there will be services still provided to collect and properly dispose for environmental concerns.</p>

<p>I do believe the one hour minilabs still have to dispose of these spent chemicals in a proper manner. But these facilities don't really cater to professional quality output especially the scans which are primarily low resolution 8 bit jpegs.</p>

<p>I may have to move to Montana if I go back to using film.</p>

[marc_bergman1]

<blockquote>

<p>Not only is the CD format fading as online digital downloads take market share</p>

</blockquote>

<p>CD total sales for 2012 were up 8.5% to 1,271 million. Vinyl total sales were up 39% to 3,9 million.</p>

<p>http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-nielsen-company-billboards-2011-music-industry-report-2012-01-05</p>

<p> </p>

[Christopher Sperry Photogr]

<blockquote>

<p>I may have to move to Montana if I go back to using film.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Now that's an interesting perspective Tim :) Come on up!<br>

"And what did you say brought you here again? You're a photographer -- Oh, now I understand!"<br>

I'll have to check with the State Environmental Office to find out how photographic chemical disposal is regulated in Montana.</p>

 

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<blockquote>

<p>CD total sales for 2012 were up 8.5% to 1,271 million.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I believe I may have helped contribute to those numbers due to my love of music. There's nothing more reassuring having my 1's and 0's stamped into a thin sheet of metal and sealed in polycarbonate over having them in solid state Ram or in a $200 iPod or burned into dyes by a laser on a CD.</p>

[charles_wood]

<p><em>CD total sales for 2012 were up 8.5% to 1,271 million. Vinyl total sales were up 39% to 3,9 million.</em><br>

<em><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-nielsen-company-billboards-2011-music-industry-report-2012-01-05" target="_blank">(link)</a></em></p>

<p>The statistic printed immediately below the item linked, indicates a softening of actual physical CD albums (not totals that include digital album downloads) of approximately 5%. Billboard Magazine claims a drop of 12.8% for the same period. No matter how you cut it, sales of physical CD albums are not increasing. <em><br /></em></p>