jos__garese Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 <p>For many weeks, there hasn't been any portra 8x10 160, on the shelves of B&H or Adorama. Is that a bad sign? Does Kodak entering Chapter 11 affect its production and/or distribution?<br> I called Adorama and someone said to me that they didn't have an ETA (estimated time of arrival) for that product. Too bad! I am carrying out a project in 8x10 with that film and now I am forced to stand by. If anyone has any news on this issue, please post it!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
q.g._de_bakker Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Maybe <a href="http://www.nordfoto.de/cgi-bin/nfvshop/iboshop.cgi?showd50011!0,612966767722652,kfilm337" target="_blank">this</a> might help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jos__garese Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 <p>Mmm... Not really. Too expensive. USD 120 is the price in the US, shipping (within US) included. Thanks anyway!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaglow Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 <p>Have you tried FreestylePhoto.biz? It looks like they might have several 8x10 films in stock.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jos__garese Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 <p>Thanks Michael. Just checked their website. They indeed have Portra in stock, although it is a bit more expensive, plus I have to pay shipping costs. I guess I will have to order from them if film doesn't arrive in either of the two NY superstores. Are they reliable? Had never heard of FreestylePhoto before.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_shriver Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 <p>Chapter 11 shouldn't affect wholesale sales. However, part of the reason they went Chapter 11 is that their suppliers lost trust in them, and started demanding cash payment before delivery. So there may have been some supply problems due to lack of raw materials. If there were supply shortages, Kodak would clearly put their resources into making fast-selling films, like Portra in 135 and 120, rather than slow sellers like 8x10 sheet film.<br> But Kodak is now creditworthy for about 18 months. The digital photography patent portfolio will be sold soon, which will put in a bunch of cash. They just need to stop losing money on all the non-film product lines.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jos__garese Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 <p>Hope that that happens soon, and that we continue to enjoy 8x10 for many years.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_earussi1 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 <p>Jose, Freestyle has been around for decades and I've ordered from them many times. They're quite often the last resort and best resource for many films.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jos__garese Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 <p>Update: I have bought the last four boxes of Kodak portra 160 ASA, 8x10 from Freestyle.<br> I previously had a "live chat" with someone from B&H, and a conversation with another guy at Adorama: they don't have a clue when Kodak film that is back ordered will be available again. They just couldn't answer that simple question, either out of personal negligence (they look up what their PC says for that product, an info anybody visiting their site can obtain) or out of some sort of real disarray at Kodak that doesn't provide information for the time being. I lean towards the former for this cluelessness (they do not sound as extremely investigative), but who knows?<br> On the other hand, at Freestyle they told me that more film is on its way, around March...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jos__garese Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 <p>Oh, and if someone at Kodak stumbles upon this thread, it would be fantastic to have some inside info on the subject</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_n Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 <p>Jose,<br> You may want to check out Canada's "Vistek" camera store. They have Porta 8x10. Use this link:<br> http://www.vistek.ca/store/Film/159361/kodak-portra-160nc-8x1010.aspx<br> Sometimes the exchange rate makes it worth a look.<br> All the best.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jos__garese Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 <p>Adam, thanks for the link. Unfortunately too expensive. And what they seem to have is Portra <strong>NC</strong>, which was discontinued at least two years ago.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam_n Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 <p>Jose,<br> Sorry about that...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jos__garese Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 <p>UPDATE: I have just been able to talk over the phone to a real Kodak rep. It took a while, first I had to go through a surrealist live chat at Kodak's website with someone virtual who went by the name of "Dessiree". Upfront she said to me: "Unfortunately, this item is no longer available for purchase since it is no longer being manufactured."</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jos__garese Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 <p>When I asked her whether there had been an official Kodak announcement about this, and that I found bizarre that a film that had been released such a short time ago (to replace VC and NC) should be discontinued so abruptly, she replied: "Let me double check."</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jos__garese Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 <p>Of course she did not have the slightest clue, which is to be (exasperatingly) expected from these ridiculous customer services: she did not know about the fate of Portra 8x10, nor did she probably know about any Kodak film, period. Worse of all, she did not know who on earth to ask to simply forward a straight answer to my non too complicated query. What I did get from Dessiree, at least and at last, was an internal two digit number from Kodak, that I could have spent my life like a pinball bouncing between dumb answering machines to find out by myself. (I had tried this improbable task the day before and it was like entering a kafkaesque maze.) <br> So in the end I was able to talk to "Rod". He told me that the film is still being manufactured, according to the Kodak February bulletin which had just been out. And that it looked likely that there would continue be 8 x10 Portra 160 for some time. Good news! He could not, or did not want to, find out, whether there had been distribution problems, and offered an explanation we had thought of: with the situation at Kodak "there might have been a buying panic". </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razzledog Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 <p>This usual kind of Kodak debacle is more than partly responsible for their demise...The repairs dept in Australia always went through to an Indian call center...George must be turning in his grave as we speak!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_batters Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 <p>Other thoughts...in the USA, though...so maybe not much help.<br /> K.B.Canham<br /> http://www.canhamcameras.com/kodakfilmstatus.html<br /> Badger Graphics<br /> https://www.badgergraphic.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=3577</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jos__garese Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 <p>Thanks Marc<br> 8x10 Kodak film has finally arrived in B&H and Adorama. Don't really know how much of it and for how long, but I am now pretty much covered for some months. The last few weeks have been quite a roller coaster in terms of work projection: almost like trying to make a sensible business plan in an unstable "emerging" economy...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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