So I shot film for the first time and I loved it ...Now I hope it doesnt leave

[matthew_glover1]

<p>I shot film for the first time specifically the Kodak Portra 400 and I loved the results I got from it. I wanted to ask if somebody can tell me what the latest news is from Kodak in regards to still producing existing film. I doubt they will make anymore new films but I love what I am shooting with now that is available. I hate to see it not be hear in the future...can somebody fill me in on what Kodak's plans are? I know that portion of Kodak is now owned by a spin off company called Kodak Alaris. They say they will keep producing as long as people buy but I am curious what their margins are and how many people are still shooting on film today that they believe to be "good numbers" for their business to keep producing. Hope it makes sense about what I am asking. </p>

[DB_Gallery]

Those are questions that no film maker is going to answer, it is proprietary to the overall operation. So you really only

have two choices...

 

1. Continue to buy and use the films you like at a pace that reflects a belief that these films are sticking around.

 

2. Make a sizable investment in an initial bulk buy and then buy fresh stock a few times a year and rotate it to the back of

your stash.

 

In the first situation, you might find your self scrounging for cash to quickly buy what ever stock you find if the film of your

choice is discontinued. In the second one, you spend a good bit of coin on a bunch of film that you cold store and if a

discontinuation notice is given, you buy what you can afford, add it to your stash and count your blessings.

 

I have done the latter...to the tune of several thousand rolls and 5,000+ sheets of 4x5 film. I buy fresh film on a quarterly basis but if all of the sudden I stopped, I have what I believe to be 15-20 years of film to use.

[jamie_robertson2]

<p>My personal opinion is that film is like vinyl (i.e. music LP's). There will always be a section of the photographic community that will want to shoot film just like there are music aficionados who prefer listening to vinyl.</p>

<p>Film sales have stabilised in the last couple of years so logic tells me that if it's economically viable to produce it today then it will always be viable as long as the demand remains the same.</p>

<p>I would't rush out and buy a freezer load of film just yet.</p>

[randrew1]

<p>The economics for Kodak have changed. Two years ago, they were selling a lot of motion picture film. That market is mostly gone now. If they can continue to produce still film for the next 2 years, then they have a reasonable chance of lasting for a number of years. If Kodak ends film production, I expect Fuji (who never had a big share of motion picture film) to last longer. I expect Ilford will be the last film manufacturer. </p>

<p>Kodak Alaris markets Kodak silll film and kiosks. Film is still manufactured by Kodak.</p>

[Rick Helmke]

<p>I hope it sticks around for a while. I've gone back to it for several things.</p>

<p>Rick H.</p>

[c_watson1]

<p>Not much point to nail-biting about film's future in 2014. You're either "in" or "out." Being "in" requires some decisions about how far "in" you're willing to go. Finding a reliable supply at a tolerable price is as important as locating a lab to process/scan/print--something that's harder now compared to just a few years ago. You can go "survivalist" and do your own processing. I do think it's smart to bulk buy and/or lay in stock of film you like if only to save a bit of $$$ and to have it when you want it.</p>

[matthew_glover1]

<p>You guys all make great points. What is the best way to store kodak portra 400 speed film? I have heard freezing high speed film doesnt always work out well. Also I was thinking maybe film is also still alive because of the threat that it may be gone which in general actually increases sales and makes people want to buy it more? Sort of like assault rifle sales when banning them gets brought up in congress. Not to get political or anything, just an example. I did a quick ebay search for Kodak Portra completed listings and this stuff is getting bought up with the quickness. People are dropping some good hard earned money on 100 of rolls of film and in bulk. Its not the discontinued stuff either. The prices they are selling for are not much different than if you were buying some rolls from BH or Adorama. If on ebay they are generating this much income off film then B&H and Adorama and other sites that sell film should be making a pretty good and decent profit still. I do think that the market is stabilizing and the people who shoot film will continue to shoot film and keep buying it. Possibly even future generations because stuff always does make a comeback. </p>

[donbright]

<p>We have been losing film for what 15 years now? and its still here. What discussion in social media is the most prolific? What I see more of, is the fear of losing film, than the reality of losing film. It would stand to reason that some day film camera's will get CLAed out, but from what I've been told from camera repair facilities, business is good. This says something about the passion, and regard for film. So if one is a newbie to film, and you are anticipating delving into the world of Photography, welcome, and have fun for cryin out loud, its here for the taking. There aren't many hobbies that are more expensive than Photography, but there is a list. For me Photography has been a wonderful life, and I'm glad to have the film to look back at, 30 years of it, and there is film in my boxes, and sleeves that has as much snap as they did when developed. Film is amazing stuff.</p>

[jamie_robertson2]

<p>Matthew,</p>

<p>All film keeps best when frozen. The slower the film, the longer it lasts. Black and white lasts longer than colour (the slower stuff lasts almost indefinitely). I'm still using Portra 400 that is 8 years out of date but I keep it frozen until the day before I need it.</p>

[thomas_k.]

<p>I've read somewhere about black and white film production and how expensive is machinery used to make it. Extrapolating I assume that it goes the same for color film - to make it, expensive machinery is needed. If Fuji and Kodak are using production lines build 15-20 years ago, no new production lines are being build and manufacturers of film producing equipment are gone, we can see actual end of color film. If production of B&W film is less expensive maybe it will survive.</p>

[bebu_lamar]

<p>Now someone here will say that I have no data but I think today B&W is more popular among flm user so it's one more reason to expect B&W to stay on longer. <br>

I am very sad as I don't shoot B&W (I just don't have the eye for it) and It seems color film will go.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>Ten years ago whenever a photographer had an important gig to shoot they would grab for their favorite Film camera. These days it's the other way around. Ten years ago magazines, and museum exhibits would only accept slides. Slides ? Slides ? you can hardly find any shops that develop slides anymore so you have to send it out to some far away lab in the middle of nowhere.</p>

<p>You would think developing film would be cheaper now since digital began competing against it, but no, developing film can get quite expensive $10-15+ per 36 exposure roll depending on whether prints were ordered.</p>

<p>I love shooting film because of the process. It helps me to slow down and the finished product is more satisfying than digital. However, shooting film is still a roll of the dice. You never know if you ruined an entire roll due to the ISO not being set right and most of the time there are no second chances.</p>

<p>People these days talk about "the film days" as some bye gone era that happened a long time ago, but it has been only about 10 or a few more years !</p>

<p>For me I'll keep shooting film as long as it's available. That includes slides. It's just a hard sell for people who can shoot movies with their smart phones.</p>

[jamie_robertson2]

<p>I read an article once about groups of people who have chosen to lead an almost entirely analogue life. They have a fixed telephone in their house and a TV but that's it. They shoot film, listen to vinyl, read physical books and write letters on paper. They have no internet, no computer, no iPad or iPhone... it sounds like utter bliss as far as I'm concerned. Unfortunately I'm self employed and need the internet to survive but I hope to do something similar when I retire.</p>

[User_276104]

<p>Back in 2008 film various types of slide film were out of stock, and if in stock, prices were going up. A lot of people were selling excess stock from their freezers on eBay so I swooped in and bought a couple hundred rolls of various Fuji slide film. </p>

<p>At the same time, Fuji had an expiration date of 12/31/2009 on their processing mailers so people were also unloading those on eBay. I think I still have almost 150 of them, for which I paid $2 to $4 each. I intended to try to use them up before expiring, but then Fuji cancelled the expiration (does that make sense?).</p>

<p>I am always needing to get out shooting more so I can keep more ice cream in the freezer!</p>

[Karim Ghantous]

Matthew: one or two years ago, I shot

a couple of rolls of film with a Zeiss

Ikon folding camera from the '50s. I

could not believe how enjoyable that

process was.

 

You had to guess focus distance and the shutter was cocked separately to winding the film. I haven't used it much since then but I certainly intend to.

 

Jamie: I admire that kind of thing. I

would in fact love it if I could live with

nothing made past 1979.

 

However, are we to believe that nothing made today is superior to older things? I mean, it's often that older things are superior. But not always.

 

I hope to get back into computer

programming on old, '80s systems. I

happen to prefer Amigas and STs to

modern platforms as far as

programming is concerned.

 

Computers

and games were much more

interesting back then. I don't bother

with games as it is, but give me Jeff

Minter's Llamatron over whatever the

trendy games are today.

 

Sorry for the rant!

[parv]

"I am always needing to get out shooting more so I can keep more ice cream in the freezer!" -- Eric S.

 

:-) That is perfectly reasonable choice. Viva la Ice Cream!