jason_fitzmaurice

"And what would you do to keep the bosses in fine wine and cigars Rowland? Would you work for a dollar a day? That's the free market for you. You boss will exploit you, cut your pay, take your paid leave, turn you into a slave, cos he knows he can just move across the water and abuse some other poor sucker. Get real."

 

Well first off this doesn't describe most corporate executives. It does descibe the top few positions in many comapnies. Say a CEO a CFO a COO and a couple of VPS. Their huge salaries are a tiny drop in the bucket of corporate expenses. And as far as working for $1 a day... well if there was no minimum wage and the people who now get m,inimum wage got $1 a day, and people who now get a quarter more than minimum wage got $1.10 a day and so on.. then there would be no difference in actual purchasing power as the market would self correct.

 

There is a commone misconception here. The executives can't afford to treat employees too badly in the modern world. If you can't keep employees, you can't make a good product, and the company goes broke, so no more cigars and wines. OTOH if your unions demand things that are contrary to the business itrests of the company.... the company goes broke, and all the employees loose their jobs. The solution, like most things, is the middle ground.

I would try Kodachrome. People seem to love it or hate it. I lovoe Ektachrome 64. Many people don't it is very neutral, not saturated, and grainier than amodern emulsion. It doesn't have a lot of passionate defenders like Kodachrome 64 does.

 

Elite Chrome is the name for the consumer slide films.

 

E-100S and SW are pretty much gone, don't worry about them.

 

E-100G is a neutral balanced 100 iso slide film with more than natiral saturation

 

E-100GX is the same film, but with a warm balance.

 

E-100VS is a Hypersaturated film much Like Fuji Velvia

 

EPY is balanced for Tungstun lights

 

EPR is daylight balanced and IMHO a beautiful film

 

The one's I'd recomend trying are

 

KR

EPR

E-100G or GX

this will give you an idea which family of slide films you would like.

You have to love this decision from Kodak. They stop the selling of grey market films. You would think with them constantly screaming that film sales are down, they would just be happy the film is being sold.

 

This is cutting off your nose to spitr your face.

Let me give a third voice in favour of Agfa Ultra 100. Some people hate the high contrast/ High saturation look of this film and it is NOT a film for everyday use. If what you want is more saturated colour portraits for example run a mile from this. It is a fun film to play with though.

If you don't mind slide film you might try either Kodachrome 200 or for huge grain and contrast Try Ektachrome P1600 and push it to 3200.

Victor.

 

I agree there is often a market leader who can price above the rest of the market. Despite not liking to pay more for anything, I hope Ilford can see it's way to surviving even at an increase of porice; however, I don't think an increase of price will help. When it became hard to get IMported Tri-x I remember many outraged people saying they would switch films rather than pay more. Also as the price of film goes up it is likely to push more people to digital. Suddenly the price point for a digital SLR doesn't look so bad if film B and H starts asking $7

for a roll of black and white.

 

It just bothers me that every time I get to love an emulsion it gets discontinued. I used to use APX 100 and 400 for black and white. Because I was worried about the continued availability of these, I looked for new films in the speed range. Settled on Plus-X and HP5.. now I have to worry about HP5.

 

My other major worry is Delta 3200, since it is the only ultra high speed film for 120. If that goes away there is no replacement.

 

So all things being said I guess I think I'm right, but I sure hope you are :)

Victor,

 

The reason Ilford can't raise prices is simple economics. LAw of Supply and demand. When demand is low (as demand for film is compared to the past) and supply is high (which it is, no local store is telling me it's tough to get hp5) prices fall. If they cannot sell enough film to be solvent at the current price, raising prices will cause less film to be sold, and less money to be made.

 

What they need is an increase in demand. That's tough to create for film right now.

At the volume you are talking about, your cheapest option might be to buy a scanner. At around $300 for the MInolta Scan Dual IV, that might be much cheaper than having them done for you in such large quantaties.

I'm not a fan of Fuji films, but I'd advise stick with what you know.

 

Use a film you are familiar with, then also try Portra UC or Possible Agfa Optima II, so you know you will have good shots with the film you are familair with, plus have some from another film to compare with.

I threw a couple punches (albeit fairly well amnnered ones).

 

Should have held back. Sorry

(Hangs head in shame)

Thanks everybody.

 

Sounds like the 5 is the way to go then. I'll put one in my hands and see how it feels.

 

I can't imagine giving up my x-700. I justlove it, and have too many lenses to make the full switch, but trying to focus on my son is getting too hard. I'm only getting a little more than half the shots in focus.

Since I was 10 I have always used Minolta equipment, First my Dad's

old XD-11, then an X-7a, Finally mu X-700 which I love. I have always

laughed at the idea of an Auto Focus Camera (since I run a video

company I have a very low opinion of AF Acuracy); however, I have a

15month old son, and he can move a lot faster than I can focus :)

 

So for the first time in my life I want an AF Camera. I want to stick

with Minolta, as it has always been good to me. I know I can't use my

flashes and lenses from the X-700 (more is the pity).

 

Basically I don't need anything more than the functions of an X

series, but with Auto Focus for shooting my son. My X-700 will proably

remain my main 35mm camera.

 

I need to be able to

 

a. Shoot in Manual Focus when I want to

 

b. Override the Auto DX swtting of ISO

 

C. Manually set aperature and shutter speed

 

d. Not spend a lot of money on this used camera.

 

 

What would those of you with experience Recomend?

There have been several statements posted that came from e-mail replys from Kodak.

 

Let me add this one (with a huge sigh of relief) This is the most unequivical response I have seen yet

 

I said I ahd heard rumors of Kodachrome being discontinued. The gentleman who responded from Kodak evidently thought hat rumor came from a dealer as here is his reply.

 

 

 

Dear Jason:

 

Thank you for contacting Eastman Kodak Company regarding availability of

KODACHROME 64 and 200 Films.

 

Please be advised that we are NOT discontinuing KODACHROME 64 and

KODACHROME 200. Please ask your dealer to show you the document that he

saw stating that we are discontinuing these films and verify if indeed

it says that. What you may find is that the announcement says that the

Fair lawn, NJ lab is closing and KODACHROME orders will now be going to

Dwayne's Photo Lab in Parson, KS (via District Photo in Beltsville, MD).

The orders will still go through normal channels and there will be no

interruption in service nor service times.

 

Below is how the announcement read:

 

Qualex, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidary of Eastman Kodak Company, has

announced plans to close its film processing lab in Fair Lawn, NJ in

September 2004. As a result of this decision, all Kodak prepaid

processing mailers will be sent to District Photo in Beltsville,

Maryland. District Photo will process all mailer orders, except those

for KODACHROME Film, which will now be forwarded to Dwayne's Photo in

Parsons, Kansas. Those slides will be returned in cardboard mounts

only.

 

Service times for mailers will not be impacted by this change, and you

can expect to continue to receive the same high level of service you

have enjoyed in the past.

 

Please begin using the following address when submitting future mailers

for processing:

 

Kodak Mailer Processing

c/o District Photo

PO Box 3640

Hampton Park, MD 20791

 

(Note: This address has been changed to the following address, in lieu

of a PO Box since Fed-X and Airborne cannot ship to a PO Box:

KODAK MAILER PROCESSING

C/O DISTRICT PHOTO

10501 Rhode Island Avenue, MD 20705

HAMPTON PARK, MD 20791

(301) 937-5300 x240

 

Please continue to use the same toll free number to contact our customer

service department at 1-800-345-6973 for questions regarding this

communication or for any other KODAK mailer related questions.)

 

If the dealer has some other written notice saying otherwise, I'd like

to see a copy of it. Please fax to: (585) 724-9581, Attn: G. Spence.

Thanks!

Rowland,

Regarding "Buy a video camera". I am artistic director of a film/theatre company. We own several video cameras from 1 and 3 ccd models, to huge industrial cameras which can be docked to any format.

 

We also own several super 8 cameras. In the film I am editing (in fact waiting for a render right now), of Macbeth we used Black and White super 8 in several scenes for the look. It is still a useful tool. I will mourn when it passes away (but understand why). Major filmmakers often do this as well. Oliver Stone often uses super 8, and Neil Young's recent feature was shot entirely on it.

 

It's another tool in the toolbox.

Rowland,

 

I would absolutelyu not disagree with yo on any of your facts; however, whether a company is run well, or whether a product could have been better promoted, and so done better financially, is a matter of opinion.

 

A lot of people do like to bash Kodak. I'm generally not one of them. For my needs Kodak makes better products than Fuji. Despite my problems with a lot of their managemtn decisions, I still buy Kodak products (although not exclusively).

 

As for information on sales of Kodachrome there is no argument, sales are low, and sales have been low for a long time. I'm not the lat unlamented Hans and I wouldn't try and argue Kodachrome was popular. I do not believe Kodak should be required to produce a money loosig product for my convienance. The marketplace's decisions are final and there is no appeal. I DO question whether Kodak could have turned Kodachrome into a moneymaker, and I do think they are making a mistake as I know several people who WILL be so angry they stop buying Kodak products. I think Kodachrome was a loss leader, and I think Kodak will find that out if they are discontinuing it. I suspect Tech Pan was alos a loss leader for the Black and White Market.

 

I absolutely bow to you on knowing facts about EK. Numbers are facts, how the numbers might have been changed are opinion.

What kills me about Kodak is the shortsightedness. Ask anyone is business school and they'll tell you that the best way to suceed is to change the perception not the product. I agree sales of Kodachrome are way down, that is fact, it has been that way for a long timt hat is fact, and I believe that they experimented with better Kodachrome that went unreleased because no one wanted them, that seems to be fact.

 

What they don't know how to do is convince people of anything. Rather than try to sell their emulsions they constatntly change and discontinue them. Anyone can tell you that's not a way to build market.

 

I fully believe Kodak looses money on Kodachrome and Tech Pan. I also know many people have no ideas of the properties of these films. Kodak made the idiotic mistake of assuming that because marketing/advertising isn't working, cut the marketing, and gradually kill the product. Most people would try changing the marketing, or increasing the marketing first, I also know a lot of people who don't use much Kodachrome or much Tech Pan, but when they do use them nothing else will sufice. Many of these people will run from all Kodac products if Kodachrome or Tech Pan is discontinued. Look at teh number of comments we see about people who won't use any Agfa product because sheet films have been discontinued, or because APX25 was discontinued.

 

I'd bet a good market surveyw ould show these products function as loss leaders, People who buy Kodachrome probably also by Ektachrome, rather than FujiChromes out of simple brand loyalty. That will VANISH, and quyickly.

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Really the few placesa that print smaller, charge the same amount. 4x6 is as cheap as it gets. If you are having it done someplace with a digital lab Frontier, etc) you could ask for just processing and an index print. That might help you in printing onyl the ones you want.

You might try some AGFA Ultra 100. I haven't used it myself, but I have seen some excellent start trails shot withit. The colour saturation is high, but be warned the contrast is UNBELIEVABLY high.

No K200 doesn't normally have that colour palettee; however, it is a different look from K64

 

Here are examples the first 2 are k200 the last is k64

I'd simply bring both 100 and 400 and take some test readings.

My preference would be for Agfa Optima 400 (or the consumer equivalent Vista) but if you like more saturated colours you can't really go wrong with 400UC.

 

Although those would be my prefernces I'd stick with whatever film you are familair with, or shooot several rolls of the film you choose before the PGA Event.

Ron

 

"Shoot what you feel comfortable with and if the pictures make you happy that is your film."

 

Truest and best thing said so far by anyone in any discussion of different films.

Jay.

 

1. You did indeed specify K64. This will teach me to go through the forum too fast.

1a. Wow dyslexia. An argument a whole generation advanced from calling someone a retard. I made a mistake, does that call for incivility?

 

2. One the scan has not been photoshoped. I specifically said straight scan. If you want more info it was made using an epson 1660 Photo, and the built in Epson software. Of course an image can be photoshoped to look different; however, if it showed nothing of the original film's characteristics anyone who scans negatives or slided would just shoot the cheapest film we could find.

 

I apoologise for somehow blipping over that you specified k64. I probably started searching for a Kodachrome scan, and just absolutely forgot it.

Any digital lab will also be able to make you prints if that's what you want. You can even take the slide into walmart, and leave with a 4x6 for around 50 cents. (Althought you'd better know if you have a good tech, or the 18 year old who was up drinking till 5:00 am :)

K200 Shot in the miodday sun, in Texas, of my son sittingin a sandbox.

Just a snapshot, and a straight scan.

 

Faded colour?