reggie said:
If they are such saints, why didn't they sell AZO at cost so that even more people could have access? Face it, they stocked and sold AZO to assure that THEY always had access. Thye used everyone else to fund the large minimum purchases, sold what they personally didn't need and kept the rest. Now that AZO is cut off, no more grade 3 for you! And as soon as they are down to what they consider low levels of Grade 2, no more Grade 2 for you, either!
-R
This is absurd. Your want to criticize artists who saved Grade 3 azo in the first place (when Kodak dropped from the catalog several years ago) because they are holding enough of the grade that they use to do their art.
Indeed, you want to attack them. I've gone through the economics of azo here several times. Suffice to say that in 500 sheet quantity the 8x10 was less than $.67/ sheet for grade 2 or grade 3. Have you looked at the prices of seagull for grade 2 or grade 3? ($.88/sheet for grade 3 only available in 100 sheet quantities). How about Kentmere? ($.66/sheet including shipping for grade 3 also only available in 100 sheet quantities). Or even Ilford MG IV vc , which is over $.54/ sheet in the 250 quantity box.
The point is that M&P were selling graded paper in 500 sheet lots for well under the price of Seagull graded and about the same as Kentmere graded. Now if the attitude that you attempt to attribute to them were true, they would have tried to milk the market for as much as they could. They didn't! Let me repeat that, THEY DIDN'T!
I of course have never proclaimed Michael A. Smith a saint. To the best of my knowledge neither has the Pope. However, I do call him a true artist, an amazing educator, and a man who has committed his life to the art and craft of photography.
Mike Davis